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I MESSENGER VOL XIII NO 34 | April 26, 2024

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MEMORIAL F O R

JAMES A. WASHINGTON MAY 4, 2024 | 11AM - 1PM

FRIENDSHIP-WEST BAPTIST CHURCH 2020 W. WHEATLAND ROAD DALLAS, TEXAS 75232 REV. WILLIAM WHITE , OFFICIATING

JAMES ALFRED WASHINGTON His legacy is intact!

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MAILING ADDRESS 320 S. R.L. Thornton Freeway Suite 100 Dallas, TX 75203 WWW.TEXASMETRONEWS.COM 214-941-0110 Cheryl Smith PUBLISHER - EDITOR editor@myimessenger.com www.myimessenger.com S. Curet GENERAL MANAGER stewartcuret@myimessenger.com NEWSLETTER EDITOR Marva Sneed EDITORIAL TEAM Chelle Wilson Dorothy J. Gentry Eva Coleman Lajuana Barton Rebecca Aguilar Vincent Hall Valerie Fields-Hill Dr. Froswa Booker-Drew Dr. Stacia Alexander DESIGN/LAYOUT FzanStudio WEB/SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR

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Established 2011 CREDO OF THE BLACK PRESS The Black Press believes that America can best lead the world away from racial and national antagonisms when it accords to every person, regardless of race, color or creed, full human and legal rights. Hating no person, fearing no person, the Black Press strives to help every person in the firm belief that all are hurt as long as anyone is held back.

April 26, 2024

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INSIDE

QUIT PLAYIN’

TXWF HOSTS LEADERSHIP

MINORITY HEALTH MONTH

One of my severe misgivings about the advent of social media is the dearth of exposure to classic essays and prose in full. Instagram and other threads introduce snippets of intellectual brilliance, but never cut to the core.

Texas Women’s Foundation’s (TXWF) Leadership Forum & Awards Celebration on April 30, 2024, at the Omni Dallas Hotel (555 S. Lamar St, Dallas, TX 75202) will provide a day of learning, leadership, and celebration beginning with #BESTSELF, a half-day...

This month, I’m taking a moment to reflect on the progress we’ve made to improve access to healthcare for communities of color. April is Minority Health Month, a time to acknowledge and raise awareness about health disparities among historically...

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April 26, 2024

MY TRUTH by Cheryl Smith Publisher

Maybe if you read what others are saying…

For decades I have written about the significance of voting.

I have tried everything possible and hoped that someone would be moved by my words.

Here are messages that may resonate with some readers who will get up, get to the polls, and do their civic duty. Some might even say that you have a moral obligation to vote.

Preaching, begging, threatening, and explaining, are just a few of the tactics used previously. I know that I can’t give up. I have to keep coming up with ways to creatively express the importance of elections.

Maybe, just maybe, some of the messages below will prick the conscience of anyone hesitant about voting.

“First-time voters have the powerful opportunity to help determine the outcome of the upcoming presidential election alongside the down-ballot!”

— Yara Shahidi

“Voting is the foundation stone of political action.”

—Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. April 26, 2024

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Megan Thee Stallion

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First Lady Michelle Obama

Chuck D

Yara Shahidi

“When it comes to our democracy, and who we determine to have the right to vote--our most sacred of rights--patience is no virtue. We must never be patient when someone else’s rights are in the balance.

We cannot wait on laws, or elected officials, or anyone else. The only virtue when it comes to the right to vote is impatience.”

cause you ain’t smelled yourself.

“Every voice is equally powerful.

You supposed to take a shower, Don’t underestimate your vote. dude, or you gon’ stink! The hip- Voting is the great equalizer.” hop nation is supposed to vote, — Dr. Maya Angelou because if they don’t, something’s gonna stink.”

“Voting is the only way to ensure —Chuck D of Public Enemy that our values and priorities are “What would it profit a man to represented in the halls of power,” gain the vote and not be able to Obama said. “And it’s not enough control it?” to just vote for president every four —Karine Jean-Pierre — Courtland Cox years. We all have to vote in every Four Hundred Souls: Lowndes County SNCC single election.”

A Community History of African America, 1619-2019

“I am one of the students who was attending Tuskegee Institute and working at White Hall Baptist in 1966. The KKK used to chase us every night when we would be dismissed. I am now a mother and a grandmother who will not allow my children to attend school on their Bday until they register to ‘VOTE.’” (Edited)

“Of course voting is useful. But then again, I don’t put a big glow to it. Voting is about as essential as washing yourself. It’s something you’re supposed to do. Now, you can’t go around bragging, expecting to get props because you voted.

That’s stupid. You don’t see people running around trying to get — Elizabeth S. Jackson props because they washed up. ‘I washed today! I took a shower to“The Africans require, want, the day!’ franchise on the basis of one man “But if you don’t vote, you can’t one vote. They want political indego around if something goes wrong pendence.” saying, ‘Aw man, stuff just stinks!’

— President Nelson Mandela Well yeah, something stinks bemyimessenger.com

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— First Lady Michelle Obama

“The power is in the people and politics we address.”

— Tupac Shakur

“Listen up hotties! Y’all need to go vote this year, and y’all need to go tell y’all friends to vote too. And the first step to voting is registering, okay? So get up, go register.”

— Megan Thee Stallion

“First-time voters have the powerful opportunity to help determine the outcome of the upcoming presidential election alongside the down-ballot!”

— Yara Shahidi April 26, 2024

join us for Baby Day 2024 a hybrid celebration

April 26-28, 2024

What is Baby Day? Imagine waking up to a day that celebrated the excitement and opportunity of the tiniest Texans.

check out our resources

Where families meet for playdates in parks, workplaces provide flexibility and support to new parents, and

our website offers year-round resources

politicians pledge to support our future by building stronger policies for the leaders of tomorrow…the babies

to support your child's development:

of today.

https://babyday.us/resources/

Registration is free and activities will be hosted in-

stay connected

person and online by First3Years and local community organizations. In-Person, live and on-demand baby and

follow us on social media:

toddlers events will include music, art, yoga, reading,

@First3Years

dance, caregiver classes & resources, AND MORE! All activities are designed to support the healthy development of your infant and toddler's emotional, social, and cognitive skills.

Baby Day will be held in Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and through community events across the state!

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You got the GIFT! – Use it QUIT PLAYIN’

BY VINCENT L. HALL

One of my severe misgivings about the advent of social media is the dearth of exposure to classic essays and prose in full.

Instagram and other threads introduce snippets of intellectual brilliance, but never cut to the core.

Kinda like justifying evil by pointing to a bible verse that reads, “slaves obey your masters” without contextual reference or support.

Consider one of my favorite works, “The Souls of Black Folk,” by William Edward Burghardt Du Bois. The book was written and intended to foster economic, political, and educational power for African Americans.

You can Google who Du Bois is and what he meant, but let me dive into one part of this classic book that deserves to be prominent among “the race.”

A major failing of Black people is that we don’t understand the mental and spiritual burden that we carry as Black people in this country.

Du Bois teases the essence of his thesis in Chapter One, “Of Our Spiritual Strivings.” In this opening, he coined a word and concept that every Black person must grasp to maintain sanity and cognitive balance.

“Double consciousness,” as he defined it, is the ability and limitations that come with a “sense of always looking at one’s self through the eyes of others, of measuring one’s soul by the tape of a world that looks on in myimessenger.com

amused contempt and pity.”

But let me share the passage that engaged my mind and made me read the entire book at 20. I have used it as a measuring stick for all I see and feel in Maya Angelou’s “Yet to be United States,” and as a member of the African Diaspora.

without being cursed and spit upon by his fellows, without having the doors of Opportunity closed roughly in his face.”

Whew! That is as potent and poignant today as it was the first time I read it, re-read it, and read it aloud for the third time. Let me explain this dou-

The Wiz

The Wizard of Oz

“One ever feels his twoness—an American, a Negro; two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder. The History of the American Negro is the history of this strive--this longing to attain self-conscious manhood, to merge his double self into a better and truer self.

“He simply wishes to make it possible for a man to be both a Negro and an American,

ble-consciousness concept to you in a way that makes sense.

To understand W.E.B. Du Bois’ “The Souls of Black folk” is to gain an appreciation and congruent respect for the “Wizard of Oz” and “The Wiz.” There is no need to choose, you can hold them both dear.

As a natural-born American, you can admit that the 1939 ‘Lily-White” version of The Wizard of Oz was a beautifully rendered movie.

For starters, it was in “Technicolor,” which was as

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earth-shattering as HD in the film industry.

Judy Garland’s portrayal of Kansas-born Dorothy Gale and her sojourn with the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion was rich in beauty and emotional agility.

However, your “double consciousness “allows for an equal admiration for “The Wiz,” which was adapted from a long-running, award-winning, Broadway stage play.

The movie featured two iconic stars of music and film, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson. In contrast the cinematography, choreography, and music was sassy, soulful and risqué.

Black moviegoers who saw both were blown away.

The two films were considered entertaining by Black folks because we are forced to navigate both worlds.

Presidential candidate Jesse Louis Jackson made a similar statement in a 1988 campaign speech. “I know how to be pro-Black without being anti-White.”

Living with this double consciousness is not always a curse if we know how to see the blessing woven in it. Du Bois surmised that this ability was a “gift of second sight” that was unique and only available to African Americans.

As we traverse this new era of racism and tribalism in America and across the globe, we must use our second sight—that double consciousness—as a source of peace and mental stability.

You got the gift! Use it.

Vincent L. Hall is an author, activist, award-winning columnist and a lifelong Drapetomaniac!

April 26, 2024

PreK - 12th Grade

Student graduates with nationally recognized industry certificate

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April 26, 2024

YOU ARE INVITED TO:

Heavy hors d’oeuvres

Cynthia Mickens Ministries Annual Fundraiser Live Entertainment

Friday, May 3, 2024 6 - 8 PM DHV Artworks 2835 Irving Blvd.

Dallas, TX 75207 Please RSVP to: info@CynthiaMickensMinistries.org or 1-888-419-0957 Visit our website at www.CynthiaMickensMinistries.org.

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April 26, 2024

TXWF names Karen Hughes White as New President/CEO Texas Women’s Foundation (TXWF), one of the largest women’s funds in the world, has announced the appointment of Karen Hughes White as its new president and CEO. A dynamic, mission-driven and results-oriented leader, White has led nonprofit organizations focused on the needs of women, girls and children for the past 20 years.

Carrie Freeman Parsons, Texas Women’s Foundation board chair, said, “After an extensive search, Texas Women’s Foundation is excited to appoint Karen CEO. As we approach our 40th anniversary, she is the perfect combination of a strategic thinker, business-minded leader and team builder necessary to carry out our strategies and programs to move the needle on women’s equity in Texas. She is dedicated to lifting the voices of women and has a track record of working well with staff, boards, volunteers and donors.”

A University of Georgia graduate and member of Tri Delta sorority, White previously served as Tri Delta’s chief executive officer. During her tenure from 2014 to 2024, she increased engagement among the organization’s 250,000 collegiate and alumnae members worldwide with a focus on personal and professional development, and

Hattie Wayne, Karen Hughes White, and Carrie Freeman Parsons

through initiatives centering diversity, equity, inclusion, access and belonging.

In 2024, Tri Delta will celebrate 25 years of partnership with St. Jude and $100 million raised in support of “Finding Cures and Saving Children” as White helped create a culture of philanthropy.

Additionally, she helped grow Tri Delta’s

Foundation, more than doubling its assets under management in support of scholarships and needs-based assistance for members.

Prior to that, White served as senior vice president of strategic partnerships for ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital where she doubled the impact

of the St. Jude Thanks & Giving Campaign® and expanded the organization’s partnerships with premier sports leagues including the NFL and PGA. She began her nonprofit career in cause-related marketing with Susan G. Komen, where she ultimately served as the managing director of sports and sponsorships with responsibility for Komen’s Race for the Cure® and 3-Day for the Cure® signature events.

White said, “With support from donors and partners, Texas Women’s Foundation has made tremendous progress in its first 40 years, driving nearly $80 million in impact for Texas women and girls. I’m honored to work alongside the organization’s dedicated volunteers and staff to build on that progress as we work to address the unprecedented challenges women face in our state. By focusing on advocacy, research and grant-making, we will create an equitable society in which Texas women and girls can fully participate.”

White begins her position on April 29 and will give short remarks at Texas Women’s Foundation’s Leadership Forum & Awards Celebration event taking place at the Omni Dallas Hotel. Tickets and sponsorships are still available at https://txwfleadership.org/.

Texas Democrats Condemn Ken Paxton AUSTIN, Texas — Recently the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals stayed a ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Janice Jack – which found the Texas Health and Human Services Commission in contempt of previous court orders that charged the Commission with reforming Texas’ broken foster care system.

This is the third time that the State of Texas, since it’s been under statewide Republican control, has been found in contempt by a federal court for its deplorable, inhumane, and unconstitutional treatment of Texas’ most vulnerable children.

Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa issued the folApril 26, 2024

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lowing statement in response to the 5th Circuit’s stay of Judge Janice Jack’s ruling: “Texans, I urge you to take time today to think about the defenseless children that the State of Texas is responsible for protecting. Think about the solemn duty that lies with every leader within the state agencies responsible for their safety and well-being. Think about the children that, tonight, will be sleeping in state office buildings and run-down motels.

“And then, think critically about who is responsible for this abhorrent treatment of innocent children: Greg Abbott, Dan Patrick, Dade Phelan, and Ken Paxton. They are all complicit in

Gilberto Hinojosa

the appeal that allows Texas Republicans to maintain the status quo of neglect, mistreatment, and abuse of innocent children instead of accepting responsibility and taking action to fix

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the foster care system. They–alone– have the power to fix this, and yet they continue to refuse to do their job all while endangering the lives of the children they are responsible for.

“I implore Texans of every political stripe, Democrats and Republicans alike, to look at what Greg Abbott and his cronies have done to our state’s most vulnerable children. My family and I pray for these children, and will continue to pray for their safety, their well-being, and their healing from the trauma inflicted by Texas Republicans as we strive to elect leaders who are committed to ensuring a world-class foster care system for decades to come.” myimessenger.com

TXWF hosts Leadership Forum & Awards Celebration featuring ABC News’ Deborah Roberts Texas Women’s Foundation’s (TXWF) Leadership Forum & Awards Celebration on April 30, 2024, at the Omni Dallas Hotel (555 S. Lamar St, Dallas, TX 75202) will provide a day of learning, leadership, and celebration beginning with #BESTSELF, a half-day empowerment program for teen girls.

The event features Leadership Forums with the 2024 Maura Women Helping Women and Young Leader recipients discussing their journey and the evening concludes with the Awards Celebration and dinner, led by Deborah Roberts, Senior National Affairs Correspondent, ABC News Co-Anchor, ABC 20/20. Cynt Marshall, Dallas Mavericks CEO, will moderate a discussion with Roberts.

Co-chairs for the event are business leaders and Foundation supporters Sakina Rasheed Foster, Haynes and Boone, LLP Partner and Office Managing Partner, and Veronica Torres Hazley, Founder of Hey Chica!

“We invite you to join us on April 30 as we listen, learn, and are charged with uplifting our community and our colleagues, Foster said. “Starting with our #BESTSELF program, our community will share its collective wisdom and empower the next generation to become the best versions of themselves and leaders in their circles of influence.”

The program, then shifts to the honorees who will share inspiring stories, according to Hazley. “Their roles in academia, nonprofits, leadership, and business have impacted thousands of women and girls and their families to create a better community for all. Plus, we’re honored to have Deborah Roberts of ABC be a part of the conversation.”

For 45 years, the Maura Women Helping Women Award has been presented to more than 225 courageous individuals who have catalyzed change for women and girls.

Brenda Jackson, selection co-chair, and Carrie Freeman Parsons, TXWF chairwoman and selection co-chair, led myimessenger.com

judges focused on educating students on the justice system. Jamila helped establish the first Racial Equity Office in Dallas ISD and founded Cultured Consulting Group, an organization committed to the implementation of culturally responsive leadership best practices.

Young Leader Award: The Young Leader Award recognizes breakthrough leadership exhibited by a trailblazer who is achieving success in a field, initiative or sector, and creating a path of opportunity for other women to follow. This year’s recipients: Cynt Marshall, Dallas MAVS

Deborah Roberts, ABC News

the committee to select the following honorees:

a weekly podcast titled Your Authentic Path to Powerful Leadership, accessible on MarshaClarkandAssociates.com.

Heather Bellino (Austin, TX) Texas Advocacy Project (TAP) Heather Bellino is a visionary leader dedicated to transforming lives as the CEO of Texas Advocacy Project.

With a commitment to serving victims of domestic and dating violence, child abuse, stalking, sexual assault and human trafficking, she leads a team that provides crucial legal services to those victims. At the heart of her leadership lies a passion for advancing the lives of women and girls. Through TAP’s initiatives, Heather raises awareness about critical issues, dismantles stigma, and fosters open dialogues, driving positive systemic change.

Marsha Clark (Frisco, TX) Marsha Clark & Associates Marsha Clark has become a driving force in the realm of leadership development, change management, strategic planning, performance management, team development and executive coaching. A visionary leader, she has dedicated more than 20 years to crafting and delivering leadership development programs tailored for women.

She is also an Amazon best-selling author of Embracing Your Power. Complementing her literary success, she hosts

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Adeeba A. Raheem, Ph.D. (El Paso, TX) The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) Dr. Adeeba Raheem, UTEP associate professor of Civil Engineering, uses her academic prowess to help students. She has a multi-million dollar research portfolio with funding from U.S. federal agencies and non-profit organizations, which is directed towards supporting women and economically disadvantaged students in civil and construction engineering. For a decade, she has also been leading a construction safety training program where a large number of women representing diverse socio-economic backgrounds have been trained on occupational safety topics.

Jamila Thomas (Dallas, TX) Big Brothers Big Sisters Greater Dallas Jamila Thomas serves as senior vice president for Big Brothers Big Sisters and is responsible for establishing the strategic plan for corporate and community engagement. She also serves as an executive board member for Pipelines to Possibilities, an organization founded by four African American women

Cimajie Best (Dallas, TX) Allyn Media Cimajie Best, an account executive with Allyn Media, is a trusted advisor to clients facing public affairs challenges, public relations opportunities, political elections and landmark fundraising campaigns. As a skilled tactician in capacity building and stakeholder management, she is a strong racial equity advocate and program evaluator.

Cimajie works with nonprofits, foundations, elected officials and communities to create inclusive outcomes for all parties involved. She is a staunch advocate for collaborations, partnerships and a collective impact approach to producing change.

Hilda H. McClure (Addison, TX) Cannenta Center for Healing and Empowerment Hilda McClure, COO at Cannenta Center for Healing and Empowerment and a founding board member at Cannenta Foundation, is a skilled bilingual Licensed Professional Counselor specializing in adult therapy and trauma-focused counseling. Driven by a dedication to youth well-being, she pioneered an evidence-based program for children and single mothers in residential care. Committed to community growth, she trains professionals in serving Hispanic families and navigating the acculturation process.

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April 26, 2024

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! April 2024

Matthew and Wanda Carlisle 59 years

Johnathan and Paisely Torres 1 year

Jacquie and Roland Martin 23 years

Jonathan and Simone Biles Owens 1 year

Mr. and Mrs. Huff 5 years

Corey and Angela Poole 29 years

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Mr. and Mrs. Welton 8 years

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Nathaniel and Dione Jackson 21 years

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Call issued to Support Black Businesses Buy Black!

By Cheryl Smith Texas Metro News

When Dr. Frederick D. Haynes III, of Friendship-West Baptist Church, announced 100 Days Dr. Frederick D.Haynes III of Buying Black in acknowledging the 100th Commemoration of the Tulsa Race Massacre, we joined the movement. December 31, 2021 marked 100 days of featuring Black Businesses. and we decided that the struggle continues and we must also. So enjoy reading about more Black-owned businesses and please support.

NINETYNINE PRODUCTS NinetyNine Products was founded on the idea that people need simple products that work.

After 20+ years of building shoes for brands like Nike, Yeezy, Cole Haan, and Everlane, They used their design and engineering backgrounds to spotlight their heroes, people they look to and learn from. Their mission is for everybody to have a pair of shoes that make people ask, ""Where'd you get those?""

Shop online at https://ninetynineproducts.com/ email: info@ninetynineproducts.com.

JESSICA RICH Fashion mogul and self-made entrepreneur Jessica Rich rose to notoriety after debuting her first collection, Transparent, in 2018. She named the collection in reflection myimessenger.com

of the clear stiletto design, Transparent was created to provide an it-girl shoe that exuded confidence, and independence, and encouraged those who wore it to be unapologetically themselves. Shop online sign up for the email list and receive 10% off your first order. https://jessicarich.com/ email: Info@jessicarich.com TRANSFORMETION JOURNEY TransforMEtion Journey is not your average health and wellness company.

Valencia Willams aka CoachV's holistic approach is unlike any other. You may need coaching assistance to lose weight she can assist you. Need to change your lifestyle of eating? Well, with Valencia's over 20+ years of professional cooking experience.

Visit the website to shop, sign up, and get 10% off your first order. https://www.transformetionjourney.com/ 324 East Belt Line Road Suite #204 214.286.4256 Email: transformetionjourney@gmail.com 1849 CIGAR SHOP A cozy local cigar shop and lounge, 1849 Cigar Shop features every cigar brand you love and they are conveniently located on N. Beach and Western Center in Fort Worth. Stop by and check out the selection of cigars and make new friends at N. Fort Worth’s latest cigar lounge. April 27th is their 3rd anniversary. Join them for the celebration. https://www.1849cigarshop.com/ 6619 North Beach Street, Ft. Worth (817) 349-9507 email: Lana@1849cigarshop.com

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MISS J’S CUPCAKES & MORE Have an Event, Grand Opening, or Party? Order some of our Tasty Gourmet Cupcakes, Cookies, & Jumbo Muffins! Try Miss J’s Cupcakes. Janet Roberts-Lyons’ goal is to serve you tasty desserts of your choice while Teasing your Palate with pops of Magical Flavor—she aims to make hearts smile by satisfying their sweet cravings one person at a time. Visit the site and find your favorite delightful sweets.https://missjscupcakes.com/ (682) 265-7814 email: missj@missjscupcakes.com GO-TEKS TECHNOLOGY Meet Go-Teks Technology, they are your number one source for all things for your business, including computer repair, web design, print-on-demand, and workshops. They’re dedicated to giving you the best service focusing on dependability, customer service, and professionalism. They now serve customers all over the US for remote support and workshops, and the Atlanta area for installations. https://www.goteksusa.com/ email: sales@goteksus. com THE GROOM GRANT SALON Meet Deanna Groom Grant she has styled and cared for hair throughout the Dallas/ Ft. Worth area for more than twenty years.

Since she was a child styling has been my passion. You will find cutting-edge services and products from professionals focused on a total hair care experience at her salon. The Groom Grant Salon Believes Everyone Is Born To Sparkle.

So stop by and let them show you how to bring sparkle to your new look. https://www.deannagroom.com/ 214-906-7513 email: hairgroomer@icloud.com April 26, 2024

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South Dallas Gilliam Debaters victorious Special to Texas Metro News It was a great day when the Kathlyn Joy Gilliam Museum (KJGM) “South Dallas Gilliam Debate Team” won both rounds of competition at the Atlanta Urban Debate League Tournament (elementary competition). There were two teams of three and each team won both rounds!

Sponsored annually by Emory University in Atlanta, GA, this would be the Dallas team’s first competition since COVID. The debate program has been in existence since 2016. Each year of participation, they have come home with winning teams and this year they continued the tradition!

The 2023-2024 debate team members, all hailing from South Dallas, are Matthew Cash Hill; Jayce Allen Dabney; Ella Grace Najm; Savannah Louise Lewis; Jackson Ellington Yates and Claudette Pounders.

This year the students were asked to come up with a plan to “reduce human-caused climate change.” The South Dallas Gilliam Debaters developed a campaign to get children involved in climate change and called it the “Get it Right On Using Light” campaign.

Their plan was precise and very easy to do. They offered suggestions such as reducing the use of electricity; keeping home and business temperatures regulated; unplugging vampire devices and using myimessenger.com

South Dallas Gilliam Debaters and Coaches

high efficiency light bulbs.

Coaches will continue to plant the seed for success in October 2024 when they will pick up where they left off -working with this same group of bright, bold, confident, determined and quite energetic minds. At least one new team of three will be invited to join the group.

This season, the Museum welcomed two new coaches to work with the students: Attorney Cheryl Wattley (Professor of Law at the University of North Texas Dallas) and son Andrew Wattley (Intellectual standup comic).

The coaches bonded instantly with the students.

“This is a remarkable mother and son tag team who gave each student 100% of their time in preparing for the tournament,” said KJGM President and CEO Connie Harris. “Such a unique pair – sharp and funny which allows the students to relate.

“The coaches offered their assistance on a volunteer basis to help broaden young minds. With their patience and genuine concern to see this group of young students succeed, they have truly made a difference. They have planted memories that will follow each debater for many years to come.”

Junior coaches for this class

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Credit: Courtesy

were Amir Najm (Kathlyn Joy Gilliam Collegiate Academy); LaDarius Buckner (St. Anthony Academy); and Aleigha West (Martin Luther King Jr. Arts Academy). They also are from the South Dallas Community.

Carla Ranger (retired DISD Board Trustee) also worked closely with the students in preparation for the tournament.

The iconic Kathlyn Joy Gilliam was a civil rights and education advocate in the City, State and Nation. She played a major role in civil rights work in Dallas. This was during a time when the educational prospects for African Americans in April 26, 2024

Dallas were bleak at best.

Mrs. Gilliam mustered the courage and fortitude to embark on a historical journey which totally transformed the educational and social landscape for schoolchildren and educators of African American descent. Beyond the political networks that were previously unavailable and inaccessible for most African Americans and other minority citizens, an inclusive curriculum was established by her forthright service as a pioneering educational leader. Elected to the DISD as a board of trustee in 1974, she became the first Black woman to hold this position. She later became the first Black woman elected president of the board serving from 1980 to 1982 in this capacity. She served as DISD trustee for 24 years. She remained on the board until 1997 but contin-

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ued her work with the South Dallas community founding and leading organizations such as Clean South Dallas/ Fair Park, the Dallas chapter of the Political Congress of African American Women.

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The City of Dallas honored her contribution to the educational system in Dallas in 2011, DISD opened a college preparatory school in Dallas named the Kathlyn Joy Gilliam Collegiate Academy.

Mrs. Gilliam’s former home – was designated a Dallas Historical Landmark in 2015 and now serves as a community learning lab that includes a Reading Room and Debate Center. It is located at 3817 Wendelkin and hosts summer reading camps, read-ins, computer literacy classes and other educational projects for young and old.

The Debate Center encourages discussion of everyday issues and opinions, teaching youth to communicate without becoming physical or confrontational. “Our children have not mastered the art of discussion,” Mrs. Gilliam would say. Debates are a way for those holding opposing views to discuss controversial issues without descending to insult, emotional appeals or personal bias.

During Mrs. Gilliam’s school years, debate team competitions were a vital part of training and educating youth. The Museum is renewing this tradition.

Mrs. Gilliam’s voice stood for many – in ethics, inclusion, civil discourse, and lawful resolution. She opened many doors. myimessenger.com

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Calling all non profit organizations. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/JNTXGV3 Call 214-941-0110 for additional information

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Minority Health Month & The Inflation Reduction Act OUR VOICES

By Julia Lothrop This month, I’m taking a moment to reflect on the progress we’ve made to improve access to healthcare for communities of color. April is Minority Health Month, a time to acknowledge and raise awareness about health disparities among historically disadvantaged minority populations in our country.

As the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Region VI Director, I represent the south-central states and roughly 13% of the U.S. population. Our region includes the second largest Hispanic population.

We also are home to states with the large Black and American Indian populations. Region VI includes to a large uninsured population, with four out of five of our states having higher uninsured rates than the national average, which is 8.6%. The high uninsured rates contribute to high rates of chronic health conditions due to people not being diagnosed or not able to manage their health conditions. I recently spoke at a Senior Center in North Texas, where an elderly woman, Beverley, shared with me that she has been trying to manage her cardiovascular disease with diet, exercise and medications over the years, but the costs of medications are increasing, and she is starting to struggle to afford her medications on her fixed income. That’s unacceptable. And that’s why HHS is working every day to implement the Inflation Reduction Act, to improve ac-

cess to health care, lower prescription drug costs, and reduce health disparities among people with Medicare.

While Minority Health Month may come once a year, HHS has made it a priority every day to put equity at the center of all of our work. While we are taking great strides to improve access to health care for all Americans, it’s important to recognize that disparities persist, making it harder for many people of color and minority groups to access and afford health care. The historic prescription drug law is lowering health care costs across the board for American families, including seniors and people with disabilities with Medicare.

One of the most important parts of the Inflation Reduction Act is also one of the most beneficial to Black and Latino older adults with Medicare who experience higher rates of diabetes. The law capped the cost of each covered insulin product at $35 per month’s supply.

Longstanding structural barriers have affected the ability of many people of color to have health insurance, access to a regular source of health care, access to healthy foods, and many other factors that have led to higher rates of diabetes and other chronic conditions.

Due to these systemic barriers, Black, Latino, and Asian Medicare enrollees have higher rates of diabetes. Black, Latino and Asian Medicare enrollees also report more difficulty affording their prescriptions. Capping the cost of insulin provides not only financial relief, but peace of mind to many families that may be struggling to afford this medication.

Additionally, the law is capped outof-pocket drug costs to make sure that all prescription drugs are affordable for

those who need them. This year, certain people with Medicare with high prescription drug costs will now see some relief by no longer paying anything out-of-pocket once they hit about $3,500 in 2024. I met another person, Paul, at a senior center whose medicine was $12,000 out-of-pocket last year. That kind of savings can be life changing for seniors.

Next year, even more people will benefit from cost reductions. Medicare enrollees will benefit from a flat $2,000 out-of-pocket cap on all Medicare Part D prescription drug costs. That can mean saving thousands of dollars, a life-changing amount for many seniors and people with disabilities who are currently struggling to afford their medication.

More needs to be done to reduce health disparities in this country. I’ve dedicated much of my time as HHS Regional Director to promote the actions that HHS has taken to address health equity across the region and to share the benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act. We’re seeing real progress. More people have affordable health coverage today than ever before, and we are tackling the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs at every angle – making it easier for people of color and others who have historically faced significant barriers to health care to get the life-saving medication and care they need.

Julia Lothrop is the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Acting Regional Director for Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and 68 Federally Qualified Tribes.

She has worked with the regional office for over 20 years.

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April 26, 2024

$20 Million Pledged By Open Society Foundation To Support Haitian Civil Society

By THE HAITIAN TIMES

From – https://haitiantimes.com/ Reprinted – by Texas Metro News

The Open Society Foundations is pledging $20 million to support Haitian civil society in addressing the political, economic, and security crisis currently gripping the country, the foundation announced in an April 17 press release.

The funding will target four key areas, including strengthening the capacity of organizations adApril 26, 2024

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vocating for human and women’s rights, promoting sustainable agricultural practices to protect smallholder farmers and rural livelihoods, promoting arts and culture to advance dialogue, civic participation, and positive social change, and facilitating collaborations between universities and institutions to promote critical thinking, academic freedom, and intellectual inquiry.

The pledge comes as part of a new campaign called Pockets of Hope, created

by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and other partners to catalyze philanthropic support for community-led education, health, economic security, and other initiatives in Haiti.

Haiti is currently facing its worst humanitarian crisis since the earthquake in 2010, with nearly half of its population facing food insecurity. Displacement, violence against critical institutions, including hospitals, schools, and banks, and ongoing political instability in Port-au-

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Prince have only added to the country’s challenges.

“Haiti is in urgent need of support, and philanthropic organizations need to step up and offer meaningful assistance,” said Alex Soros, chair of the Open Society Foundations. “By combining our resources with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, we can amplify our impact and provide vital support to Haitian civil society organizations working tirelessly to address these challenges.” myimessenger.com

Highway Robbery in Alabama OUR VOICES BY BEN JEALOUS

Imagine the neighborhood your family has lived in for more than 150 years being turned into a deteriorating flood zone. Now imagine the flooding was caused by the state. That is what is happening to the people of Elba, Alabama’s historic Black Shiloh community.

Thanks to the construction of an elevated highway through the community in 2018, residents are watching their homes be destroyed by flooding caused by the highway project.

“My house has already sunk two feet into the mud. I see my inheritance and my children’s American Dream being washed away and stolen,” says Pastor Timothy Williams.

Pastor Williams is a reverend and the owner of a restaurant and cleaning business. Like many other Shiloh residents, his family has been on this land dating back to Reconstruction. Now he and others in the community see their generational wealth disappearing before their eyes from property devaluation as well as the physical destruction of their homes.

Just eight feet away from Pastor Williams’ home, in the direction it is sinking, is a Southeast Gas Company natural gas pipeline. He has been told there is a possibility the sinking house could hit the gas line and blow the house up.

Pastor Williams’ story offers myimessenger.com

but a glimpse into the nightmare Shiloh residents are facing.

Part of the highway project — one of the earliest phases — involved directing stormwater drainage pipes into the community. Now, picture the elevated highway essentially placing the neighborhood in a bowl. There did not used to be flooding. Now it is rampant. And the state will not even own up to its highway expansion being the cause.

In addition to causing floods, the highway also cut off access to the neighborhood’s only fire hydrant. In 2020, there was a fire. Someone burned to death in their home. Residents believe their neighbor’s death would have been preventable with access to the hydrant.

This is not merely an example of poorly executed urban planning. It is reckless environmental racism. The same kind that has been responsible for creating so-called “sacrifice zones” across the country. Sacrifice zones are populated areas that bear a disproportionate brunt of health and environmental hazards due to their close proximity to sources of pollution and development. They are most often communities of color and low-income communities.

Residents of the Shiloh community are educated … they are business owners … many of them are veterans.

They have advantages that people in some other neighborhoods sacrificed to development do not have. But simply by speaking up and advocating for themselves,

Shiloh residents have become targets of racist hate. There have been incidents of racial harassment ever since the community started receiving news coverage of their plight.

A chilling reminder of what white supremacy looks like in the deep South.

Photo: Valeria Boltneva on Pexels.com

Pastor Williams has seen it firsthand. His restaurant’s clientele is mostly white. One customer told him that he and others had been told to boycott the eatery because Williams had been vocal about the crisis facing the Shiloh community.

Elba, Alabama also happens to be the hometown of Dr. Robert Bullard. Dr. Bullard is known as the “Father of Environmental Justice.” He literally wrote the book — actually many books, including one titled “Highway Robbery” — on environmental racism.

And his extensive scholarship has earned him a spot on the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council.

Now, Elba has become a textbook example of the environmental harm of racist zoning and transportation poli-

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cies Dr. Bullard has taught so many of us about. More than a mere twist of cosmic irony, it shows how pervasive the problem of environmental racism is — that the hometown of our nation’s great warrior for Environmental Justice, who has helped countless people and communities, is still vulnerable to its impacts.

Ultimately, the Alabama Department of Transportation and Governor Kay Ivey are the ones who have the ability and responsibility to fix it and compensate the community’s residents for all they have lost. So far all they have done is deny wrongdoing and dupe Shiloh residents into signing away their rights.

An ABC News investigation found the state “used an aggressive legal tool to prevent the residents — and future owners of their land — from the possibility of holding the state government accountable through the court system.” Pastor Williams and several other residents received settlements of $5,000 or less that the governor herself signed off on.

Dr. Bullard has said he hopes 2024 will be the year for justice for Shiloh. As Pastor Williams and others from the community continue to sound the alarm and raise awareness, all of us should be joining them.

Ben Jealous serves as president of People For the American Way and Professor of Practice in the Africana Studies Department at the University of Pennsylvania, where he teaches leadership.

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April 26, 2024

STANDING ON HER RECORD

By Sylvia Powers Texas Metro News

As Grand Prairie stands at a crossroads of opportunity and transformation, Angela Luckey is beating the pavement to become the vision for the city’s future.

The native of Grand Prairie is using her familiarity with the community to help lead her to victory in the city’s upcoming government election for City Council Member, Place 8 at Large.

“I graduated from South Grand Prairie High School,” said Luckey. “ I’m the only native of the city who is on the ballot that’s running for a position in the upcoming election.”

Luckey’s journey into public service is grounded in her deep-rooted connection to her hometown, where she has witnessed its evolution firsthand, understanding both its triumphs and challenges.

“I grew up serving my community, even when I was in high school. I became a founding member of the Grand Prairie Branch of the NAACP,” she said, adding that “when Lee Alcorn came to Grand Prairie, back in the 1980s, a lot of community leaders felt we needed the NAACP in our area. They were looking for young people to be a part of the 50 members needed to start the chapter.”

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Angela Luckey started using her voice at an early age with the Grand Prairie Branch of the NAACP. She now wants to enhance her voice to help initiate positive changes for the city.

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Developing her political voice at an early age; now she is committed to using it to help improve the community where she was raised.

“I have served our community for 34 years,” she said. “For 17 and a half years I’ve been the President of Grand Prairie NAACP. Through my service, I have been able to make a difference and bring positive change in our community and bring diversity in positions where we were underrepresented as African Americans.”

In an effort to bridge disparity gaps and to be a catalyst for change, Luckey said that she will use her organizational skill set to help confront the city’s challenges head-on by working across party lines.

“I know that I’m running a nonpartisan race, but I have the ability and the experience to get across party lines here in Grand Prairie. I have worked on several different committees, including Grand Prairie Independent School District, Inclusion, Equity, Committee, and Diversity Committees here in Grand Prairie,” she continued.

As a retiree of the Department of Defense and former Executive Board Director for Greater Head Start, Luckey is determined to use a strategic plan to help tackle challenges in Grand Prairie such as homelessness, growth of small businesses, and fortifying the city’s infrastructure.

“My goal is to be an advocate of the people. I want to try to get legislators and our representatives in Congress to understand that Grand Prairie has funding needs. We do need resources here for our infrastructure, especially for our roads and our streets,” said Luckey.

Luckey wants to leverage the power of Grand Prairie’s 207,000 population to attract new busimyimessenger.com

Dominique Alexander, Angela Luckey, Judge Kim Cooks and Debbie Spell. Angela Luckey is working in the community of Grand Prairie to help bridge the gaps of disparities.

ness owners to the city.

The former Dallas County Juvenile Youth Service Advisory Committee member serves on Constable Eddie Brown’s Advisory Committee for Precinct 4. She is a graduate of the Dallas FBI Citizen Academy, and the Grand Prairie Police Citizen Academy.

“It was important for me to go and learn about law enforcement on a federal level and local level.

We have seen from time to time so many shootings, some justified and some not justified.”

She stresses the need to be engaged with constituents and to

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address their concerns.

“Many times, we get people in positions that do not hear what the residents are saying. First of all, I want the community to know that they are putting somebody in office who’s going to take their concerns seriously. If I’m elected they will have someone that’s not afraid to take action on things that are going to be for the betterment of the city of Grand Prairie,” she emphasized.

Early voting for the Grand Prairie City Government election will end on April 30. May 4 is election day, from 7:00 am until 7:00 pm.

April 26, 2024

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF

D E W R F A L S A H I S N E G M T ON A J His legacy is intact!

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James Alfred Washington myimessenger.com

By Cheryl Smith At a service in Atlanta, GA. celebrating the life of the businessman, journalist, PR guru, and community servant/leader James Alfred Washington, there was plenty of laughter as this mentor and friend to many was remembered.

From the beginning, James exhibited a boldness to me that was consistent throughout the years I have known him.

I pitched a story to Jim (depending on my mood, he was Jim, James, or Mr. Washington) and he did something no other Blackowned publication in Dallas would do.

He ran my story on a young man who was dying of HIV/AIDS. Granted, around 1986 and 87, some people thought they would contract the deadly disease if they looked too long at a person.

I think some publishers/ editors believed it was a story they needed to avoid and that running a story on HIV/ AIDS would be a bad thing; not realizing that ignorance and lack of information were hurting our community and our people.

I felt it was a story that needed to be told and Jim agreed.

Shortly thereafter, I went to Jim and offered him the opportunity of a lifetime; or so I thought.

I told him about my solid journalism credentials and my love for the Black Press.

Jim took pleasure in taking shots at me because I was a product of Florida A&M University and he let me know that he was a Southern University Jaguar.

Well, Rattlers don’t run.

I told him to give me a myimessenger.com

chance and I would turn The Dallas Weekly around and make him proud.

For the sake of space and time, I’ll just say that the rest is Black History.

I joined The Dallas Weekly family and although I came and went, from the 1980s up to 2012 when I became a publisher of my publications; in every decade Jim hired/lured me back home.

And to the very end, he knew I was just a phone call away if he needed me and vice versa.

We won numerous awards together, mentored countless future journalists and entrepreneurs; and we were on the cutting edge of some of the biggest news stories — providing balance, accuracy, perspectives, and highlights that no others were even touching then and even today.

Jim didn’t let me do everything I wanted to do and I sure didn’t have a problem challenging him.

It was great.

Our journalism backgrounds helped immensely and our respect for one another grew into a trust that no one was able to break.

We were like family, so much that evenings when I had to work late, Jim would take my infant nephew, Andre, home with him, his wife and children.

He let me hold meetings for FAMU Alumni, Dallas Metroplex Council of Black Alumni Associations, Dallas Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., KwanzaaFest, Dallas-Fort Worth Association of Black Communicators (now Journalists), Don’t Believe the Hype Foundation, and any other community group.

The Dallas Weekly belonged to the community.

And last century Jim asked me to attend National Newspaper Publisher Association (NNPA) events. To see me sitting on the Board of Directors in 2020 — well, he was like a proud papa!

I was proud of him too, especially when he stood on the stage accepting the National Association of Black Journalists’ Legacy Award.

His legacy is firmly intact.

Jim Washington lived life to the fullest. He did so much for so many.

His passing hit hard. Very hard.

I take solace in knowing that our ride was a wonderful one!

Read about Jim and see why he was so special: James was born on April 26, 1950 in McComb, MS to Frank Spencer Washington, Sr. and Cecelia Èva Burns Washington.

The youngest of two sons born to this union, some say early on James exhibited characteristics that would bode him well as he became a master communicator.

His parents relocated to Chicago where James and his brother Frank grew up.

Their father died before both boys graduated from George Dewey Elementary School. James went on to graduate with honors from the acclaimed De La Salle Institute. His mother later moved to New Orleans where she became a college professor at Southern University’s New Orleans campus.

Following the trail blazed by his parents and brother, James also became a Jaguar at Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, where he received his Bachelor’s Degree in English and Instructional

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Media. He then went on to graduate with a Master’s Degree in Journalism/Public Relation from Relations fromthe theUniversity University of Wisconsin-Madison; as a Woodrow Wilson Fellow.

It was at Tennessee State University that James got his first public relations job.

A skilled presenter and creator of content, James entered the world of communications and taught at the collegiate level.

He went on to become a news director at radio station KALO in Little Rock, Arkansas where he was the first boss of his future business partner, Ken Carter.

James moved to Dallas, went to work for the American Heart Association and the Dallas Ballet eventually joined with fellow Jaguar, who was his brother’s SU classmate, and co-worker, Ken Carter, and formed Focus Communications in 1981. The still existing multi-faceted public relations firm eventually purchased the Dallas Weekly from the widower of Publisher Tony Davis in the mid 1980s.

While living in Dallas, James married artist Vicki Meek and they had two children, Patrick and Elena.

Soon James became the sole owner of The Dallas Weekly; the largest and most widely-read African American news weekly in North Texas.

Under his leadership, the paper won numerous awards from the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), Texas Publishers Association, Dallas-Fort Worth Association of Black Journalists, and Press Club of Dallas, to name a few.

The Dallas Weekly was also the recipient of the Dallas NAACP’s Juanita Craft Award and he received the April 26, 2024

Eva Coleman, James Washington, Cheryl Smith, visiting African Journalist and Gordon Jackson.

coveted Quest for Success Award from the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce.

James served as the publisher for more than 30 years, until 2019 when he elevated his son, Patrick, to the leadership position.

A true community servant and servant leader, he was also involved on numerous boards and committees including the Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas Arboretum, Dallas Chamber of Commerce, Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce and the State Fair of Texas.

As the publisher, James also taught journalism at Paul Quinn College and provided scholarships and internships for countless area college and high school students.

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always made time to provide advice and insight to budding journalists and entrepreneurs.

In 2002, he married fellow publisher Janis Ware of the Atlanta Voice Newspaper.

The two met as members of the NNPA, which is the Black Press of America, and both have held leadership positions within the organization.

In 2003, James became president and general manager of The Atlanta Voice newspaper, digitally transforming the paper to the same dynamics as The Dallas Weekly.

Then James faced one of his biggest challenges when diagnosed with prostate cancer. He also went through a spiritual transformation creating his column, Spiritually Speaking.

A testament to his faith, James shared his testimony through the Dallas Weekly and the Black Press of America; opening up discussions that helped others dealing with the same trials. That column led to a book deal and his column became syndicated.

In 2019 the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) presented him with its Legacy Award for the significant role he has played in nurturing other journalists.

James was a communications practitioner in all forms of media for more than four decades. He served on numerous boards in Dallas, TX, and nationally the NNPA. He also served as an NNPA Newswire contributor.

James made his transition

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Credit: Courtesy

on April 2, 2024 in Atlanta, GA where he relocated in 2019. He was preceded in death by his parents, Frank Spencer Washington, Sr., Cecelia Eva Burns Washington Jones; and brother, Frank Spencer Washington, Jr. Left to cherish his memory are his wife of 22 years, Janis Ware Washington, son Patrick (Jessica), and daughter Elena (David); his grandchildren and other relatives.

He was also blessed with a host of extended family and lifelong friends from the Jaguar Nation, the business community, and public relations and journalism professionals around the world; as well as those who had an opportunity to glean his wisdom as they perfected their craft. myimessenger.com

Love You Jim!

DFW/ABJ celebrates his legacy

By Vincent L. Hall I don’t recall what drove Jim Washington (aka JAWS) to call me, but his voice’s tenor, tone, and inflection were harrowing. It was my turn for one of his patented, behind-theglass-wall conferences. Everyone who walked by would see you getting an ass chewing as a deterrent to future foul-ups!

So, there I was, sitting in an emergency meeting in the Dallas Weekly’s conference room. Cheryl Smith gave one of her famous long sighs and left. I was baffled, but it had to be one of three things.

It had to be a story written about Betty Culbreath and her political flip-flopping, slightof-hands moves. Or maybe it was Sandra Crenshaw (pronounced “cringe-shah”) and the never-ending nuttiness that she is known for. But it could have been a hit-job I did on the infamous snitch, nickel bag promoting, “pull yo pants up,” former Negro councilman Dewayne/Dwayne/Dwain Caraway.

But I am confident that was one of those articles that prompted a call to the office threatening legal action against The Weekly, Quit Playin’, et al. I wasn’t moved because I only wrote critical satire if there are credible sources.

Either way, Jim called me into his fishbowl to tell me that he had been threatened with a lawsuit and he did not like getting those calls.

He asked me for the basis of my story, and the more I informed him about what I knew that I didn’t write about, the more he began to soften.

“Hall,” he said with head in hand, you are too much. But keep working on your craft. As I headed toward the door, he said the three words I dreaded, “wait a minute.”

Jim rushed out of his fishbowl and returned with a newly minted journalism award I won from the NNPA. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate what you do daily. People actually read you! BTW, you got some mail in your box, it’s probably some more hate mail!”

I could never read Jim, but his headline always read, integrity, professionalism, self-determination and Black Liberation.

Love you, Jim! myimessenger.com

Eva D. Coleman and Jim Washington

By Eva D. Coleman As we celebrate the life of longtime Black Press, iconic publisher, media executive, civic servant and community connector James A. (Jim) Washington, the members of the Dallas-Fort Worth Association of Black Journalists salute a fine person and offer our support to his family.

While we are saddened by his passing; we are joyful because we had the privilege of knowing Jim as an intelligent, loving and motivated publisher, mentor and friend. He was a champion for telling stories throughout the Black diaspora, and fought for equality and equity, while expanding opportunities for all.

As the National Association of Black Journalists’ (NABJ) 2019 Legacy Award winner, and long before, we witnessed his outstanding lega-

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cy as a man who was forward thinking, guiding the careers of so many with a heart for service to mankind which was exhibited through his involvement in numerous organizations.

Our prayers are with the family and loved ones of James A. Washington. During his 73 years of life; he was there for so many of us, and his diligent care will never lose its impact on the lives of so many journalists and friends.

There are many members of the DFW/ABJ who love, respect and appreciate James A. Washington and his legacy.

The DFW/ABJ family extends heartfelt sympathies to James A. Washington’s family. Please know that you are not alone. We, too, loved our Legend and will celebrate his legacy forever!

God bless!

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It is Finished - James Washington Job Well Done

By Terry Allen I penned these words with a heavy heart, as I bid farewell to a titan of a man, James Washington.

Known affectionately as “Big Jim,” he wasn’t just a figure in my life; he was a beacon of strength, resilience, and wisdom.

As I reflect on his life and legacy, I can’t help but feel an immense sense of gratitude for the lessons he imparted to me.

First and foremost, James Washington embodied the values of a true leader. He led not with loud words or grand gestures, but with quiet determination and unwavering integrity. His actions spoke volumes, inspiring those around him to strive for excellence and to always lead with compassion.

As a strong and resilient Black male in America, James defied stereotypes and shattered barriers. He showed me that success is not defined by the color of your skin or the circumstances of your upbringing, but by the strength of your character and the depth of your determination.

Throughout his entrepreneurial career, James dedicated himself to the service of his community.

He understood the power of storytelling and used it as a tool to uplift and empower those around him.

He taught me the importance of aligning my own myimessenger.com

story with the community I serve and the impact that authenticity can have on creating meaningful connections.

My greatest challenge as a public relations practitioner came when I worked for James’s former wife, the

and diplomacy. I experienced the professional and personal relationship between the two of them, and I also had the additional joy of engaging with the wonderfully talented children, Patrick and Elena.

But perhaps the greatest

James Washington and Terry Allen

Photo: Terry Allen

amazing Vicki Meek, at the South Dallas Cultural Center. Balancing the responsibilities of my role while ensuring the activities of the center were well-covered

by Dallas Weekly, where James was the Publisher, taught me invaluable lessons in professionalism

lesson I learned from James was the importance of being authentic and speaking my truth. He showed me how to navigate the complexities of professional journalism with grace and humility, and how to remain true to myself in my immersion in storytelling.

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It was as if he knew where I had to grow and how I had to be supported to obtain success in my PIO role. He taught me how to focus on information that matters, and he showed me how to “D.U.C.K” - Dodge Unworthy Consciousness Kindly, in all the people I met.

James was not just a game changer; he was a World Changer. His mentorship to me and others was a gift that I will forever cherish, and I am eternally grateful to have known him.

As I bid farewell to my beloved ally and friend, I take solace in the knowledge his legacy will live on in the hearts and minds of all those he touched. I could take forever listing the individual he impacted that impacted me. James Washington, God favored me when I met you. You were the best father, publisher, mentor, friend, and thought leader.

Thanks for being a top 10 hit in the songbook of my life!

In closing, I urge you, dear reader, to reflect on your own experiences with James Washington and share them. Let us honor his memory by living out his values of leadership, resilience, and service to others.

Please email me at the publication and share your James Washington experience.

Rest in power, Big Jim. You will be deeply missed, but your legacy will endure for generations to come.

April 26, 2024

He was a true friend

By Tom Wattley

Special to Texas Metro News

I met Jim Washington in the summer of 1982 when I was a young consultant at Alexander Grant. I had just started at the Dallas/Ft. Worth Minority Business Development Center and Jim and Ken Carter wanted to write a business plan for Focus Communications.

Both were strong advocates for minority business development and wanted their business to grow, as well as other Black businesses.

Their office was in the basement of an old office building downtown.

But to me, it looked like a grand place to do business, create advertising campaigns for clients, and develop strategies for Black entrepreneurs to make money in Dallas.

That project started a friendship and partnership that stood the test of time.

Jim knew everyone who was starting a business.

He introduced me to Joyce Foreman who just sold her house to start her office supply business. He knew Elliot Stephenson was working hard to get the Dallas/Ft. Worth Purchasing Council going.

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Raymond Basye, Brenda Jackson, Joyce Foreman, James Washington, and Elliot Stephenson.

They all knew Raymond Basye who had a concessions business and was talking with Coca-Cola about a deal.

And everyone knew Brenda Jackson, who was with Dallas Power and Light and was writing weekly recipes for the Dallas Post Tribune.

We started meeting monthly at my house or Brenda’s house. We all preferred Brenda’s because she would prepare a great meal. She would put hot biscuits (made from scratch) on the table for brunch. We all knew we were going to have a delicious meal and lots of conversation.

Jim would talk about local politics in Dallas. He also always seemed to know who was working on a deal or just closed a deal. Then he would tell us about the Black press here in Dallas and other parts of the country. A debate would start about who should run for City Council or Senate or if a new business got a contract, or who was seen going with whom.

In all of these conversations, was Jim’s loud laughter and a gesture of support even if he quietly disagreed with you.

We would also talk about hard times in business. One day the IRS put

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Photo: Tom Wattley

locks on Jim’s front doors at the Dallas Weekly.

He owed the IRS a large amount of money. We all felt for him and went about raising funds to pay off the IRS. It took us a couple of weeks, but we did it! From that point on, Jim was loyal and faithful to all his friends.

There are many Jim Washington stories I could tell you. He was brilliant, sophisticated, erudite, a true bon vi veur.

But most of all, he was a friend. Even when you made him angry, he would always be there for you.

Tom Wattley is a Dallas businessman and long time friend.

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One Simple Question

By Shewanda Riley

Special to Texas Metro News

“So, when are you going to start writing for me?”

I had no idea that this one simple question posed to me in early 2000 by Jim Washington, at that time publisher and owner of the Dallas Weekly, would have a two-decade long impact on my professional and personal life.

At the time of the question, I was working full time in radio and had not shared my desire to write with anyone.

I wondered, “How did he know to ask me that question at that time?”

It took me a few minutes to respond as I was amazed that he asked me about writing at the same time I’d been praying about opportunities to write.

Unsure of what to write, I asked him what kind of writing he was looking for.

Washington patiently explained the kinds of stories the newspaper published but encouraged me to write from the heart.

Following his advice, I wrote columns that eventually became my first book which then led to writing workshops, writing conferences, singles conferences, and then a second book.

I share all of this not to brag about my

Norma Adams-Wade, Cheryl Smith, James Washington, and Shewanda Riley.

achievements but more importantly to show how one simple question changed my life. As others learned about the passing of Jim Washington, they also shared similar stories on social media of how he touched their lives with his mentorship and compassion.

Reading those posts reminded me that transformation often starts not with big things but with small things like a simple

Courtesy photo

question. The initial shock and sadness of hearing of his death has been replaced with a deep sense of gratitude for having had the opportunity to work with him.

Rest in peace, Jim Washington.

May his memory continue to be a blessing!

Shewanda Riley, PhD is a Fort Worth, Texasbased author.

Huge loss of a friend, business partner

By Ken Carter

President & CEO Focus Communications

A call you never, ever want to get. The call you dread. The call that informs you of a sick family member or friend. As one advances in age you realize the loss of family, close friends and colleagues is inevitable.

I received such a call in early April when my close friend and former business partner, Jim Washington, passed away in Atlanta.

Jim and I went to Southern University, and I counted his myimessenger.com

older, late brother, Frank, also a dear friend.

Jim was my former business partner. We founded Focus Communications as a public relations and marketing firm in 1980 and acquired the Dallas Weekly in 1985. He was a gifted orator, strategist, visionary and community man.

We shared many moments together. We often reminisced about the birth and growth of his kids, business formation, acquisition, and separation, overcoming the death of his mother and brother as well as his health challenges.

The journey started with

meeting and working at a radio station in Little Rock, Arkansas, moving to Dallas and both working for the national and Dallas offices respectively of the American Heart Association. He worked for Dallas Ballet and then we started our business in the second bedroom of his apartment; with a post office box and an answering service.

We grew to have an office in the West End downtown area.

Jim cared deeply about community representation and involvement, serving on the boards of the Dallas Chamber, Dallas Together Forum,

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and the Dallas Arboretum, among others.

Finding purpose and fulfilling that purpose became his passion. After commuting between Dallas and Atlanta he moved there to join his wife, Janis and the continued treatment of his illness was part of the plan. He had found someone who shared his dreams and passions. She is also a newspaper owner and real estate professional.

Jim’s legacy now rests with his children and the many friends who knew, loved, and respected him. Rest in peace, my dear friend.

April 26, 2024

Dallas City Council approves 15-year Agreement Arlington, TX – City of Dallas Council Members Wednesday approved a 15-year, $19 million use agreement for the Dallas Wings to play in the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas Memorial Arena, beginning in 2026. The agreement is pending approval by the WNBA. The Wings will play the 2024 and 2025 WNBA seasons in College Park Center in Arlington, Texas, where the club has played the last eight seasons.

“The Dallas Wings would like to thank the City of Dallas and especially Mayor Johnson for his strategic vision and commitment,” said Dallas Wings President and CEO Greg Bibb. “The City of Arlington, the University of Texas at Arlington, and College Park Center continue to be valued partners, and we look forward to playing in Arlington for the next two seasons.”

This proposed deal comes at a time when interest in women’s sports, the WNBA, and the Wings is at record levels. The Wings saw record attendance in 2023, and virtually every business metric record has been, or will soon be, broken during the 2024 season. The Wings have sold out of Season Ticket Memberships and already experienced ticket sales growth north of 200 percent. Individual ticket sales are up more than 1,100 percent.

The sellout of Season Ticket April 26, 2024

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Dallas Wings to Play in Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas Memorial Arena

Memberships for the 2024 season marks a first in the team’s history.

A waitlist for Season Ticket Memberships has been established, with benefits including presale access to 2024 WNBA Playoff games and an opportunity to purchase discounted tickets to select 2024 regular-season games. The team is expected to announce multiple individual-game sellouts in the coming days.

“Dallas is the place to be right now – for residents, for businesses, and for professional sports teams and their fans,” said May-

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or Johnson. “This deal has been a top priority for us because we know the Dallas Wings will soar in the city they represent. We will be thrilled to welcome the Wings to the heart of our city – and we are even more excited to see this franchise anchor our new convention center district that will transform downtown Dallas for decades to come.”

The City of Dallas and the Dallas Wings plan to formally release further information following WNBA league approval and the finalization of agreements. myimessenger.com

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April 26, 2024

Where you can find Texas Metro News/Garland Journal Balch Spring: • Walmart: Lake June Rd. Carrollton: • Texaco: 2680 Old Denton Rd. • 7-Eleven: 3700 Old Denton Rd. & Trinity Mill Rd. • Texaco: Old Denton Rd./ Rosemeade Pkwy.

• Josey Ranch Library: 1700 Keller Springs Coppell: • North Lake College: 101 S. Royal Lane Dallas: • Tom Thumb Supermarket: S. Hampton Rd. • Valero: West Jefferson St. • Fiesta Supermarket: West Jefferson St. • Valero: Marsalis and I-35 Stemmons Fwy. • Oak Cliff Municipal: East Jefferson St. • 7-Eleven: Marsalis and 8th St. • Shell Station: 8th Street & I-35 • Exxon / Sonic: Riverfront Blvd.

• The Black Academy of Arts & Letter: S. Griffin St. • K&T Smokes & More: Corinth & Morrell • Shamrock Gas: Corinth & Morrell • Exxon on Lancaster Rd & Saner • Convenience Store Marsalis & Saner • Smokey John’s BBQ: Mockingbird Lane • Blue Bros. Restaurant: Mockingbird Lane • IHOP Restaurant: Mockingbird Lane • 7-Eleven: Gaston Ave. & Haskell St. • The Volunteer Center: Live Oak & Liberty St. • Walmart Stores: Retail Road • Hamilton Baptist Church: April 26, 2024

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Schroeder Lane • Tom Thumb: E. Lovers Lane • 7-Eleven: Skillman Blvd. & Loop 12 • Chevron / McDonalds: N. Central Expressway • Walmart Stores: N. Central Expressway • 7-Eleven: N. Central Expressway • Walmart: Northwest Hwy. @ Skillman • Wash & Dry: Skillman @ Audelia Downtown Dallas: • Hall’s Honey Fried Chicken: Med Dist Dr & I-35 • Marriott: North Stemmons Freeway & I-35 • Happy Mart & McDonald’s: N. Stemmons Fwy. • DoubleTree Hilton on Market Center Blvd.

• Best Western: Market Center Blvd.

• Courtyard by Marriott: Market Center Blvd.

• Comfort Inn & Suites: N. Stemmons Fwy. • Home Suites Hilton: N. Stemmons Fwy. • Embassy Suites: N. Stemmons Fwy. • Extended Stay: N. Stemmons Fwy. • Holiday Inn: N. Stemmons Fwy. • 7-Eleven: N. Stemmons Fwy. South Dallas/Oak Cliff: • DJ’s Blackjack Pizza: MLK Blvd.

• 2 Podners Restaurant: R. B. Cullum Blvd.

• Elaine’s Jamaican Restaurant: MLK Blvd.

• Aunt Irene’s Kitchen: Malcolm X Blvd.

• Martin Luther King Center: MLK Blvd.

• SouthSide on Lamar: S. Lamar St. • Fiesta Supermarket: R. B.

Cullum & MLK Blvd.

• Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.: MLK Blvd.

• Muhammad Mosque on MLK Blvd.

• Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. on MLK Blvd.

• Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. MLK Blvd.

• 7-Eleven: Ledbetter & Bonnie View Rd. • Valero Gas: Ledbetter & Bonnie View Rd. • CostPlus/CashSaver: Ledbetter & Lancaster Rd. • Hall’s Honey Fried Chicken: S. Lancaster Rd. • Lounas Convenience Store: S. Lancaster Rd. • Convenience Store: Lea Crest Dr. & S. Lancaster Rd. • Dunbar US Post office: Kiest Blvd.

• Black and Clark Funeral Home: S. Illinois Ave. • Texaco Station: S. Illinois Ave. • EatZone Restaurant: S. Illinois Ave. • Pan-African Connection: Ann Arbor Rd. Plaza • Convenience Store: Ann Arbor Rd. Plaza • 99-cents Convenience: Ann Arbor Rd. Plaza • Papa Mart: Overton Rd. & Ramona • Bank of America: S. Lancaster & Overton Rd. • Fiesta Supermarket: S. Lancaster & Kiest Blvd.

• Family Dollar: S. Lancaster Rd. & Illinois Ave. • TacoMart: S. Lancaster Rd & Overton Rd. • Wing Daddy Restaurant: S. Lancaster Rd. & Overton Rd. • 7-Eleven: S. Lancaster Rd. and Overton Rd. • Louisiana Catfish: Stuart Simpson & Bonnie View Rd. • Save U More Supermarket: Stuart Simpson Rd. • Valero Gas: Stuart Simpson Rd.

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• Exxon Convenience: Stuart Simpson Rd. • Sweet Georgia Brown Restaurant: Ledbetter & Bonnie View Rd. • Wells Fargo Bank: Hampton Rd. • Glen’s Kitchen: Camp Wisdom Rd. • South Dallas Cafe: Camp Wisdom Rd. • Popeyes Exxon: S. Lancaster Rd. • Cash Saver/Cost Plus: W. Camp Wisdom Rd. West Dallas: • Jerry’s Mart: Westmoreland Rd. • Circle K: Westmoreland & S. Hampton Rd. • 7-Eleven: Westmoreland & S. Hampton Rd. • CostPlus Cash Saver: S.Hampton Rd. • 7-Eleven: S. Hampton Rd. DeSoto/Lancaster: • Walmart on Beltline Rd & I-35 • 7-Eleven: Beltline Rd. • DeSoto Grocery: Beltline Rd. • Tom Thumb: Pleasant Run Rd. • DeSoto Convenience Store: Pleasant Run Rd. • B&B Tax: Pleasant Run Rd. Duncanville: • WinCo Food Stores: I-67 • Hilton Express: I-67 • Louisiana Fried Chicken: W. Wheatland Rd. • Louisiana Catfish: East Danieldale Road & I-67 • Shell Gas: I-67 and E. Danieldale Rd. • Pantera Convenience: I-67 & E. Danieldale Rd.

Read more at www.myimessenger.com

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Metro Community Calendar powered by APRIL 27

60th V. Alyce Foster Trailblazer Awards Luncheon, sponsored by the South Dallas Business and Professional Women’s Club, Inc., at 12 noon, HILTON ANATOLE HOTEL Keynote Speaker at this scholarship benefit will be U. S. Congresswoman Maxine Waters. Among this year’s honorees is Ella Goode Johnson, who will receive the coveted WOMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD.

with Live Nation Urban, is set to make its mark in Dallas at the historic Fair Park. The renowned ONE Musicfest has chosen the vibrant city of Dallas as the perfect canvas for its expansion, introducing TwoGether Land as a sister festival. Presented by ONE Musicfest, TwoGether Land takes place during Memorial Day weekend

JUNE 8

Join Dallas Cowboys Coach Greg Ellis at Getting My Help Mental Wellness Walk Singing Hills Recreation Center | 6805 Patrol Way | Dallas 75241

5 Miss Jabberwock Pageant at 6:00 pm at Las Colinas Country Club, 4400 N. O’Connor Rd, Irving, TX presented by the Dallas Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., in partnership w Dodd Education and Support, Inc.

IOTA PHI LAMBDA SORORITY- PSI CHAPTER BUSINESS MONTH EDUCATION & SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS LUNCHEON at the Renaissance Dallas North Hotel 1590 LBJ Freeway, at 11am Brittney Johnson, the Emmy Award-winning co-anchor of NBC 5 News at 10 p.m., is the honorary chair of NAMIWalks North Texas 2024 at 9:00 a.m., NAMIWalks North Texas will take place at Riders Field, 7300 Roughriders Trail, Frisco, TX 75034.

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w/Cheryl Smith

Weekday mornings on FaceBook at 8:45 am

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Bringing you hype you can believe!

Crowned Scholars Gala, noon - 3pm, On the Levee, 1108 Quaker St. Dallas, Purchase tickets at www.crowned scholars.org

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MAY 4

Kentucky Derby HBCU Jam brought by the DFW Alumni Chapters of Kentucky State, PVAMU Dallas and Fort Worth and Alcorn Register at Eventbrite and attend services State at Lone Star Parkway -Grand Prairie. at 10am

HYPE

25-26 TwoGether Land, the latest addition to the ONE Musicfest (OMF) family in partnership

Dallas Soul Flower Music Fest. This is one of the country’s most beautiful events kicking off a very special weekend. Treat your soul to an unforgettable experience in downtown Dallas. Soul Flower Music Fest is a one-day music Festival featuring National and Local Soul, R&B, Neo Soul and Hip-Hop Artists. In addition to great music, there will be food, games, shopping, contests and great vibes. Get tickets at www.

SoulFlowerDallas.com For Vendor Info Email Soulflowermusicfest@gmail.com

PEARLS OF THE IVY FOUNDATION

49LONE STAR PARK AT GRAND PRAIRIE DURATION: 4 HR PUBLIC · ANYONE ON OR OFF FACEBOOK

The World According to Drew on BlogTalkRadio.com 8 am.-10 am. CST. Sundays Tune in for thought-provoking, enlightening, informative, and entertaining news and commentary. Join Andrew Whigham on the call 646-200-0459

SEND CALENDAR ITEMS TO editor@texasmetronews.com

or call

214-941-0110

April 26, 2024

Lifestyle Metro Calendar powered by APRIL SIGMA GAMMA RHO SORORITY, INC ALPHA PI SIGMA CHAPTER SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

sion where style, generosity, and the spirit of giving come together to make a meaningful and lasting impact. Chapter presentation from 11am - 1pm - Enjoy a derby style day at the races 1pm - 6pm Get your ticket here- https://bit.ly/ SigEventCrownAndRosesAffair

education center, is coming to Frisco, TX at GRAND PARK (7275 Dallas Pkwy, Frisco, TX 75034) and will be open 24 hours a day and free to the public. The Wall That Heals honors the more than three million Americans who served in the U.S. Armed forces in the Vietnam War, and it bears the names of the 58,281 men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam.

3 23 DALLAS BLACK DANCE THEATRE DANCING BEYOND BORDERS 7:30pm at Eisemann Center in Richardson

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Reach Media Inc. - Tom Joyner’s Ultimate Party with a Purpose is gearing up to embark on the Tom Joyner Foundation Fantastic Voyage 2024, a transformative experience aimed at supporting HBCU students HBCUs. Departing from Miami, FL, the cruise navigates through the Caribbean ports of the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, hosting a lively Beach Party at Labadee.

PHILANTHROPARTY 2024 TOGETHER FOR GOOD

The Statler Dallas, 1914 Commerce St, Dallas, TX 75201 6 - 11pm CDT Social Venture Partners Dallas is looking forward to celebrating its 8th Annual Philanthroparty!

Join the National Coalition of 100 Black Women - Dallas Metropolitan Chapter‘a annual signature event benefiting their scholarship fund, A Crown & Roses Affair. This event will be held at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, TX. It’s an occa-

April 26, 2024

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Cynthia Mickens Ministries Annual Fundraiser will be at DHV Artworks, The Dallas Arboretum invites you 2835 Irving Blvd , Dallas. info@cyn- to the Black Heritage Celebration thiamickensministries.org Press Conference at A Tasteful Place - 9 a.m. - 10 a.m.

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Broadway Legend, André De Shields, is heading to Dallas in order to help Dallas Theater Center Stock Market Investing & Entrecelebrate its 65th year anniversary preneurship, 3-4:30 p.m. for midFashion Industry Gallery. 6- 10 p.m dle-high school students at The DEC @Red Bird, 3560 W. Camp Wisdom.

For more Info, call Project Still I Rise at 972-546-0977 MsDeein Luxury Sip, Shop & Afrobeats - a fun day of sipping on drinks and Afrobeats while shopping for Uptown Girl “Soft Opening” MsDeein Luxury purses at our Sip & Join us for the grand opening of Shop event! The Lumen Room Dal- Nena’s Finds, a fabulous event haplas, 4301 Bryan Street #UNIT 302 pening at 2626 Cole Avenue, Dallas, Dallas, TX 75204 TX, USA. Get ready to experience an unforgettable day filled with excitement and fun. Come and enjoy a day of shopping, style, and deliOak Cliff nonprofit Flamenco Fe- cious treats. ver’s insightful Fusion Series will present Tres Artes: Pintura, Poesia y Pasion – The Painter and the Poet, a story of Forbidden Love at 7:30 p.m. at the Annette Strauss Square in the Dallas Arts District.

Tickets are on sale at attpac.org.

The outdoor performance uses conceptual choreography, elegant costuming and live music to delve into Spain’s provocative history and the rise of Surrealism, the LGBTQ community and the Fascist Regime in the early 20th century.

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TwoGether Land, the latest addition to the ONE Musicfest (OMF) family in partnership with Live Nation Urban, is set to make its mark in Dallas at the historic Fair Park.

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Now or Never DM: Christian Singles Mixer - Join us for a fun-filled evening! Get ready to mingle, laugh, and make new connections in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.

Whether you’re single and ready to mingle or just looking to meet new people, this event is perfect for you! 6:30PM (CST) Las Colinas (Upscale private facility) - You will receive the address with your confimation code. Suggested age range for this event: Singles 24-39.

Iota Phi Lambda Sorority’s 50th Anniversary Business Month Education & Scholarship Awards Luncheon, honoring Ernie Williams - Alvernon K. Tripp Hall of Fame Inductee and 2024 Honorees, Renaissance Dallas North Hotel at 1590 LBJ Freeway, Dallas.

SMITHY in UPTOWN - Located in the Knox and Henderson entertianment area, right outside of downtown Dallas. This is the perfect spot for mature professionals to let their hair down and have a good time.

MAY 2-5

The Wall That Heals, a three-quarter scale replica of Vietnam Veterans Memorial along with a mobile

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Register on Eventbrite and attend services at 10am

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April 26, 2024

ARRESTED

E F I L HE IS A SERIAL RAPIST

He targeted members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. but this is more than about a sorority.

We’re talking about a community.

Come on PEOPLE! Don’t you CARE? Will it matter when it is your sister, mother, aunt or grandmother or maybe YOU?

Crimestoppers 877-373-8477 April 26, 2024

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