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I MESSENGER NO 1 ISSUE 46 JULY 27, 2012

NO 1 ISSUE 46

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JULY 27, 2012

CEO MOMS Jacquie Hood Martin weighs in on value of maternity leave 15 PAGE 1

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JULY 27, 2012

Dear Friends, As the District Attorney of Dallas County, I am proud to support Domingo Garcia. Domingo is the only 33rd District Congressional candidate who has a strong history and track record as a coalition builder. He also cares about the needs of our community.

Domingo Garcia marched for civil rights alongside Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rev. Dr. Joseph Lowery and Caesar Chavez.

He led busloads of African American and Hispanic leaders to stand up for immigrant rights in Arizona.

Domingo served as trusted confidant and Texas campaign manager for Rev. Jackson during his historic campaign for U.S. President.

Domingo Garcia built support from all corners of Dallas and successfully fought for single-member city council districts. As a result, all residents of Dallas now have a voice and fair representation at Dallas City Council.

As Dallas' first Hispanic Dallas Mayor Pro Tem, Domingo worked with the late Al Lipscomb to establish the Citizens Police Review Board, bringing an end to racially motivated police crimes.

As a Texas State Representative, Domingo Garcia built the coalitions needed to win passage of the landmark James Byrd Hate Crimes Act. He also sponsored the 10% Rule which has leveled the educational playing field for minority students who want to go to college.

As a lifelong Democrat, Domingo Garcia supported Barack Obama from the earliest days of his presidential campaign; served as a local co-chair for the Obama campaign; and, today, advises President Obama on minority outreach for his re-election campaign.

Domingo Garcia is the only choice for the 33rd Congressional District. Voters in the 33rd Congressional District deserve a coalition builder with a proven track record. We need someone in Washington D.C. who will stand alongside President Obama and fight for education, safer neighborhoods, and a stronger economy. We need Domingo Garcia because he will work for all of us ... not special interests. On July 31, I encourage you to vote for Domingo Garcia, Democrat for Congress.

Sincerely, Craig Watkins Dallas County District Attorney

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Message to the people...

INSIDE I MESSENGER July 27, 2012

Team IMAJ 7

Super Monday focuses on early voting

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James Gassaway Mitchell

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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.

IM ESSENGER 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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JULY 27, 2012

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Since I turned 18, I have been a voter and I have been urging folks to join me at the polls.

Over the years, I have tried different ways of encouraging folks to vote.

Using editorials, columns and talk shows, I shared my opinions about the importance of voting; all the while citing numerous instances when people did all they could to exercise that right.

At times I would get frustrated because it seemed that no matter what, if there was inclimate weather or some special event; or maybe someone just wanted to go fishing, well you could see the dismal numbers at the polls.

When Rev. Al Sharpton came to Dallas to participate in a Super Monday Rally with congressional candidate Domingo Garcia, he expressed my sentiments so Cheryl Smith eloquently that I have to share his message.

First, it was Mr. Garcia and Rev. Frederick D. Haynes III, who talked about the importance of voting and coalition building.

Then, just as I had done in the past, the president of the National Action Network talked about challenges over the years as men, women and children were killed in the fight for that almighty vote.

Stressing the importance of early voting, Rev. Sharpton talked about the dismal voting numbers for the primary election in May and told a standing room only crowd at the Mattie Nash-Myrtle Davis Recreation Center that they needed to vote in big numbers for the runoff election.

“We need you to vote and we need you to vote with a passion,” he said, adding that it was so much easier to vote today than in previous years because of numerous obstacles. “People suffered, people died, people lost their families, people lost their careers.”

Then he lowered the boom as he talked about people who are in the struggle today fighting voter suppression and restrictive voting laws.

“We ought not to have to beg you to vote,” continued Rev. Sharpton. “Don’t have us fighting for something that you’re not going to use!”

Now when he spoke those words, I had to pause and digest that poignant message. All along I had been telling the stories about so many freedom fighters, like Fannie Lou Hamer, Medger Evers, Viola Liuzzo, the octogenarian in Africa who got to vote for the first time, and even Ms. Jane Pittman!

Maybe my stories were a little outdated for my readers and listeners. Maybe I needed to talk about the people who were fighting today.

Clearly Rev. Sharpton’s message resonated as once he and other program participants finished speaking, voters followed him over to the West Dallas Multipurpose Center to cast their votes.

That same energy is needed in November.

Domingo Garcia, Rev. Sharpton and Rev. Kyev Tatum I’d be willing to make a wager that Dobbins Heights Mayor Antonio Blue would like to see massive numbers at the polls also as he wages a write-in campaign to unseat Congressman Larry Kissell in North Carolina.

Some have asked why Mayor Blue, who is serving his second term, entered the race, just a few weeks ago.

It seems that Democrats became frustrated over recent actions by the congressman, who is also facing a Republican opponent in the general election.

The following statement was released: “The Executive Committee of the 8th Congressional District Black Leadership Caucus Political Action Committee met... and it was the recommendation of the committee that the membership would endorse a person to be the write-in candidate to replace Congressman Larry Kissell. The Executive Committee and the general membership feel that Congressman Kissell has abandoned issues that are crucial to the survival of low wealth individuals and communities across the 8th District.

The candidate we have chosen, a retired military person is known on state and federal levels. He is an elected official who is fair and consistent. This man is committed to improving the lives of the people that he serves and will make an excellent representative for the people of the 8th Congressional District.”

In an exclusive interview, Mayor Blue said that there was mounting displeasure, citing the congressman’s vote against “Obamacare,” his declaration that he would not attend the Democratic National Convention and would not endorse President Obama.

According to Mayor Blue, constituents were beginning to wonder if in the very near future, Rep. Kissell was going to make a switch -- possibly to the Republican Party.

Unacceptable, says the mayor and other Democrats. Thus, the write-in campaign began.

Can Mayor Blue walk way victorious?

On my FaceBook page, Mayor Michael Blunt from Chesilhurst New Jersey wrote that if he could he would vote for his comrade.

Some pundits say a write-in campaign is ambitious while others praise Mayor Blue and encourage him to move full speed ahead.

Whatever the case, nothing is possible if you are lethargic and sitting around on your behind. If you get up off your butts and stand for something, anything is possible.

So, imagine the possibilities if in North Texas, North Carolina and across this country, voters turned out at record rates.

I say a special thanks to those who as Rev. Al says, are fighting for us.

Cheryl !

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THE WORLD Humanitarian Hands Charities announces Community Outreach Mission for Local Refugee Resource Assistance Center — Humanitarian Hands Charities announced their community outreach mission to launch a refugee resource center. The center will be located in Dallas and will provide workshops on family structure, finances, advanced ESL classes, mental health counseling, senior citizens’ awareness and much more.

The center, which is slated to open in December 2012, will prove to be a viable, and much needed resource for the community. In fiscal year 2011, there were 56,419 refugee arrivals into the United States, with Texas being the second highest recipient, receiving 5,623 refugees. Refugee arrivals are already at a total of 3,598 for the first quarter of this year.

Humanitarian Hands Charities, an organization that primarily supports Ugandan orphans by providing housing, healthcare, quality education, and job skills training, felt the need to provide support on a more local level.

“We were excited when we performed a needs assessment with local refugee agencies who stated that there was a critical need for more concentrated and long-termed refugee support systems to assist them in their transition to an unknown environment and culture,” noted Mary Christopher, CEO and Co-founder of Humanitarian Hands Charities. “Our focus is to provide resource services that will make a substantial and sustaining difference in the refugees’ lives. Not only will we be able to assist African refugee youth, but refugee youth and their families from all over the world!”

Plans for the refugee resource assistance center are underway.

Additional details will be highlighted at the Humanitarian Hands Charities’ upcoming “What if …?” gala event in October.

For additional project updates, visit www.hhcharities.org.

Humanitarian Hands Charities is a 501 (c)(3) organization founded in 2006 by Ray and Mary Christopher in response to the growing number of orphans in Uganda. Based in Dallas, Texas, the organization empowers African youth to create a hopeful, sustainable future for themselves and their communities by providing housing, healthcare, quality education, and job skills training. For additional information, visit www.hhcharities.org.

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World Leaders, Blockbuster Idols and Academia Powerhouses to Convene in Africa

-- Global leaders from Africa, Asia, Latin America, powerhouse intellectuals from the most prestigious colleges and universities in the world, NBA players, Emmy Award winning musicians and superstars from Hollywood, Nollywood, and Bollywood, and Grammy Award winning actors from the U.S. and the Caribbean will be gathering for the starstudded 9th Leon H. Sullivan Summit, in the colorful city of Malabo, Equatorial Guinea at the invitation of His Excellency Obiang Nguema-Mbasogo.

Beginning on August 20, the Summit will be a worldwide gathering of the African Diaspora under the theme of "Africa Rising."

"Africa is where you will find the greatest opportunities in the entire world," said Mrs. Hope Sullivan Masters, President of the Leon H. Sullivan Foundation. She went on to say, "The Sullivan Summit has always been the place where incalculable opportunities are introduced to the vast reserve of untapped innovative ideas and concepts of Africa.

“The enthusiastic feedback that we are receiving from all across the world about this Ninth Sullivan Summit is so impassioned and full of energy that the fusions which are about to occur in Malabo will result in a historic new chapter in Africa's renaissance." Hope Masters elaborated further, "when the wealth of Africa is harnessed in a way where the African people will finally benefit from their own land you will have a 'game-changing' situation which will fundamentally change the way the entire world regards Africa. This is the underlying mission of this Summit and the theme this year which is Africa Rising."

Hope Sullivan-Masters

With more than 4000 delegates expected to attend, Heads of State from across the world, blockbuster superstars and international musicians, the 9th Leon H. Sullivan Summit will prove to be a ground breaking event for Equatoguineans and all Africans alike.

"We will have a concert with performances by international superstars planned for the entire country and our Summit delegates.

The Heads of State will announce a set of Sullivan Resolutions, which will disclose an urgent stratagem to ensure economic empowerment and human

JULY 27, 2012

development for the nations of Africa.

These Sullivan Resolutions will be a clear articulation to the world that the leaders of Africa are fully and completely committed to lead the global dialog on Africa, forged by the leaders of Africa themselves, to ensure the onward development of Africa while ensuring the rights and dignity of African people in the process," said Sullivan-Masters.

The Sullivan Summit has also undertaken a full-scale renovation of a large orphanage in Malabo which will be re-dedicated during the Summit week; and they will be hosting the Inaugural Leon H. Sullivan Exhibition Basketball game featuring athletes from the NBA, the Canadian Basketball League, and well as from various leagues across Europe and Africa in addition to the bilateral and multilateral discussions among world leaders which will take place during the week-long Summit.

Historically the Sullivan Summits have been responsible for enacting significant change on the continent, and the Summits have been the only international forums in which former U.S. Presidents such as President Bill Clinton and President George W. Bush have attended while in office.

The Pan-African Connection Bookstore Art Gallery and Resource Center 828 Fourth Ave., Dallas Texas, (New Location Across From Fair Park Music Hall) 214-943-8262 /panafric@airmail.net Mark Your Calendar Saturday August 4, 7 p.m.

'Guerilla Mainframe' Presents Chairman Fred Hampton Jr. "America You Killed Trayvon Martin" President and Chairman of the Prisoners of Conscience Committee (POCC). and son of assassinated Black Panther Deputy Chairman Fred Hampton Sr. and Comrade Mother Akua Njeri

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JULY 27, 2012

GUNAA-DALLAS CHAPTER PRESENTS 2012 FOOTBALL KICKOFF BRUNCH GSU 2012 FOOTBALL THEME: “ROLL WITH US OR ROLL OUT”

August 25, 2012 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM Renaissance Dallas Hotel 2222 N Stemmons Frwy.

Dallas, Texas 75207 Keynote Speaker: Everson “Cubby” Walls, GSU Football Legend and NFL Great! $40 Tickets (can be purchased from GUNAA-Dallas Chapter members) Entertainment, door prizes, silent auction!!!!

www.gsudallas.com

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JULY 27, 2012

12 Tips For Women To Get Out of Debt

PCC Introduces Clergy Leadership and Executive Coaching Sessions A New Tool for Enhancing Ministry

DALLAS ― Beginning this July, Pastoral Counseling Center (PCC) will offer leadership coaching sessions to support pastors in their roles as leaders and managers within their congregations. These PAGE 6

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According to federal statistics, more women are in debt now than ever before.

This includes women of low-income and high-income statuses. Even worse the average woman in the United States is more than $10,000 in debt, and it will take most of them more than 15 years to pay it off.

Here are effective 12 tips that can help women to reduce and/or eliminate their debt faster: 1) Stop borrowing money - no matter what!

If you can't afford to buy something with UNCONDITIONAL- INSPIRED BY cash you have now, then don't buy it!

TRUE EVENTS WILL HIT THEATERS THIS SEPTEMBER 2) Control your spending appetite.

Unsubscribe from all shopping catalogs, ignore all TV/radio commercials, and no Debuting in theaters nationwide more window shopping!

September 21, 2012, Unconditional Joins Forces with Ministries Serving At-Risk The Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce (DBCC) Community Service Award was established in 1985 to honor individuals <a href="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/ who have made significant contributions dnb.blacknews/;pos=atf;tile=1;sz=300x250;o to the civic enhancements of Dallas’ rd=123456789?" target="_blank" ><img African American community. The src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/jump/ award was renamed for former DBCCdnb.blacknews/;pos=atf;tile=1;sz=300x250;o rd=123456789?" border="0" alt="" /></a> 3) Call your creditors and negotiate with them for a lower interest rate, and/or negotiate for a lower pay-off settlement.

For instance, if you owe $10,000, see if they will accept a one-time payment of $5,000 to settle the balance.

4) Always pay more than the minimum amount due each month. Even just $20 dollars more can make a huge difference in paying off your debt.

5) Inquire if it is possible to transfer all your balances to your credit card with the lowest interest rate.

6) Work on paying off your high interest credit cards or loans first.

7) Make a realistic monthly budget.

Purpose every dollar (including some buffer).

8) Track your expenses in a software program like Quicken. Categorize your expenses and report out how much you !

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ELECTION

2012 On the Campaign Trail Champ records "Vote 4 Justice" for Black Youth Vote before leaving for the Army I'! stand for what's right I'! use a! my might I'! make a difference in this world we live in I'! vote for what's right I'! lay down my life - lyrics from "Vote 4 Justice"

William Kellibrew IV, deputy director and national victims advocate for the National Coalition and Andre Todd Hobson

Washington, DC - When Andre Todd Hobson aka "Champ" originally penned the lyrics for The National Coalition on Black Civic Participation's Black Youth Vote (BYV!) iThink 2012 campaign, he didn't know how soon his lyrics would literally become his life. The 19-yearold Richmond, VA native will report to basic training for the U.S. Army on July 31, just a week after hitting the studio to lay his tracks for the song. He can only hope that his recording of "Vote 4 Justice" will move his peers to make a difference in the upcoming presidential election. He will make a difference by serving in the Army to protect the country and our democratic process.

Hobson's rendition of "Vote 4 Justice" is a stirring rap-laced track that evokes the essence of the times we live in. A gripping call for action, the song is a battle cry to a younger generation, beckoning them to utilize and not squander their power to vote. William Kellibrew IV, deputy director and national victims advocate for the National Coalition, empowers the hook with his compelling vocal PAGE 7

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ability."Andre did an excellent job of translating our message into hip-hop vernacular," said Jessica Brown, national field coordinator, BYV!. "We are working hard to educate our young people on the connection between voting and laws like 'Stand Your Ground.' Everyone wants justice for Trayvon Martin and others like him, but young people have to realize that those laws were voted in. We have to vote those laws out and keep voting so they don't pass anymore laws that are not in our interest."

Melanie L. Campbell, president and CEO of the National Coalition adds, "Many of the laws that disenfranchise voters disproportionately affect Black men so, with the help of funders like Open Society Foundations, we recruited and trained young black men to educate their peers about the new voter ID laws and to work at the polls.

I commend Andre for his leadership in using his creative skills to get our message out. We are proud and appreciative of his decision to serve our country. We wish him well.

BYV's iThink 2012 campaign is in full gear training, educating, and making sure young adults register to vote, verify their status, obtain proper identification, and vote on Election Day. BYV! programs include the Black Male Initiative, a civic leadership development program; and Foot Soldiers for Democracy co-convened with Common Cause. BYV! Foot Soldiers are a cadre of young people trained to serve as poll workers and monitors in their local communities.

BYV! is also partnered with the Cost of Freedom Project to distribute a voter ID App to quickly provide citizens with information on voter ID requirements for all 50 states and how to apply for a photo ID which they must show in order to vote.

BYV! is a national grassroots organization committed to increasing political and civic engagement among black youth and training young leaders. Andre Todd Hobson is a prime example of one such leader. His song, "Vote 4 Justice" will become the legacy of a young man committed to change and willing to pay the "Cost of Freedom".

Download Vote4Justice at: www.ncbcp.org, follow on Twitter @blackyouthvote, Andre's Twitter - @championmusicc. For BYV! updates text Vote4Justice to 69302.

Conyers calls on Congress to seize Bipartisan Momentum and Pass Sales Tax Fairness Legislation

(WASHINGTON)—The House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on “H.R. 3179, the Marketplace Equity Act of 2011.” This legislative hearing was a follow-up to the oversight hearing on the "Constitutional Limitations on States' Authority to Collect Sales Taxes in E-Commerce” on November 30, 2011.

Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) is the longest standing member of the Judiciary Committee to work on the issue of sales tax fairness, having worked alongside Representatives Bill Delahunt and Spencer Bachus since 2000. Ranking Member Conyers released this statement following the hearing: "In 1992 the Supreme Court decided in Quill Corp. v. North Dakota that it was too difficult for a remote seller to understand and comply with every tax law in every state and locality in which it may sell something. The Supreme Court felt that the states needed to simplify their complex sales tax laws to not be a burden on interstate commerce.

They ruled that without a simplification in sales tax laws, a remote seller would not have to collect sales taxes in a state in which it does not have a physical presence.

"However, the Supreme Court stated clearly that Congress was better suited to decide whether remote sellers have to collect sales taxes.

With the rise in online shopping and technological advances made in the decades since this Supreme Court decision, I think it is past time for Congress to make that determination.

"As a result of these different circumstances since the Supreme Court’s decision 20 years ago, I support legislation leveling the playing field between brick and mortar retailers with online sellers for three main reasons.

“First, this legislation ensures fairness between online sellers and brick and mortar retailers. Online retail prices are generally lower because many Americans do not have to pay sales taxes on the item purchased.

This can make a significant difference in the final purchase price the customer pays, ranging anywhere from 3% to 12% of the price of the item. This gives an unfair advantage to out-of-state retailers who operate online because they can charge the same basic pre-tax price as a local retailer, but the price the consumer actually pays is lower because they do not collect a sales tax.

“Second, this legislation will provide state and local governments with much needed revenue that supports vital public services like education and healthcare. In Michigan alone the !

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state Department of Treasury estimates that total revenue lost to ecommerce and mail order purchases will total $872 million during fiscal years 2012 and 2013.

“Lastly, there is bipartisan support in the House and Senate for sales tax fairness legislation, as well as a national coalition urging for the passage of this bill. At least a dozen Democratic and Republican governors, the National Governors Association, the National Conference of State Legislatures, and the National League of Cities have joined with retailers large and small to support sales tax equity. Congress can restore fairness in the marketplace, and address state revenue issues, by granting states the authority to require remote sellers to collect and remit sales taxes.

“The bill we discussed today, H.R. 3179, the ‘Marketplace Equity Act of 2011,’ introduced by my colleagues, Representatives Jackie Speier and Steve Womack would grant states

and localities that much-needed authority. I have signed on as a cosponsor to this legislation, and I encouraged all of my colleagues on the Judiciary Committee to do the same. I introduced similar legislation, H.R. 2701, the “Main Street Fairness Act,” while Senators Mike Enzi, Dick Durbin, and Lamar Alexander introduced S. 1832, the “Marketplace Fairness Act.” Although each of the three bills take different approaches, they each would accomplish the same goal: leveling the playing field between retailers and online sellers.

“I believe that Congress should pass legislation that promotes economic efficiency and helps our states and local governments maintain financial support for public education, health, and safety.

The Marketplace Equity Act and the other legislative proposals that I mentioned accomplish these goals and I urge my colleagues to consider them today.”

Runoff Election July 31, 2012 !

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It Has Begun! Legendary multi-platinum country artist Collin Raye tells everyone everywhere he goes, “Imaj is country’s next big star!” What makes Imaj such an amazing anomaly is that her mission has always been simply, “Peace & Love” — a movement that has been advocated since The Beatles, Johnny Cash, Janis Joplin and Michael Jackson…then along came Imaj to continue the Peace Movement.

What makes this so great is that Team Imaj has begun to expand her mission to not only spread world peace but to spread the awareness of Imaj and make the world a better place. You’ve heard the Breaking News: “IMAJ: Self-Titled Debut Album Set To Release This Summer/Fall!” We can’t wait for the release! And now…we’re joining hands nationwide. Join us at “Team Imaj” her official street team!

JULY 27, 2012

All you have to do is: 1. Click “Join Group” here http://www.facebook.com/groups/ 352164268186566/ 2. And register here: http://imaj.wufoo.com/forms/z7x3x5/ When you’re done please share the group on Facebook and be ready to have some fun!!!

For those sharing on Twitter: Please Tweet the following: #TeamImaj: IT HAS BEGUN. http://bit.ly/M4btHz (Please Re-Tweet!) cc. @iamImaj

Don’t Believe the Hype Foundation extends a special thank you to

D Sportz 339 E Camp Wisdom Rd Duncanville, TX 75116-2705 972-709-4377 and

Golden Gate Funeral Home 214-941-7332 www.beckwithgoldengatefuneralhome.com

for your support this year!

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SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT...

The Leadership Principle By Aaron Hopkins

I was recently asked a question by someone about leadership. The question was “What is leadership and what does it mean to you? And how do you show it?” This was my answer. “Leadership is the living example of forward progress that faces and overcomes any and all obstacles that stand in front of a goal! It is shown by the actions of a qualified leader who is battle tested, accountable and has the character to make those that follow his or her leadership become leaders as well.”

I thought this was a good answer and then I looked at it from another perspective. People tend to follow the kind of leadership that speaks to personal desires and goals. But the translation of the methods used by successful people are often overlooked or not really considered. This often comes clear when people realize the difficulty in accomplishing goals in life. I think of the value of having a good reputation over attaining monetary wealth. The building of my character is more valuable than using popularity to influence people.

A person can read all of the “how to books” in the world on leadership and still miss the principle of becoming a good follower first. This does not necessarily mean following a person or a personality. But following the principles of reflecting trustworthy living, honoring our words and living for more than becoming rich folks with no moral values is the example of leadership I would like to give my peers, friends and family!

There is an outcry for new leadership, better leadership and plain leadership. The danger in this to me is the desire for change is mainly an emotional response because of dissatisfaction. If we really good or great leadership then we must identify our needs and prioritize them by importance above our wants and desires. We also cannot avoid developing the leader within ourselves. The reason we fail to make ourselves accountable is because the burden is always easier to put on somebody else’s shoulders. This is why President Obama is hearing the words of criticism coming from those who are greatly responsible for the current economic situation of the country.

The discussions about leadership must begin to take the shape of reflection of our personal responsibilities and how much each individual can impact positive change in our homes, our communities, our cities, our states, our country and then the world!

I MESSENGER wants you to SPEAK YOUR MIND! Is there something on your mind? Is there something we should be thinking about?

Your thoughts are welcomed on the opinion pages of I MESSENGER! We would love to hear from you. Send your thoughts to us at www.myimessenger.com along with your photo, a contact number and a brief bio. Submissions should not exceed 300 words.

JULY 27, 2012

Lax gun laws allow terrorism at home

By Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. We are shocked and saddened by the massacre in Aurora, Colo. But Aurora is part of a pattern, not an isolated incident. Two days earlier, 17 were hurt outside a bar in Tuscaloosa, Ala., when a gunman opened fire.

There is no safe zone.

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and 18 others were shot in a Tucson, Ariz., shopping center. Virginia Tech students were mowed down on campus. In Chicago, 228 people have already lost their lives to gun violence as of mid-June. Nationwide, there have been 60 mass shootings since the Tucson horror, according to the Brady Campaign. Every year, about 100,000 Americans are victims of gun violence, with about 30,000 killed.

Aurora is shocking — but the shock has become routine.

We fixate on the details of the killer. James Holmes was an honor student who ran into trouble, dropped out of school, apparently suffered depression. He saw himself as the Joker, the villain without a cause, eager only to sow violence and disruption for its own sake. Dressed in black body armor, he walked into the movie theater playing the new Batman movie carrying two handguns, a

shotgun and an assault rifle. There was no defense when he opened fire.

Our leaders offer condolences and prayers, as President Obama and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney did immediately. But we need both prayer and policy to provide for domestic tranquility. Depression isn’t isolated. Mass depression and mass access to guns is a recipe for massacre.

We must do more than mourn. We must act to limit domestic terrorism.

Holmes purchased the four guns he carried in local Colorado gun shops along with 6,000 rounds of ammunition in the last 60 days. How could he arm himself with an assault rifle that is useful only to hunt humans? It was easy because in Colorado, it was perfectly legal.

According to the Brady Campaign, this is the current state of gun laws in Colorado: There is no ban on assault weapons, no ban on high-capacity ammunition magazines, no registration requirements, no gun owner licensing requirements, no background checks for Internet sales, no “good cause” required for a concealed carry permit, no limit on the number of handguns you can buy in one purchase.

Our police chiefs campaign hard for a ban on assault weapons that put them at risk. A weak federal assault weapons ban existed from 1994 until George Bush let it lapse in 2004.

During that time, the number of crimes

A family’s tragedy I have received a couple of messages from people asking, “How can I help?” You are receiving this because we are connected via Linkedin or Facebook. I’m not sure if you all have heard, but on Friday, July 20, 2012, my little three and a half year old cousin, Benjamin C. Price was left sleeping in a hot van by his childcare provider after returning from a field trip to the movies. As a result of this carelessness and neglect, Benjamin has gone on to be with the Lord.

My cousin and her husband were not financially prepared for this horrific event. The have experienced a number of losses in the last few months. They recently lost a mother/ grandmother to cancer and now a son/ sibling in this senseless tragedy. In addition, Amanda Omo- Iyamu who was run over by the diesel in Colorado was a member their church. They have experienced so much loss in such a short time frame. I want to make the grieving process a little easier for them, by relieving any financial burdens that they are faced with at this time. If you are interested in being a blessing to them, please visit, In Loving Memory of Benjamin C. Price on PayPal where you will be able to make a donation. I want to thank you in advance for

committed with assault weapons declined dramatically. But the National Rifle Association — the powerful gun lobby — campaigned hard against the ban and intimidated politicians in both parties.

Now the gun lobby has won.

People have begun arming themselves, as if that would protect them. Last year, nearly half (47 percent) of Americans said they have a gun in their home. In 1959, 60 percent of Americans supported a law to ban possession of handguns except by police and other authorized persons.

By 2011, only 26 percent supported it.

Last year for the first time, a majority of Americans said they were opposed to a law to make it illegal to manufacture, sell or possess assault weapons.

In “The Second Coming,” the poet William Butler Yeats captured our time when he warned “the ceremony of innocence is drowned; the best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity.”

How many must die before “the best” stand and speak? We must revive the ban on assault weapons in America. The Joker’s goal of creating chaos through violence is not a joke.

Arming ourselves is not a solution; it is a defeat. We must demand action to defend the domestic tranquility against a gun industry, lobby and culture that now pose a clear and present danger.

anything that you are able to do. Little Benji will be laid to rest on next Saturday If you are unable to make a monetary donation, we ask that you donate your time…commit to making others aware of this issue. We also ask that you encourage people to report child care center violations at any center that you come in contact with to the TX Dept. of Family & Protective Services. Let’s keep this from happening to another child, so that no one else has to experience what my cousins/ family are going through. You can also like the In Loving Memory of Benjamin C. Price Memorial page at facebook.com/benjamincpricememorial. This Facebook page will provide you with more information, updates and serve as a forum for the community to come together and offer the Price family their support, prayers, words of encouragement and condolences.

Channel 5 News Story: http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/ breaking/Child-Found-Unconcious-inVan-163245626.html Channel 11 News Story: http://dfw.cbslocal.com/ 2012/07/20/3-year-old-left-inside-daycare-van-dies/ Donate Electronically---f you have a Pay Pal account, you can donate quickly and safely using this link http://goo.gl/ UhKJG. Kisha Allen

The opinions expressed by columnists are not necessarily those of I MESSENGER.

Every man has a right to his own opinion. Every race has a right to its own action; therefore let no man persuade you against your will, let no other race influence you against your own.

Hon. Marcus Mosiah Garvey

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JULY 27, 2012

Special Announcement A Day of Competitive Fun, Camaraderie and A Celebration of “25 years of Promoting Excellence in Education at HBCUs” August 4, 2012

18th Annual Jimmy Walker Memorial Scholarship Golf Tournament Riverchase Golf Club 700 Riverchase Drive Coppell, TX 75019 2-Person Team Scramble – 8am Shotgun Start Registration begins at 6:30am NO ONSITE REGISTRATION

DMCBAA 25TH ANNIVERSARY BANQUET DFW Airport Marriott Hotel North 8440 Freeport Parkway Irving, TX 75063 Food, Music, Silent Auction, Door Prizes Guest Speaker: Mr. Thomas Joyner, Jr. President and CEO of The Tom Joyner Foundation Doors Open for Silent Auction at 6:30pm Contact: DMCBAA at (972) 220-0477; via e-mail: dmcbaa@yahoo.com; or visit: www.dmcbaa.org PAGE 10

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JULY 27, 2012

Bounce TV Announces Multiple Movie Licensing Agreements With Walt Disney Studios, Miramax, Sony & MGM -- Bounce TV (http://bouncetv.com), the nation's first-ever over-the-air broadcast television network for African Americans, has acquired the television rights to four packages of African American-skewing motion pictures in individual, multi-year licensing agreements with The Walt Disney Studios, Miramax, Sony Pictures Television and MGM Domestic Television Distribution, it was announced today by Bounce TV Chief Operating Officer Jonathan Katz.

Among the titles Bounce TV acquires from The Walt Disney Studios: The multiple Academy Award®-nominated What's Love Got to Do with It starring Angela Bassett as Tina Turner; The Preacher's Wife starring Denzel Washington and Whitney Houston; Washington starring in He Got Game; the Eddie Murphy comedies The Distinguished Gentlemen and The Haunted Mansion; Mr. 3000 starring Bernie Mac; Whoopi Goldberg in Sister Act and Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit; Glory Road, the story of the first all-black starting five to win an NCAA basketball championship; Halle Berry as The Rich Man's Wife; the 1994 action comedy A Low Down Dirty Shame starring Keenan Ivory Wayans and Jada Pinkett Smith;

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It’s your business NBMBAA -Austin Chapter hostsLeadership Empowerment Institute Conference -- The National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA) –Austin Chapter will host its annual Leadership Empowerment Institute (LEI) Conference on Friday, July 27, from 8 AM – 5 PM at the AT&T Executive Education & Conference Center at The University of Texas, Austin. Author and esteemed Corporate Business Executive, Keith Wyche, will offer the keynote address promoting "The Power of Presence and Sharing the Vision for Leadership."

The LEI conference is sponsored in part by Dell, Farm Credit Bank of Texas, Seton Family of Hospitals, St. Edward's University, University of Phoenix, The PhD Project, the Division of Diversity & Community Engagement at The University of Texas – Austin, Deliberate Careers, BIG Austin, KAZI 88.7 FM and the Media Production Center.

The purpose of the LEI conference is to promote growth and development of Central Texas' business professionals and business owners. The full-day conference features seminars on global marketing, selfbranding and compensation negotiation.

Simultaneously, mini-seminars will highlight professional development training and education opportunities. These seminars will feature the following business organizations: Toastmasters of Austin, the PhD Project, PMI Austin, Deliberate Careers and BIG Austin. In addition, a Career and Post-Grad Expo will be available, featuring local employers and educational institutions.

"We are elated to provide this type of conference for the local community. In today's economy, individuals must stay alert, remain competitive and infuse an assortment of development tracks in a major way," said Elizabeth Thomas, NBMBAA-Austin Chapter president. "The Leadership Empowerment Institute is designed to address these areas."

Gregory Gibson, Jr., the LEI conference chair and VP of Strategic Initiatives with NBMBAA-Austin Chapter, believes the conference will be beneficial for Central Texas professionals and is hopeful for more opportunities for growth. "My hope is that it only gets bigger and better in the future," Gibson said.

West Cary Group launches new mobile-ready website for Richmond Intl Airport

the official website of Richmond International Airport (RIC).

"West Cary Group is delivering on its pledge of helping to make RIC known as one of the most digitally relevant airports in the country," says Troy Bell, Director of Marketing and Air Service Development for RIC. "They're fully leveraging their integrated communications expertise to the benefit of the airport, its customers and stakeholders, and the Greater Richmond Region as a whole."

"Our digital philosophy at West Cary Group is 'think mobile first,' and that guided the redesign," says Moses Foster, West Cary Group President and CEO. "Using responsive design techniques, the website adapts intelligently to any device you view it on whether it's a mobile phone, tablet or computer."

"We also wanted to capture what's unique about RIC - namely, its culture. There's a special warmth generated by the environment and the staff that you just can't find at most airports these days."

New location photography is featured prominently on the site, bringing to life the airport's distinctively open, accessible atmosphere. Additional improvements include a new architecture that puts the most highly sought after information at the forefront. Site visitors will now find a home page Fare Finder and Arrivals and Departures board. For interested businesses, information on RIC's decade-old Supplier Diversity program is highlighted with a featured home page link.

"We consider this site highly dynamic and a work in progress," continues Foster. "We'll continue to work with the airport to look for ways to refine and enhance the site's functionality and design. It's truly a pleasure to have the opportunity to work with one of the most important resources in our region."

West Cary Group was named Agency of Record for RIC in April 2012. The firm is responsible for general marketing - including web and mobile design and development, as well as brand advertising.

Ezell's Famous Southern Fried Chicken voted America's Favorite in Esquire Poll -- Seattle-based Ezell's Famous Chicken is "The Most Life-Changing Fried Chicken" in America according to the nationwide Internet poll conducted by Esquire magazine's "Eat Like a Man" blog. Ezell's walked away with nearly 50 percent of the vote among the eight competitors.

This is the second life-changing national recognition for Ezell's since the company first opened

JULY 27, 2012

in the mid 80s. Oprah Winfrey mentioned Ezell's on her show after she had its chicken flown from Seattle to Chicago for her birthday party at Harpo Studios.

Ezell's currently has seven locations in greater Seattle and has been serving up "The Most LifeChanging Chicken in America" for more than 25 years.

The mission was simple: To provide always-fresh, highquality chicken along with good, made-from-scratchdaily side dishes and serve them with fast, courteous service. In short, Ezell's had to be fresh, good and fast.

"From the beginning, we chose to use the best

Photos: Courtesy of Ezell's

product, the best ingredients," says Lewis Rudd, President and CEO of Ezell's Famous Fried Chicken.

"Even before trans fat-free was the law, we used trans fat-free oils and continue to use 100-percent vegetable oils for all our frying."

Each restaurant marinates its own chicken using New Orleans-style Creole seasoning and a dash of cayenne pepper to the breading which gives added zing to the recipe. That marinating process, says Rudd, ensures Ezell's chicken is flavorful to the last bite - and no doubt key to being named America's Favorite Fried Chicken.

Founded in 1984 in Seattle's Central District, Ezell's Famous Chicken is a family-owned and operated company. Its chain of seven fast-casual restaurants are located in cities throughout the Greater Puget Sound area. For more information on the award-winning company, please visit http://www.ezellschicken.com, on Facebook at EzellsFamousChicken or on Twitter @Ezells_Chicken.

Ezell's Famous Chicken is a family-owned and operated business that, 25 years later, employs 18 family members spanning two generations.

-- West Cary Group, a minority-owned marketing communications and advertising agency headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, has redesigned and relaunched PAGE 12

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“We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the vitriolic words and actions of the bad people, but for the appalling silence of the good people.” . Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Come on PEOPLE! Don’t you CARE? POLICE have not apprehended Pookie the serial rapist.

Aren’t you concerned? Do you care?

We know he has attacked members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and there is a $5,000 reward offered by Crime Stoppers.

If you have ANY information, PLEASE call Crime Stoppers

877.373.8477 Also, if you want extra protection, check out Street Safe at

www.streetsafe.peopleguard.com

DON’T BE SILENT Join I Messenger in the call for justice. Turn Pookie in today!

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Super Monday Rev. Al Sharpton and Domingo Garcia focused on early voting and coalition building.

JULY 27, 2012

When Congressional Candidate Domingo Garcia announced Super Monday, encouraging citizens to go to the polls on the first day of early voting for the run-off election, citizens responded to the call.

“We’re looking for change in Texas,” he said to a standing-room only gathering at the Mattie Nash-Myrtle Davis Recreation Center in West Dallas, which was one of three stops. “Let’s work together building coalitions and supporting immigration reform.”

The Rev. Frederick D. Haynes III also spoke, encouraging everyone to “rise up against voter suppression,” before introducing Rev. Al Sharpton.

The President of the National Action Network’s message was short and to the point as he referenced struggles for the right to vote.

“Everything they are fighting for is invalid if the number of people voting is not there,” he said, adding that the 6 percent voter turnout in the primary election was unacceptable. “When you have 6 percent in the primary, you don’t care about yourself!”

Rev. Peter Johnson also stressed the importance of voting as he did the roll call of people who lost their lives fighting for the right to vote. Praising the efforts of Mr. Garcia, , Rev. Johnson pleaded, “Don’t let our friends’ deaths be in vain.

A number of others joined in supporting Mr. Garcia:

Kathleen Hicks, former Fort Worth City Councilwoman "Domingo is a man of integrity and a man who has always fought for the people he is representing unlike Marc Veasey. He has been bought and paid for by special interest groups and has consistently voted against the interests of his constituents and his community."

Dr. Freddie Haynes and Rickey Smiley

Donovan Wheatfall, former Fort Worth City Councilman "When it comes to standing up for "our" community there is only one candidate that has put the needs of minority communities above party politics and that's Domingo Garcia. I fully endorse his candidacy. He's the strong fighter who will go to Washington, D. C. as a businessman with experience to fight for change in our community. Recently, Mr. Veasey slammed Domingo for calling parts of our Fort Worth community "ghettos." Well growing up in Stop Six, where there are still ghettos, we call that 'telling it like it is.' We need straight talk and a congressman who will fight to help transform our ghettos into vibrant communities. Domingo has the experience and the backbone to stand up for us and do just that. We need change and Domingo is the one to bring that change."

Forty juniors named to Wyndham Cup Teams Braselton, Ga. – The Wyndham Cup rosters have been finalized and 40 players from3,14a luncheon/ states have committed to Friday, August represent the East or West at Arnold presentation with fellow leaders from faith-based organizations, colleges, and community centers.

Dallas City Hall 6th Floor Flag Room 1500 Marilla Street Dallas, TX 75201

Atty.

Bobbie Edmonds

Driving Directions When: Friday, August 3, 2012 from Rev. Al Sharpton addresses questions from media.

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Dr. Sheron Patterson

Rev. Sharpton and Domingo Garcia !

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The reality of CEO moms in the 21st Century

By Jacquie Hood Martin

Determining what is the proper balance between your life at work and away from the office is a matter of perspective and perception.

This issue has been widely discussed in the wake of Marissa Mayer being hired this week as the new CEO of Yahoo, and revealing that she is pregnant.

In a USA Today article about Mayer’s hiring and pregnancy announcement, a number of people were quoted condemning Mayer, saying she is misleading the public about working during her maternity leave.

Although some actually believe there is only one way a working mom should operate once she chooses to have and raise a child, they are wrong. In fact, there are multiple ways someone can achieve the proper balance based on their state of mind.

A mom who believes that she is to drop everything now that she has to care for a child views her role differently than the CEO mom who has to balance home and work. In either case the child will not be less loved. That child may also grow up being interdependent rather than co-dependent on a parent or guardian.

Children whose parents are home longer often find it difficult to integrate into nursery or preschool. A sense of abandonment and lack of understanding could be part of the child’s psyche. As a certified preschool teacher, I’ve often seen how both parent and child are nonresponsive to others.

Mayer’s critics may want to check out the results of a study by New York’s Columbia University School of Social Work, which determined that children will fare well in life regardless of the parents maternity leave decision.

The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care, published in July by the Society for Research in Child Development, followed more than 1,000 children up to the age of seven from 10 geographic areas.

The study tracked their development and family characteristics.

Yes, there were downsides to a mom working in the first year of the child’s life, but the added benefit of additional incomes causes researchers to determine that the decision to continue working even all sides out.

Mayer’s decision to continue to work sheds light on what other moms who do not have maternity leave face each day.

Maternity leave used to be a right and a privilege afforded to working Americans with insurance. Many new mothers would welcome the opportunity to stay in the hospital longer than the day of birth; be able to reside in their homes for a year; and even have the option of never returning to the workforce.

This is not the reality of the thousands of moms giving birth right now.

There has been a lot of debate in many cultures and communities about the wisdom of working through maternity leave and when is the right time to return to work.

I contend that women who stay home or who are disengaged from adult conversation and activity are often withdrawn due to a lack of social engagement. This begins the rapid decline of communication in the home and the onset stages of post-partum depression.

In my coaching practice I advise against women doing the cold turkey self-removal from PAGE 15

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all things familiar, especially if this is your first child. It can be hard to overcome going from being in control and in charge to being helpless home with a new child.

Working mothers and fathers must create a balance that does not happen at the expense of the family as a unit. We must be careful not to paint a picture that 99 percent of the women who have babies are staying home on maternity leave.

Women run the risk of unemployment or taking a lesser paying position when they return.

It is no wonder why women in business and executive levels often forego having a child.

In fact, the Sunday Times-London reports, “that a business executive hired another woman to carry her fourth child because she did not want to jeopardize her career.”

Although surrogacy is a luxury and most often used by women with infertility, it still speaks to how women feel about being ostracized in the public space about becoming a mom.

Women in high-profile careers have enough stress with the pregnancy itself, and determining when to leave the child with a caregiver, when to or not to return to work, and how the child will feel simply places undue – and unfair – pressure on them.

Instead of criticism, Mayer should be applauded for her decision. It’s her career and her child, and the 37-year-old mom-to-be has a right to make her own decisions and what’s best for her child. It’s laughable that outsiders would trust Mayer to make decisions for a company with 12,500 employees and a market cap of $19 billion, but can’t trust her to make her own decision about her career and her child.

Jacquie Hood Martin is a Balanced Living Coach and author of Fulfilled! The Art & Joy of Balanced Living; and Wedded Bliss! A 52-Week Devotional to Balanced Living; She is corporate trainer facilitating work life balance workshops, trainings, and retreats.

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Beware of West Nile Dallas County Office of Homeland Security requests state assistance for West Nile Virus [Dallas, TX] – [The Dallas County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (OHSEM) filed a formal request for state assistance from the Texas Department of Health and Human Services in Dallas County's escalating fight against West Nile Virus.

Dallas County Health and Human Services (HHS) has waged an aggressive campaign against the deadly disease and has requested resources from the state as conditions remain ripe for more mosquito carriers of the virus and further human infection.]

Judge Clay Jenkins says “I commend the work done by DCHHS and the many dedicated Dallas County employees who have worked tirelessly to reduce the risk of infection and educate the public on important safety precautions.

We need your help.”

HHS urges citizens to use the 3 D’s to defend against the virus:

FIGHT THE BITES n DEET – use insect repellents that contain Deet, or any other FDA approved insect repellent

Judge Clay Jenkins

Employment Opportunities Jobs are available NOW for HVAC technicians, bench workers, paint shoppers and machinists with 2 years of metal machining experience.

Dallas Airmotive, a leading engine repair and overhaul company, will conduct on-site interviews Friday, August 3, 2012 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Urban League of Greater Dallas Headquarters, 4315 South Lancaster Road.

Aviation experience is a plus but NOT required. Pay range is $12 to $23 an hour. Medical, dental and vision benefits are offered.

Applicants must be 18 years or older, be well groomed, professional and dressed in business attire. Dress code will be strictly enforced.

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Character shaping doll hits the market with a twist -- More than toys, dolls for girls, are a reflection of how they look and see themselves. At a very early age, girls begin to shape their self image, and it is that image that they hold on to throughout their lives. Throughout the world, girls learn what is positive through the messages taught to them not only by their families and teachers but also through play. Psychologists and educators who study doll play say dolls are among the most important toys of childhood. Doll play provides an opportunity for children to begin to see their own place in the world which is essential for physical, social, emotional and spiritual wellbeing.

n DRESS – Wear long, loose and light-colored clothing outside during dusk and dawn hours.

n DRAIN – Remove all areas of standing water. Change water in wading pools, pet dishes and birdbaths several times a week.

Among the many precautions HHS has taken in the protection of residents is their ongoing testing for mosquito pools throughout Dallas County. HHS’s West Nile Newsletter gives citizens a list of cities and their corresponding zip codes where mosquito pools have tested positive. For more information go to: http://www.dallascounty.org/ department/hhs/documents/ WestNileWatch4DsMAP27Jul12.pdf

JULY 27, 2012

In 2010, Sheri and Corey Crawley relocated from a downtown Chicago neighborhood to a small suburb of Detroit called Novi, Michigan, with their two daughters, Laila (age 6) and Aliya (age 5). The demographics were only 1% African American, however, the Crawley's were unaware of how this would ultimately affect their children.

When Laila was enrolled in kindergarten, Sheri immediately observed changes in her daughter's behavior. She lost her bubbly personality and became more withdrawn and timid during school hours. She began to make comments when she saw shampoo commercials on television and even said she wanted long blonde hair like that of her classmates as opposed to her own beautifully textured hair.

Around the same time, Anderson Cooper on CNN 360, aired a four part series on research results of a Doll Test.

The test was initially conducted in the 1940s by Dr. Kenneth and Mamie Clark and greatly influenced the decision of Brown vs. Board of Education. This test showed that when given a choice, children have a bias toward brown skin tones. Sheri also had a similar experience when planning a birthday celebration for her youngest daughter, Aliya, at a very popular doll store located downtown Chicago. Sheri noticed that none of the little girls, including her daughters, chose a doll with brown skin tone. Sheri was shocked and appalled with their decision and very surprised that the only doll with brown skin tone that was available at the store was a freed slave. !

More than ever, Sheri recognized the need to address the harmful messages about skin tone and beauty in the media. She was very concerned about the impact these messages would have on girls who rarely see images of their own likeness depicted in a positive manner. Simultaneously, she began asking God how she could use her gifts and talents to empower others. Her husband always used "Pretty Brown Girl" as a term of endearment towards their daughters. They decided to create a doll to share this simple yet powerful message to the world to encourage girls to be happy in their beautiful brown skin.

"The Pretty Brown Girl Doll" for little girls of all ethnicities was created to send the message that brown is beautiful. This simple message has turned into a Pretty Brown Girl Movement and last August the Crawley's successfully launched, Pretty Brown Girl, LLC. Obviously there are brown dolls already in the marketplace; the problem is that brown girls are not choosing them because of what they are learning from society. "We have to make a change and the Pretty Brown Girl Doll helps create a platform for this critical dialogue at an early age," says Sheri.

The anticipated first production of dolls will arrive this week and there are several hundred anxious girls (and many women) of all ethnicities that will receive their dolls on their doorsteps in the coming weeks. The Crawley's are already forecasting large numbers of orders during this Christmas season.

Beginning July 10, 2012, for every purchase of the signature "Pretty Brown Girl Doll", the company will donate a second doll to a girl in need of encouragement through a global giving initiative titled Empower a Girl, Empower the World. "Our goal is to gift one million dolls to one million girls!" says Sheri. Corey adds "Our belief is that by developing positive self-esteem and confidence, while giving the gift of self-love, more girls will be inspired to dream their biggest dreams."

In addition to the Pretty Brown Girl doll, Sheri Crawley has authored a children's book entitled "Pretty Brown Girl, My First Day of School" along with a Daily Journal for Girls that includes The Official Pretty Brown Girl Pledge. The brand also offers Pretty Brown Girl T-Shirts and accessories for both girls and women. In response to the Pretty Brown Girl Movement, many organizations, schools and churches that have incorporated the Pretty Brown Girl theme into their youth programs.

For more information on the Pretty Brown Girl product line and programs or to become a Giving Partner, visit www.prettybrowngirl.com. !

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In Memoriam Sherman Hemsley 1938-2012

Lupe Ontiveros September 17, 1942 – July 26, 2012

Hon. John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills

Lupe Ontiveros (September 17, 1942 – July 26, 2012) was an American film and television actress who championed non-stereotypical roles.

Ontiveros was born Guadalupe Moreno in El Paso, Texas, the daughter of Luz "Lucita" Castañón and Juan Moreno, middle-class Mexican immigrants who overcame a lack of

JULY 27, 2012

who had 4,480,446 votes representing 49.77 percent •January 7th, 2009 Professor Mills sworn in as the Third President of the Republic of Ghana.

He is married to Ernestina Naadu Mills, an educationist, and has a son, Sam Kofi Atta Mills.

Chad Everett June 11, 1937- July 26, 2012

1944-2012 Actor Sherman Hemsley has died of natural causes at age 74, forever burying George Jefferson, one of the most indelible characters in television history.

Sherman Hemsley played George Jefferson on the hit CBS sitcoms "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons," starting out as the nemesis of Archie Bunker, played by Carroll O'Connor.

Sherman Alexander Hemsley was born in February 1938. He served in the U.S. Air Force, then worked for the U.S. Postal Service before becoming a Broadway star and eventually being offered the role of George Jefferson by "All in the Family" creator Norman Lear.

A familiar face on TV over the past four decades, Sherman Hemsley has starred on "All in the Family," "The Jeffersons," "Amen," "Dinosaurs" and in the classic comedy movies, Love at First Bite, Mr. Nanny and Sprung.

An Emmy Award-winning television actor, Sherman Hemsley goes down in history for starring in not one, but TWO of television's highestrated, most-successful, longest-running megahit shows ever.

Not many black Hollywood personalities could take 300 years of African American struggles and boil them down into a comic delivery that made other racial segments of society completely understand The Black Experience in mere minutes.

Sherman Hemsley could. He was that good.

"The Jeffersons" enjoyed a tremendously successful run for 11 straight years, becoming the longestrunning sitcom with a black cast in the history of television.

Hemsley was inducted into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame in March 2012.

An accomplished music performer, he released the solo album Dance in 1992 before collaborating with Jon Anderson of the progressive rock band Yes on the album Festival of Dreams, which has not yet been released.

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formal education and were owners of a tortilla factory and two restaurants in El Paso. She graduated from El Paso High School and went on to study at Texas Woman's University in Denton, Texas, where she received a bachelor's degree in social work. She was raised Roman Catholic.

After her marriage, she and her husband moved to California to realize his dream of starting an automotive business. During a period of professional dissatisfaction with her social service career, Ontiveros was trying to decide whether to go back to school for a nursing degree when she saw an article about a need for local film "extras". With her husband's encouragement, she began with that simple job and parlayed it into a long stage and screen career. Prior to acting, Ontiveros worked for 18 years as a social worker, and she continued as an activist with many of the same causes with which she worked in that profession, such as domestic violence prevention and AIDS awareness and prevention, among other health issues.

Ontiveros had a recurring role in the 2004-05 season of American prime time soap opera series Desperate Housewives as Juanita Solis, Gabrielle's suspicious mother-in-law. She received an Emmy nomination as Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for this role. In 2004 she also began a role as Abuela Elena, the grandmother of the title characters in the animated PBS children's series Maya & Miguel.

She was married and the mother of three.

President John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills was born on July 21, 1944, at Tarkwa in the Western Region of Ghana and hails from Ekumfi Otuam in the Mfantsiman East Constituency of the Central Region.

He launched a lifelong interest in acquiring knowledge at Achimota Secondary School, where he obtained his General Certificate of Education (GCE) Advanced Level in 1963. To further his education, he attended the University of Ghana, Legon, where he received a bachelor’s degree and professional certificate in Law (1967).

While earning a PhD in Law from the prestigious School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London, John Evans Atta Mills was selected as a Fulbright scholar at the equally prestigious Stanford Law School in the United States of America.

At age 27, he was awarded his PhD after successfully defending his doctoral thesis in the area of taxation and economic development.

Prof. Mills’ first formal teaching assignment was as a lecturer at the Faculty of Law at the University of Ghana, Legon where he spent close to 25 years.

•In 1988, John Evans Atta Mills became the acting Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service of Ghana and named Commissioner in September 1996.

•In 1997, Prof. Mills received another important appointment when on January 7, 1997, he was sworn-in as the Vice President of the Republic of Ghana.

•In 2002, Prof. Mills was a visiting scholar at the Liu Centre for the Study of Global Affairs, University of British Columbia, Canada.

•In December 2002, John Evans Atta Mills was elected by his party to be its flag bearer and led them into the 2004 elections.

•John Evans Atta Mills was reelected in December 2006 by an overwhelming 81.4%, beating three other contestants, to once again have the mandate to lead his party into the 2008 general elections.

•January 3rd 2009-Professor Mills declared President-Elect in the 2008 elections. He had 4,521,032 votes representing 50.32 percent beating his rival Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) !

Chad Everett was born Raymon Lee Cramton in South Bend, Indiana, to Virdeen Ruth (née Hopper) and Harry Clyde “Ted” Cramton. He was raised in Dearborn, Michigan, where he became interested in the theatre as a Fordson High School student.

After attending Wayne State University, in Detroit, he headed to Hollywood and obtained a contract with Warner Brothers studio.

He appeared in more than 40 films and television series. He became popular for his role as Dr. Joe Gannon in the television drama Medical Center.

Sally Kristen Ride May 26, 1951 – July 23, 2012 Sally Kristen Ride (May 26, 1951 – July 23, 2012) was an American

physicist and astronaut. Ride joined NASA in 1978 and, at the age of 32, became the first American woman to enter into low Earth orbit in 1983.

In 1987, she left NASA to work at Stanford University's Center for International Security and Arms Control. She served on the investigation panels for two space shuttle disasters, Challenger and Columbia, the only person to serve on both. Ride is the youngest American astronaut to be launched into space. !

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A Healthy You New Roadmap suggests proven routes to ending Health Disparities -- Major disparities exist along racial and ethnic lines in the United States for a variety of medical conditions, but guidance is scarce about how to reduce these gaps.

A new "roadmap" based on evaluations of existing efforts to reduce disparities aims to give organizations expert guidance on what they can do to improve health equity in their own patient populations.

Finding Answers: Disparities Research for Change is a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation based at the University of Chicago that seeks evidence-based solutions to reduce racial and ethnic health disparities. Their new roadmap, outlined as part of a "symposium" of six papers published today in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, builds upon seven years of work administering grants, reviewing literature, and providing technical assistance to reduce health disparities.

The roadmap's architects hope that it can provide direction for effective and sustainable interventions as the health disparities field shifts from measuring the problem to taking action. "A Roadmap and Best Practices for Organizations to Reduce Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care" appears in Journal of General Internal Medicine accompanied by five systematic reviews of disparities interventions in HIV, colorectal cancer, cervical cancer, prostate cancer and asthma.

"Often when you say the challenge is to reduce disparities, people feel overwhelmed. It's a big challenge," said Marshall Chin, MD, director of Finding Answers and Richard Parrillo Family Professor of Medicine at the University of Chicago Medicine. "But the roadmap provides order so that people can avoid missing what's necessary to create the change."

The paper highlights the initial need for recognizing disparities and committing to their reduction, and suggests that programs to reduce disparities should be integrated into broader quality improvement efforts at clinics, hospitals, and other health systems.

"In the past, people did disparities work or quality work but the two wouldn't touch one another," Chin said. "We're merging the quality improvement field and the disparities field."

The roadmap also contains advice on designing interventions to address disparities, drawing upon systematic reviews of disparities research in various diseases. Five such reviews, on HIV, colorectal cancer, cervical cancer, prostate cancer and asthma, accompany the roadmap article in the JGIM minisymposium [fact sheets for each review article are available at http:// www.solvingdisparities.org/news/ announcements/new-roadmap-suggestsproven-routes-reducing-health-disparities].

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Across the five new articles and previously published reviews of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression and breast cancer, researchers identified characteristics of successful interventions. Effective projects were found to utilize team care, patient navigation, cultural tailoring, collaboration with non-health care partners such as families or community members, and interactive skill-based training.

The reviews also identified potential targets for reducing health disparities that have not yet been examined. For example, in colorectal cancer, reviewers found that projects concentrated entirely on improving minority screening rates, with no efforts focused on post-screening follow-up or adherence to treatment. Many interventions also exclusively targeted patient knowledge and behavior to reduce disparities, instead of looking at other components of the health care system.

"Most interventions have been focused on the patient, essentially asking the patient to change rather than looking at the people who are serving the patient and saying what can we change with that system," said Amanda Clarke, MPH, project manager for Finding Answers and co-author of the roadmap paper. "There's opportunity to do more research and more interventions that are targeting the organization, the immediate care team, and how the team dynamics work."

While offering general guidelines for best practices, the authors point out that the specifics of any effort to reduce disparities must be custom-fit to the patient population and community that an organization seeks to help.

"What may work in one setting may not work in another," said Scott Cook, PhD, deputy director of Finding Answers and a co-author on the paper. "We thought the roadmap would be a good idea because it would provide guidance and some sort of guardrails on the side of the road to keep people from going way off the path and losing track of addressing disparities in a way that will work."

The roadmap also emphasizes the need to continually evaluate whether a particular intervention is working, making adjustments as needed. "You need to have the financial mechanisms in place to make these efforts sustainable," Chin said. "You can have a very motivated health care organization that knows what to do to reduce disparities, but if in the long run the organization can't afford to support that work, then it's going to be really hard for the work to be done. From a policy perspective, you need to put in place the incentives so people are able to do the right thingâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;what they want to do, and what they know will work to reduce disparities."

Former Surgeon General on oral health -- Twelve years after issuing a landmark report that offered a framework for improving access to oral health, former Surgeon General David Satcher said that profound oral health problems still exist for large portions of the population and issued a renewed call for action to expand access to oral health care, particularly in light of

the millions of children expected to gain dental benefits through the Affordable Care Act in 2014.

Speaking at a conference on unmet oral health needs, sponsored by the Morehouse School of Medicine and the Sullivan Alliance to Transform America's Health Professions, Dr. Satcher addressed progress that has been made since his landmark report on the silent epidemic of tooth decay, but also detailed profound oral health problems that remain more than a decade later.

"We now have an opportunity (with the ACA) to improve access to dental health services," said Satcher. "But how do we put in place a health care system that meets the needs of all? Can we, in fact, increase the supply of oral health care providers by expanding the opportunity for people to serve? What the ACA said is that people should be able to practice to the full extent of their potential."

Oral health care in America continues to be a crisis. Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease among children, five times more prevalent than asthma.

Close to 50 million people live in areas where they have difficulty reaching a dentist, and millions more can't get care due to cost.

Satcher expressed concern about the ability of the current dental workforce to meet demands for dental care. As part of the provisions enacted under the Affordable Care Act, more than five million additional children will be entitled to dental health benefits. At issue is the fact that there are not enough providers to meet the need. Currently, just 20 percent of all practicing dentists accept Medicaid patients. In addition, the federal Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) estimates a current shortage of approximately 10,000 dentists.

"We now have an opportunity to dramatically increase coverage," Satcher said. "But adding dental benefits will not translate into access to care if we do not have providers in place to offer treatment."

According to Satcher, states must pursue all avenues to expand access to dental care, including exploring the creation of new dental providers, and building a cadre of ethnically-diverse, culturally-competent dental practitioners, as well as expanding the reach of the dental team with other health care professionals.

Satcher advocated the launching of workforce pilot programs to determine how best to expand access to dental care.

"I think we need more dentists and I think we need more professionals who are not dentists but who can contribute to !

JULY 27, 2012

oral health care services," said Satcher. "The real key is whether or not systems are going to ensure that everyone is allowed to practice to the level of their potential."

More than a dozen states are exploring creating new midlevel dental providers, also known as dental therapists, to expand access to preventive and routine dental care. Dental therapists currently practice in Alaska and Minnesota. Connecticut and Oregon are launching pilot projects and numerous other states have put forward legislation to allow dental therapists. In Alaska, dental therapists have been able to provide care to 35,000 Alaska Natives who couldn't access it before.

"Access to oral health is not what it should be in this country," said Dr. Louis Sullivan, chairman of the Sullivan Alliance to Transform America's Health Professions, and former Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Services.

"With the Affordable Care Act, millions more will have access to oral health care.

We, as health professionals, must lead the effort so that we are prepared to meet the need. We need now to develop strategies to provide those services."

Poor oral health can lead to serious health consequences later in life, including diabetes and heart problems.

Oral health is critical to overall health.

Satcher emphasized that oral health can dramatically affect how we speak, eat, or smile, and more health professionals should be trained in providing elements of oral health care. He also stressed that children, minorities and the poor are disproportionately affected by the oral health care crisis: * 37 percent of African American children and 41 percent of Hispanic children have untreated tooth decay, compared with 25 percent of white children * American Indians and Alaska Natives have the highest rate of tooth decay of any population: five times the national average for children ages 2 to 4. * Seventy-two percent of American Indian and Alaska Native children ages 6 to 8 have untreated cavities ! more than twice the rate of the general population. * More than a third of all poor youngsters ages 2 to 9 have untreated cavities, compared with 17 percent of children who are not poor.

Satcher, who was joined by Dr. Sullivan, spoke at a day-long forum: "Unmet Oral Health Needs, Underserved Populations, and New Workforce Models: An Urgent Dialogue." The meeting was held to underscore the oral health disparities that persist and to explore solutions.

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Former Bishop Dunne QB takes team to Championship in Ft. Lauderdale

James Gassaway Mitchell- a native of Dallas TX and a former Bishop Dunne H.S. starting quarterback in 2003 is now the starting quarterback again in 2012 for the Ft. Lauderdale Barracudas in the Stars Professional Football Spring League. He still carries the NO#9.

Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great number to remember him by. This 6'1, 225pd quarterback is now ready to make another win as he leads his team in the championship game scheduled for July 28th against the Daytona Beach Racers in Ft. Lauderdale.

Atty. Royce West, Dez Bryant and his mother appear at press conference Here is the statement that Attorney Royce West made on behalf of Dez and

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Angela Bryant while they were at a press conference on Tuesday July 24, 2012 at 2:00p.m. in the law office of West and Associates in Dallas, Texas.

"Mr. Bryant and his mother, Angela, are appearing here today because they feel it is important to address recent reports that Mr. Bryant committed family violence against his mother. Although Dez would like to speak to this matter, on the advice of counsel, he will not make any statements at this time.

Did a family disagreement occur?

Yes. Did Dez Bryant commit family violence against his mother? No. They are here together today to show they do love and support each other, just as much as they did before the incident a week ago. But like all families, the Bryants have disagreements.

Mr. Bryant and his family understand the serious nature of family violence. They believe that when all the facts are reviewed, Mr. Bryant will be cleared of any allegations of family violence.

Angela Bryant does not want charges filed against her son. Ms. Bryant has had an opportunity to speak with other people who witnessed the incident and has filed an Affidavit of Non Prosecution with the DeSoto Police Department. She recognizes that under the law, filing of the affidavit may not impact the legal outcome of her complaint. She asks that her affidavit be taken into consideration in deciding whether it is in the best interest of her

Dez and Angela Bryant at press conference

family for this to continue in the legal system or allow them to resolve the issue as a family.

Dez and his mother believe this is a family matter that can be worked out through counseling.

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They ask that there not be a rush to judgment concerning their family. They also ask for your continued prayers and support for their family as they work through this matter."

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EDUCATION NOTES Back to School Fair The deadline to pre-register qualifying Dallas schoolchildren for the Mayor’s Back To School Fair is Saturday (July 28).

The final pre-registration events are at Cobb Field House (1702 Robert B. Cullum Blvd., Dallas) on Friday from 4 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. noon. By preregistering, families can reserve free school supplies and have more time to take advantage of the many services and activities offered at the Fair.

The Mayor’s Back To School Fair will be held Thursday, August 2, from 8 a.m. 3 p.m. at Fair Park’s Automobile and Centennial buildings.

Miss Black US Program

New York, NY (BlackNews.com) -- With the alarming and still growing social, economic, and health disparities in the Black American community, one might think it's too overwhelming to take on such an enormous responsibility of trying to overcome them. Fortunately, one young lady had the foresight to say, "There is still opportunity to reverse the negative trends impacting the Black American community.

We shall continue to overcome."

Four years ago, as President Obama embarked on his first year in the White House, Sonja McCord was working tirelessly to develop a pageant system that

would serve as a social enterprise and an enrichment program - a program that would create a new generation of promising Black leaders. Her solution: the Miss Black United States Program.

Officially launched, the Miss Black United States Program is a cultural, enrichment program which seeks to provide social leadership, development, and charity through an institute of learning.

"We are creating a new generation leaders who are problem solvers, accomplished, and polished, while servicing those who are in need. The concept is simple, empowering others while empowering ourselves,"says McCord. Every year, 51 young women will be educated in advocacy, leadership, beauty, elegance, self-development, entrepreneurship, and fitness - the skills and qualities that make up the quintessential beauty queen.

In 2013, the organization will inaugurate the first Miss Black United States National Pageant, culminating the conclusion of a rigorous enrichment program and celebrating the accomplishments of 51 innovative, experienced, and empowered leaders.

Entry into the competition begins with an online competition launched July 22nd.

The program is open to natural born females ages 20-35 who have at least 25% African lineage and identify themselves as Black American. Applications for the national preliminary competition are open through www.missblackunitedstates.com, and require a small fee of $150.

"The Miss Black United States Program exists not as a means to exclude non-African American citizens..."It is a cultural organization created to solve America's most pressing problems that directly impact the Black American population. The program seeks to reverse negative trends, celebrate Black beauty, empower young leaders, and work to overcome social, health, and economic disparities in the Black American community. Simply stated, "...Tackling Black American issues and strengthening the Black American community will help reinvigorate America, overall. This is a new spirit of patriotism," remarks Sonja McCord.

JULY 27, 2012

INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES Are you detail-oriented, creative, and interested in a career in journalism?

Here’s an opportunity for you to work with award-winning journalists as you learn convergence: radio, television, newspaper, magazine and online journalism.

Send your resume to Dfwabj@gmail.com

Joseph C. Howard, III Scholastic/Artistic Award Fund

The Joseph C. Howard, III Scholastic/Artistic Award fund is a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit organization, that missions to provide opportunities, through monetary awards to children in the 1st through 6th grades to receive a quality education in a Christian school or children art schools.

We are accepting applications for the 2012-2013 school year and they will be available until August 1, 2012. All completed applications received or postmarked by the deadline, August 1, 2012, will be considered in the selection process. Applications can be requested by visiting the ministry website.

All individuals wishing to apply for a scholarship must complete an application and mail it to the address below: Attn: Awards Committee Joseph C. Howard, III Scholastic/Artistic Award Fund P. O. Box 763367 Dallas, Texas 75376-3367 Visit our website for more information about this organization or to give a donation by your support, visit www.orgsites.com/tx/jchoward3.

In the spirit and rich tradition of the African Griot, let I MESSENGER get your message out to the masses. Send your information and events to info@myimessenger.com PAGE 20

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Christian Chapel Temple of Faith appoints Rev. Kwesi R. Kamau

Christian Chapel Temple of Faith CME church has announced the appointment of Rev. Kwesi R. Kamau, former pastor of Morning Chapel CME church in Fort Worth, Texas, as its new pastor. Rev. Kamau was appointed pastor of CCTOF during the DFW Region Annual Conference July 25, 2012 in Fort Worth, Texas by Bishop Henry Williamson.

Rev. Kwesi R. Kamau’s life mission is to help people live courageously in Christ. He is gifted with the ability to teach and inspire others to walk with wisdom. One of his life’s goals is to foster discipleship small groups that will nurture believers into maturity in Christ.

He has worked closely with several human service organizations including One Church One School Community Partnership Program and Samaritan’s Feet International.

He has studied across the United States and abroad visiting countries in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. He attended Wheaton College and the Candler School of Theology at Emory University, where he earned his Master’s of Divinity. He has served in ministry for over 20 years in the Midwest, the South and on the West Coast. He is the author of published articles and the books, A Passion for Souls: Encouragement for the Day and A Passion for Prayer: The Secret is Out. He and his wife Monti have five children, Nia Adeyla, Jada Ahriye, Bailey Imani, Josiah Christian and Jeremiah Richard.

Chapel Christian Methodist Episcopal/White Rock Chapel Methodist Church was the first African American Church established in Far North Dallas and is believed to be the first such establishment for African Americans in the North Texas Area.

A church where Jesus is the Main Attraction, CCTOF moved to its sanctuary, the Temple of Faith, in January of 1999 under the leadership of the late Rev. Dr. Jerome McNeil, Jr. It has a membership of over 6,000.

UNEMPLOYED? Are you detail-oriented, creative, and interested in a career in sales?

Here’s an opportunity for you to build a future for your family working for a growing company that encourages success.

Call 972-572-0088 Support Black -owned bookstores

Children's Medical Center of Dallas new position posted 27965 -- Media Program Specialist Position Summary Responsible for managing the internal television and radio patient broadcasting programs at Children's Medical Center. Responsibilities include developing and/or approving live and pre-recorded program content, facilitating patient participation in media programs, supervising media student interns and volunteers, and maintaining strong internal and community relationships required to maintain fully operational television and radio studios.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities Responsible for the supervision and management of staff, student interns and volunteers; Manages all aspects of the media student internship program; Orients and trains volunteers to support media broadcasts.

Develops, coordinates, and/or approves live and pre-recorded program content for radio and television broadcasts; Provide on-site management, support and/ or 'talent' during live radio and/or television broadcasts and activities; Evaluate and develop the media program in collaboration with the Volunteer Services Director.

Develops, coordinates, and/or approves live and pre-recorded program content for radio and television broadcasts; Provide on-site management, support and/ or 'talent' during live radio and/or television broadcasts and activities; Evaluate and develop the media program in collaboration with the Volunteer Services Director.

Applies working knowledge of radio and television equipment and software; Trains others on equipment and software as needed; Troubleshoots audio and video problems during live broadcasts as needed; Monitors and maintains studio equipment and supplies.

Facilitates patient participation in media broadcasts and/or therapeutic projects with individual patients and/or groups when schedule permits.

Organizes and facilitates media and/or special events in collaboration with Child Life and Public Relations Four-year Bachelor's degree required Minimum 2 years of related experience required Specific knowledge, skills, and abilities Working knowledge of radio and television broadcasting equipment and software, including, but not limited to; Apple computer equipment, video mixer/switchers, audio recording equipment/mixer, video equipment (cameras, lights, tripods, etc.). Final Cut Pro editing knowledge/experience.

Ability to train and supervise staff, student interns and volunteers.

Strong oral and written communication skills with the broadest range of individuals including children, families, the general public and professionals.

Strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize and work on multiple projects and programs.

Works collaboratively and in a positive manner with others.

Ability to demonstrate leadership and management skills.

Knowledge of infant, child and adolescent growth and development. Ability to adapt programs, equipment and materials to suit the individual needs of children with a variety of conditions or abilities.

Ability to work in a fast-paced and stressful environment.

Ability to set goals and judge results in accordance with the highest standards.Perform work according to Children's policies and procedures, professional standards of care and applicable laws.

Physical Demands Light - Exerting up to 20 lbs. occasionally, 10 lbs. frequently, or negligible amounts constantly and may require walking or standing to a significant degree.

Support the Black Press

Send your books for review to: Cheryl Smith, P.O. Box 860 Grand Prairie, TX 75053 PAGE 21

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JULY 27, 2012

Shooting in South Dallas ends in death According to a statement released by the Dallas Police Department’s Levi Williams, Manager III--Community Affairs & Employee Communications: On July 24, 2012, at 4:57 pm, the Dallas Police Department received a 911 call stating 5 to 6 Latin males were forcing a black male in the house located at 5316 Bourquin Street. It was reported that the Latin males had guns and the black male’s hands were tied behind his back. Officer Brian Rowden, #8477, responded to the call along with two other officers. When officers knocked on the door, a male opened the door but immediately slammed it upon seeing the police officers. Officers moved to cover off the various exits from the residence.

Officers were able to see into the house and observed a pistol sitting on a table which was picked up by one of the four occupants who all began fleeing the location.

Officer Rowden began chasing James Harper on foot. During the foot pursuit, which included the jumping of three fences, Officer Rowden and Harper engaged in multiple physical confrontations. Officer Rowden noticed Harper repeatedly grab an object in his pants pocket and believed it may have been the gun observed earlier in the house. At one point, Harper kicked Officer Rowden in the chest. During one of the fights, Officer Rowden was attempting to handcuff Harper but Harper knocked the handcuffs out of Officer Rowden’s grasp. As the fighting continued, Officer Rowden realized that he was exhausted and was beginning to lose the fight. He was still attempting to keep Harper from pulling the object, which he believed to be a gun, from his pants pocket but could no longer keep a grasp on Harper’s hand. Harper stated to the officer that “You’re just going to have to kill me” as he kept his hand in the pocket where the object was located.

Officer Rowden, who was exhausted and in fear for his life, fired his weapon striking Harper in the stomach and hand.

Officer Rowden did not have a taser.

Harper died at the scene.

James G. Harper (B/M/03-06-81) had been arrested multiple times. Some of the past charges are as follows: · Manufacturing and Delivery of a Controlled Substance · Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Felon · Possession of a Controlled Substance · Assault on a Public Servant · Evading Arrest or Detention (2 separate counts) · Unauthorized Use of Vehicle A search of the house located at 5316 Bourquin Street was conducted after a search warrant was obtained.

Some of the items found at the location include the following: · 9mm handgun PAGE 23

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James G. Harper

· 12 gauge shot gun · PCP packaged in 38 separate vials · 39 grams of crack cocaine both inside and outside the residence · 171 grams of Marijuana · 24 grams of Xanex · 52 grams of Hydrocodene

Ragsdale disagrees

Cheryl’s World Diane Ragsdale

Former Dallas Deputy Mayor Pro Tem issued the following response to the shooting: There are several problems associated with this police shooting: The police officer placed himself in a situation that created deadly conflict instead of a peaceful resolution- The police officer independently pursued the suspect without back-up or support. It was stated that the officer was exhausted and did not have any back up Why did he not have the taser to subdue the suspect? Are we only assigning tasers to officers who are not assigned to South Dallas?

The suspect who was not armed was able to overwhelm an armed, trained, professional police officer The other suspects who were pursued by the other officers . . . are they still living?

At this time this shooting appears to be unjustifiable

For informative, educational, inspirational, news, talk and commentary; tune in: Weeknights 6:00-8:00 pm.

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Listen at www.blogtalkradio.com or call

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JULY 27, 2012

MARK YOUR CALENDAR 19th annual

Don’t Believe the Hype Celebrity Bowl-a-thon

June 22, 2013 Call 972-572-0088 for sponsorship opportunities

INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES Are you detail-oriented, creative, and interested in a career in journalism? Here’s an opportunity for you to work with award-winning journalists as you learn convergence: radio, television, newspaper, magazine and online journalism.

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Looking for straight talk about your health?

Log on to www.blogtalkradio.com and listen to the rebroadcast from July 18, 2012 of Denice Ford on Cheryl’s World Find out about Gano Excel Healthy Coffee

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JULY 27, 2012

Mark your calendar FWBC Sports & Rec. presents SWING CLASSES at the Wild Wild West!

When: Every Tuesday & Thursday Evening Time: 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Location: FWBC Banquet Area Cost: FREE * No experience necessary * Adults of all ages and skill levels are welcome * For more information, contact sports@friendshipwest.org or (214) 861-0457.

TUNE IN TO THE DOCK POWER HOUR Every Wednesday, 6-8pm www.dfwiradio.com call in # 214.317.4855 Lively, informative and power-packed weekly radio show dedicated to delivering relevant, interesting, edu-taining information to our listeners

Bring the Entire Family to the Beautiful, ‘Fair Park/South Dallas Community’ for a day of Education, Entertainment, Nation Building and FUN !

Cowboy Chicken, the popular six-unit Dallas-based fast casual wood fire rotisserie chicken brand, announced they will celebrate National Day of the American Cowboy, Saturday, July 28th, 2012. Guests who visit their favorite Cowboy Chicken restaurant wearing a Cowboy Hat will receive a complimentary homemade peach cobbler with purchase of an entrée. Cowboy Chicken invites the community to join in celebrating cowboy culture and pioneer heritage from 11:00 a.m. to close,

July 31

July 28 The Pan-African Connection Bookstore Art Gallery and Resource Center 828 Fourth Ave., Dallas Texas, (New Location Across From Fair Park Music Hall) 214-943-8262/panafric@airmail.net First Annual Bandele Consciousness Festival 3 p.m. - 10 p.m.

All Organizations, Organizers, Churches, Businesses, College Students, and Families, PAGE 25

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COFFEE & CONVERSATIONS WITH CARTER The next Coffee & Conversations with Rep. Stefani Carter meeting will be held at the La Madeleine located at 1320 West Campbell Road, Richardson, Texas 75080 (Mimosa and Campbell) from 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 31 Coffee and pastries will be provided. If you have any questions about the meeting, please call my office at (972) 661-9649 or email Stefani.carter@house.state.tx.us.

August 2 Avoiding the Pitfalls of Workplace Discrimination 9 am to 12 pm CNM is pleased to introduce EEOC's Regional Trainer, Rodney Klein, to the nonprofit community!

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In this session Rodney will share tips on how to avoid being one of the many TX employers dealing with an EEOC charge and what to do if your organization receives a complaint.

Fee: $25/$50 Register now!

Questions?E-mail education@cnmdallas.org or call 214.826.3470.

Friday, August 3, a luncheon/presentation with fellow leaders from faith-based organizations, colleges, and community centers.

Dallas City Hall 6th Floor Flag Room 1500 Marilla Street Dallas, TX 75201 Rattler Roundup August 4 12:00pm Champps Americana 4951 Belt Line Road Dallas, TX 75001

When: Friday, August 17, 2012 from 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm; Saturday, August 18, 2012 from 9:00 am – 1:00 pm Where: Tarrant County College – Northeast Campus, 828 W. Harwood in Hurst, Texas Cost: $50.00; includes meals and workshop materials; Onsite registration is $75.00; $25.00 for students Published and aspiring published authors are invited to attend.

This year's featured speakers include award winner Ann Weisgarber, national spoken word artist Michael Guinn, fantasy fiction author Urania Fung and author/conference founder Shewanda Riley.

Topics include: 50 Shades of Writing, Poetry Writing Institute, Marketing Tips for Writers, Digital Publishing Institute: From Concept to Completion, Marketing Tips for Writers, Gift Box Writing, Copyright and Other Legal Issues for Writers, Writing Fantasy Fiction.

There will also be manuscript critique sessions for attendees.

Visit www.thewritethingworkshop.com or call 972-533-3543 for more details.

The Hamilton Park School will celebrate its 57th school-wide reunion from Friday, August 17 through Sunday, August 19.

Ticket price is $60 after August 1. For more information, visit our website: www.hpschoolwidereunion.org.

JULY JULY27, 27, 2012 2012

5 Village Circle, Westlake, TX, 76262 (817) 430-5000 Guest Speakers: Dr. Johnny C. Parker, Jr. and Mrs. Lezlyn Parker October 12 86th Annual Awards Banquet Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce 7:00 p.m.

Dallas Convention Center - Ballroom A The chamber banquet draws approximately 1,000 attendees annually and this year will feature the special presentation of the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce / Thomas L. Houston Community Service Award to honor an individual who has made significant contributions as a volunteer to the civic enhancements of the African American community in the greater Dallas area.

Wounded Heart Campaign Taking a STAND against sexual violence Presents 2nd annual Dancing for Charity For more info, www.ariseintl.org August 22 UNCF 2012 Corporate Appreciation Reception Time: 6:30pm – 8:30pm Where: African American Museum - Fair Park 3536 Grand Ave, Dallas, TX 75210 FAMU Student Recruitment Reception September 6 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm Center for Community Cooperation 2900 Live Oak Dallas, TX 75204 August 11 Next Chapter Meeting: Saturday, August 11 at 10:00 am Center for Community Cooperation 2900 Live Oak Dallas, TX 75204 August 15 August Board/Membership Meeting!

6:30 p.m.

Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce Boardroom Your chance to meet and greet members and leadership of the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce and find out what's going on in the DBCC community!

August 25 Michael Ward, an extraordinary jazz violinist will headline the entertainment for the Urban League of Greater Dallas 45th Anniversary Gala. Old School crooners, VINJAC, will also perform. The event will be held on Saturday, August 25, 2012 at the Hilton Anatole Hotel, 2201 Stemmons Freeway at 7:00 p.m. For ticket information call (214) 915-4600.

September 14 Covenant Keepers - Marriage Community MARRIAGE CONFERENCE 2012 Theme: ONEness Under Construction Date: Friday, September 14, 2012 Sunday, September 16, 2012 Time:Friday: 3:00 pm check-in | Sunday: 10:00 am check-out Marriott Dallas - Solana

August 17 6th Annual “Do the Write Thing” Writing Workshop

IN MEMORIAM

NEW TIME! Cheryl’s World on Blogtalkradio.com at 6p.m.

Monday, July 30

Tuesday, July 31

• Black Economic History • Black Economic History Fact of the Day Fact of the Day

Wednesday, August 1 Black Economic History Fact of the Day

Friday, August 3

Thursday, August 2 •

Black Economic History Fact of the Day

•

Black Economic History Fact of the Day

• LIVE from Harwood 609

Call in to 646-200-0459 PAGE 26

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Donna P. Charles 5/20/1958 - 3/23/2012 Elusive Lady #22 Spring 1978 Beta Alpha Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., FAMU !

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NO 1 ISSUE 46

BRINGING YOU ENLIGHTENING, EDUCATIONAL, EMPOWERING, INSPIRING, THOUGHT-PROVOKING INFORMATION

JULY 27, 2012

Turn on your computer & log on to Blog Talk Radio, or call 646-200-0459 to listen to

And don’t forget fitness guru Jay, sports guy Andrew

Remember:

DON’T BELIEVE THE HYPE!

Cheryl’s World Sunday, at 8:00a.m.-10a.m

Donna P. Charles 5/20/1958 3/23/2012

Humanitarian Hands Charities Mary Christopher CEO / Co-Founder

Elusive Lady #22 Spring 1978 Beta Alpha Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., FAMU

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IMESSENGER

NO 1 ISSUE 46

BRINGING YOU ENLIGHTENING, EDUCATIONAL, EMPOWERING, INSPIRING, THOUGHT-PROVOKING INFORMATION

JULY 27, 2012

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID DALLAS,TX PERMIT #1478

Domingo fought for single-member city council districts.

Above: Former Dallas City Council Members Diane Ragsdale and the late Al Lipscomb.

Domingo served as trusted confidant and Texas campaign manager for Rev. Jackson during his historic campaign for U.S. President.

“I am proud to support Domingo Garcia.

Voters in the 33rd Congressional District deserve a coalition builder with a proven track record who will stand alongside President Obama and fight for us.”

-Craig Watkins, Dallas County District Attorney

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President Obama thanks Domingo Garcia for his help and advice at a White House meeting March 2012.

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