Wordz of Wilson
VOL. 7 NO. 30 MARCH 27, 2019
Chelle Wilson discusses Ms. Angelou and respect
MY TRUTH
Celebrating Women
By Cheryl Smith, Publisher
Have you ever experienced a sunken feeling, a feeling of despair, of hopelessness? You know the feeling you have or the moment you find yourself feeling regret after something has happened and you’re thinking, “If I coulda, woulda, shoulda.” Well, you have to seize the moment, every moment! If you want to tell someone you love them, you need to do it. Don’t hesitate and don’t let anyone else make or take away your decision to express your feelings. Juanita Benson If you want to tell someone you don’t like them, well, think again and also ask yourself “what do I hope to accomplish,” or “what is the end game?” We have to understand that there are consequences and repercussions for our actions and our inactions. We have to be accountable and also hold others accountable. Years ago I went to a funeral and a young man stood up and said that he wished his loved one could hear all the accolades that were being shared that day because his relative took his last breaths thinking that he was unloved. What a tragedy. Which brings me to my truth. I really like Caller I.D. This feature has kept me free from telemarketers, bill collectors, exes, and folks who only call when they want See MY TRUTH, page 4
BLACK WOMEN victims of vicious assaults
page 5
NNPA honors Black Lives Matter founder Alicia Garza said she’s “super excited” about being named the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) 2019 Newsmaker of the Year, during Black Press Week. “I’ll say it’s really humbling when the community reaches out and lifts you up for the work you and your team is doing to make black people powerful,” said Garza, one of the co-founders of the Black Lives Matter Movement.
Alicia Garza
Austin Shuffield, armed with a gun, repeatedly punched 24-year-old L’Daijohnique Lee Two men, caught on video abusing women, have caused an uproar, not only in New York and Dallas; but across the nation and social media. Marc Gomez approached a 78-year-old homeless woman on a subway, kicking and beating her. In the
By Vincent L. Hall Texas Metro News
Austin Shuffield and Marc Gomez have never been introduced, mentored one another or met their just rewards… Yet! However, each took center stage in Black America this past week. The beatings they rendered to two sisters were savage. From the street corner to the streetcar, Black women are not
Deep Ellum section of Dallas, Austin Shuffield repeatedly punched L’Daijohnique Lee. His low bail caused an uproar and several protests have been held decrying his actions and calling for additional charges to be levied against Shuffield.
safe. There is undeniable footage of the violent assault on a 24-year-old woman in Dallas by a pistol-packing White “Southern gentleman.” The scenes of a dormant 70-plus-year-old senior being foot-whipped by a Black malefactor was even worse. Sofia, warned us in the Color Purple. “A girl child ain’t safe in a family of mens!” This week, in the middle of Women’s History Month has proven that a Black
woman ain’t safe nowhere. The dehumanizing and devalued station of Black women has never been any more evident. Apparently no African American female is too tender and no Black mother is too old to be spared. The brutal brawn and boot of toxic masculinity will not relent. Black women have borne America’s burden all along. From forced rapes that populated the fields and plantations of slavery to presSee BLACK WOMEN, page 4
Garza, who coined the term “Black Lives Matter,” is an Oakland-based organizer, writer, public speaker and freedom fighter who also serves as the special projects director for the National Domestic Workers Alliance which stands as the nation’s leading voice for dignity and fairness for the millions of domestic workers in America. Along with Opal Tometi and Patrisse Cullors, Garza founded the Black Lives Matter network, which is recognized globally for its focus on combatting antiBlack state-sanctioned violence and the oppression of all Black people. Since the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, Garza has become a powerful voice in the media with articles and interviews appearing in publications like Time, Essence, and the New York Times. “Power means getting to make decisions over your own life,” Garza told NNPA Newswire. “It means being able to determine where resources go and who See NNPA, page 3