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The STATE FAIR OF TEXAS will receive sealed bids for re-roofing of the Administration Building. Qualified contractors only. Plans are available by contacting Ned at 214-421-8707. A mandatory pre bid meeting will be received no later than 10 a.m. on May 17, 2022.
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THURSDAY MAY 5, 2022
WNBA’s Brittney Griner declared “wrongfully detained” in Russia
My Truth By Cheryl Smith Publisher
By Dorothy J. Gentry Sports Editor
Thanks, Bob Ray! I will begin by saying I absolutely adore Peaches. She has always been sweet and loving to me and I appreciate her so very much. I also remember that when at an event I complimented her on her beautiful purse and she took it off her shoulder and gifted it to me.
Bob Ray Sanders
That’s who Peaches is and she’s married to an equally special person, veteran journalist and statesman Bob Ray Sanders. When we met almost 35 years ago, I was immediately impressed. He could have stopped in his tracks and never done anything else and he would have been good; with his legacy intact. See MY TRUTH, page 2
Three days before the start of the 26th WNBA season, significant updates have arrived concerning Phoenix Mercury star Brittney Griner. The 31-year-old, nineyear WNBA veteran has been detained over two months in Russia reportedly over drug charges. On Tuesday it was reported that the U.S. government now considers Griner to be “wrongfully detained by the Russian government” per a source to ESPN’s T.J. Quinn. The new designation of her status could mean a different strategy in negotiating and securing her release. Griner’s agent, Lindsay Kagawa Colas, in a statement to ESPN this morning, said: “Brittney has been detained for 75 days and our expectation is that the White House do whatever is necessary to bring her home.” Griner now being designated as wrongfully detained means that the U.S. government won’t wait on the Russian legal system and will seek to negotiate Griner’s return. A source close to Griner also confirmed that
Brittney Griner
League will honor star during the season Bill Richardson, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, has agreed to work on her case, per Quinn. Richardson has worked privately for years as an international hostage negotiator, Griner, a Houston native who played collegiately at Baylor University in Waco, has been detained in Russia since mid-Feb-
ruary after customs officials said they found hashish oil in her luggage at an airport near Moscow. At that time, Russian Federal Customs Service alleged it searched luggage believed to belong to Griner and found vape cartridges that contained oil derived from cannabis -- a crime that carries a
maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Griner was not mentioned by name at that point, but the customs service identified the detained person as a player for the U.S. women’s team but did not specify the date of her arrest. The customs service released video of an individual that appears to be the 6-foot-9 Griner going through airport security. Griner competes as part of Team USA Women’s Basketball and won gold medals in the 2016 and 2021 Olympics. Like most WNBA players, she plays basketball overseas in the offseason, most recently Russia.
Donald “Don” Payton – our Dallas African griot. Look it up. I Was Just Thinking... By Norma Adams-Wade Just finished a delightful twohour conversation with the “unofficial historian of Black Dallas.” For you who are not in the Dallas know, that would be the inimitable, the matchless Donald “Don” Payton. He is president of the African American Genealogical Interest Group, an affiliate of the Dallas Genealogical Society, and a former Dallas County Historical Commissioner.
WNBA Honors Griner The WNBA on Tuesday also released plans to ”acknowledge the importance” of Griner to the league as its 26th season tips off Friday. During the 2022 season Griner’s initials and jersey number (#42) will be featured along the sideline of all 12 WNBA courts. “As we begin the 2022 season, we are keeping Brittney at the forefront of what we do through See DETAINED, page 9
Donald “Don” Payton, genealogist and historian of Black Dallas. Credit: Dallas Historical Society
You can call this a tribute to Payton. He is a repository of oral history that he carries around in his head. He is, in fact, our African griot. Look it up. Oral history comes alive through him. Listen: “History repeats itself because during the first time we’re
Superb Women Our Superb Women! By Cheryl Smith Texas Metro News
2021 was the "Year of the Woman," especially the Black Woman! For 10 months we dedicated this space to uplifting Black women and spreading a message Cheryl Smith that we need to show love and empower people with love instead Women and call them SUPERB! of destroying them with hate and AND WE ARE KEEPING THE CELEdisrespect. We celebrate Black BRATION GOING IN 2022!
BELINDA GRIFFIN Belinda Griffin has “A Mind for Business, A Heart for Service.”
She has served as president of The Links, Inc., Dallas Chapter; board treasurer for the North Central Texas Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association; and board member of The Family Place. She has been Director of Finance and Administration for the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum, a consultant with Griffin Marks Advisors LLC, Vice President and Managing Executive at a Northern Trust Bank, and Vice President for JP Morgan Chase (formerly Texas Commerce Bank). After graduating from Adrian C. Wilcox High School, Belinda received a BS degree in Biology and Chemistry from Texas Southern University, where she was Senior Class President. She also took continuing education courses in accounting at Houston Community College. A Diamond Life member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., Belinda is a servant leader who leads with grace.
DEBRA NIXON BOWLES Debra Nixon Bowles is one of the best advocates that any community can have. She uses her voice and resources to help make this world a better place.
Debra Nixon Bowles is the Founder and President of A Woman Called Moses Coalition and Outreach. She hails from Houston, TX but for decades she has been uplifting, inspiring and supportive of families in the D/ FW area. Through her nonprofit organization, she helps battered women and their children. Her passion for this cause is driven by her own personal experiences with domestic abuse in her childhood and as an adult. As a business leader, mother, and survivor, Debra understands the spoken and unspoken needs, experiences, and aspirations of many women who find themselves stressed and navigating the unpredictable violent behaviors of their partners. Debra gives hope to those in despair and she works tirelessly to secure resources and call attention to the ills of domestic abuse.
EFFIE BOOKER-DENNISON Effie Booker-Dennison is a committed leader, servant and example of the epitome of womanhood; who leads with grace and love.
Effie Booker-Dennison is the Executive Vice President and Director of Community Development at Texas Capital Bank where she was also Senior Vice President Community Development and Corporate Responsibility. She has also served as Senior Vice President at VRM Mortgage Services; Senior Director - REO Operations at CoreLogic; North Texas Region Director for Fannie Mae and Senior Vice President at Wells Fargo. A member of The LINKS Inc., she is a past recipient of the Texas Women’s Foundation Maura Award; Southern Methodist University Women’s Symposium Profiles in Leadership Award; and Texas Executive Women, Women on The Move Award. She currently serves on the boards of Texas Women’s Foundation, Parkland Foundation and VNA/Meals on Wheels. She is a member of the Executive Women of Dallas, Genesis Women’s Shelter Domestic Violence Alliance Board, The Dallas Summit and The Charter 100. BERNARDETTE LOGAN HARVEY BerNardette Logan Harvey understands the importance of land ownership and she shares her passion as she helps families obtain generational wealth through homeownership BerNardette Harvey has over 20 years experience in housing, ranging from apartment leasing and property management to real estate broker, which includes residential and commercial sales. She’s held the title of “Top Realtor of the Year” with her
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past Real Estate Company, prior to forming BMarie Realty. She has also previously worked as a 911 operator and as a flight attendant at Southwest Airlines and American Eagle Air. A graduate of Bishop Lynch High School/Booker T. Washington High School, she graduated from Tyler Junior College and studied at Texas Woman’s University. ANDREA HOWARD Andrea Howard is highly skilled and focused. She has amassed an impressive portfolio with impeccable credentials.
Andrea Howard is a Senior Physician Liaison at Baylor Medical Center at McKinney (Baylor Scott & White Health). She has also worked at Novartis, Depomed, Eisai, Eli Lilly and Mars Promotional Services. She is graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a B.S. Advertising and Southern Methodist University - Cox School of Business with an MBA in Marketing. Andrea is often described as dedicated, independent, intelligent, and invaluable. A graduate of David W. Carter High School, she is also described as a consummate professional who is widely respected. DR. SHARON MIDDLEBROOKS Dr. Sharon Middlebrooks is a born leader who loves being of service.
She’s a consummate professional and focuses on taking care of business. Currently the president of the Dallas Branch of the NAACP, Dr. Sharon Middlebrooks was awarded the Doctor of Divinity for outstanding contributions to the community and world, from Grace International Seminary for Women. She’s also 1st Vice President of the Dallas Association of Realists (DAR), focused on democracy in housing. The broker/owner of Middlebrooks Realty LLC and Concept Development Corporation, she has worked as a realtor for KY II Realtors. She has also served as president of Women’s Council of Dallas Association of Realtors (DAREB) and Women’s Council of National Association Real Estate Brokers, Inc. (NAREB). Dr. Sharon is a joy to be around because she is genuine and sisterly. RAVEN GRAVES People describe Raven Graves as “brilliant” and she is focused on being the best educator by focusing on developing her students.
When you find a teacher like Raven Graves, who is passionate about and genuinely interested in educating students, you should celebrate and applaud her because she cares. She received her Bachelors Degree in Mathematics from North Carolina A&T State University where
See DONALD "DON" PAYTON, page 5
April 2022 she was involved in several on campus organizations. She was an assistant teacher instructor in Greensboro, NC and she is committed to her students and her responsibility to “spread knowledge for the betterment” of the community. Raven is pursuing a Masters Degree in Cyber Security at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. Interested in children, education, health, human rights and social services, Raven has been a mathematics tutor. Raven said she takes to heart the African proverb “Each One, Teach One,” and says it is her responsibly to teach as many children/ students as she can. JAILYNN THORNTON SMILEY Jailynn Thornton Smiley cares. That says it all. She is compassionate, loving, supportive and genuine. Always a lady, what wonderful attributes!
Jailyn Thornton Smiley is the director of Community Engagement at CK Family Services. A former Family Recruitment Director, she has also worked for Covenant Kids. Jailynn is committed to our children. A wife and mother, many may remember Jailynn from her days on Soul 73 KKDA-AM. She’s a Dallas native who attended W.A. Blair Elementary School, Maynard Holbrook Jackson Vanguard School, Oliver Wendell Holmes Honor Academy, and graduated from The Skyline High School! She then went on to the University of North Texas where she was initiated into the Amazing Zeta Eta Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. See SUPERB WOMEN page 8