Recently while moderating a panel at the National Association of Black Journalists Basics Boot Camp in Houston, the discussion focused on the importance of writing, doing your research, and being prepared.
I asked the panel of experts: PR Guru Kayla Tucker Adams, Marlon Walker of the Marshall Project, Terrance Harris of the Houston Defender, and Scoop Jefferson of WFAA-TV, about the number of sources they use for their stories.
After all, we are living during a time when the very credibility of all newsrooms has come un-
der re, and some are subjected to relentless, inappropriate and inaccurate scrutiny and analysis.
Who are you going to believe, the media, or your lying eyes?
Very poignant responses came from our experts as they discussed the value of using credible sources and presenting information to viewers so they can grow their own conclusions.
Which brings me to my truth.
Time and time again, viewers have said they want the facts and nothing but the facts, but in television especially, stats show that folks are “turned on” by stories of violence, sex and murder.
Today, you can add
Beverly and Barry Moore were married on April 12, 1975!
African American Education Archives and History Program HALL OF FAME
On April 12, Reverend Dr. Frederick D. Haynes III will serve as the emcee for the African American Education Archives and History Program Hall of Fame Luncheon, where 10 outstanding educators, along with two distinguished Presidential Awardees will be honored .
Educator Inductees are: Dr. Helen Benjamin, Cassandra Black, Robert Edison, Dr. Levatta L. Levels, Dr. Larry Lewis, Bertric Manning, The Late Dr. Charles Matthews, Dora Wesley Morris, Cheryl Smith, and Norma Wright. Presidential Awardees are: State Senator Royce West and TBAAL Founder and President Curtis King.
A past honoree, Dr. Haynes received the AAEAHP Hall of Fame Presidential Award in 2024.
The honorary chair is The
Credit Union of Texas, Troy Mathieu, board chairman.
Raised in San Francisco, CA, Dr. Haynes pursued his education at Bishop College in Dallas, Texas before becoming the senior pastor of Friendship-West Baptist Church, a role he has faithfully served in for 40 years.
pursuing a second Ph.D. His expertise has led him to consult with the White House on various issues, further solidifying his reputation as a prophetic voice in ministry and advocacy.
A dynamic preacher and orator, he has received numerous awards and honors,
Under his leadership, the church has grown to a congregation of 13,000 members and is widely recognized as a national hub for social justice.
Dr. Haynes earned his Ph.D. from Oxford University in Oxford, England, and is
including the Frederick D. Haynes III Walk of Justice, named in his honor by his church, and a school bearing his name on the Paul Quinn College campus. A proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., he is married to entrepreneur Debra Peek-
Haynes and is the proud father of their daughter, Abeni Jewel Haynes.
DR. HELEN BENJAMIN
For 45 years, Dr. Helen Benjamin dedicated herself to uplifting students, just as she had been uplifted throughout her life as a student, teacher and leader in Louisiana, Texas, and California, respectively.
In Dallas, she taught English at Sunset and Hillcrest High Schools before becoming an assistant professor and department chair at Bishop College and later a division chair at Cedar Valley College. She then moved to California’s Contra Costa Community College District, where over 25 years, she held six roles—including college
See TELL THE TRUTH, page 4
Cheryl Smith
Bertric Manning
Robert Edison
Dr. Frederick Haynes, III Sen. Royce West Curtis King
Cheryl Smith
Dr. Levatta Levels
Dora Wesley Morris
Cassandra Black
Norma Wright
Dr. Charles Matthews
Dr. Helen Benjamin Dr. Larry Lewis
Baraka running for New Jersey Gov
Special to Texas Metro News
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka has recently been called a reasonable radical and a practical progressive. Still, for the Black community in general, and speci cally in Newark, N.J., Baraka has always been ours.
The son of the iconic poet and activist Amiri Baraka, he was educated in Newark before venturing to Howard University.
He has served as Mayor of New Jersey’s biggest city for over a decade and now has his eyes set on the biggest of ce in the state: Governor.
Mayor Baraka spoke exclusively with rolling out about why the time to run for governor is now, appealing to the state’s Democratic base, and combating the discriminatory practices of the presidential administration.
“Now is the opportunity, particularly in the climate that we’re in; what’s happening nationally makes it clear to me that (running for governor) is what needs to happen,” he said.
Baraka said voters need a candidate who will stand on Democratic values and push back against the climate in the country that is attacking everything that we hold near and dear in this country, from DEI to Medicaid and social security.
“We have been electing candidates who have not been able to protect working-class families, who don’t see us… we need a governor who sees the majority of the people of the state, which includes Black, brown women, South Asians, and working-class families throughout the state, and I don’t think policy has been going in that direction, and so we are here to make sure we build a broad-based coalition across the state to establish real democracy in
INTERNATIONAL/WORLD
Double-digit tariffs and considering reciprocity?
By Rita Cook Correspondent Texas Metro News
Double-digit tariffs were imposed last week on countries that have been overcharging tariffs on America for years.
While not everyone agrees with Pres. Trump’s reciprocal tariff executive order, many across the country are rallying behind the decision to demand reciprocity.
The Executive Order is “Regulating Imports with A Reciprocal Tariff to Rectify Trade Practices that Contribute to Large and Persistent Annual United States Goods Trade De cits.”
Trump’s Executive Order Series
come highly unbalanced in recent years.
“The post-war international economic system was based upon three incorrect assumptions: rst, that if the United States led the world in liberalizing tariff and non-tariff barriers the rest of the world would follow; second, that such liberalization would ultimately result in more economic convergence and increased domestic consumption among U.S. trading partners converging towards the share in the United States; and third, that as a result, the United States would not accrue large and persistent goods trade de cits.”
inputs.”
The order also pointed out that an increased reliance on foreign producers for goods compromises the U.S. economic security by “rendering U.S. supply chains vulnerable to geopolitical disruption and supply shocks.”
“The decline of U.S. manufacturing capacity threatens the U.S. economy in other ways, including through the loss of manufacturing jobs. From 1997 to 2024, the United States lost around 5 million manufacturing jobs and experienced one of the largest drops in manufacturing employment in history.
New Jersey.”
He then stated his accomplishments.
“I pulled our city out a $93 million de cit, brought it up twice on Moody’s in rating, have invested $200 million and more in the last four years in Black, brown, women businesses, reduced violent crime in the city by 61 percent, changed the lead service lines in this town at no cost to the taxpayer, 23,000 of those lead service lines brought hundreds of businesses to the city. A third of the affordable housing that’s being built in the state is being built in Newark.”
Baraka aims to bring Newark’s success to the entire state.
“If we are wrestling with these problems in Newark, we certainly can deal with the problems in the state, and lastly, I don’t think anybody can inspire our base, can give our base the hope and the excitement to come out and vote, but this candidacy, I think our campaign is exciting.
“I think it’s new. I think it’s fresh and imaginative, and people need that right now… we need to nd the people that have already registered as democrats and get them to the polls, and we need to excite them to do that, and I think our campaign is the right candidacy to do that.”
The order implements tariffs on over 180 countries that have tariffs on US goods.
The Of ce of the U.S. Trade Representative conrmed the tariffs being imposed by Trump’s order were calculated by taking the U.S.’s trade de cit with a country and dividing it by the country's exports to the U.S., with the “reciprocal rate” calculated by then dividing that gure by two.
The opening of the EO read this move was needed due to “underlying conditions, including a lack of reciprocity in our bilateral trade relationships, disparate tariff rates and non-tariff barriers, and U.S. trading partners' economic policies that suppress domestic wages and consumption, as indicated by large and persistent annual U.S. goods trade de cits, constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and economy of the United States. That threat has its source in whole or substantial part outside the United States in the domestic economic policies of key trading partners and structural imbalances in the global trading system.”
Trump said he believes the relationship between the United States and its trading partners has be-
According to 2023 United Nations data, U.S. manufacturing output as a share of global manufacturing output was 17.4 percent, down from a peak in 2001 of 28.4 percent.
Pres. Trump pointed to a decline in U.S. manufacturing output as a “need to maintain robust and resilient domestic manufacturing capacity.” He pointed to the industrial sectors like automobiles, shipbuilding, pharmaceuticals, technology products, machine tools, and basic and fabricated metals.
“In fact, because the United States has supplied so much military equipment to other countries, U.S. stockpiles of military goods are too low to be compatible with U.S. national defense interests,” the EO read. “Furthermore, U.S. defense companies must develop new, advanced manufacturing technologies across a range of critical sectors including bio-manufacturing, batteries, and microelectronics.
“If the United States wishes to maintain an effective security umbrella to defend its citizens and homeland, as well as for its allies and partners, it needs to have a large upstream manufacturing and goods-producing ecosystem to manufacture these products without undue reliance on imports for key
“LORIE BLAIR IS STR ONG ON PUBLIC SAFETY.
crime is down, but our work is never done. We can count on Lorie Blair to continue working to keep us
“Furthermore, many manufacturing job losses were concentrated in speci c geographical areas. In these areas, the loss of manufacturing jobs contributed to the decline in rates of family formation and to the rise of other social trends, like the abuse of opioids, that have imposed profound costs on the U.S. economy.”
Trump’s words in the EO point toward the future of American competitiveness, which is dependent on reversing declining trends.
Trump’s EO made it clear tariffs will be fair and equal in the future. Already over 50 countries are reportedly ready to come to the negotiation table.
The Europeans, who will feel a hit from the reciprocal tariffs if negotiations are not worked out had Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, speaking on the on the U.S. tariffs "We do not necessarily want to retaliate but, if it is necessary, we have a strong plan to retaliate and we will use it."
One person spoke out that Pres. Trump did not apply tariffs to Belarus, Russia, Cuba, and North Korea in his list of countries. True, but America does not need tariffs on countries it has trade sanctions with already?
Newark Mayor and New Jersey candidate for Governor Ras Baraka (Photo by Derrel Jazz Johnson for rolling out)
Four Finalists named in Search for Dallas Fire-Rescue Chief
DALLAS - Following a local and regional search, Dallas City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert has selected four finalists to interview for the Chief of Dallas Fire-Rescue (DFR) position.
There were 32 candidates who applied for the position and those candidates included both current and former Fire Chiefs and executives.
The list of finalists includes:
Todd Alt, Assistant Chief, Tampa, Florida Fire Rescue
Justin Ball, Interim Fire
Chief, Dallas Fire-Rescue
Raymond Hill, Executive Assistance Chief, Fort Worth Fire Department
Samuel Peña, Former Fire
Chief, Houston Fire Department
“Dallas Fire-Rescue is a leader in the nation with innovative programs that
Ellis County Commissioners Court tasked with replacing Judge Todd Little
By Rita Cook Correspondent
ELLIS COUNTY – Back in July 2022, when Ellis County Judge Todd Little was elected to serve on the Executive Board for the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG).
As an Executive Board director, Little was given voting authority for the group overall policy, scal, and vision-setting activities undertaken by NCTCOG.
Now that knowledge has gained the current Ellis County Judge a move to his new role at NCTCOG as the new Executive Director.
The Ellis County Commissioners, this week at the regular scheduled Commissioners Court meeting, now must determine what action to take with Little vacating his seat.
An action to request applications and recommendations for the appointment of a new County Judge was the agenda item discussed.
Little, who is serving in his second term, will be stepping down from the seat within the next 30 days.
During his time as the Ellis County Judge, the former Red Oak Mayor made an impact on the Ellis County Community.
He listed what he considered were his wins including “substantially lowering the tax rate for property owners in Ellis County while also managing
growth with no additional bond indebtedness to county residents and businesses.”
He also mentioned he had worked to establish the ve debt reduction plan set to pay off all debt in 2026, remodeled three out of four tax of ces, created the Ellis County JJAEP, established Ellis County’s rst ever Behavioral Health/Substance Abuse Department, planned and constructed the new JP#2 and Ellis County Central facilities, successfully added a County Court at Law #3 Judge and courtroom and set up the new 504th District Court to begin in Sept. 2025.
NCTCOG is an organization that serves a 16-county region of North Central Texas centered around the Dallas/Fort Worth area with 228 municipal governments and 20 school districts in the region.
“It’s because of the support and condence Ellis County voters placed in me and the nancial success we’ve had over the last six-and-a-half years, that has provided me the ability to serve at the regional level at the NCTCOG,” Little said Sunday evening of his career move. “I will always call Ellis County my home as I spent most of my career and attended school in Red Oak.
“Thank you to the many who supported me through tough times like the COVID days and the many times where tough decisions weren’t always the easiest ones.”
provide emergency and medical services for all of whom we serve,” said Dallas City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert. “DFR contrib-
SB36 looks at border security in Texas
By Rita Cook Correspondent Texas Metro News
AUSTIN – Last week members of the Texas Senate looked at Senate Bill 36 meant to strengthen border security.
The Senate Committee on Border Security heard the bill that, if passed, would strengthen the state’s border security, critical infrastructure protection, and preparedness.
SB36 calls for establishing a Homeland Security Division within the Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas (DPS).
Senator Tan Parker from Flower Mound authored the bill with an eye toward cleaning up the current overlapping efforts, gaps in coordination, and inconsistencies in how intelligence is collected and shared by the now divided agencies.
The bill posits that putting both agencies under one roof with a
utes to making Dallas one of the safest large cities in the country, and I am certain we have finalists who can continue to propel it forward.”
focus toward detection and proactive response to border security, threats to critical infrastructure, and disaster management would strengthen the team and tighten up unnecessary inconsistencies.
“SB 36 ensures that Texas remains a leader in safeguarding our border, our residents, and our economic engines,” said Parker.
“I believe it strikes the right balance between providing for our security, while at the same time respecting the roles of our local and federal partners.”
The responsibilities that would be merged between DPS and Homeland Security are currently shared informally among the various divisions both locally and statewide.
A statement from the bill’s author also reads, “Under current law, DPS enforces public safety laws and provides for crime prevention and detection with multiple divisions (such as the Texas Rangers and the Texas Highway Patrol). However, there is no single division dedicated solely to planning, coordinating, and overseeing statewide homeland security activities.”
It was also related that SB 36 would provide detailed procedures for assessing and reporting on threats, organizing large-scale exercises, studying emerging technologies, and offering counsel to other state agencies on budgetary and policy matters.
By creating a singular point of responsibility within DPS, the legislation aims to minimize duplication of efforts, ensure consistent standards for security preparedness, and heighten responsiveness to emergencies and disasters.
The Texas Public Policy Foundation said former Border Patrol Agent, US Army Veteran, and TPPF Senior Fellow Ammon Blair testi ed at the committee hearing to “make the case for Senate Bill 36 by analyzing the evolving security crisis at the Texas-Mexico border.”
Blair explained as part of his testimony how the Mexican cartels have progressed from the days when it was just drug traf cking into what is now a “sophisticated foreign terrorist organizations that operate across multiple domains – land, air, maritime, cyber, and more.”
With the Texas-Mexico border having been a former prominent leak into the United States the past four years, a more coordinated DPS and Homeland Security coordination could be a strong message, if the bill makes it to Gov. Abbott’s desk for signature.
THIS WEEK IN AUSTIN
Rita Cook is a world traveler and writer/editor who specializes in writing on travel, auto, crime and politics. A correspondent for Texas Metro News, she has published 11 books and has also produced low-budget lms.
Justin Ball – Interim Fire Chief, Dallas Fire-Rescue
Todd Edward Alt - Assistant Chief of Operations, Tampa Fire Rescue
Raymond Hill - Exec. Assistant Fire Chief, Fort Worth, TX
Samuel Peña, Former Fire Chief, Houston and El Paso, TX
Texas Metro News is your premier statewide news source, delivering comprehensive, inclusive, coverage of news, sports, features, opinions, and more. Stay informed with our diverse range of content designed to keep you engaged and informed.
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We welcome your submissions but do not guarantee publishing, unless submission includes an executed insertion order. We are not responsible for errors in advertising, however we will work to make good on our errors.
We are local and global, for you!
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, the Black Press strives to help every person in the rm belief that all are hurt as long as anyone is held back.
EDITORIAL
The Drive for Black Homeownership
Dr. Courtney Johnson Rose
OUR VOICES
My grandparents, despite many barriers, worked, saved, and eventually bought a house. My grandfather was forced to drop out of school in the fth grade to work and help care for his younger siblings. But their determination to own a home, a dream shared by many in their generation, was unwavering. Families worked, prayed, and, like my grandparents, many others managed to turn their dreams into reality and own a home. Today, too many Black families and individuals have the means to purchase homes but are discouraged by the limited inventory and high interest rates. I understand their frustration: they defeat the odds and get approved for a loan, only to discover that there are few homes on the market and none that meet their speci c needs. For too many Black consumers, that has been a signal to back off, and they get stuck at that point.
At the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB), we refuse to stand idly by as our community faces challenges in homebuying. My grandparents, despite having only limited formal schooling, owned a home. This is the kind of inspiration NAREB aims to instill today, especially among Black mil-
lennials. We’re here for the 1.75 million of them who earn over $100,000 a year but haven’t yet bought a home. Our community needs to understand the signi cance of homeownership in wealth building. It’s much more than just a place to live. It’s also the best way to save for retirement, the most effective savings plan you can set up, and the most ef cient way to pay for your children’s college education. If you want to start a business, the equity in your home is a quick way to become an entrepreneur. These are the many nancial bene ts that homeownership can bring, and it’s crucial for our community to be aware of them. Yes, buying a home is more complicated than it was four years ago. However, it remains just as vital as it was 60 years ago. That’s why NAREB isn’t a passive observer. We are on an active mission to increase homeownership in Black communities. We are here to support the Black community, and we believe that with the right resources and knowledge, homeownership is within reach for families and individuals in our community.
On April 12, 2025, NAREB will present its second annual National Building Black Wealth Day in 100 cities nationwide. Seminars, workshops, and one-on-one sessions will empower communities with steps towards homeownership, property investment, starting a business, and
other wealth-building opportunities.
Among the workshops are:
Ø What to do with Big Momma’s House?
Ø ABCs of Homebuying
Ø Real Estate Investing
Ø Down Payment Assistance
Ø Explore Careers in Real Estate
Ø Free Career Fair
Ø Free Health Screenings
Ø One-On-Ones with Real Estate Attorneys
Ø One-on-Ones with Housing Counselors
To register for the local events around the country, visit www.narebblackwealthtour.com. There will also be virtual sessions.
The Wealth Tour is designed to provide guidance on how to start the journey towards homeownership for those who need assistance. But we are also there for those with the nancial means to buy a home but haven’t taken the leap. We are also reaching out to these Black consumers.
Our partners in the Wealth Tour, including organizations like the Divine Nine sororities and fraternities, help us connect with this demographic. It’s our biggest challenge.
We teach people how to improve their credit scores, explain how to obtain renovation loans, and help them assess their housing needs. But changing the mindset? Convincing them of the importance of homeown-
Tell the truth, get the facts,
“lies” to the equation.
So the sheer numbers provide decision makers with the fodder to keep providing those who subscribe to the “when it bleeds, it leads” mantra with mind draining/altering distractions.
Right now we are dealing with a story that is going viral and global, of two young men in Texas.
One, is alive and one is behind bars, facing murder charges.
If you have two sources and there are opposing viewpoints, accounts, etc., you basically have a “he say, she say” scenario, until ALL information is shared.
Before you render opinions, decisions or insight, please dig deeper.
Stop trying to be the rst with the narrative.
Research, don’t believe everything you are told and don’t be distracted by agents whose sole function are to mess with your head and turn you against your own.
This is more than about personalities.
Malcolm X said, when you focus on personalities over issues, we will suffer because the issues are not addressed.
There are more than two sides and you can’t believe everything that you are told. If you do, you remain a slave. We must free our minds and ght against methods of mass destraction.
ership is the real challenge. However, our partners step up and lend a hand. We collaborate with the National Baptist Convention and the Divine Nine fraternities and sororities.
Many of their members are millennials, the target audience we aim to reach. Our partners are providing platforms for us to connect with demographics that have the means to be homeowners.
Often, millennials don’t realize the pain and struggle that their parents or grandparents endured in their quest for homeownership. They remain unaware of issues like redlining or government programs that discriminated against Black individuals, such as the GI Bill and the Federal Housing Administration.
Additionally, with owner- nanced notes, there was the pressure that a missing or late payment could jeopardize the sale, risk your investment, or lead to eviction.
These struggles are often overlooked by younger generations. We want them to understand the past and open their eyes to the future. Homeownership communities are locations where they and their families can thrive.
That’s the reality NAREB strives to create.
Dr. Courtney Johnson Rose is a developer in Houston and president of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers.
continued from page 1
So as we move forward and sadly two families and their extended families are grieving, we should be cautious about the messages we release into the fray.
A lot of information will be shared in coming weeks. People across the country are talking about the stabbing death of the young man and they are sharing their thought about who was the victim and who was the aggressor.
Stop talking about what you don’t know. Speak truth to power, by listening more than you talk; especially when you aren’t speaking from a position of power.
How can you talk about information is power when you’re talking be-
fore you have any information. Speaking from a position of ignorance puts you in the position of being the so-called friend who walks up on your friend being attacked by four people and you jump in grabbing your friend.
What the heck!
If you grab your friend, that’s FIVE people against one.
Your mouth is just as dangerous if you keep adding to the mess with your ill-informed opinions.
Public Enemy said it best: Don’t Believe the Hype. You also need to know not to spread the hype!
Can you dig it?
OPINION
The Era of Name, Image and Likeness for College Student-Athletes Has Gotten Our Attention
James B. Ewers Jr. Ed.
OUR VOICES
Watching college sports has been one of my favorite past times over the years. The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat has been an expression that we have attached to student-athletes and college sports.
The exhilaration when you win and the hurt when you lose is what we as fans see when the final score is given.
Playing college sports is a privilege. You go into it knowing the rewards and the risks. It is not for everybody. My childhood friend Bill Earl and I were talking just last week about the emotional highs and lows of it.
We also agreed the college sports landscape has changed drastically. Some might opine
that more changes are on the way.
We will just have to stay tuned.
Way back when, prospective college athletes were simply offered a scholarship. Some were full and others were partial. Nonetheless either one gave you a way to lessen your college expenses.
Prior to Name, Image and Likeness agreements, college coaches would visit your home and talk with you and your parents. The scholarship offer would consist of tuition, room and board.
That was a big deal and a big blessing. The feeling of euphoria and happiness filled your house.
I know first-hand about this experience because I had it. As it was happening, I really couldn’t believe it. There was a college tennis coach in my house talking with my dad and me. Mind you, this was many years ago, yet this will be forever etched in my memory bank.
With great humility, I say that I had other college tennis scholar-
ship offers. After carefully considering each, I made a decision.
There was no fanfare and only a few people knew about it. Being able to get a college education and play a sport were foremost in my mind.
Fortunately, I kept good grades in college and was a part of two championship teams. I graduated from college and along the way made some life-long friends. College sports have changed in many ways. The media coverage of it is endless. At any given time, you can watch a college sport on television.
Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) agreements have made college student-athletes millions of dollars. When coaches go to homes today, the conversation is very different. They talk about the school and notable alumni. However, the main conversation is about how much money the coach is willing to offer.
According to reports, “Many
states and universities have implemented rules requiring student-athletes to disclose their NIL activities and agreements ensuring transparency and accountability.”
Proponents of Name, Image and Likeness agreements point to several advantages to them. They say that the student-athletes get financial independence, life-changing opportunities and a chance to build their personal brand.
Recently, LSU played UCLA in an Elite Eight NCAA women’s basketball game. After the game, LSU star, Flau’jae Johnson was asked about whether she would opt for the WNBA draft or return for her final year with the Tigers. According to media outlets, she will return to LSU. Flau’jae Johnson is a talented young woman on many levels. She is a rapper with rhymes that will make you move and groove. She has also signed deals with Puma, Taco Bell and
has an equity stake in the women’s 3-on-3 basketball league Unrivaled
Flau’jae Johnson said, “For me it’s about discipline and purpose. I know what I’m working on and that keeps me locked in. Basketball, music and financial literacy might seem like different lanes, but they all connect, because they’re about taking control of your future.”
There are other student-athletes whose names we know that are taking full advantage of their skill sets both on and off the courts and fields.
These are some ground-breaking times for student-athletes in the United States of America. Let’s applaud them and wish them well.
Anti-Obesity Medicines Are Not All Created Equally
By: Colonel Jeffrey D. Glover –President, NOBLE
Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. –President and CEO NNPA
The new FDA-approved weight loss medicines have changed the game for people with obesity, offering millions of Americans a chance to transform their health, prevent disease, and live longer lives. But as demand for these treatments soars, an illegal industry is growing alongside it. Criminal networks, counterfeiters, and rogue compounding pharmacies are taking advantage of patients’ needs, flooding the market with fake, unsafe, and untested knockoffs. In December 2023, the FDA seized thousands of counterfeit injection pens within the U.S. drug supply chain. A Tennessee woman’s home was also raided by police, where officers found more than 300 vials of counter-
feit weight loss drugs—semaglutide and tripeptide—that she had been supplying to med spa clinics. After testing, one of the vials contained nothing but water. This is the reality of an unregulated black market. People think they are injecting medicine into their bodies that will improve their health, but they could be injecting poison—or nothing at all.
For counterfeiters and other profiteers, the market is ripe for exploitation — high patient demand and a rising obesity epidemic create the perfect conditions for their illegal trade to thrive. The result? A knock-off weight-loss drug market populated with med spas, online “telehealth” sellers, and unauthorized compounding pharmacies pushing dangerous counterfeit or untested compounded medications. The Black community is especially vulnerable given
its higher prevalence of obesity. In 2023, non-Hispanic Black or African American adults were 30% more likely to be obese than non-Hispanic white adults, with 43 percent of non-Hispanic Black adults over the age of 18 classified as obese. As the President of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), I oversee an organization whose mission is to pro-
tect our communities from harm. Law enforcement officers are already seeing the rise of counterfeit weight loss drugs spread through our communities. Just as with illicit street drugs, enforcing the law is critical to get these dangerous products off the market. But equally critical is to stem consumer demand.
Colonel Jeffrey D. Glover is President of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives. His email address is President@noblenatl.net.
Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. is President and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association. His email is dr.bchavis@ nnpa.org.
The Trump administration has an opportunity to help curb this rising demand. Currently, there is a proposed rule at the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare (CMS) rule that would provide coverage for FDA-approved weight loss drugs, thereby significantly increasing access to these innovative medicines. Unlike other chronic diseases, obesity treatments have been excluded from Medicare coverage. The result has been limited access to authentic medicines, creating a high demand for knock-off versions. While law enforcement must do its part to rein in bad actors, the new administration can help by finalizing the CMS proposed rule. Providing greater access to safe and effective medicines would go. A long way to put illicit suppliers on notice and out of business. No one should be exposed to the risks that come with untested, unregulated injectable medicines and I am confident President Trump will make the right decisions to protect American public health.
Dr. James B. Ewers, Jr. is a long-time educator who hails from Winston Salem, N.C. Ewers is a life member of the NAACP and a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. He is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists.
Council District 1
MAY 3, 2025, GENERAL ELECTION
CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES
COUNCIL DISTRICTS / BALLOT ORDER
Council District 2
Council District 3 Council District 4
1 Jason Vanhof 1 Jesse Moreno 1 John Sims 1 Kebran W. Alexander
2 Katrina Whatley 2 Sukhbir Kaur 2 Jesseca E. Lightbourne 2 Maxie Johnson
3 Chad West 3 Zarin Gracey 3 Avis Hardaman
Council District 5 Council District 6 Council District 7 Council District 8
1 Jaime Resendez 1 David BleweJ 1 O’Neil Hesson 1 Erik Wilson
2 Elizabeth Matus 2 Monica R. Alonzo 2 Lamar “Yaka” Jefferson 2 Ruth Steward 3 Gabriel Kissinger 3 Adam Bazaldua 3 Lorie Blair
4 Tony Carrillo 4 Cydney Walker 4 Davante D. Peters
5 Laura Cadena 5 Jose Rivas Jr 5 Subrina Lynn Brenham
6 Machelle Wells
7 Nicolas “Nico” Quintanilla
8 Linus Spiller
Write-in Candidate
Write-in Candidate 6 Eugene Ralph
Council District 9 Council District 10 Council District 11 Council District 12
1 Paula C. Blackmon 1 Sirrano Keith Baldeo 1 Kendal Richardson 1 Cara Mendelsohn
2 Ernest P. Banda 2 Kathy Stewart 2 Mona Andy Elshenawy 2 Marc Rossouw Write-in Candidate7 Write-in Candidate 3 Bill Roth 3 Jose Cavazos 4 Jeff Kitner
Council District 13
Council District 14
1 Diane Benjamin 1 Paul E. Ridley
2 Gay Donnell Willis
DALLAS COUNTY EARLY VOTING DATES / TIMES /LOCATIONS
*April 22-25
April 26
April 27
April 28-29
Dallas County Early vo[ng and Elec[on Day loca[ons: hJps://www.dallascountyvotes.org/voters/elec[on/may-3-2025-joint-special-elec[on/
**Those City of Dallas residents who are in Denton County, please access the following website for Denton County Early Vo[ng and Elec[on Day loca[ons: hJps://www.votedenton.gov/elec[on-day-informa[on/current-and-upcoming-elec[on-informa[on/
***Those City of Dallas residents who are in Collin County, please access the following website for Collin County Early Vo[ng and Elec[on Day loca[ons: hJps:// www.collincountytx.gov/Elec[ons/polling-loca[ons
*Note for Early VoJng: Because Monday, April 21, 2025, is San Jacinto Day, which is a legal holiday, early voJng will not be conducted on this date.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE CITY SECRETARY’S OFFICE: Bilierae Johnson (214) 670-5654 or Miroslava MarJnez (214) 670-3809
Dallas County Early vo[ng and Elec[on Day loca[ons: hJps://www.dallascountyvotes.org/voters/elec[on/may-3-2025-joint-special-elec[on/
Dallas County Early vo[ng and Elec[on Day loca[ons: hJps://www.dallascountyvotes.org/voters/elec[on/may-3-2025-joint-special-elec[on/
**Those City of Dallas residents who are in Denton County, please access the following website for Denton County Early Vo[ng and Elec[on Day loca[ons: hJps://www.votedenton.gov/elec[on-day-informa[on/current-and-upcoming-elec[on-informa[on/
***Those City of Dallas residents who are in Collin County, please access the following website for Collin County Early Vo[ng and Elec[on Day loca[ons: hJps:// www.collincountytx.gov/Elec[ons/polling-loca[ons
**Those City of Dallas residents who are in Denton County, please access the following website for Denton County Early Vo[ng and Elec[on Day loca[ons: hJps://www.votedenton.gov/elec[on-day-informa[on/current-and-upcoming-elec[on-informa[on/
*Note for Early VoJng: Because Monday, April 21, 2025, is San Jacinto Day, which is a legal holiday, early voJng will not be conducted on this date. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE CITY SECRETARY’S OFFICE: Bilierae Johnson (214) 670-5654 or Miroslava MarJnez (214) 670-3809
***Those City of Dallas residents who are in Collin County, please access the following website for Collin County Early Vo[ng and Elec[on Day loca[ons: hJps:// www.collincountytx.gov/Elec[ons/polling-loca[ons
*Note for Early VoJng: Because Monday, April 21, 2025, is San Jacinto Day, which is a legal holiday, early voJng will not be conducted on this date. FOR
In Loving Memory of LaVerne Ruth Richardson
On Monday, February 24, 2025, LaVerne Ruth Richardson passed away peacefully in Dallas, Texas, after a courageous battle with cancer. Born on March 31, 1940, in Washington, D.C., she was the fth of nine children to the late Wilburn and Ruth Cash.
LaVerne was preceded in death by her brothers Wilburn Jr., George, and Wallace Cash; her sisters
Brenda Cash, Edna Mae Jackson, and Cynthia Cash; and her beloved life partner, Kermit Stephens.
She is lovingly survived by her sisters Earline Brunson and Eunice Cash, her son Chester I. Chichester III, her daughter Donna Richardson, her granddaughter Tara Chichester, and her great-grandchildren Joshua and Naomi Smith. She also leaves behind a host
of nieces, nephews, extended family members, and countless friends whose lives she touched deeply.
LaVerne’s impact was immeasurable—her spirit of service, boundless love, infectious laughter, vibrant dancing, and unforgettable cooking created a legacy that will continue to inspire all who had the privilege of knowing her.
A celebration of her life was held on Saturday, March 22nd at St. Paul A.M.E. Church, 4901 14th Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20011, with interment following at Rock Creek Cemetery.
Funeral arrangements were graciously handled by Golden Gate Funeral Home in Dallas, Texas, and Marshall-March Funeral Home in Washington, D.C.
NAACP
presents
Freedom Fund Gala in Frisco
Elsie Cooke-Holmes
The Collin County Branch of the NAACP presents the 4th Annual Freedom Fund Gala on Saturday, April 12, 2025, at 6:30 p.m., at the Frisco Event Center in Frisco, Texas.
This year’s theme is, “ALL IN for Equality and Excellence in Education” which underscores the NAACP’s unwavering commitment to advancing educational opportunities and advocating for equity within our community. The Freedom Fund Gala serves as the premier fundraising event, with proceeds directly benefiting the branch’s initiatives and scholarship programs for students across Collin County.
During this year’s event, we will recognize and honor leaders and organizations who have made significant contributions to our community.
In addition to presenting awards to distinguished honorees, we will also highlight the achievements of Assistant Principals and Principals throughout the school districts across Collin County.
Other leaders who work hard to advocate and achieve equity in the community will be recognized and Elsie Cooke-Holmes will be one of the special honorees, receiving the Ida B. Wells Award for Justice and Advocacy.
If you are interested in purchasing a ticket, a table, or a donation please click on www.collincountynaacp.org.
If you have questions, you can contact Pam Hunter at pyhunter@ sbcglobal.net or 214- 236-3311.
Women’s History Month
at the African American Museum, Dallas
May 3, 2025
EDUCATION
Trump Loves the Poorly Educated Midlothian ISD targeted for possible HEB grant
THE LAST WORD
After he won the Nevada Republican caucuses in 2016, the current President crowed his victory. “We won with young. We won with old. We won with highly educated. We won with poorly educated. I love the poorly educated.”
Congressman Bobby Scott (D-VA) reflected on this comment as he asked Republicans to join Democrats in preserving the Department of Education.
The 47th President loves the poorly educated because he knows how to manipulate them, and because the less you know the more you can be persuaded by false rhetoric. The cuts in education, including cuts in educational services for the differently abled, both physically and intellectually, will likely have a longterm deleterious effect on the condition of education in our country.
The President’s reason for cutting the Department of Education is poor test scores, but the first phase of cuts, separating at least 1300 workers from their jobs, will also likely reduce the amount of educational data that is available.
So, we may not learn, from the Survey of Doctorate Recipients (SDR), which academic areas we need to boost. We are not able to follow graduates over time to analyze career trends. Fewer employees collecting data may impact data accuracy.
Given this President’s anti-DEI stance, we may not measure achievement gaps appropriately. Many of
my research colleagues are concerned that this anti-detail-oriented President and his motley crew of incompetents prefer aggregate numbers to disaggregated ones. That means they may continue to report an overall unemployment rate, but fail to report changes in Black, Latino, and Asian unemployment.
Data collection costs money, and the President aims to cut budgets. That includes more than $600 million in grants, many of which go to benefit the “least and the left out.” Further, many are concerned that the Office of Civil Rights has reduced effectiveness because of staff cuts.
The Office of Civil Rights lost at least 240 employees, including 180 staff attorneys. Regional offices have been closed, making it more difficult for people to file civil rights complaints.
People aren’t taking this action lying down. The National Education Association (NEA), the NAACP, and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) are all suing the Department of Education to prevent its closure.
According to the NEA “If the Education Department is broken apart, the rights of students, particularly our most vulnerable – to an education that imparts academic lessons, civil rights protections, and prepares them for their future, will be undercut.”
In addition, with fewer workers’ protections, and an indifference to safety net supports, people will be forced into low wage work instead of workforce development activities that will better prepare them for good jobs in the future.
This president loves the poorly educated because they are most easily exploit-
ed. We are headed into a dystopian nightmare unless Democrats are willing to take some action.This President and his allies, assisted by a woman who used to lead Worldwide Wrestling (great preparation to lead the Department of Education) will reorganize or eliminate many critical functions of the Department of Education.
Our young people will be the ones to pay.
This year 3.9 million young people are slated to graduate from high school. About 62 percent of them will enroll in either two- or four-year colleges.
What will the atmosphere on campuses this fall?
Unless some of the lawsuits are successful, lower-income students, differently abled students, and those in need of extra services will be sidelined. DEI programs that offer counseling and solace to some students are likely to be dismantled.
Tens of thousands of students, if not millions, will be disadvantaged by the way the Department of Education is being transformed into the Department of MisEducation. This is the era of the MisEducation of the Marginalized.
Scrubbing our history books of reference to Black, Brown, and other patriots is just a first step to dismantling any notion of critical thinking.
This current President and his minions are dedicated to ignorance, and indeed they love the “poorly educated”. What does this mean for our nation’s future?
By Rita Cook Correspondent Texas Metro News
MIDLOTHIAN–Midlothian ISD school board president and Midlothian Mayor Justin Coffman were on hand last week to take part in a visit by H-EB’s grant team.
The site visit was a step in the district’s possibly receiving the H-E-B Excellence in School award.
Midlothian ISD was named as a top five finalist for the Excellence in School award, which
comes with a $100k grant.
The team toured two secondary campuses and several classrooms. They met one-on-one with Midlothian Superintendent Dr. David Belding, and ended the visit with a round-table lunch.
“This allowed the site visit team to ask our stakeholders questions about MISD, Tammy Kuykendall, MISD, Executive Director of Communications said.
In addition to Vineyard and Coffman, the H-E-B team also had the chance to meet teachers, princi-
pals, students, parents, and community members.
“We are truly MISD Proud to be one of five finalists for the H-E-B Excellence in Education award,” MISD School Board Trustee President Gary Vineyard said. “To simply receive a nomination is a tremendous honor, so hosting a site visit with the judges is incredible. Throughout the day, I felt so much pride.”
H-E-B will announce the winner at the awards celebration dinner on May 4 in Austin.
Thousands of Dallas ISD students participate in extracurricular programs
By Michael Marks
DALLAS — Nearly 19,000 students across Dallas ISD are embracing opportunities to engage in academic and competitive extracurricular activities.
The district offers 12 extracurricular programs to elementary and secondary schools. These include cheer, chess, debate, decathlon, Designation Imagination, esports, and UIL academics, to name a few.
The number of students signing up for after school programming has steadily increased over the last few years, said Leonidas Patterson, director of Student Activities. This is due, in part, to the department’s focus on expanding programming for elementary students, he said.
“As a result, most of the districtwide programs sponsored by the department are vertically aligned so that students can participate from elementary to their senior year in high school,” Patterson said.
In total, 18,900 elementary and secondary students participated in extracurricular programming at their school during the 2024-2025 fall semester.
To accommodate growing
demand across Dallas ISD, Student Activities expanded its programming by adding more tournaments for its most popular extracurricular activities.
For example, instead of two districtwide chess tournaments, the department hosted ve competitions to accommodate 3,013 student competitors. More tournaments were also added for Texas Math Science Coaches Association esports and elementary cheer. On average, the department organized at least three academic extracurricular events every Saturday of the semester, ensuring students had ample opportunities to showcase their talents.
By remaining involved in these activities, students are honing their skills, fostering teamwork, and tackling new challenges.
“Simply said, participation in extracurriculars impacts the overall success of a school community,” said Sharla Hudspeth, executive director of Extracurricular & Extended Learning. “When students are involved in extracurricular activities, they are more engaged in their educational journey, both academically and socially.”
A key piece to the continued success of extracurricu-
lar activities are the teachers who make the programs happen for their students.
“Student Activities depend on more than 1,900 teachers each year to serve as academic coaches for our districtwide programs,” Patterson said. “These dedicated professionals work after school and on weekends, beyond teaching their classes, to make sure that students have a more dynamic and impactful school experience through participation in extracurricular activities.”
Dr. Julianne Malveaux
Dr. Julianne Malveaux, a former college president, is an economist, author and commentator based in Washington, D.C.
Special to Texas Metro News
Photo courtesy: Dallas ISD
AAEAHP HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2025 from p 1 COVER STORY
president, vice chancellor for educational affairs, and chancellor. With each position, Helen deepened her impact, committed to empowering others and creating transformative educational experiences.
Of this honor, Dr. Benjamin said: “I am deeply honored and humbled by this recognition. Being included not only among this year’s inductees but also among those in the Hall of Fame who mentored and supported me as a young educator is a special honor.”
CASSANDRA L. BLACK
Cassandra’s entire career in education was in Dallas ISD. She started as a classroom teacher and later served as English Department Chairperson and Teacher of the Year at North Dallas High School. After a promotion to Director of Certification/ Employee Relations, she ensured that only qualified teachers and administrators were hired, and the District met all No Child Left Behind requirements. Her efforts led to the District being “Recognized” by the Texas Education Agency. She is a Life Member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority and the 31st National President of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC). Annually, a deserving NPHC/Divine 9 Undergraduate Sorority member is awarded the Cassandra L. Black Scholarship.
ROBERT EDISON
Robert Edison grew up in Louisville, Kentucky with his parents Luther and Nola Edison, and his four siblings. He spent 44 years working with students and teachers in the Dallas ISD. Although he became the Dallas ISD Director for Social Studies Department, his major accomplishments took place in the classroom. He is proud of the students who he’s had the opportunity to influence over the years. He would say they made
it possible for him to become the Dallas Teacher of the Year in 1992 and Region 10 Teacher of the Year. He believes a teacher who ceases to learn should cease to teach and teachers of minority students should have a pedagogy that liberates them.
DR. LEVATTA L. LEVELS
Dr. Levatta L. Levels is a seasoned educator with 35+ years of experience as a teacher, principal, executive director, and superintendent. In DeSoto ISD, she led key initiatives including rezoning for enrollment growth, districtwide standardized dress, selective enrollment, middle school magnet programs, and districtwide behavior programs. She helped create the ReJuv program, helping overaged students graduate with a high school diploma. She was inducted into the DeSoto ISD Hall of Honor, received the NAACP Juanita Craft Award, and recognition from her alma maters Skyline High School and the University of North Texas. She is a leader in Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., a Student Conduct Officer and field supervisor at two DFW universities.
LARRY D. LEWIS, PH.D.
Dr. Lewis is unwavering in his commitment to impacting and transforming the lives of students and families. As a situational leader, his laser focus on every student reading on or above grade level at every grade level has been the hallmark of his success. Dr. Lewis has served at all levels of K-12 education as a teacher, coach, assistant principal, principal, area superintendent and superintendent. As a scholar in the Urban Superintendents Program at Harvard University, Dr. Lewis learned strategies that served and supported his principals in leading their campuses to recognized/ exemplary ratings by the Texas
Education Agency, as well as the Malcolm Baldridge Award, Texas Blue Ribbon and National Blue Ribbon Schools.
BERTRIC LUETISSUR MANNING
Bertric Luetissur Manning is a mother, grandmother, great grandmother, teacher and community leader. She has dedicated her life to helping others and served as a classroom teacher in Dallas Independent School District. She was recognized as “Teacher of the Year” many times. She was the DFW Coordinator for the “No Child Left Behind” 2002 Achievement Academy. She has reached a pinnacle of success in church and Christian living. One of her treasures is a plaque to a Grade “A” Teacher Award for making school so super cool. During her retirement, she spends her time developing programs to improve teaching techniques and enhance student achievement.
DR. CHARLES MATTHEWS
Dr. Charles Matthews dedicated his entire life to educating and influencing young people. He served as a classroom teacher, assistant principal, deputy superintendent to general superintendent in the North Forest ISD and Wilmer-Hutchins ISD. As general superintendent of WHISD, he implemented and began the first three- year-old program for the State of Texas. He was an innovator and trailblazer in the field of education.
DORA MORRIS
Dora Morris, who spent 48 passionate years educating young people, was an award-winning elementary school teacher in Dallas ISD for 31 years. She served as a general music teacher for the first 14 years. Afterwards,
she became a self-contained/ language arts teacher. Because of her accomplishments with the students, Dora also served as a mentor to new teachers, trainer and instructor in the Alternative Certification program, campus instructional leadership team member, curriculum writer, staff development presenter, member of the campus improvement plan committee, and district IV workshop presenter. Post Dallas ISD retirement, she spent an additional 17 years in DeSoto ISD as a part-time reading pull-out teacher.
CHERYL SMITH
While enjoying an impressive career as a multi-media journalist, newspaper editor and radio talk show host, Cheryl Smith also spent more than 30 years in classrooms utilizing her journalism degree from FAMU and a business degree from Amberton University. She follows the mantra of another Hall of Famer, Dr. Napoleon B. Lewis, who said, “A teacher hasn’t taught if the student hasn’t learned.” She believes in also providing hard-knock life lessons like her FAMU professors did. In 1998, she headed the Paul Quinn College Communications Department; revitalizing the school newspaper, and starting an NABJ Chapter (Chapter of the Year finalist and Student Journalist of the Year honors for Shane Hefner, while winning several awards).
Having taught at UNT, TWU, Dallas College, and the DFW/ ABJ Urban Journalism Workshop, this proud Golden-Life member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and National Association of Black Journalists Hall of Famer has been recognized by the Journalism Education Association and National Conference of Editorial Writers for her work with journalism students. Additionally, she has awarded more than $500,000 in scholarships, fellowships and internships.
NORMA BEASLEY WRIGHT
Norma Beasley Wright’s story is a powerful testament to the transformative power of education. She has been a cornerstone of student support and well-being within Dallas ISD, consistently embodying the essence of a dedicated educator. Her unwavering commitment fostering a nurturing and inclusive environment has made her the heartbeat of the school community. Recognized Dallas ISD Counselor of the Year, her impact extends far beyond academic guidance; she championed student-centered initiatives that empower and uplift every child. Through her compassionate leadership, she has inspired countless students to reach their fullest potential, further cementing her legacy in Dallas ISD.
Her role in the opening of the Thomas A. Edison Middle Learning Center and the transformation of Dr. Billy E. Dade Middle School stand as powerful testaments to her enduring impact.
Two Presidential Awardees are recognized for their exceptional contributions to the educational experiences of African Americans in Dallas County.
CURTIS KING
Curtis King is an American director, producer, and the founder and president of the nationally acclaimed Black Academy of Arts and Letters (TBAAL).
Often called “The King of Tributes,” King has created, directed, and produced numerous musical tributes, plays, concerts, and cultural events that uplift the African American community while enlightening broader audiences.
His extensive accolades span major cultural and entertainment organizations, as well as
WWW.TEXAS METRO NEWS.COM
CLASS of 2025
grassroots community and social service groups.
A native of Mississippi, King is the son of a teacher and an industrial farmer and one of three siblings. He graduated Cum Laude from Jackson State University with a B.A. in Speech and Communications and later earned a M.A. from Texas Christian University.
A devoted Christian, he is a member of First Baptist Church of Hamilton Park.
A world traveler and lifelong advocate for the arts, Curtis La mar King has dedicated his ca reer to preserving and advanc ing African American culture through artistic expression.
HON. ROYCE WEST
Today, we spotlight Presiden tial Award honoree Texas State Senator Royce West, whose ded ication to education and com munity advocacy has had a last ing impact.
The Honorable Royce West has dedicated his life to public service for more than 30+ years. Currently he serves in the Texas State Senate and serves in the 16th Legislative Session as Vice Chairman of Senate Transportation Committee and is a member of several Senate committees.
He has worked to improve education in Texas and to increase the academic success of Texas students by providing the needed funding for schools, programs, students and teachers. A family man, Senator West is married to Carol and is the father of seven.
He is active in his church, various civic organizations, the African American Museum, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.
A native of Annapolis, Maryland, a graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington (BA, MA) and the University of Houston (JD), Royce Barry West has made his mark in the Dallas Metroplex and the State of Texas by giving of himself as a public servant.
Dr. Helen Benjamin
Robert Edison Cassandra Black Dr. Levatta Levels Dr. Larry Lewis
Bertric Manning
Dora Wesley Morris
The Late Dr. Charles Matthews
Cheryl Smith Norma Wright
Senator Royce West Curtis King
Sippin’ Pretty & Rewarded
Sorority tea event honors scholars, delivers joy and tears
By Eva D. Coleman
Lifestyle & Culture Editor
Texas Metro News
From young girls to ladies defying the odds of beauty with longevity of life, the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® Chi Zeta Omega Chapter Mother & Daughter tea was filled with grace, reverence and scholarship.
The Sunday afternoon event on March 30, 2025 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Richardson, Texas was the sorority’s 17th installment of which their debutantes made their debut to an audience filled with “Ladies in Waiting,” and tables filled with toddlers, pre-teens and teenagers alongside their mothers, grandmothers, aunts, sisters and friends who’ve had an impact on their lives.
Finger sandwiches, cookies and tea were made available at each
table, allowing attendees to enact their etiquette skills as they passed and received food.
Fanchion Kenady of Fanchion K’s Tea Time delivered the keynote address, sharing the art of tea, including a description of the special blend, “Sweet Lady Herbal Infusion,” she provided to each
attendee in the tea cups at each place setting.
During their introduction, debutantes danced in a whimsical display waving handkerchiefs to bayou sounds for the Enchanted Garden theme.
The event also featured emotional mother-daughter tributes
with several girls having a hard time getting through their speeches without tears and garbled words.
A special, inaugural announcement came after the room had witnessed many debutantes’ expressions of gratitude towards their loved ones.
“At this time, we are honored to present the AKA EAF Scholarship endowed by the Chi Zeta Omega Charter Members Endowment Fund to two exceptional students,” Gwen Sanders said on behalf of all charter members.
This 2025 event marked the first time the Chi Zeta Omega Chapter awarded their Charter Member’s Scholarship.
The two inaugural winners, Evana Coleman and Destiny Blount, smiled with pride as they held ceremonial checks and posed with charter members of the organization.
Chi Zeta Omega charter members were pleased with their historic accomplishment, providing $1000 scholarships with assistance from The Boswell Sisters Embracing Our Futures to benefit students on their college journey.
UConn’s Big Three Lead Way to 12th NCAA Title
By Anthony Council Correspondent
Texas Metro News
In a commanding performance that left no doubt, the UConn Huskies defeated the South Carolina Gamecocks 82-59 in the NCAA Women’s Basketball National Championship, securing their 12th title since 2016. Head coach Geno Auriemma and the team displayed a perfect blend of teamwork, defensive strength, and a season that embodied UConn's legacy of excellence.
The victory was propelled by the "big three" of Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd, and freshman Sarah Strong, whose exceptional performances not only sealed the win but also turned the nal page of their place in college basketball history.
From the opening tip, it was clear that UConn was fully prepared to dominate. Despite an early three-pointer from South Carolina’s Te-Hina Paopao, the Huskies quickly responded with an aggressive offense led by Bueckers and Fudd.
Though UConn struggled from behind the arc, missing their rst ve three-point attempts, they capitalized on their oppor-
tunities inside the paint.
Shooting an impressive 60% from the eld in the rst quarter, they effectively took advantage of South Carolina’s four turnovers, propelling themselves to a 1914 lead.
Bueckers, brilliant in her nal collegiate game, set the stage with crisp passing and strategic plays. Fudd, having bounced back from a challenging season last year marred by injuries, found her groove early, scoring 17 points in the rst half.
Yet the freshmen phenom of Sarah Strong emerged as the standout star, controlling the boards with nine rebounds and proving to be a pivotal presence in the paint. By halftime, UConn held a solid 35-26 lead, rmly establishing its command.
As the second half commenced, UConn continued to seize control. A quick assist to Strong for a tough nish inside pushed the lead even further. The freshman nished with a staggering 24 points and 15 rebounds, setting a new record for the most points scored by a freshman in a title game. Fudd added 11 points in the
third quarter, ending the game with 24 points and ve assists, while Bueckers rounded out the scoring with 17 points and three assists, ful lling the dream she envisioned as a high schooler.
Bueckers' leadership and experience shone through as she reected on her journey with the program. After the game, tearfully embracing Coach Auriemma, she expressed her gratitude: “Just gratitude for all that coach has meant to me and how much he's shaped me into the human and basketball player I am throughout this entire ve years.”
For South Carolina, coached by the esteemed Dawn Staley, this game marked a rare championship loss as the game was lled with turnovers and challenging to nd a rhythm within the offence, putting her record in championship games to 3-1.
The Gamecocks, seeking their third national championship in four years, could not quite overcome UConn’s relentless defense and rebounding prowess, shooting just 31% from the eld in the second quarter.
Despite the disappointment, Staley commended her team's effort: “Our kids
gave it all they had. You can swallow the loss when you understand why it happened. We lost to a very good basketball team.”
UConn’s path to victory was not just about individual brilliance; it highlighted the collective spirit of a team that battled through adversity to reclaim its place at the top. The contributions of veterans, mixed with the bright light of a freshman star, created a formidable synergy that overwhelmed their opponents.
As they celebrated this signi cant
triumph, Coach Auriemma secured his legacy even further, celebrated as one of the greatest coaches in college basketball history across all divisions.
The UConn Huskies once again emerged victorious, embodying unity, resilience, and performances that will be cherished in the annals of sports history for years to come. This championship not only marks another milestone for the program but also serves as a reminder of the culture that is UConn dominance from years past.
2024-2025 U CONN Roster
Charter members with scholarship recipients during Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated Chi Zeta Omega Chapter’s Mother & Daughter Tea at the DoubleTree Hotel in Richardson, Texas
Photo: Eva D. Coleman
Our Voices - Student choreography presented by the Junior Performing Ensemble and Senior Performing at DBDT
HALL OF FAMERS
COMMUNITY CALENDARCOMMUNITY CALENDAR
Wings home arena at 5:30 p.m. CT ahead of the WNBA Draft 2025 presented by State Farm®, which airs live on ESPN at 6:30 p.m. Tickets to the Draft Party are free of charge.
Witherite Law Group and 1-800-TruckWreck are providing meals to 500 Dallas/Fort Worth-area families for Easter. Witherite Law Group and Smooth R&B 105.7 will host the Easter ham giveaway from 3 to 5 p.m. at Concord Baptist Church, 6808 Pastor Bailey Dr., Dallas, TX 75237.
Aubrey FFA Livestock Show and Auction. Livestock Show: 8:00 AM Kick off the day with our Livestock Show, where students will present their animals and demonstrate their showmanship.
Dallas Wings will host a WNBA Draft Party at College Park Center in Ar-
Live Conference on Friday April 25 and Sunday April 27 at 2126 E. Overton Road, Dallas
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“Rooted In Rhythm” Country Music Showcase, 3:00 PM - 10:00 PM, Tupps Brewery, 402 E Louisiana St Building 2, McKinney, TX 75069. Featuring performances by: - Stephanie Urbina Jones and The Honky Toni MariachiPynk Beard - Elsie - Kentucky Gentleman - Valerie Ponzio - DJ Rick Dominguez (Line dance instructor and DJ
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COME JOIN US FOR AN ELEGANT NIGHT OF ART & JAZZ! LIVE MUSIC, ART, CULTURE, AND TONS OF NETWORKING! YOU DON’T WON’T TO MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY!!! LET’S COME TOGETHER TO CELEBRATE BLACK CULTURE WHILE WE GET A CHANCE TO MINGLE WITH THE BEST DFW HAS TO OFFER!!! FORMAL ATTIRE REQUIRED!! FOR MORE QUESTIONS CONTACT ANTOINE WHITE at 314-630-4465!!!!
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Black Sports Professionals North Texas is hosting the 2025 BSPNTX Summit on the campus of the University of North Texas at Frisco (12995 Preston Road, Frisco, TX 75033). The chapter’s second sports-centric conference is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
able now!! https://www.ncnwgreatertrinity.com/scholarship
MAY 2
The City of Duncanville presents the BloomFest Music & Arts Festival, a vibrant celebration of art, music, and culture, from 4:00 pm to 10:00 pm at Armstrong Park.
8
Texas Women’s Foundation Leadership Forum & Awards Celebration, at the Omni Dallas Hotel (555 S. Lamar St., Dallas, TX 75202).
Ascension Ensemble Concert Latino Cultural Center Tickets are $25
10
Iota Phi Lambda Sorority - Psi Chapter will celebrate their 51th Annual Business Month Education & Scholarship Awards Luncheon, 11:00 a.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton Dallas Campbell Centre. 8250 North Central Expressway, Dallas, Texas 75206.
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Kendrick Lamar and SZA will bring their joint “Grand National Tour” to North Texas, at AT&T Stadium.
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9th Annual Survivors’ Luncheon 11:30 am at the Hilton Garden Inn. Come join the celebration of
Survivors and those who advocate for them. Keynote Speaker is Lady Sharon Wynn-Walker from California. She will share snapshots of her amazing journey to wholeness as a Survivor of domestic abuse.
15-17
Divine 9, join the Black Wall Street Rally 2025. Happening May 15 - 17th in the historic Greenwood District, located in Downtown Tulsa, OK. Make a difference by impacting the community through service and volunteer efforts that will soon be announced. Ain't no party like a D9 Party!www.blackwallstreetrally.com
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51st Annual Recital @ Majestic Theatre - 3:30pm
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Ensemble Auditions 2025 @ DBDT studios
If your student is interested in performing on a regular basis representing Dallas Black Dance Academy, come audition for one of the academy ensembles!
Thursday, May 29, 2025, 6-8:30pm DBDA 2025-2026 Ensemble Auditions
Summer Enrichment 2025 @ DBDT studios (Ages 9-16 years old) Experience intensive training during the summer with DBDT professional company members. June 2-13, 2025 (Monday – Friday 8:30am-3:00pm)
Dallas Black Dance Academy Summer Enrichment 2025
The Greater Trinity Section of NCNW’s Women of Impact Luncheon; proceeds goes towards the Dr. Levatta Levels Scholarship. Donations are accepted. Scholarship applications are avail-
lington, Texas. Doors open at the
Large Anti-Trump “Hands Off” Protest in Washington DC isn’t
Diverse
but the
By Lauren Victoria Burke BlackPressUSA.com Newswire Contributor
Hundreds of thousands of people gathered at the base of the Washington Monument to push back on President Trump and his Administration.
In less than 75 days in of ce Trump has created economic uncertainty and laid off thousands of federal employees.
The day started with a large group of mostly white demonstrators holding hands and encircling the National Museum of African American History and Culture with “Hands Off!” signs and other anti-Trump banners and slogans.
Though there weren’t many Black people in the large crowd there were several Black leaders speaking on the main stage. They included Rev. Dr. William Barber, the former President of the North Carolina NAACP who is currently the President of Repairers of the Breach, and several civic and labor leaders.
Among the labor leaders were Everett Kelley, the national President of the American Federation of Government Employees. The group represents over 800,000 federal government workers. Trump and Elon Musk’s DOGE have targeted civil servants as outlined in the Heritage Foundation document Project 2025.
“We’re not here today just as federal employees, we are here today as the defenders of democracy. We are here to protect our freedom and the American way of life,” Kelley said to the cheering crowd.
“Today our nation is at a crossroads,” Kelley yelled into the microphone standing on a small stage in front of a diverse group of labor and civil rights leaders.
National Education Association President Becky Pringle also spoke.
“The right to learn is the most fundamental. The freedom to learn has been brought by bitter sacri ce,” Pringle started quoting
Issues
W.E.B. DuBois.
“We’re all here to say hands off our public schools. The NEA has called out Donald Trump and Elon Musk and WWE czar you can’t make this stuff up Linda McMahon — their brazen attempts to undermine public education in America,” Pringle told the large crowd.
are Sunday May 11, 2025 3:00 pm TBAAL
Trump announced that he was moving to close the Department of Education with what is widely believed to be an illegal executive order on March 20.
A diverse group of issues was represented at the rally. In addition to labor leaders, there were elected leaders, feminist leaders, conservationists and LGBT leaders as well. The rallies are taking place in all 50 states and in several places around the world.
Several speakers highlighted the number of veterans they say have been impacted by Trump’s policies and mass rings of federal workers.
“Thirty percent of the federal workforce are veterans. Never forget this fact: Thirty percent of the federal workforce are veterans,”
Randy Irwin, National President of the National Federation of Federal Employees, told the crowd of thousands standing at the base of the Washington Monument.
There were several signs featuring U.S. Senator Cory Booker in the crowd. There were also a few shoutouts for the New Jersey Senator from the stage. On April 2, Booker broke the longtime record of segregationist Senator Strom Thurmond. Booker spoke on the Senate oor for 25 hours and 4 minutes.
Activists from Indivisible and other protest orgs who put together today’s events are planning more anti-Trump demonstrations.
Lauren Victoria Burke is an independent investigative journalist and the owner of Black Virginia News. She is a political analyst who appears regularly on #RolandMartinUn ltered and hosts the show Comms Class on YouTube @LaurenVictoriaBurke. She can be contacted at LBurke007@gmail.com and on twitter at @LVBurke.
Dallas Black Dance Theatre Hosts Virtual Celebration Honoring 95th Anniversary of the Historic Moorland YMCA
April 6,
2025
marked nearly 100 years of the historic landmark serving the African American community Business
DALLAS – Dallas Black Dance Theatre (DBDT) recently held a four-day virtual celebration honoring the historic Moorland YMCA building, a landmark of African American history and culture in Dallas. This online event showcased the building’s remarkable 95-year journey from its origins as the Southwest’s only YMCA for African Americans to its current role as Dallas Black Dance Theatre’s home in the prestigious Dallas Arts District that’s ranked #1 in the nation.
“The historic Moorland YMCA building represents an essential chapter in Dallas’s cultural history,” said Zenetta Drew, Executive Director of Dallas Black Dance Theatre. “This celebration honors not only the physical structure but the countless individuals whose lives were shaped within these walls during times of segregation, civil rights struggles, and cultural renaissance.”
The campaign will focus on four distinct periods of the historic landmark’s existence:
From Freedman’s Town to Cultural Landmark
In 1928, Dallas’ African Ametican citizens were challenged to raise $50,000 for the construction of the Moorland YMCA, which was met and exceeded with the support of the local community and a $25,000 donation by the Julius Rosenwald Fund.
Created by Julius Rosenwald, President of the Sears Roebuck & Company, in 1917, the fund has been cited to be instrumental in the construction of 5,000 public educational facilities for African Americans that became known as the “Rosenwald Schools”.
The cornerstone for the Moorland YMCA building was laid on April 6, 1930, and at the time was
Julia Scott Reed with Dallas Morning News observed that “between these walls momentous decisions have been made. Historical meetings have been had which have resulted in better understanding between the races.”
Civil Rights Legacy
During the civil rights movement, the Moorland YMCA served as a crucial meeting place for activists. The NAACP held public meetings there in the 1950s, and the Dallas Committee for Full Citizenship formed at the location in 1963, practicing nonviolent methods to advocate for desegregation of Dallas schools and the greater community.
The Dallas Council of Human Relations, formed by a group of citizens in early 1944 “wishing to study and promote a better understanding of the racial problems in the community,” also held its meetings at the building.
A New Chapter: DBDT
the only YMCA for African Americans in the Southwest. During a time of strict Jim Crow segregation, the facility provided a safe haven where African Americans could gather, socialize, and engage in recreational activities. By 1947 more than 600,000 African Americans used the facility annually (Dallas Morning News, January 16, 1999).
The building also served as one of only two “Green Book” listed establishments still standing in Dallas, providing safe lodging for African American visitors including luminaries such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Justice Thurgood Marshall, Muhammad Ali, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles, and Sugar Ray Robinson.
In a 1967 article on the building,
In 1999, Dallas Black Dance Theatre raised $10.3 million to purchase and renovate the historic Moorland YMCA building. This initiative was led by three key figures: Founder Ann M. Williams— who had a personal history with the building, attending community events and teaching swimming classes there during its YMCA days—Executive Director Zenetta S. Drew, and Board Chair Dr. Marvin Robinson. Today, the former Moorland YMCA serves as DBDT’s permanent home, featuring three rehearsal studios, training classrooms, administrative offices, and community spaces.
The building’s historical significance was recognized with a State of Texas Historical Marker in 2013, and in 2014, the section of Flora Street in front of the building was renamed Ann Williams Way in honor of DBDT’s founder and her contributions to Dallas’s arts community.
Business
Target Continues to Pay the Price for Breaking Promise to Black America
By Stacy M. Brown BlackPressUSA.com Senior National Correspondent
Target is losing more than its commitment to equity, it’s losing customers. For the eighth consecutive week, shoppers have turned away from the retail giant following its decision to dismantle its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) program in January.
New data from Placer.ai shows store visits during the week of March 17 fell by 5.7% compared to the same time last year. That follows a 7.1% decline the week before, bringing the average drop over the past two months to 6.2%.
The fallout has been swift and steady. Target’s quiet retreat from DEI—after years of vocal support for racial and social justice and a multi-billion-dollar pledge—triggered an immediate backlash. Faith leaders, civil rights organizations, and everyday consumers responded with public pressure and calls to action.
Leading the charge is the Rev. Jamal Bryant, whose “Target Fast” boycott encouraged shoppers to avoid the chain throughout Lent.
The effort surpassed its original goal of 100,000 participants, with more than 150,000 people now participating.
The boycott is scheduled to end on Easter Sunday. The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), representing the Black Press of America, launched a National Public Education and Selective Buying Campaign to help guide African Americans in wielding their $2 trillion in annual spending power.
The NAACP issued a national consumer advisory, warning that Target’s rollback is part of a broader, intentional retreat from DEI by major corporations.
“We encourage you to spend your money where you’re respected, support Black-owned businesses, and demand businesses prioritize people over profit,” NAACP officials said.
“Above all, we must continue to advocate for policies that ensure people of color, women, veterans, those with a disability, and all protected groups
have equal access to opportunities across the country.”
Following George Floyd’s murder in 2020, Target Corp. was among a list of companies making specific diversity pledges. Target vowed to spend $2 billion with Black-owned businesses by 2025, increase its Black workforce by 20%, and establish a Racial Equity Action and Change (REACH) committee to advance racial equity within the company and beyond. It has reneged on those promises, making Target a focal point of protests.
While Target remains silent on its declining traffic, the contrast with its competitors is glaring. Costco, which maintained its DEI commitments despite political attacks, saw a 5.2% year-over-year increase in foot traffic during the same week—its 13th straight week of growth.
Walmart and McDonald’s—both of which had seen multi-week declines like Target—also saw their numbers shift slightly for the week of March 17.
Walmart posted a modest 0.3% increase in foot traffic, while McDonald’s reported a 2% increase. But unlike Target, neither had matched its aggressive stance on racial justice—or its equally visible retreat.
Over the last eight weeks, Walmart’s average weekly foot traffic has been down 1.6%, and McDonald’s has seen a 3.6% average drop. Target’s 6.2% average decline puts it at the center of growing consumer frustration—and organized resistance.
“It’s been eight weeks, and the numbers don’t lie,” Deja Monet wrote for NewsBreak. “Target faces foot traffic decline for the eighth week after cutting off DEI programs, and the backlash shows no signs of slowing. With a massive boycott underway, declining sales, and silence from the brand’s top brass, Target is walking a tightrope between corporate appeasement and consumer fallout.”
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‘The healing process can actually begin’: At last, marker for 1930 Sherman race riot to go up
Rioters burned down a previously prosperous district of Black-owned businesses in the town.
By
In May of 1930, the North Texas city of Sherman changed forever. During the trial of George Hughes, a 41-year-old Black farm worker accused of raping his white employer’s wife, a mob barged into the Grayson County courthouse and stopped the proceedings.
“And they set re to the courthouse, and they dragged the Black man over to the Black business area,” said the late Njoki McElroy, a Sherman native, playwright and professor who spoke to the Texas Standard in 2021.
After Hughes was taken by the mob from the courthouse, he was lynched. Then they set his body on re. Then they burned down the Black business district.
“It was like everything had just been taken from us. So the terror was palpable,” McElroy said.
The story was largely forgotten with time. But in recent years, a group of citizens has pushed to get a historical marker at the county courthouse to remember the events of 1930.
That is going to happen at last on Saturday, March 29, in a Day of Healing in Sherman.
The historical marker will be installed at the Grayson County Courthouse at 10:00 a.m. And at 2:00 p.m. at Austin College (1201 E. Brockett Street), there will be an interactive reading of Njoki McElroy’s play called “The Ninth Day of May,” which is about Sherman’s Black community and the lynching.
McElroy’s daughter, Marian McElroy, spoke to Texas Standard about the signi cance of the marker going up. Listen to the interview above or read the transcript.
This transcript has been edited lightly for clarity:
Texas Standard: So how does it feel to know that this is going to happen, that this marker is going to go up and your mother’s work is going to be staged?
Marian McElroy: Well, it was a very emotional moment for me actually when I heard that the marker was
going to actually be installed. It’s as if I am healing for my great grandparents.
It’s been a long time in the making – 95 years. And I think that the healing process can actually begin because, as someone recently told me, you can’t heal what you don’t acknowledge.
Well, the play that she wrote entitled “Ninth Day of May,” as I said, it’s going to be read as part of this Day of Healing ceremony. What can you tell us about it?
My mother, it’s based on her memoir. Her memoir is entitled “1012 Natchez.” And that was actually the address where her grandparents lived. It was their home. And in the memoir, she talks extensively about Sherman and her life there as a child.
She was particularly interested in describing the successful Blacks who lived in Sherman, the thriving businesses. There were four medical doctors, dentists, a pharmacist, tailors, a movie house, and it’s something that unfortunately a lot of people, even in Texas, don’t realize that there was such a thriving Black community.
And that’s why my mother wanted to tell that story, because it’s often ignored. And she felt that people needed to know about it. And so that was one of the reasons why she wrote the book. And then later, just a few months before she passed away, she completed the play.
You know, the reason we’re talking right now – the reason that any of this occurred – is because there was a terrible thing that happened in Sherman, Texas, in 1930. But it seems to me that an emphasis of your mothers in telling this story was to bring forth the sense of joy and prosperity and good feeling that also existed in that community.
We should remember that things were good. Is that a reasonable assessment?
Oh, absolutely. She was concerned that when people thought about Sherman, all they knew was the lynching of a Black man and the destruction of the courthouse and the Black community.
So it was all very traumatizing –so traumatizing that she said that her grandparents never talked about the
lynching. It was too painful.
And so she didn’t want the joy and the success of that community to be buried with that riot. And being an author and being from Sherman, because she was born there, she felt that she was the messenger and she wanted to do that for my brothers and I – but then for Sherman, Texas, the country and the world.
And she felt it was a story that needed to be told. And I’m just immensely grateful for her taking the time to do that.
I wonder, Marian, you were born many years after this event occurred, but what effect do you think the events of May 9, 1930, have had on your life?
First of all, I think that I have to heal from it. That generations – from my great-grandparents, going to my grandparents, then my mother, and then to my siblings and me – we all have to heal. And the only way to really heal from this is to talk about it.
And I think sometimes people, in situations like this, feel that it’s too awful to talk about and in doing so, they bury those feelings. And it was important for my mother to write the book, because she wanted us to heal. Because even though we weren’t
there and born many years after that, we were still affected generation after generation because that is part of our family story.
And so I think that’s one of the reasons why it was very important for me to continue my mother’s work –not only for the community, but also for me personally. Because I realized,
by doing this work here in Sherman, that I had not completely healed. And so going through this process, I think will help me on that journey. If you found the reporting above valuable, please consider making a donation to support it here. Your gift helps pay for everything you nd on texasstandard.org and KUT.org.
Roy Wilkinson Aldrich Papers, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin George Hughes, left, before he was lynched by a white mob.
