Texas metro news 5 17 17

TEXAS METRO NEWS

5 NO. 27 Week ofVOL MAY 17, 2017

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High dollar PAC causing stir as Dallas runoff elections approach

A Dallas political action committee funneling large amounts of money into particular city council campaigns is raising eyebrows among members of competitive races amid complaints of “dark money” buying elections.

By David Wilfong, NDG Special Contributor Special to Texas Metro News When city council candidate Eric L. Williams stepped up to the microphone during the Monday Night Politics forum on March 20 at Fair Park’s African American Museum, he didn’t mince words as to why he was running for the District 8 seat in South Dallas.

“I’m not going to drink the Mayor’s Kool-aid,” Williams said, adding that $200,000 had “bought” the District race back in 2015.

Allegations of “North Dallas money buying South Dallas elections” is nothing new, but a political action committee (PAC) with a purse approaching just about that amount is causing a stir as the city moves toward runoff races in three districts.

According to documents received and compiled by the North Dallas Gazette staff, the “For Our Community PAC” has spent more than $195,000 on various campaigns in the 2017 election (as of the April 28 filing of campaign expenditures, there were further donations received after that date).

The PAC consists of high-dollar donors, with one individual contributing $100,000 alone. For Our Community PAC is at least linked to Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings through Mari Woodlief, who runs the PAC and is also Rawlings’ political consultant.

Williams is no longer in the race for District 8, having been eliminated in the first round of voting. The For Our Community PAC backed his opponent, incumbent Erik Wilson, to the tune of more than $24,000.

Wilson now faces returning council member Tennell Atkins in a runoff race. Atkins has been quite successful in raising funds himself (out-spending Wilson as of the end of April). Atkins also received the highest number of votes in the May 6 election, but with a wide and diverse field in that race, no candidate gained a clear majority in the first round of voting.

But District 8 in South Dallas was not at the top of the list

Please see PAC page 7

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May 17, 2017 TM

Graduation held for ex offenders

Ceremony part of National Drug Court Month activities

By Cheryl Smith

It was a day of celebration for 27 graduates and their loved ones as they completed the Successful Treatment of Addiction through Collaboration (S.T.A.C.) program at the Frank Crowley Criminal Courts Building, last week.

Taking participants from a life of repeated felonies and failed attempts at drug or alcohol rehabilitation, Dallas County Courts’ S.T.A.C. Program seeks to transform lives and help defendants re-enter society as productive citizens, ultimately saving county taxpayers millions, and possibly saving their own lives.

According to Judge Lela D. Mays, the 12-18 month program is about accountability and was developed to transition

defendants back into the community after treatment.

In addition to ongoing meetings with probation officers and court officials, defendants take intensive outpatient treatment classes, Judge Lela D. Mays attend Narcotics and/or Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, and are tested frequently for drugs and alcohol use.

Graduates admit the program is not easy. They are required to maintain employment, complete probation requirements and work community service hours as well as pay back any related

Judge Gracie Lewis

court fines and fees.

But the graduates also say the program is rewarding and for many, saved their lives.

During the graduation program, Dionne Cheshier, a 2012 S.T.A.C. graduate, told graduates about her life before she entered the program. “I know the hard

Please see GRADS, pg 7

Hill services set

Joyous Union

Former Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill passed away on last Saturday night. There will be a wake service on Friday, May 19, 2017 from 7-8 pm at Concord Church, 6808 Pastor Bailey.

Words of expression of his life are welcome. The funeral is Saturday at 2pm at the church.His funeral will be this Saturday, May 20, 2017 at 2 pm at Concord Church.

A successful attorney and former Dallas City Councilmember, Mr. Hill died from complications related to prostate cancer, at home surrounded by family and loved ones. He was 65. Read Charles O’Neal’s commentary on page 4.

TV Broadcaster Amanda Fitzpatrick, who spent part of her career in Dallas, was married to Yusef Abdur-Razzaaq on April 21, 2017. See more photos on page 9.

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Week of MAY 17, 2017

Week of MAY 17, 2017

Dallas Police Chief Brown returns to local spotlight

Retired Police Chief David O. Brown will be in Dallas on June 7 and discuss his life and the challenges of modern law enforcement at a program presented by the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth and the AT&T Performing Arts Center.

The program is the debut event on Chief Brown’s tour for his biography, Called To Rise: A Life in Faithful Service to the Community That Made Me. Each ticket purchase includes a free autographed copy of the book.

The conversation with Chief Brown, will be moderated by Keven Ann Wiley, Vice President and Editorial Page Editor of The Dallas Morning News.

Tickets went on sale Friday, May 5, for this 7:30 p.m. event, presented in partnership by the Council and the AT&T Performing Arts Center.

The longtime Dallas police officer’s

biography goes on sale nationally and internationally the day before his Dallas appearance. Chief Brown’s co-author is Michelle Burford, a founding editor of Oprah Winfrey’s O Magazine.

Chief Brown, a native of Dallas’ South Oak Cliff neighborhood, joined the Dallas Police Department in 1983, working his way through patrol and SWAT duty, internal affairs assignments and the assistant police chief rank before being appointed chief in April 2010.

He retired in the fall of 2016 after seeing the city through one of its most difficult challenges of the 21st Century, the July 7, 2016, ambush of a protest march in downtown Dallas. Four Dallas officers and a DART officer were killed. In a nationwide first, Chief Brown used an armed robot to end a standoff with the attacker.

House Limits Powers of First Black Librarian of Congress

By Lauren Victoria Burke (NNPA Newswire Contributor)

In a vote of 378 to 48, the House passed legislation to take power away from the current Librarian of Congress, Dr. Carla Hayden.

The legislation, H.R. 1695, was authored

by House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte (D-Va.) and ranking member John Conyers (D-Mich.), would limit the powers of the librarian. It is expected to pass the Senate and be signed into law by President Trump.

The bill makes the head of the Copyright Office, the Register of Copyrights, a presidential appointment that would have to be confirmed by the Senate, rather than an appointment by the Librarian of Congress, as it has been since 1870. The bill also limits the position of Librarian of Congress to a tenyear term.

The previous Librarian of Congress, James Billington, served in the position for 28 years.

President Barack Obama appointed Hayden the 14th Librarian of Congress on February 24, 2016. She is the first African American to hold the position, as well as the first woman to be the Librarian of Congress, in the agency’s history. On March 23, legislation was introduced to block Hayden from appointing the next Register of Copyrights.

That legislation passed the House, April 26.

Supporters of the bill argued that the legislation would help to modernize the Copy-

Dr. Carla Hayden

right Office and make it more accountable to Congress. Attempts to contact the office of Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) for details on why he authored H.R. 1695, were not answered.

“This bill serves no purpose other than to take power away from the Librarian of Congress and give it to powerful lobbyists, who will have a major say in who runs the Copyright Office,” wrote Michael Masnick on TechDirt.com on April 26. “It’s a bad bill, and it’s a gift to Hollywood.”

The entertainment industry pushed hard for the passage of H.R. 1695. It’s likely that the selection of the Librarian of Congress will be the focus of attention of the power of the entertainment lobby moving forward now that senators will play a role in confirmation.

The bill to limit Hayden’s power arrives six months after she removed Maria Pallante from the position of Register of Copyrights in October 2016. Many in the entertainment

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industry were said to be unhappy with Pallante’s removal.

“The Library of Congress, through the Registrar of Copyrights, plays a referee or umpire role in this complex new game; librarians, because they curate and compile content, have traditionally been protectors of copyright and works of authors and artists and balanced public and cultural interests in the free flow and use of that content,” Christopher Chambers, a professor of media studies at Georgetown University told NBC BLK. “Big money is at stake and the industry wants someone, who will see its side, rather than the public interest in what the Constitution says is the ‘promotion of useful Arts.’”

Chambers continued: “It is no secret that the industry lobbies and donates hard, regarding Democrats and Republicans alike.

And many of them are African American lawmakers, like Rep. Conyers. This basically surrenders congressional power over intellectual property right there in the Constitution, to the Executive Branch, hence President Trump.”

Chambers said that means that President Donald Trump would, in essence, run the Copyright Office.

There were only 13 Congressional Black Caucus members out of 46 voting in the House, who voted to maintain the powers of the Librarian of Congress: Reps. Alma Ad-

ams (D-N.C.), Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), Sanford Bishop (D-Ga.), G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.), Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio), Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), Don McEachin (DVa.), Don Payne (D-N.J.), Cedric Richmond (D-La.), Bobby Rush (D-Ill.), Bobby Scott (DVa.), Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) and Bonnie Watson-Coleman (D-N.J.). All the other voting CBC members favored modifying the position to take power away from the Librarian of Congress.

In a statement after the legislation passed yesterday, House Judiciary Committee Bob Goodlatte wrote, “the Register of Copyrights Selection and Accountability Act is one product of the House Judiciary Committee’s multi-year comprehensive review of our copyright laws.”

From 1993 to 2016, Hayden was CEO of Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, Md. Hayden was also President of the American Library Association from 2003 to 2004 Lauren Victoria Burke is a speaker, writer and political analyst. She appears on “NewsOne Now” with Roland Martin every Monday. Lauren is also a frequent contributor to the NNPA Newswire and BlackPressUSA.com. Connect with Lauren by email at LBurke007@ gmail.com and on Twitter at @LVBurke.

HALL: Our Mother Velma B!

QUIT PLAYIN’

By Vincent L. Hall

Mother’s Day is one of the most universally celebrated holidays on the national calendar and easily number one in the Black community. Our mothers have a special place and prominence; possibly because in so many instances they stand alone in a nation that is openly hostile toward women and downright brutal to Black mothers.

And while I would not ordinarily posit this space as a requiem for mothers, I could not allow this opportunity to pass without recalling the life, legacy and largesse of the recently transitioned Velma Brooks.

Admittedly, I was also threatened by my beautician Tootsie, who was a student and an ardent lover of this Dallas heroine best known as Velma B.

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Velma B’s Beauty Academy was originally “Madame Walkers’ Beauty College”. Madame Walker, said to be the first Black female to reach millionaire status, established the first Black beauty college in Dallas in 1939. After graduating from the same in 1958, Velma B became a full time instructor. Velma B purchased the college in July 1971 and by 1975 the college was renamed Velma B’s Beauty Academy.

Velma B was not only an institution in this city by that time, but had made her mark internationally.

In 1974 she was the recipient of the Rose D’or Award in Pairs, France, and the World’s Hairstyling Champion for the United States. She was the consummate professional, and many of the best stylists in Dallas

and around the country were under her tutelage at some point of their career. Velma B was a living, breathing example of the entrepreneurial spirit of Black Wall Street.

My friends over at the Dallas Post Tribune listed some of her accomplishments, that I believe bear repetition.

“Ms. Brooks won countless competitions and received over 100 awards for outstanding work in the field of cosmetology including; Business Woman of the Year

(1971 and 1976), Who’s Who in Black America (1977-1978), Clairol Presidential Hair Colorist Council (1983), Dedicated Service Award from Bethune Cookman College (2003), Special Entrepreneur Award – Dallas Morning News (2004), Living Legend Award Dallas Urban League (2004), Black History Chronicles Legends in Business sponsored by Bank of America (2004). She was a member of numerous organizations including: Alpha Chi Pi Omega Sorority and Fraternity, Inc., National Hair Weavers Association-Founder, National Hairdressers and Cosmetologists Association, Texas Hairdressers and Cosmetologists Association, Dallas Beautician Association.”

Velma B had the uncanny ability to see a fashion trend on the horizon and retrofit her efforts to meet the beauty needs of her students and clients. Long before most knew that ”aggregating” hair was possible, she had mastered the art of hair weaving and was conducting formal and informal seminars and

tutoring sessions. Legions of young stylists would share her space and leave with a new talent. This newfound talent came with a greater potential for self-dependency and professional pride.

There is a quote which has been widely distributed and fitting for the life of Velma B. “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day.

Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.”

But Velma Brooks made an addendum…If you own the lake you can control the commerce of a community. Velma B took her fish, taught others to cast their nets and eventually deeded the lake to aspiring cosmetologists in this community.

Now I could not end this without shouting out to my mama, Patricia Ann Figures Price. But all of us owe a debt to the late Velma Brooks who was a mother to this community that will be sorely missed. #BlackWallStreet

Vincent Hall is an author, activist and award-winning columnist.

Improving and Bridging Gap between Law Enforcement and Communities of Color FROM THE HILL

w/ Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson

Our communities rely on police departments to “protect and serve”, and the police, in turn, rely on community support and cooperation. Each group has a great responsibility in creating an environment that allows each of us to take advantage of the guiding principles our nation was founded upon “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” While many communities enjoy a strong and productive relationship between police and the community, in some communities profound fractures exist and the relationship is not always harmonious. Members of these communities often feel embattled and victimized and the fractured relationships that develop ultimately endanger the lives of both officers

and civilians alike. At this point, for both parties, “safety” becomes rooted in “trust”. Community policing, transparency, and measures of accountability provide an opportunity to build trust and create a safe environment built on mutual respect, partnership and shared interests.

Proactive Community Policing and Engagement Law enforcement must properly engage the communities they serve. Their purpose is not to come into the community to manage it, but rather to work with it and engage its members on a daily basis. Synchronously, it is the responsibility of the community to assist in the community policing effort; not by becoming additional police, but instead by becoming proactive members in their communities, and using their skills for the community’s benefit. This relationship is to be more of a partnership, rather than an adversarial one.

It is incumbent upon both police and members of the community to interact with

a cooperative spirit, to listen and act with respect and fairness, and to understand the value of fostering trust day in and day out. Law enforcement organizations must demonstrate to the public they serve—both in word and deed, the fairness and impartiality of their processes. Sustaining these conditions is critical, so that trust does not break down when there is a crisis.

Increased Transparency/ Accountability Law enforcement should continue to discuss new training and technologies that help foster a sense of accountability to the communities they are charged with protecting.

Accountability is ensured through transparency in all aspects of policing. Information technology has affected the practice of policing in many ways, but, for the public, it has created the potential for new awareness of how departments and their officers are doing their jobs. Technological and societal forces are pushing toward more, rather than less, transparency. As a result, strategies that seek to get in front of the trend, rather than

attempt to resist it, would be more sustainable over the long term. Departments moving in the direction of transparency should seek to engage their communities through social media, the release of data on police policies and practices, and even officer-worn video. The fatal shooting of Jordan Edwards, thus far, demonstrates the utility of body cams, which, while not a solution, can drastically affect individual cases. Using body cameras and other technologies to enhance oversight and accountability, establishes legitimacy, and builds public trust. Under these conditions, law enforcement can police safely and more effectively.

As a mother and grandmother to three young black men, I cannot overstate how much this issue is of personal importance to me. Addressing and improving policing in our communities, however, does not exclusively benefit myself, or only those who look like me. It benefits all of us. It builds

Please see JOHNSON, pg 7

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Week of MAY 17, 2017

Another Pound of Flesh for the Grim Reaper Speaking Truth to Power

By Charles O’Neal Don Hill died‌ Now EVERYONE remembers that he was really a great guy. Smart, witty, incisive, and ultimately, stupidly ensnared in the kind of political chicanery that wrecks lives irreparably and forever.

For the record, I still recoil at the description of Hill’s travails in his “bribes for votes� case as the BIGGEST POLITICAL SCANDAL IN DALLAS HISTORY. Remember this is the city that once boasted of mayors, police chiefs, sheriffs, judges and lawyers who were active, virulent members of the Ku Klux Klan. If that isn’t scandal on the grandest scale I don’t know what qualifies.

To this day, Dallas regular-

ly and triumphantly short-changes Black and Brown citizens, razing neighborhoods in the name of progress, locking up and/ or shooting nonwhites, usurping the authority of duly elected school trustees in a fashion that makes one recall the old saw â€œâ€Śuntil lions learn how to write, the story of the hunt will always

Former Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill

ther “Dallasness� as told by the tellers of tales will always be at odds with the perceptions of those of us on the other end.

So the late Don Hill will go down in history as the corrupt city councilman that shook the very foundation of this city.

No mention that the bribers were only

Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill passed away last Saturday night. His funeral will be Saturday, May 20, 2017, 2 pm at Concord Church, 6808 Pastor Bailey Drive. The wake will be Friday at 7pm. be from the hunter’s perspective.� In other words, the hyper-scandalous behavior of Dallas in pursuit of fur-

conducting “business as usualâ€? and have gone on with their lives to corrupt unsuspecting naĂŻfs, all too sus-

ceptible to their overtures.

I hate that Don died without being able to tell us the truths he found while incarcerated.

Without question, the years spent locked away led him to valuable insights that would be useful to officeholders and office seekers alike. As I said, he was a very smart man.

The ultimate fault/failing of Don, I believe, was being too trusting.

Too willing to believe that everyone around him had his best interests at heart.

Sadly, tragically, we know with certainty that was not the case.

And this is not to absolve Don of responsibility for his part in this sad episode, rather is just a reminder that Don was simply human.

Don Hill died‌. He was my friend.

I’m sad.

Charles O’Neal is President of the Texas Association of African American Chambers of Commerce, a statewide network of Texas’ 22 Black chambers of commerce.

Famine Threatening Three African Nations. What Will Trump Do?

By Karen Bass U.S. Representative (D-Calif.)

As you read this, our world stands at a crossroads. As you read this, 20 million people stand at risk of starvation at the hands of what has the potential to become the worst humanitarian crisis since World War II; Rep. Karen Bass famine in South Sudan and impending famine in Northeast Nigeria, Somalia, and Yemen. Our country has a moral responsibility to address this issue head on.

For famine to be declared, two children younger than five years old in every 10,000 people have to die due to malnutrition and one in five families have to have insufficient food to sustain themselves. Wait-

ing for famine to be declared to act means you’re already too late.

Famine has already been declared in South Sudan, where hunger is expected to spread to 40 percent of the country’s population in the absence of humanitarian aid. The country’s man-made famine is a result of violent conflict in vast swaths of the country. Despite promises of access for relief efforts to these areas by the South Sudanese government, humanitarian organizations remain unable to gain access to provide urgent vital assistance in the form of food, water and shelter in many locations.

Somalia, Nigeria, and Yemen are all on the brink of having famine declared. More than half of Somalia’s total population of 12.3 million are experiencing acute food insecurity and are on the brink of death from starvation as a result of drought.

Due to conflict with Al-Shabaab ter-

rorists, humanitarian access remains an obstacle in providing the country’s 6.2 million people experiencing acute food insecurity with the aid that they desperately need.

In Northeast Nigeria, terrorism by Boko Haram has resulted in widespread displacement and a growing humanitarian crisis. Over 50,000 people in the region are at risk of famine. In addition, counter-insurgency operations against Boko Haram by the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in Adamawa, Yobe and Borno states have led to population displacement, limited access for relief efforts and have prevented farmers from accessing their fields, leading to significantly below-average harvests.

In Yemen, agriculture production has drastically declined due to conflict, insecurity, high costs, and sporadic availability of agricultural inputs. Two years of escalating con-

flict have left 18.8 million Yemenis in need of some kind of humanitarian or protection support. Seven million women, children, and men could risk famine in 2017.

In each country, whether it’s existing famine in South Sudan or the brink of famine in Somalia, Nigeria, or Yemen, the particularly disastrous characteristic is that these situations are either caused or exacerbated by man-made crisis.

You wouldn’t know that this was occurring though – other than a largely lackluster statement about South Sudan on “Face the Nation� in early April by Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, the Administration has been quiet about the impending disaster in Africa and Yemen. When asked about the implications of the Administration’s budget proposal, Ambassador Ha-

Please see AFRICA, pg 12

Week of MAY 17, 2017

My Day

By Dr. J. Ester Davis

Ester Davis

How do you obtain a mental illness warrant?

What are the signs?

Where do I go?

May is Mental Illness Month.

And our national statistic today is that one-in-five Americans have some form of mental illness.

We cannot continue to ignore these growing numbers.

The good news is that mental

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Addressing mental illness

illness can be treated.

In Dallas County, which encompasses 32 cities, the Mental Illness Court Offices are conveniently located downtown.

I ran into Judge Margaret Jones-Johnson, Probate Court #3, who oversees the Dallas County Mental Illness Courts, on the steps of the courthouse some months ago.

We chatted for a moment and she mentioned, “I wish you would write something on mental illness. . . in May.� “Sure,� I replied.

On the subject of mental illness, too many suffer in silence.

We seriously need a national, broader conversation because we all know someone who has some mental health signs and we still whisper about it.

When in reality so many live in darkness day in and day out about a disorder with healing possibilities.

Professionals in this industry

Judge Margaret Jones-Johnson

cite anxiety, mood, autism, eating and substance use as primary causes.

We use terms like bipolar, post traumatic stress, schizophrenia, depression, insomnia, anger, weight gain, frustration, loss of concentration, just to name a few, as long-term causes leading to and stimulating

mental disorders.

From personal experience, I want to add heredity.

That story was written nationally decades ago. The message at that time was about “families having the conversation.� ‘Stepping out of the shadows.’ We grew up with the greatest stories about our family achievements, property, intellect, businesses, dance and piano lessons, education, but the family “secret� was not revealed until I was an adult with two children.

My grandmother, born in 1884, was a manic depressant in today’s language.

To obtain a mental illness warrant in Dallas County is a simple-step process. In other areas, contact your county offices first.

Warrants may be issued when a mentally ill person is a danger to self, incapable of taking care

of self or a danger to others.

The applicant must be eighteen (18) years of age or older, have firsthand knowledge of behavior, state specific acts, attempts, threats and willing to sign a statement.

If havoc occurs on weekends or holidays, the Magistrate’s Office at Lew Sterrett Jail is available and/or your local Justice of the Peace in your precinct. Just know, you are not alone.

It is so important that we all have this information and know how to do this.

Please share. I will share on Facebook also.

Call the Dallas County Mental Illness Courts first because so much of downtown is under construction or in temporary offices. That number is(214)653-6166.

If more is needed . . just call.

Thanks, Judge Johnson.

Ester Davis can be reached at 214376-9000 or www.esterday.com.

To End AIDS in United States, Stay True to National HIV/AIDS Strategy

By Judith Auerbach, Robert Bank, Chris Collins, JD Davids, Rebecca Haag, David Ernesto Munar, Dana Van Gorder, Phill Wilson and A. Toni Young (Original Conveners of Coalition for a National AIDS Strategy)

Ten years ago, hundreds of organizations and individuals signed a petition calling on all presidential candidates to create a national AIDS strategy. We knew the approach to HIV in the U.S. had to change. If you read about AIDS in the paper, then it was likely about the horrifying scale of the global epidemic; the epidemic at home had largely become invisible. The national HIV response we saw was a patchwork: uncoordinated, without clear goals, underinvested where the challenge was most acute, with interventions delivered well below the scale necessary for

impact. And the science of HIV prevention was changing dramatically without sufficient efforts to put it into practice.

By the end of 2007, most presidential candidates, including John McCain, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, had accepted the challenge to create a strategy. In June 2010, President Obama issued the first comprehensive National HIV/ AIDS Strategy for the United States.

Five Things We Learned From Implementation of the National HIV/ AIDS Strategy 1) A commitment to being strategic provides political cover to do tough things.

The Strategy itself was full of smart analysis of the epidemic and laudable goals, but its real impact came in how it was used. With

strong leadership by Jeff Crowley, head of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP), and his deputy Greg Millett, a series of epidemiologically necessary but politically challenging policy innovations were undertaken, each justified by the new Strategy.

This included: • Increased investment in HIV prevention for gay men, which had been seriously under-financed relative to that population’s share of the epidemic. • A new, “high impactâ€? approach to HIV prevention emphasizing evidence-based programming at scale. • Reallocation of funds to areas of the country most affected by HIV. • Streamlining of data reporting to track progress more effectively.

A new emphasis was placed on

federal agency coordination that has shown some success and remains a work in progress, as well on the most affected communities, which are now at the leading edge of progress in the U.S. response.

2) Changing the conversation is important, and it’s just the first step.

The Strategy helped put the domestic epidemic back on the radar and galvanized the AIDS services community around a new approach to tackling the epidemic focused on epidemiologic impact.

Beyond assuring the availability of services, the focus shifted to outcomes, and people asked how a policy would lead to accomplishing the Strategy’s prevention and treatment targets. Conversely, observing that an approach would

fail to advance the Strategy’s goals was now a tool to fight bad policy. Using the “care continuum� as a framework for assessing service delivery helped bring focus to the Strategy goal of greater equity.

All of these were advances, but they only took us so far. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) — which led to a marked increase in Medicaid coverage among people living with HIV — as well as increased investments in appropriate services expanded access to lifesaving and infection-preventing measures.

3) It matters that the effort grew from the community.

We wanted the White House to own the Strategy because we wanted the government to be responsible for follow-through. But Please see BLACKS, pg 10

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2017 AFRICAN CHAMBER WEEKLY LUNCHEON SPEAKERS LIST 1705 Martin Luther King Blvd, Dallas Texas, 75215 May 24 TO BE DETERMINED May 31 NO MEETING DUE TO MEMORIAL DAY HOLIDAY June 7 INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES- MARIO TREVINO June 14 TO BE DETERMINED June 21 TO BE DETERMINED June 28 DFW AIRPORT- LILLIE WEST & GUY TOLIVER (LUNCHEON BEING HELD AT DFW AIRPORT) July 5 NO LUNCHEON DUE TO HOLIDAY July 12 TO BE DETERMINED July 19 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCEJESSICA GORDON July 26 TO BE DETERMINED

May 19 One of the largest youth employment events, Opportunity Youth, is happening at the Dallas Convention Center. The Opportunity Youth program, created

by Starbucks, is geared towards 16 to 24 year olds who are unemployed and not in school.

May 20 Redefine the Game with Dr. Randal Pinkett, hosted by The Empower Series at 10a.m.

Dallas Public Library- Highland Hills Branch, 6200 Bonnie View Rd, Dallas, Texas 75241 ******

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Bayou Bash at the African American Museum at 6pm

May 23 The Total Package Tour: NKOTB with Paula Abdul And Boyz II Men with New Kids On The Block and 2 others at 7:30 PM American Airlines Center, 2500 Victory Ave, Dallas, Texas 75219

May 28 7th Annual Dallas Margarita Meltdown Dallas West End

June 2 Ten-time Grammy Award winner and multi-platinum-selling artist CeCe Winans will follow her recently released number one album “Let Them Fall In Love,” with a national tour. The Fall In Love Tour presented by Medi-Share is Winans’ first solo tour in a decade and brings her to the Majestic Theater

June 3

9th Annual Founders Day Scholarship & Awards LunLive Tribute To Johnny Taylor cheon Hosted by Greater Saturday, June 3rd 2017 North Dallas Business and FEATURED ARTISTS: Professional Women’s Club Ernie Johnson 11 AM - 1:30 PM Fat Daddy (Son of R. L. Griffin) Hilton Garden Inn Dallas/Al“Meatball” len, 705 Central Expy S, Allen, Sister Janean (Spoken Word) Texas 75013 The Drummer Dancers theme is “Moving Forward D.J. LaSone With A Purpose: Believing in the MC Da Wolfman Audacity of Hope.” ·Keynote speaker is Beverly DOORS OPEN AT 1:00 PM Fells Jones - International Speaker and Author.

CONCERT PERFORMANCE 2:00 PM-8:00 PM The Woman of the Year Honoree is Delores Elder 4750 E. CLEVELAND RD Jones DALLAS, TEXAS 75247 Man of the Year Honoree is Dr. Harry Robinson - TICKETS $25.00 ONLINE $30.00 AT THE GATE Dallas African American Museum Purchase tickets @ www.fredsentertainment.

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June 7 Retired Police Chief David O. Brown will kick off his book tour in Dallas on his life and the challenges of modern law enforcement at a program presented by the World Affairs Council of D/FW and the AT&T Performing Arts Center.

Jazz On The Trinity at Panther Island Pavilion Hosted by Jazz on the Trinity 5 PM - 10 PM EDT 395 Purcey St, Fort Worth, TX 76102-

June 17

June 8 Join Dr. Linda Amerson for ‘Beautifully Insecure’7:30-9:30pm. at Studio Movie Grill - I-20 & Matlock, Arlington. The deadline for ticket purchases is Thursday June 1, 2017 There will also be a 30 minute panel discussion after the film to include these area...image & society acceptance, self love, dating with alopecia, spiritual differences in relationships, and wigs-the cover up. Panalists include: Gwen Womack, Minister Womack and Marlo Mozee. Cheryl Smith’s Don’t Believe the Hype CelebPurchase your tickets here: https://www.tugg. rity Bowl-a-thon at USA Bowl, 10920 Composcom/events/beautifully-insecure-wfoy ite Drive, Dallas. featuring Miss Jessie’s Miko Branch, Kiki Shepard, Sen. Royce West, Williams Chicken’s Hiawatha Williams, Dante and Renetta Wesley, Bethel Johnson, Eva Coleman, Dareia Tolbert, Terry Allen and a host of others.

June 10

June 18 Celebrate Fathers at the annual City Men Cook Affair, 3-6p.m. at Gilley’s

Soul Food Festival TX Hosted by The Soul Food Festival 4 PM - 11 PM 5700 Lake Ridge Pkwy, Grand Prairie, TX 75052performances by Cameo, Brick, El DeBarge, Ready For The World, Ruff Endz, Vivian Green

PAC under scrutiny, for expenditures. With one exception, all the candidates supported by For Our Community PAC are incumbents seeking reelection.

The one exception was the District 14 race in which the PAC backed challenger Matt Wood over incumbent Philip T. Kingston.

Kingston is often referred to as a thorn in the side of the council’s status quo, opposing the mayor on a variety of issues ranging from the handling of the Police and Fire Pension crisis to the proposed Trinity River tollway.

Between supporting Wood and specifically opposing Kingston, For Our Community PAC’s expenditures in the District 14 race exceeded the six-figure mark, including the production of a video which portrayed Kingston as a rude and combative element on the city council.

Despite the effort, Kingston managed to pass through the May 6 election unscathed, garnering more than 54 percent of the vote outright and avoiding a runoff.

In West Dallas, For Our Community PAC supported incumbent Monica Alonzo, which drew some criticism associated with the reported opposition to HB 2480 by Alonzo’s

continued from front page

brother, Texas Sen. Roberto L. Alonzo. The bill which was filed by Texas Rep. Eric Johnson to alleviate pressure from growing property taxes in the West Dallas district caused by the incursion of new investment was killed in a political maneuver by GOP lawmakers in Austin.

With a $10,000 donation to the PAC from the co-founders of West Dallas Investments, some questions of motive were raised.

However, Johnson’s bill was one of more than 100 bills killed by the Republican Freedom Caucus in a move that is now being called the “Mother’s Day Massacre” and is being chalked up to partisan in-fighting in the legislature. HB 2480 was officially returned to Calendars Committee on May 12.

Also, Alonzo and fellow incumbents Casey Thomas and Rick Callahan received, by far, the lowest level of financial support from the PAC. All three combined totaled less than $21,000.

The For Our Community PAC also weighed in heavily in the District 7, lending its support of more than $24,000 to incumbent Tiffinni A. Young.

Graduates, continued from front page work it takes to get here. When I was sentenced to Phoenix House it was the greatest gift that could have been given to me.”

Today she is president and CEO of CNA Associates, an enrolled agent and certified tax resolution specialist, and she said 80% of the workforce is from the program.

Karen Green, Founder and Director of Haven of Love, did not come through the program but many graduates could identify with her journey. “I went to nine treatments,” she said, adding that she was called the “relapse queen.” Ms. Green said she was a survivor of childhood sexual abuse which led her down a negative path of self-destruction.

She now visits jails and prisons mentoring to the “broken and lost.”

Another speaker at the program was Jamie Wolf-Kelly, who described Judge Mays as what a “healthy, functioning, caring woman looks like.”

“She helped me to realize that I could be something other than a drug-addicted prostitute,” said Ms. Wolf-Kelly. “I learned how

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Week of MAY 17, 2017

Jamie WolfKelly said smoking dope was more important “than raising the four children God blessed me with.”

to be accountable, be on time, always have a plan, right my wrongs and stick my hand back and reach out for the person coming after me.”

For Ms. Wolf-Kelly, there was a lot more she had to learn and after dropping out of high school in the 11th grade, she now has multiple college degrees and is proud to say her that today she “gets up, suits up and shows up so that not one more woman has to go through” what she went through.

The S.T.A.C. Court in Dallas County

Young received the highest number of votes in the May 6 election, but did not gain a clear majority and will face challenger Kevin Felder in a runoff.

While the contributions of the For Our Community PAC have left many grumbling, no one has suggested the PAC has done anything illegal. All indications are that the election rules were followed and these donations are allowable.

There are many voices being heard across the country calling for campaign finance reform, and assertions that money plays too big a role in U.S. elections.

It was the primary rallying cry of U.S. Sen.

Bernie Sanders in the Democratic primary.

Until such laws are changed, voters can expect to see such PAC activities continue.

(Disclosure: The North Dallas Gazette endorsed eight candidates in the May 6 election. NDG endorsed the same candidate as For Our Community PAC in the District 3 race, Casey Thomas; and endorsed opposing candidates, Tammy Johnston in District 7, and Tennell Atkins in District 8. NDG reached out to For Our Community PAC for comment, but did not receive a reply by press time.)

Johnson, continued from page 3 trust, it mitigates tragedy, and provides a stronger foundation for building relationships between law enforcement and our communities.

1 Corinthians 12:26 teaches us, “If one member suffers, we all suffer together.”

As a nation, we can no longer afford to

Judge Jennifer Bennett attended the ceremony to share important news for graduates who had satisfied all requirements and were being released from probation.

was established in January 2007 by Judge Lela D. Mays.

Judge Mays and Judge Gracie Lewis preside over the Court and the S.T.A.C. program serves as a problem-solving court, known as a “drug treatment court,” with intensive supervision for defendants on felony probation returning from inpatient treatment for drug or alcohol addiction. Since inception more than 1,600 defendants have graduated.

Based on an innovative program first developed in Miami, Florida in 1989, the drug court concept received widespread attention as an effective treatment strategy for

turn a blind eye to what appears only to be to the detriment of some and not all.

We must acknowledge that there is work to be done and through an open and honest dialogue, we can create and embrace policies that will justly serve all of our communities. drug-involved criminal offenders. The term "drug treatment court" refers to a specialized docket designated to handle cases involving non-violent drug-abusing offenders through an intensive, judicially monitored program of drug treatment and rehabilitation services.

The State of Texas offers numerous specialized courts that focus on addiction, mental health issues, juvenile and family issues and those that have been commercially exploited.

These programs save taxpayers money – participants are not in the overcrowded jails and can begin paying restitution, fines, and court costs that otherwise might not have been paid.

In addition, participants begin to pay child support, not to mention reduce the number of drug-addicted babies born to this population.

At the close of the program, six of the graduates were released from probation by Judges Mays, Lewis and Jennifer Bennett, who also attended the program along with several other judges, elected officials, sponsors and family members.

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Atkins secures support of former opponents Former Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Tennell Atkins has secured the endorsement of two former candidates in the Council District 8 for the upcoming June 10th runoff election.

Atkins, the former mayor pro tem and council member for District 8, is running to return to Dallas City Hall as the trusted community member with a proven record of success.

Eric Williams and Gail Terrell finished third and fourth respectively, in the May 6th election for the District 8 seat and thus did not qualify for the runoff election.

Atkins received the most votes of all four candidates

in the in the race with 42% but less than the 50% required to be declared the winner.

A runoff election is necessary and required to complete the process that election will be held on June 10, 2017.Along with the endorsement of Terrell and Williams, Atkins announced that he is backed by Dallas Police and Firefighter Associations and former Dallas Police Chief David Brown for the runoff election.

Atkins was joined by Terrell, Williams, police and fire representatives, community and small business owners for the press conference.

Week of MAY 17, 2017

Week of MAY 17, 2017

Broadcaster Amanda Fitzpatrick weds Yusef Abdur-Razzaaq

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April 21, 2017

Plano North Metroplex Chapter, Links, Inc. A Day at the Races La Chapeau Affair XVIII April 29, 2017

Eventfully Yours Ribbon Cuttng with Hurst Euless Bedford Chamber of Commerce May 16, 2017

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Going behind his back

Ask Alma:

by Alma Gill

Alma Gill’s newsroom experience spans more than 25 years, including various roles at USA Today, Newsday and the Washington Post. Email questions to: alwaysaskalma@gmail.com. Follow her on Facebook at “Ask Alma” and Twitter @almaaskalma.

Dear Alma, One of your recent columns, reminded me of my situation, so, I decided to contact you. I am a military wife and I love my husband. We’ve been happily married for three years. He takes good care of us and is strict with our budget. He makes sure everything is covered and written down and by the 3rd of the month all of our bills are paid.

He deployed eight months ago, and of course before he left, he gave me strict instructions to follow regarding our money and the budget, which I have tried to stick with. Since, I have a job and I contribute to our household and I have money left over, as well, I decided to buy a new car.

When my husband and I spoke on FaceTime and talked about buying a new car, he was totally against it and thought our old car was good enough. I totally disagreed, so I bought a new car anyway and I love it. He’ll be home next month and I don’t know what to do. How do I tell him we have a new car?

New Car, Old Husband Dear New Car, Girl, you better be glad that I can’t revoke your driver’s license or demand that you pick up trash along the side the road.

Umm, this situation is nowhere near last week’s question. You ain’t got nobody sleeping on the couch, so don’t try it.

Oh no, don’t move over, I don’t need space, because this right here doesn’t sit well with me at all. When a person is buy-

ing a house, what’s most important? Location, location, location.

When a person is married, what’s most important? Communication, communication, communication. You’ve got to communicate, before you make a move, especially when it comes to a big purchase. And we ain’t talking about buying a set of pillows, brand new dishes or a set of bath towels. You purchased a car against your husband’s wishes and now you wanna know how to tell him? Well, I don’t think you’ll have to worry about that once you pull up to pick him up, LOL. That’s when your selfish shenanigans will come to light.

It seems to me you can do one of two things. Take it back or display your decision on paper. Your husband sounds like a serious budget man and I ain’t mad at him. Show him the money and where you can save from here and there to cover your monthly payments and insurance coverage. That’s all he wants to see. I know you gotta job and you got extra money, which is what you’re trying to use to justify your behavior, but, uh huh, nah, that won’t cut it.

When it comes to money, your husband must be able to trust you. You and your ego have broken that bond.

Unless you bought the Porsche that he’s always dreamed about, it will take a long time for the two of you to recover from this. You might as well try to fit your bottom in a “forgive me please” baby seat, snap that seatbelt on and hold on, because you’re in for a bumpy ride!

Alma

HIV/AIDS, continued from page 5 it all started with the community. And that meant that AIDS service organizations were ready to engage creatively with the government when the nation embarked on a more outcomes-oriented approach full of hard choices. As the Strategy said, “The job … does not fall to the Federal Government alone. … Success will require the commitment of all parts of society[.]”

4) It takes amazing science and the commitment to deliver its results to everyone.

The outcomes of HIV/AIDS research have been phenomenal, turning a deadly disease into a chronic, manageable condition in the space of a couple decades. When we were working on the strategy effort, we had inklings of the potential efficacy of “treatment as prevention” and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent both transmission and acquisition of HIV. When rigorous, multi-site clinical trials proved these approaches did work, it changed what was considered possible, and scientific and policy leaders in the U.S. and around the world now said we had the opportunity to “end AIDS.” Soon, in places such as New York and San Francisco, activists, scientists and public health officials took up the challenge to end the epidemic and “get to zero” with localized, evidence-based, multi-sectoral strategies — an effort that has now expanded across the country.

5) Effective interventions are necessary, but not sufficient.

We recently received welcome news about an overall reduction in HIV incidence in the U.S. But, disparities embedded in that reduction are stark: infection rates actually increased among gay men aged 25-34 and among Latino gay men of all ages. And, the severe, disproportionate burden on black gay men and black heterosexual women continues. Without health systems that can reach everyone and greatly expanded efforts to equalize education, economic opportunity and combat racism, sexism, homophobia and transphobia in our country, we

will not end AIDS. Collective Progress and Now a Precipice Ten years after the strategy effort started, we celebrate our collective progress, but know we are at a precipice. Recent advances will be squandered if Congress and the administration retreat on the ACA and other policy achievements, making it harder for people living with or at risk of HIV to get the services they need to stay alive and healthy.

That is why we need federal policy that protects and fully implements the ACA, as well as investments in the CARE Act, HIV prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Pre-

Week of MAY 17, 2017

vention, the Housing Opportunities for People Living With AIDS Act and the National Institutes for Health’s comprehensive HIV/AIDS research program. We also need a strong ONAP to drive and coordinate these vital programs.

The National HIV/AIDS Strategy brought us a vision of a time when HIV infection is rare and everyone living with HIV has access to lifesaving care unfettered by stigma and discrimination.

We must remain committed to that vision, for everyone. We need leadership at every level to do what the science tells us we can do: end AIDS in America.

Week of MAY 17, 2017

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NABJ Disheartened by Ebony Magazine Layoffs WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) is disheartened by news that Ebony Magazine laid off nearly a dozen key staff members this week, including several long-time NABJ members According to a Chicago Tribune report, the move was made to consolidate operations with sister publication Jet Magazine and transition to Los Angeles from the magazine's Chicago home base, where it began nearly 72 years ago.

Johnson Publishing Co., Ebony's

longtime owner, sold the magazines to a Texas private equity firm, CVG Group, in early 2016.

The magazine recently became the target of a negative social media campaign for not paying freelance writers and copy editors in a timely manner for their published work.

"And so it begins," said Marlon A. Walker, NABJ's vice president of print. "Fear that Ebony would lose its place on coffee tables around the country began when the Johnson family sold the business.

Over the last two years, talented journalists such as (now former) editor Kyra Kyles and (now former) managing editor Kathy Chaney produced keepsake issues after the death of Prince and the demise of Bill Cosby's legacy.

As a print journalist, I hope the owners understand how important it is to keep Ebony as a mainstay in black households, telling stories that reflect our community."

The news comes as several major news organizations -- includ-

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ing ESPN, Gannett and Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary BH Media Group -- announce major staff cuts to meet changing demands of an ever-evolving media landscape.

"Ebony and Jet have a strong legacy of covering the black community, especially during times when mainstream media outlets chose not to," NABJ President Sarah Glover said. "It's NABJ's hope that the owners have a plan in place that will continue the legacy of both publications."

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African nations threatened continued from page 4

ley called for “smarter spending” when it comes to foreign and humanitarian aid.

Smarter spending is, of course, necessary, but, in the face of the president proposing cuts of nearly 30 percent to foreign aid and diplomacy efforts, it’s hard to imagine that the appropriate amount of aid and assistance will be provided to the four countries.

At a fundamental level, President Trump’s America-first budget would forego international diplomatic leadership and ignore the impending crisis.

Foreign aid is an investment, and it

makes our country and those overseas fighting for us, dramatically safer. With leadership comes responsibility. Providing aid is a moral imperative.

Despite the lack of coverage in TV media on the issue, we are at a crossroads.

Congress has the decision before them to either continue America’s legacy in ending famine now, or forgo our diplomatic leadership in the area entirely.

Congresswoman Karen Bass represents California’s 37th Congressional District; she is the 2nd Vice President of the Congressional Black Caucus and she co-chairs the CBC’s Africa Taskforce. Follow her on Twitter at @RepKarenBass.

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Determining the value of their service or product is advised by this publication. In order to avoid misunderstandings, some advertisers do not offer employment but rather supply the readers with manuals, directories and other materials designed to help their clients establish mail order selling and other businesses at home. Under NO circumstance should you send any money in advance or give the client your checking, license ID, or credit card numbers. Also beware of ads that claim to guarantee loans regardless of credit and note that if a credit repair company does business only over the phone it is illegal to request any money before delivering its service. All funds are based in US dollars. Toll free numbers may or may not reach Canada.

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FIRST MINORITY FEMALE-OWNED PR FIRM IN FORT WORTH CELEBRATES 30 YEARS Congresswoman Kay Granger Honors Success of Ware + Associates

Wyntress B. Ware, President & Founder of Ware & Associates and Congresswoman Kay Granger celebrated Ware’s 30th anniversary in business with a flag flown at the State Capitol on May 16th. Ware & Associates is the first, minority-female owned public relations firm based in Fort Worth.

Texas lawmakers shouldn’t contribute to a delay of justice From Austin to You

By Eric Johnson

Tx State Representative (D-Dallas)

In 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education that separate educational facilities are inherently unequal, and thereby ended the decades-long practice of segregating our nation's public school students according to their race.

This “fact” was probably lost on my dad when, in 1964, he walked across the stage at James Madison High School in Dallas to receive his diploma along with his classmates, not a single one of whom was white.

The same would have been true for my mom, who also is African American, when she graduated from L.G. Pinkston High School in Dallas the following year: her high school graduating class, too, was 100 percent black.

And make no mistake — un-

like today, the Dallas Independent School District had plenty of white students back in 1964-65.

They just didn't attend school with black students like my mom and dad. But what about the ruling in Brown a decade before?

Didn't that ruling mean anything?

On March 10, 2017, a panel of three federal judges ruled 2-1 in a case known as Perez v. Abbott that the Texas Legislature “acted with an impermissible intent to dilute minority voting strength or otherwise violated the 14th Amendment” when it drew boundaries for the 23rd, 27th and 35th congressional districts of Texas back in 2011, and that minority voters in those districts “are still being harmed by the lines drawn as the direct product of these violations.”

It took the majority 165 pages to document the full nature of the Legislature's willful violation of the constitutional and voting rights of minorities in those congressional districts, but the court was able to state its conclusion

rather succinctly: “The configurations of CD23, CD27, and CD35... are therefore invalid.”

Now back to Brown v. Board of Education. A year after that landmark opinion declared segregated schools unconstitutional, the Supreme Court was asked to address how the evil of segregation should be dismantled.

The second Brown opinion, or Brown II, contained four seemingly innocuous words that were later used to deny minorities their constitutional right to attend racially integrated public schools for an embarrassingly long time: “With all deliberate speed.”

No one knew what that phrase meant in 1955 and no one knows what that phrase means even today.

But what we do know is that those four words gave every segregationist in the United States the wiggle room necessary to keep black kids and white kids from attending school together for decades after Brown II was decided.

The lesson to be taken from

Brown II, particularly for minorities, is that when it comes to our constitutional rights, it is never a good idea to wait. Justice delayed, when it comes to our constitutional rights, is justice denied. History requires that we dismiss with extreme prejudice any suggestion that we, folks whose fundamental rights have been violated time and time again, wait before we receive justice.

Back to the present: On March 15, five days after the majority ruled in Perez, I wrote a letter to State Rep. Cindy Burkett, chairman of the House Committee on Redistricting, asking her to convene a formal meeting of the committee so that we could be briefed by legal counsel on the implications of the ruling and to schedule hearings immediately regarding the three congressional district maps that were invalidated by the court.

I copied Texas House Speaker Joe Straus on the letter.

After a week without a reply from either of them, I sent a sec-

ond letter reiterating my request.

As of April 3, 2017, neither of them had answered either letter.

The redistricting committee has not held a single meeting or hearing this entire session, actually, despite the fact that taxpayer dollars presumably are being used to pay for a committee staff and to maintain a committee office in the Texas Capitol.

Word in the halls of that Capitol is that the House Republican leadership's plan is to wait and see how some related redistricting litigation progresses before acting...

With all deliberate speed.

State Rep. Eric Johnson is the representative of Texas’ House District 100, first elected in 2010.

Johnson is serving as the vice chair of the Economic & Small Business Development Committee, and sits on the Calendars and Homeland Security & Public Safety committees and the Economic & Small Business Development Subcommittee on Small Business.

Johnson’s legislative focus includes public schools, job growth and transparent government.

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VOTE EARLY: May 30 to June 6

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ELECTION DAY: Saturday, June 10

Week of MAY 17, 2017