TEXAS METRO NEWS
5 31, NO.2017 28 Week ofVOL MAY
EARLY VOTING POLLING PLACES INSIDE
PART ONE
WWW.TEXASMETRONEWS.COM
May 31, 2017 Stop the Violence!
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RIP L.D. Cox
Clergywomen under ASSAULT!
IN HER WORDS
When your good works are interrupted By Rev. Yvette Blair - Lavallais
NO MORE SUFFERING IN SILENCE
No matter how well you plan, goal-set or dot every “i” and cross every “t,” there is always the likelihood that something or someone will interrupt your good works. I’m talking about interruption in a major way – not just getting you off schedule and causing you to have to spend a few extra hours accomplishing a project. In October 2016, my good work was interrupted in a major way. I was in a ministry y heryl mith setting where I was repeatedly the “unwanted attention” of a male member who had a fixation on me. He would repeatedly grab me, uninvitingly touch me and was both consistent and persistent in his behavior. I reported it to the senior pastor on more than one ocRev. Yvette Blair casion, yet it never stopped. Lavallais It escalated to the point that this male member came in on me one evening as I was preparing to teach a Bible study class. I found myself alone, in my office, with a six-foot white man towering over me, insisting that he be allowed to touch me. Rev. Yvette Blair-Lavallais prepares to deliver sermon at St. Luke “Community” United Methodist Church, My safety was at risk and the agency of my personhood where she was an Associate Pastor before her appointment to First UMC Lewisville. as a woman had been interrupted. In the time that followed that traumatic experience, When I met Yvette Over the years I’ve watched her take there was no arguing the two were made every fiber of my being was impacted. Because the pasBlair, she was a young, on numerous roles, and I have watched for one another and whatever God had tor of the church was adamant that this male member, beautiful, smart, am- her grow, excel and help others. in store for Yvette, she had a partner to who had a previous history of this behavior toward other bitious, aspiring jourYes, she did surprise me with some of share the experience. women, be allowed to remain a part of the worshiping nalist at the Univer- her decisions. First she chose to attend Watching Yvette and Carl together, it community, I could not remain. In every instance of resity of North Texas. divinity school. I won’t argue with that was clear they were happy and that is porting it, the senior pastor made it my responsibility to From the beginning I choice because I do believe in divine in- what I wanted for her. Cheryl Smith set boundaries with this man. My safety could not be enknew she was talent- tervention; however I thought with her Sometimes when you have a mentee, sured and as a result, my good work in that setting was ed and I looked for- impeccable journalistic skills she would the relationships are short-lived. Ours interrupted. My range of emotions went from fear and frustration ward to helping her develop as an intern be breaking news stories around the has expanded over nearly 30 years and it was painful to hear of the challenges she of having to endure that “fixation” over a period of four with several other students at The Dallas world. Weekly. Then, she decided to get married. And Please see CLERGY, pg 4 Please see IN HER WORDS, page 5
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