Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/GarlandJournal Follow us on Twitter @GarlandJournal Your Ad belongs here, contact: 214-941-0110
GarlandJournal
WWW.GARLANDJOURNAL.COM
MY TRUTH
By Cheryl Smith Publisher
Am I jaded? News of yet another shooting made me take a deep breath recently. Well, actually every day I take a deep breath because I am hearing about abuses or murders by a “few bad apples.”
Money Mitch 223
There are so many law enforcement officers that I have much admiration, respect and love for and there are those who I would love to have forced into early retirement, or even imprisonment. That’s just not the way it should be. Law enforcement is expected to protect and serve; however, there are some people who just don’t deserve to wear a badge or carry a gun. And that’s the real deal! There’s a young man I began following lately, Money Mitch 223. I tuned in for personal reasons and then too, I saw something in him and his music. I felt that with guidance and mentorship he had a bright future, so I was anxious to see his growth and development. Imagine my surprise when I received word that Money Mitch 223 was yet another casualty. Early reports said he was in a shoot out with local sheriff deputies and ended up dying from self-inflicted wounds. Even though Money Mitch 223 was a product of his environment and violence was rampant in the southern Florida area where he had spent his entire life; the suicide theory didn’t ring true at all. Talking to the media, Deputy Chief Frank DeMario of the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office said, “Our tactical unit was surveilling a suspect for murder. They also have probable cause on him for drugs.” It has been further reported that Money Mitch jumped out of an Uber and started shooting at two police deputies. They pursued him and “We followed him up to a building and on the second floor, we noticed some blood droppings on the first floor. We thought he was wounded.” Fast forward and the story changes. The deputies did “not” see any blood. The deputies happened upon Money Mitch 223 and he was deceased. Forgive my cynicism. Let’s see bodycams. Were there any surveillance videos? Which brings me to my truth. For decades there have been cries about the need to have better oversight. Were it not for the steady hand of Darnella Frazier, holding the cell phone as George Floyd took his last breath, or the surveillance camera that caught several officers beating and kicking a handcuffed unresisting man, a “few bad apples” would not be held accountable. I’m watching closely to see what comes of the murder of Money Mitch 223. Why did the Sheriff change his story? Was it murder or suicide? What are the autopsy results? Sure there’s more to the story of Money Mitch 223, as is the case with everyone. Still, everyone also deserves justice.
SERVING NORTH EAST TEXAS
THURSDAY AUGUST 19, 2021 VOLUME X
Haiti: 7.2 Magnitude Earthquake Hits By Nsenga K. Burton Ph.D.
1,297+ Dead
NNPA Newswire
A major 7.2 magnitude earthquake has struck the western side of the Caribbean nation of Haiti. Haiti is still recovering from a 2010 catastrophic earthquake which killed 250,000 and left more than 3 million people impacted by the fallout. Seismologists said the epicenter of the quake was 78 miles west of the
capital of Port-au-Prince (Saint-Louis du Sud) and the effects were felt as far away as 200 miles in Jamaica. Multiple news outlets are reporting more than 1200 people are dead and some like the BBC are expecting that number to climb as search and recov-
ery efforts continue. A little more than one month ago, Haiti’s President Jovenel Moise was assassinated at his home, leaving the country reeling. On July 20, 2021, Ariel Henry was appointed prime minister of Haiti. Henry said there is “extensive damage” and has declared a state of emergency through the end of the month. Elections for the new president will be held next month.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott tests positive for COVID-19 By Robert T. Garrett Dallas Morning News
This story, originally published in The Dallas Morning News, is reprinted as part of a collaborative partnership between The Dallas Morning News and Garland Journal. The partnership seeks to boost coverage of Dallas’ communities of color, particularly in southern Dallas.
AUSTIN — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who has resisted mask mandates, has tested positive for COVID-19, his office announced Tuesday. “I test myself every day and today is the first day See COVID-19 page 8
Gov. Greg Abbott
Rey elected President of Phi Beta Sigma Former Spring Lake North Carolina Mayor Chris V. Rey, J.D., a native of St Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, was elected the 36th International President of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. at the 2021 International Conclave in Myrtle Chris V. Rey Beach, South Carolina. Rey became a member of Phi Beta Sigma on the campus of East Carolina University in October 1996. He becomes the first member in the organization’s 107-year history to rise to the rank of International President after serving as International First Vice President and International Second Vice President, the highest collegiate leadership position in the fraternity. He has served at every level of the fraternity; most recently, as International First Vice President. Under his leadership, the fraternity broke membership growth records. As International Director of Social Action, he was credited for the creation of the International Sigma Day of Service; as International Technology Director, he developed the first framework for the fraternity’s membership database and technology infrastructure. At the age of 27, Bro. Rey was elected one of the youngest regional directors in history, serving as the 16th Southeastern Regional Director, providing oversight of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Eastern Tennessee membership.
Credit: Brandon Wade / Special Contributor
See REY page 6
Police Officer at Capitol Hearing says, ‘A Hitman’ sent the Rioters By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire
The words rolled off U.S. Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn’s tongue so easily, yet it still proved as stunning an indictment as any ever leveled at former President Donald Trump. “There was an attack on Jan. 6, and a hitman sent them. I want you to get to the bottom of that,” Dunn said as the gallery gasped, and he and other officers wiped away tears. The emotional testimony came during the U.S. House of Representatives’ Jan. 6 commission’s inquiry into the capitol riots. The committee, formed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to investigate the attack on the U.S. Capitol, began hearings on Tuesday, July 27. Dunn and three other officers highlighted the hearings by de-
Officer Harry Dunn
scribing how they struggled to defend the Capitol and members of Congress. With new video footage of the riot played during the hearing, the officers detailed how they were beaten and tased as Trump supporters stormed the building. “At no point that day did I ever think about the politics of that crowd; even the things that were being said did not resonate in the
midst of that chaos,” D.C. Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone told the congressional panel. “But what did resonate was the fact that thousands of Americans were attacking police officers who were simply doing their job,” Fanone asserted. He added his firm belief that government officials incited the riot.
“In retrospect now, thinking about those events, the things that were said, it’s disgraceful members of our government, I believe were responsible for inciting that behavior and then continue to propagate those statements, things like this was the 1776, or that police officers who fought, risked their lives in some who gave theirs wore red coats,” Fanone said. “To me, those individuals are representative of the worst that America has to offer.” Daniel Hodges, another D.C. police officer, used the law to explain why he refers to the rioters as terrorists. “U.S. Code title 18-part 1 chapter 1.1.3, B as in brown, section 2.3.3.1,” Hodges explained. “The term domestic terrorism means activities that involve acts dangerous to human life that are See POLICE OFFICER page 2
Dallas thinkers assess Critical Race Theory (CRT) I Was Just Thinking By Norma Adams-Wade Allow me to weigh in on the incendiary debate about Critical Race Theory, also known as CRT. Yes, I know. I stand to lose a lot of friends. But here goes. CRT is not easily explained or understood. The confusion is a big part of the problem. The debate’s pro and con sides have drawn a line in the sand and are wearing earplugs to drown out each other. So, what is CRT? A dry-bone definition could be that the theory critically examines existing laws and governmental and corporate policies to see how those subjective concepts exclude and/or negatively
impact individuals based mainly on their race -- and more recently also their gender, economic status and sexual orientation. More and more parents and leaders are resisting including these explorations into educational systems, preferring to stick with traditional textbooks that CRT proponents say are more myth that reality and presented from an Anglo and privileged view. Opponents say teaching CRT in schools could make Anglo students feel that they are being blamed for what some might call the sins of their fathers, their ancestors – many presumably who owned enslaved Africans[cq and African descendants, as long ago as the 17th and 18th Centuries. Seeking to lower the heat, some analysts attempt clarifications including these: 1. Harvard Law scholar Derrick Bell, one of the theory’s prime creators, meant to offer it only
Derrick Bell, the late Harvard law professor and a prime CRT founder
in college law classes; those that would examine deliberate or unwitting racial overtones in the nation’s laws; such as the Dred Scott case, redlining by banks, and voter suppression following Reconstruction. 2. Contrary to many beliefs, CRT is not taught in grade schools or high schools. 3. The argument that institutional racism was eliminated with the 1960s civil rights law, does not
One of the early covers of book “Little Black Sambo”
negate the charge that residue of that racism still hampers underprivileged communities where largely people of color live. 4. CRT exploration is justified considering that within the last decade, African-Americans and Hispanics were about 30 percent See THINKING, page 2
2
GarlandJournal
THURSDAY AUGUST 19, 2021
WWW.GARLANDJOURNAL.COM
Virtual and liVe Community Calendar
Back to School Month Authors/Poets Month Immunization Awareness Month
Dallas Alumnae Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc, Invites you to Denim & Diamonds Virtual Opening. Reg: dallasalumnae.org/ opening-party2021-denim. 10 am-12 pm.
AUGUST 19
All White Day Networking Boat Party at Safe Harbor Pier 121, 1481 E. Hill Park Rd. Lewisville, 2-5 pm. Tickets: https:// bit.ly/3AvUnPL.
The Connection with Debra BrownSturns. On Facebook.com/TexasMetroNews & BlogTalkRadio.com. 7-8 pm. Join in at 646-200-0459.
All Black Beauty And Barber Affair at The Whiskey Spot, 1305 Wycliff Ave. #140. 8:30 pm-1 am. Tickets: https://bit.ly/3jKofky
Ties Off & Drinks Up: The Fellas Fellowship, by Black Millennial’s of Dallas at Catbird, 1401 Elm St. Reg: bit.ly/3fPChAy Commissioner John Wiley Price Conducts a Special Town Hall Meeting at South Dallas Government Center, 8301 S. Polk St. 6-7 pm. August Thirsty Third Thursdays at Mrs. J’s Heav’nly Delights, 612 W. State St. Garland. 4-8 pm. Reg: https://bit.ly/3xCqfAc Fort Worth Summer Open Houses. 6-8 p.m., Doxology Church, 4805 Arborlawn Drive. Info: fortworthtexas.gov /2022OpenHouses. SHANGO DRUM CIRCLE/Fire Burning Ceremony, Vibe Village, 2324 Ann Arbor Ave Dallas. 6-11:45 pm. Info: (214) 715-1287. CANDYMAN (1992) at Texas Theatre, 231 W. Jefferson Blvd.8 pm. Tickets: https://bit. ly/3jV2tuB Zan Wesley Holmes Outreach Center, Community Land Trust Lunch and Learn at Frazier House, 4600 Spring Ave. 12-1 pm. Reg: www.zwhjcoc.org/classes.
ELITE: White and Gold Affair, Star Banquet and Event Center, LLC, 2722 West Irving Blvd. Irving. 11 pm-5 am. Tickets: https://bit.ly/3iyTAY3.
From Marva with Love, with Marva Sneed. 11 am -1 pm. CST, Facebook Live/@ TexasMetroNews, and BlogTalkRadio.com. Join the conversation at 646-200-0459.
The ChangHer Connections Monthly Business Networking Mixer. 807 Washington Dr. #A2 Arlington. 7-10 pm. Phenomenal Women’s Ministry Happy Hour at Antioch Christian Church 2043 W. Walnut Hill Ln. Irving, 7-8:30 pm. Reg: https://bit.ly/2VGM6tk. All DAQ Jazz: The Perfect Date Night, Daq’s Luxury Daiquiri Lounge, 8700 Preston Rd. Plano. 7-10 pm. CDT. A Midsummer Night’s Dream 2021 “An Evening of Enchantment” at Toyota Stadium, 9200 World Cup Way, #202, Frisco. 8 pm-1 am.
AUGUST 27
UNT Dallas Veterans Presents Purple Heart Reveal, Purple Heart parking spaces. 9-10 am. At University of North Texas at Dallas, 7300 University Hills Blvd. Info: Eventbrite.com.
Black Trust Fund, Percy Ray, & Casey Thomas II presents Jazz Jet Set, at Dallas Executive Airport, 5303 Challenger Dr. 8 pm12 am. Tickets: www.jetsetevents.live. Campaign Kick-Off & Fundraiser for City Councilwoman Shaunte L. Allen, Glen Heights at 2400 S. Hampton Rd. 5-7 pm Grand Opening of Bishop Auto Shop, 3701 S. Lancaster Rd. Dallas. 9 am1 pm. 214-434-0252. Meet & Greet & more.
Brunch and business 2nd Annual Sunday Funday at 4735 E. Lancaster Ave. Fort Worth. 12-5 pm. Tickets: bit.ly/3CAdeuK.
of scholar Derrick Bell, one of CRT’s prime founders. “If you can’t get to the root, you can’t get to the tree at all,” Hall concludes. Educator, minister and historian Dr. LaTrese Adkins agreed that news media rolls out regular CRT updates to a general public that still understands little about the issue. CRT was formulated for and by academicians who have their own lexicon and culture, said Dr. Adkins who is a Black Republican. She said humanities academicians like herself explore social theories by writing exploratory theses back and forth with each other, not bound by restrictions of pure scientists such as chemists who must base their studies on quantitative data. CRT’s bust onto the public arena was premature before academicians had decided where and how to use the theory, she said. “All of a sudden it became mainstream … got handed over to the educational system and municipalities…and that was not what it was for at this time. It was an inappropriate appropriation of something that was never meant to do what they are trying to make it do,” Dr. Adkins said. “That’s going to be full of problems.” Educator Edison said more twisted opinions about CRT assert that Anglo students will be made uncomfortable or forced to feel guilty about their ancestors, particularly those in the South where slavery thrived. He said he clearly remembers no one seeming to care about his feelings as a young student when literature considered racist was discussed in his classes, including the controversial 1899 children’s book “Little Black Sambo,” later illustrated by various
I Was Just Thinking with Norma Adams-Wade. 11 am -1 pm. CST On Facebook Live/@TexasMetroNews and BlogTalkRadio. com. Call in and join the conversation at 646-200-0459.
Black Bazaar presents Words Spoken, Downtown Arlington, The Cultural District 306 W. Main St. at 2-6 pm. Info: http:// www.blackbazaarsb.com/ B.O.M.B. (Black Owned Music & Business) Festival, at Tha Spot Health and Wellness, 4420 Elm St. Dallas. 5-9 pm. Tickets: https://bit.ly/3ApikIq DFW Small Business Expo at Music City Mall Lewisville, 2401 S. Stemmons Fwy. Info: bit.ly/3g5iM6T. 11 am-6 pm. Tiff’s Treats in Casa Linda Grand Opening Event, 9540 Garland Rd, Dallas. Fundraiser Tickets : https://bit. ly/3sgXVCE. 10 am-12 pm.
Ask Dr. Amerson with Dr. Linda Amerson.12 pm. CST @DFWiRadio.com, and Live on Facebook @DrLindaAmerson.
Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce Empowering Black-owned Businesses. Zoom Meeting Login: 940 8240 8906 Submit questions to tirsza.brooks@chase.com 5:30-7 pm.
AUGUST 29 The World According to Drew, with Andrew Whigham, III on BlogTalkRadio.com 8-10 am. It’s thought-provoking, enlightening, informative, and entertaining news commentary. Join the call at 646-200-0459. Virtual Kickback: A Night of Music & Comedy. Facebook Live @Albany State University- National Alumni Association. 5-6:30 pm CDT. Unbreakable Summit 2021 Empowerment/Motivational Event, hosted by Lynne Haze at The Whiskey Spot, 1305 Wycliff Ave. # 140. 4-8 pm. Tickets: https://bit.ly/3iLBnqm.
AUGUST 26 The Connection with Debra Brown-Sturns. On Facebook. com/TexasMetroNews & BlogTalkRadio.com. 7-8 pm. 646200-0459. Leaders Like Us: Henry Louis Gates Jr. J.P. Miller’s book Major Taylor. Live on Facebook. com/AuburnAvenueResearchLibrary. 2 pm CDT
Malcolm X VS Martin Luther King: Online Presentation by Walk On The River. Tickets: bit.ly/3xHAq6Q. 7-8:30 pm CDT.
M. K. Asante Jr., poet, author, educator, filmmaker
AUGUST 25
Homework without a Home: How Schools Identify, Support, and Advocate for Homeless Students. 12-1:30 pm Reg: https:// bit.ly/HomeworkWithoutAHome
Come Pop With The Best End of Summer Pop Up Shop, 2043 Empire Central Dr. 4-7 pm. Reg: https://bit.ly/3CBFcX5
from page 1
August 28
The Art of Learning through Music with Mr. Dwayne Reed 6 pm. CDT. Online with Facebook Live on Crayola Education’s Facebook page .
The World According to Drew, host Andrew Whigham, III on BlogTalkRadio.com 8-10 am. It’s thought-provoking, enlightening, informative, and entertaining news commentary. Join the call at 646-200-0459.
From Marva with Love, with Marva Sneed. 11 am -1 pm. CST, Fridays on Facebook Live/@TexasMetroNews, and BlogTalkRadio.com. Join the conversation at 646-200-0459. Every Friday Night Don Diego and The Razz Band at Club Odyssey, 7439 Westmoreland Rd. Happy Hour at 6 pm.
AUGUST 24
“Dallas Love Field’s Lead with Love” Live. Feat: Veletta Forsythe Lill, Benjamin Espino, Viola Delgado. 2:30 pm CDT. On the Love Field’s, Facebook and YouTube page.
Thinking of the nation’s population but almost 60 percent of the prison population. 5. CRT makes it clear that the lofty wording in the nation’s founding documents (all men… have unalienable rights) do not pan out in real time; considering inequities that include segregation laws, the era of lynching, and tragedies such as the 1921 Black Wall Street massacre. Some Dallas local African-American thinkers also express thoughts about the CRT brawl. Robert Edison is a veteran Dallas educator and African-American history and culture authority. He said his profession of teaching students about the American experience obligates him to “tell the truth, the whole truth.” But history text books often make that goal difficult because all are written by humans with their own perspectives on past events. Edison cited the provocative, muchread and sometimes denounced book by National Merit Scholar, college professor and author James Loewen, “Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong.” Loewen critiqued a dozen history text book and debunked much of the books’ narratives as embellished, distorted, misleading, and being fixated on heroes. Liberals and conservatives take sides for and against the book. “If there is no truth in history, then there is no real history. All you are doing is teaching myths,” Edison said. Vincent Hall, a corporate and Dallas County manager and Black community advocate, suggests that CRT largely seeks to help underserved racial groups gain more power and equity from longstanding governmental and corporate systems and their exclusionary policies, while largely Anglo groups that are in power seek to maintain their upper hand. He said that many fierce clashes result from individuals and groups that know little about CRT’s origin in the mid-1970s and its growth spurt that began in 1989. Misinformed opponents spout fallacies, he said, proving that they know little or nothing about the motives of existence
Youth Empowerment Camp. For ages 10-14, at The Lighthouse, 5525 W. Illinois Ave. Fri. 5-8 pm & Sat. 9 am-4 pm. Contact: Leon Theodore 241-907-5483.
Recharge With Inspirational Speaker Jada Edwards. Online with Facebook Live. Reg: bit.ly/LWLRecharge2021 12-1 pm
Team Metro Cookout at the Hidden Door. At The Hidden Door, 5025 Bowser Ave. 2-5 pm. Greg Dollgener Memorial AIDS Fund Fundraiser.
AUGUST 21
District 7 Budget Town Hall Meeting, Councilman Adam Bazaldua In-Person; Fair Park Hall State. Reg: https://bit.ly/ D7Register. 6:30 pm.
THE DOC SHEP SPEAKS SHOW! From 11 am. CST on Facebook Live/@TexasMetroNews, @fnsconsulting, and You Tube @ docshepspeaks
AUGUST 22
Tom Braxton and Friends Jazz Series, feat: Blake Aaron at The Warehouse, 1125 E. Berry St. Ft. Worth. 7 pm and 10 pm Tickets: thewarehousedfw.com.
AUGUST 27-28
All White Day Networking Boat Party at Safe Harbor Pier 121, 1481 E. Hill Park Rd. Lewisville, 2-5 pm. Tickets: https:// bit.ly/3AvUnPL.
Collin County Alumnae Chapter - Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. 2021 CCAC Retreat, at Collin College, Preston Ridge, Conference Center, 9700 Wade Blvd. Frisco. Tickets: bitly.com/3hL1aOZ. 10am-2 pm.
AUGUST 20
AUGUST 23
Anita Hawkins’ Day at The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden, 8525 Garland Rd. 11am-5 pm. Reg: https://bit.ly/3z2pO3G.
BLACK LIVES MATTER
Addiction in the Family: How it Affects Care and Planning. Online Event Reg: https://bit.ly/2UiB1hy 10 am-11:30 am
Two Sets of Notes – by M. K. Asante Jr. They label me militant and Black national radical Trying to put my learning process on sabbatical … They even try to get me to see Their point of view from a brother that looks like me … I always take two sets of notes, One set to ace the test and One set I call the truth … Their history is built on highrise lies The pyramids were completed Before Greece or Rome were conceptualized … Black children…don’t let them fool you With selective memory… Always take two sets of notes.”
artists. A popular 1940s cover depicts a cartoon illustration of a Black child with stereotypical Black features of big lips, buck eyes and nappy hair. Perhaps the solution to all this is one that poet, author, filmmaker, educator M. K. Asante Jr. devised when in 2008 he wrote the poem “Two Sets of Note” in chapter 10 of his book “It’s Bigger than Hip Hop.” The then 26-year-old said the poem is for Black students who suspect that teachers, Anglo and Black, are force-feeding myths about history from text books with distorted and personalized perspectives. Rather than argue with the instructors, the young poet offers his solution in the attached sidebar that features brief excerpts from his poem: Norma Adams-Wade, is a proud Dallas native, University of Texas at Austin journalism graduate and retired Dallas Morning News senior staff writer. She is a founder of the National Association of Black Journalists and was its first southwest regional director. She became The News’ first Black full-time reporter in 1974. norma_ adams_wade@yahoo.com
Police Officer
from page 1
But what did resonate was the fact that thousands of Americans were attacking police officers who were simply doing their job,” D.C. Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone asserted.
a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any state and B, appeared to be intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population, or to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion or to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination or kidnapping and occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States.” Dunn, who is Black, told the panel that the rioters used racial slurs when they approached him. Dunn added that he’d encountered belligerent individuals before, but none like the Trump supporters who stormed the Capitol. “The only difference that I see … they had marching orders,” Dunn remarked. He noted that one of the scariest episodes during the riot – and today – are the suspects who believe they had a right to carry
out the attack. “When people feel emboldened by people in power, they assume they are right,” Dunn continued. “And that makes for a scary recipe for the future of this county. I think that’s why it is important that you all take this committee seriously and get to the bottom of why this happened and let’s make it never happen again.” While no additional hearings are scheduled, U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), the committee’s chair, reported that others could occur next month. “We now have a body of testimony that we will review. We are in the process of putting that together,” Rep. Thompson said. “I put some members on notice that they won’t enjoy the entire August recess, but we will give them time to work in their districts. Then, conceivably, we could come back before the end of August.”
WWW.GARLANDJOURNAL.COM
GarlandJournal
THURSDAY AUGUST 19, 2021
A continued fight for justice! By Arise Rejoice News Service A former member of the Maryland House of Delegates and a retired member of the United States Congress from New York are among those assiduously working to secure the Medal of Honor for Naval hero Dorie Miller who received the Navy Cross for his heroic acts at Pearl Harbor during the surprise Japanese attack, December 7, 1941. Clarence Davis, a veteran of the U. S. Navy and Joseph DioGuardi, the first CPA to win a congressional seat, believe that evidence contained in an eye witness battle report demonstrates conclusively that Miller’s deeds during the attack surpassed the valor of any other sailor aboard the ship, includ-
Former Maryland State Delegate Clarence Davis, right, and former Congressman Joseph DioGuardi are among those urging that Dorie Miller be awarded the Medal of Honor.
ing those who were awarded the Medal of Honor. “The ship’s battle report clearly demonstrates that Dorie Miller should have received the Medal of Honor,” said Davis, a leader in a Black military veterans organization, and a board
member of the Congressional Black Caucus Brain Trust. “It is crucial that Dorie Miller be recognized as one of our nation’s great heroes,” said former Congressman DioGuardi. “Like many African American members of the military he did not receive what he earned.” Both DioGuardi and Davis are members of a Congressional Dorie Miller Medal of Honor task force established a number of years ago by Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) who, like Dorie Miller, is a native of Waco, Texas. The effort to have Miller awarded the Medal of Honor began shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Black Press insisted that Miller should receive the nation’s highest honor.
JBJ Management featured in DART Salute
Willis Johnson-CEO, JBJ Management
Dallas citizens voted for a Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) system in 1983 and 13 years later the light rail system opened on time and on budget. Today, as the rail system celebrates its 25th anniversary, Tramways & Urban Transit, an international light rail magazine located in London, England says it is one of the largest light rail systems in North America. The magazine features DART as its cover story in its August 2021 edition. The monthly magazine, which was founded in 1938, is about light rail transportation and tramways throughout the world and has an international audience. The 18-page article includes, not only a history of DART in detail, but its partnership with JBJ Management, a management consulting firm headed by Willis Johnson. A partnership, according to Mr. Johnson, that has lasted over 17 years. The first contract JBJ Technology Division signed with DART prepared specifications for a new two-way radio system that provided voice, mobile data, AVL, and video transport for DART’s revenue and non-revenue vehicles. “This newly designed system incorporated state-of-the-art two-way radio technology utilizing digital techniques and a packet communications protocol that service DART’s bus, light rail, paratransit, police, maintenance, fare collection and other operations,” said Mr. Johnson. “The system services some 2,000 mobile users covering DART’s 12 member cities for the next 10 to 15 years.” At the time, DART’s transportation network included a fleet of more than 700 buses servicing about 130 routes over a 700
square-mile service area, a Light Rail system of approximately 45 miles, 31 freeway miles of HOV lanes, about 203 Paratransit vehicles for mobility-impaired customers, and 35 miles of diesel commuter Trinity Rail Express (TRE) jointly operated with the Fort Worth “T”™. In addition to this infrastructure, DART was in the process of adding an additional 45 miles of light rail development. JBJ Technology was also contracted with DART Paratransit to provide turnkey two-way radio services in support of Veolia for 5 years, and later MV Transit’s paratransit outsourcing contract for an additional 7 years. Specifically, JBJ provided design, installation, operations, and maintenance for this new radio system. The system services over 251 mobile users operating in DART’s 12 member cities from 2006 and lasting a minimum of 15 years. In 2016, DART was faced with new challenges that included managing a complex set of service and safety requirements, political fulfillments, and community awareness goals while serving varying demographics. JBJ was hired to utilize its marketing and public engagement Divisions to create a strategic plan to handle the wide range of ridership diversity and unique crisis management services as DART started two new projects, the D2, and the Silver Line. During a tense political climate, the regional cities surrounding Dallas disagreed on the potential effects of the new projects and threatened to end both projects. “A series of key meetings involving City Council members and community influencers and educational open houses for interested citizens were needed to advance the projects,” said Mr. Johnson. “We developed and implemented a strategic solution that offered more effective communications and clarification between the City of Dallas and DART properties.” The firm also offers additional consulting services in some under-served areas which has prompted DART to fund over $600,000 in reduced-fare bus passes. As DART celebrates its 25th anniversary, clearly an important milestone, you have to wonder what the future holds. This spring the 65th light rail station opened in Hidden Ridge, which is located between North Lake College and Irving Convention Center stations on the Orange line. “What that means to me is there will continue to be a new generation of light rail stations just waiting to open,” said Mr. Johnson.
Congressional efforts to upgrade Miller’s award to the Medal of Honor began in the 1940s when Michigan Congressman John D. Dingell introduced legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives, according to Ron Tarburton, one of the nation’s foremost Medal of Honor historians. “There is not a single doubt in my mind that Miller should have received the Medal of Honor,” Tarburton said. “His not receiving it was a grave historical wrong that must be corrected.” “To honor Dorie Miller by presenting him with the Medal of Honor would be further recognition of the historical role that Black military men and women have played in the promotion and guardianship of American Democracy,” Davis said.
3
Hailee Hall elected NAACP Region VI Representative The 112th NAACP National Convention, held virtually, took place last month and resulted in the election of Dallas NAACP Juanita Craft Youth Council secretary, Hailee Hall, to the position of Region VI National Youth Work Representative and Regional Secretary.
JUSTICE ? Hailee Hall
When former Dallas Police officer Amber Guyger was found guilty of murdering businessman Botham Jean in 2018 it was a no-brainer that an appeal would be filed, even though critics felt a 10-year sentence handed down by the jury was too light.
Convicted in 2019, Guyger had yet another day in court. Last week the Fifth Circuit Appeals Court upheld the conviction, although she argued for a conviction of criminally negligent homicide instead of murder. Guyger can have another opportunity should she decide to appeal to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.
CONGRATS to HALL OF FAMER
Drew Pearson
Photo Credit: Clarence Hill
Drew Pearson in Hall of Fame
Drew Pearson was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, OH, on August 8, as part of the NFL’s Hall of Fame Weekend. Pictured with other Hall greats, including teammate Roger Staubach, who delivered Pearson's enshrinement speech.
Hailee is a senior at the School of Science and Engineering at Yvonne Ewell Townview Center. Her new duties include: recommending to the Board of Directors policy, advocacy, and programmatic activities pertaining to the civil rights concerns of African American and other young people; providing oversight of the implementation of these programs and policies; recommending policies to increase the advocacy capacity of the Association’s youth units; and, consulting with the President and CEO to recommend annual work plans and resources to effectively implement youth program. “Initially, I was worried about what would be expected of me, especially since I am going into my senior year of high school.,” said Hailee. “Now, I’m excited for the opportunity to represent the young activists that we serve in Region VI.” With her election, there is a passing of the torch. Traelon Rogers, the former youth representative of Region VI, was the person who nominated her for the position. Hailee said she “was really shocked by the nomination simply because it was unexpected, but it was also eye opening because [Traelon] believed that I had the tenacity to be our region’s representative.” Traelon, who spoke of his former experience as the Region VI Youth Representative, said he wanted to get involved on a national level because he understood “what their impact was on policies and how things were carried out.” At the time of joining the National Youth Works Committee, Traelon said there were veterans on the committee that had a wealth of knowledge that was able to pick up on. Traelon is a former Juanita Craft Youth Council President and now serves on the Board of Directors of the NAACP and as Board Assistant Secretary. According to Traelon, his nomination pick of Hailee was based on her qualities of “leadership” including her “capacity to represent our city, state, and region well.” Linda Lydia, the Juanita Craft Youth Council Advisor said, “Hailee is an incredible young lady who possesses leadership skills and knowledge far beyond our expectations. Her sense of community and commitment to tasks in our council is noteworthy and we are so proud of her being elected to this national position. We feel certain she will go further with the NAACP.” Hailee is not a newcomer to holding prominent positions of activism in the community. She is also an NAACP Vote 4 Me Ambassador, as well as a Youth Leader at Friendship-West Baptist Church, where she and her father, Vincent Hall, are Bothe active members.
4
GarlandJournal
THURSDAY AUGUST 19, 2021
WWW.GARLANDJOURNAL.COM
BLACK WOMEN AND THE PAY GAP – WE DO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO!
The Last Word
By Dr. Julianne Malveaux It takes Black women until August 3, or 19 months, to earn what a white man earns in a year. Most years, Pay Equity Day happens in March (this year on March 24), when ALL women must work to make as much as white men. Ain’t I a woman, though. It takes me five months to catch up with white women. Too often, this fact is ignored, but this year, the National Council of Negro Women and others are reminding the nation that Black Women’s Pay Equity Day is as important as any other recognition of pay inequities. There is a level at which this is acutely personal to me. My mom, Proteone Marie Alexandria Malveaux, made her transition on June 17 and was funeralized on July 24. She was
a phenomenal woman, and she was, always, a worker. Although she had studied music and had an undergraduate and graduate degree in social work, she was also a teacher, professor, entrepreneur, and legal assistant. I’ve talked about all these things when I talk about my mother, but I rarely talk about the several years she spent as a postal clerk and what I learned from that. My parents had one of those “rocky road” divorces that involved intense disputes about money. We couldn’t live on what Mom earned as a teacher (remember, in the early 1960s, teachers, mostly women, had earnings considered “supplemental income,” especially if they were married). So she got a better paying job at the post office (as filmmaker Robert Townsend said, “there is always work at the post office”). Working at the post office stretched her (and me, as her eldest) in all kinds of ways. Her shift required her to leave the house before day in the morning, 4 or 5. I woke up to lock the door was “in charge” until all five of us got out of the door. I didn’t mind. I had quiet time in the house to myself, occasionally I
Proteone Marie Alexandria Malveaux
snooped through mom’s papers, and I might fry myself up some potatoes before the others got up for their cereal. Still, I can’t forget how hard mom struggled to pass the postal exam. Back before computers and scanners, postal clerks had to connect an address with a zip code. Many people didn’t put their zip code on their mail, but the clerks had to know it and pass a test to show it. We spent some evenings drilling Mom on addresses and zip codes, over and over again, until she passed with a score
high enough to earn a raise. When I was in my 20s and studying women and work, Proteone told me that she could say a few things about work. She shared about working as a maid with a family with a rather handsy patriarch and how she had to duck and dodge his advances, going so far as to fake passing out when he got too close. And she told me about working as a postal worker. Do you remember, she said? And I did. I remembered the early mornings of awakening, of the smell of her coffee tickling my nose. I remembered being told to “behave” as I locked the door. Years later, I asked her how she did it. “It was hard,” she said. “It would have been harder to see my children go without. “We never missed a meal or an educational opportunity. We might have missed some toys, but you can’t miss what you can’t measure. We had an exceptional childhood because my mom did her best to support us, running us all over the city on the bus because she didn’t drive, enrolling us in cultural activities, and (sometimes) supporting our political involvement. Dr. Dorothy Irene Height often said that “Black women don’t do what
we want to do; we do what we have to do.” I think of my Mama, a Mississippi-raised middle-class hat and glove-wearing diva working in the post office so that my siblings and I could eat, and I think of the many ways that Black Women’s Pay Equity Day is so meaningful. Too many Black have earned too little for working too hard and so much. Too many Black women have experienced not only unequal pay but also unequal and unreasonable working conditions. And we have been forced to work to facilitate other women’s ability to work. For example, 40 percent of the certified nurse’s assistants (CNAs) during covid were Black and Brown. Their work made life easier for others, but it was rarely recognized. Instead, it was insistently expected. We, Black women, do what we have to do to support our families and the nation. Maybe we can get some recognition for it. Dr. Julianne Malveaux is an economist, author, media contributor and educator. Her latest project MALVEAUX! On UDCTV is available on youtube.com. For booking, wholesale inquiries or for more info visit www.juliannemalveaux.com.
Hurry, Hurry!
Quit Playin’ By Vincent L. Hall
Photo Credit: Jesse Hornbuckle
The South Dallas Government Center (SDGC) has gone from the dream stage to reality. Dallas County posited its first new construction in Southern Dallas in 60 years at the southwest corners of Polk Street and Westmoreland. Daryl Martin, the visionary Court Administrator for Dallas County,
began the ceremony by introducing the professionals that made it possible. Groups like Sierra Capital, OMS Strategic Advisors, Satterfield and Pontikes, and KAI Designs. Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price was peacock proud and honeymoon happy. This project proved again that Black/Minority contractors could get the job done and meet every objective. The SDGC had 41% MWBE participation, 50% General Contractors, 90% Design Firm, and 100% capital financing. Dallas County’s first and only Black commissioner arrived at his desk in 1985 to find a dilemma. Black businesses were scarce, and the best year netted $50K in contracts. Since then, those numbers have skyrocketed in the 100’s of millions, but still far short of his personal goal. What irks JWP and should worry you is that you add up the
budgets at the City, County, School District, Parkland, The North Texas Toll Authority, the Dallas College District, and the airports at DFW and Love Field, it amounts yearly to tens of billions of dollars. Yet, black and minority business owners still get far less than 5% of the total outlays. There is still a “White’s only” sign posted at the door when it comes to taxpayer money. Your tax money is handed to others by a history of injustice. Racism, patriarchy, and
greed continue to reign in Dallas, Texas. BTW. The republishing of Jim Schutze’s “The Accommodation is coming soon. Get the book. You can’t solve the mystery if you don’t know the history! (Hey, I just made that up, but it sounds good!) The SDGC is significant for several reasons. First, not only did it replace an old retrofitted AT&T operator services unit, but it also
houses a wealth of agencies that you need daily. The 73,000 square foot facility on the north end houses the Justice of the Peace Courts and Constable’s office in District 1, the Dallas County Sheriff Patrol, the Dallas County Tax office, and Dallas County Veterans Services. The southern end of the campus is the new home of the Dallas County Training Academy See HURRY HURRY, page 7
MORIAL: Vernon Jordan on Whitney M. Young Jr. — One Visionary Warrior Pays Tribute to Another
TO BE EQUAL By Marc Morial
July 31, we remembered and celebrated Whitney Moore Young Jr., on the centennial of his birth. Young served at the helm of the National Urban League during the turbulent decade from 1961 to 1971, overseeing the greatest expansion of scope and mission our organization has seen in more than a century. As the activism of the Civil Rights Movement expanded from the courts to mass-action, nonviolent demonstrations in the streets of both Southern and Northern communities, Young forcefully and publicly projected the League’s tenets of social work and civil rights as never before. During our Equal Opportunity Din-
ner in November 2019, the National Urban League honored three other former leaders — Vernon Jordan, John Jacob and Hugh Price — with the “Visionary Warriors” award for their years of unwavering leadership. Vernon Jordan, due to illness, was unable to attend, but shared prepared remarks in which he paid tribute to Whitney Young. We lost Jordan in March of this year. In honor of these giants of civil rights, we commemorate Young’s centennial year by sharing Jordan’s tribute: Good evening. It is an honor to be here, to be alongside two great leaders of the Urban League, my successor John Jacob, and his successor, Hugh Price. Of course, I, too, was a successor. And so tonight I’d like to thank my predecessor, the great Whitney Young, for this award — and dedicate it to him. You see, I would not be here without Whitney. He was my mentor and guardian, my inspiration and dear friend. And for about as long as I knew him, he was trying to recruit me for the Urban League. I remember many
Publisher: Cheryl Smith Address: 320 South R.L. Thornton Freeway Suite 100 Dallas, TX 75203 Phone:214-941-0110 Website: www.garlandjournal.com Editor: editor@myimessenger.com
years ago, in 1966, he gave me a ride from LaGuardia Airport and asked me to come work for him. But I was not ready to leave the South. A few years later, in 1969, he asked me about becoming his deputy — and then rescinded the offer! He said I was more suited to a different job — one he was not ready to vacate anytime soon. And not long after that, when I was offered the job as the Executive Director of the United Negro College Fund, I sought out his wise counsel. And he encouraged me to accept. So I moved to Manhattan, into the office just below his, and soon he became my greatest advisor and ally in this city, showing me the way forward as only he could. I learned so much from him. His loss was tragic, and his impact was tremendous. Of course, his impact was not limited to me alone. In his near-decade of leadership, he transformed the Urban League and had a profound impact. He was the original “Visionary” for this institution — imagining what it would be and could become for Black people in this country. And he pushed that vi-
GarlandJournal
Established 2002 An I Messenger Media Publication
Whitney Young
sion closer to reality. He also was an original “Warrior,” a soldier in the army for civil rights … alongside so many whom we still celebrate and others we have nearly forgotten. And he set the standard for what it means to combine the two — to be a “voice for the voiceless,” and to fight tirelessly towards a vision of equality. Indeed, 48 years ago, almost to the day, at my first Equal Opportunity Day Dinner, as the designated Executive Director, I reflected on the incredible impact of Whitney Young. And I will
say tonight what I said then, because it remains true, almost half a century later: “Whitney has left us the instrumentality for change, an agency with a proven record of effectiveness, a vehicle with the blueprint for getting the job done. Thus, we have a charge to keep, a constituency to serve, a people to lead.” I am grateful to John and Hugh and Marc for being such stewards of the Urban League of this living legacy of Whitney Young. And today, its work would not be more vital — for families and communities across the country. We still have our charge to keep, our constituency to serve, our people to lead. And we must continue to live by Whitney’s example. So, before I go, perhaps even more than this award, I want to thank Whitney for the honor of a lifetime — the best job I’ve ever had. It has been an honor to be a soldier in Whitney’s army, a warrior for a vision we must all keep fighting for. Marc Morial is president/CEO of the National Urban League.
CREDO OF THE BLACK PRESS The Black Press believes that America can best lead the world away from racial and national antagonisms when it accords to every person, regardless of race, color or creed, full human and legal rights. Hating no person, fearing no person, the Black Press strives to help every person in the firm belief that all are hurt as long as anyone is held back.
GARLAND JOURNAL Is published by I Messenger Media LLC. 320 S. R.L. Thornton Freeway, Suite 100, Dallas, TX 75203. GARLAND JOURNAL reserves all rights and privileges to accept or refuse any submissions to be printed in any issue of the publication. Views and opinions expressed by writers are not necessarily those of the publisher or our advertisers. GARLAND JOURNAL will, once notified, correct any issue in the next issue. GARLAND JOURNAL is not responsible for any unsolicited material. Any use or reproduction in part or whole is forbidden without the express written consent of the publisher. Annual mail subscriptions are $60 for 12 months.
GarlandJournal
WWW.GARLANDJOURNAL.COM
THURSDAY AUGUST 19, 2021
5
Impacting the Health of Black Women: Fibroids and the Facts Faithful Utterances
Our Voices
Uterine fibroids are incredibly common, especially in Black women. I must admit, I was one of those women struggling with this issue in my 30s. I had no idea what to do and because of the amount of pain and other issues I began to experience, I made a decision that was best for me. It is important for Black women to know that options are available. According to Dr. Suzanne Slonim, an expert in the field of interventional radiology, the problem is multifactorial. “Genetics and race play a role, but their contributions are yet to be fully understood. Cultural differences including diet, exercise habits, environmental exposures, stress levels, and underlying health disparities all contribute as well. In Black women, fibroids begin developing at much younger ages, they grow faster, are more likely to be in multiples, are more likely symptomatic, and more often result in surgery. Black women are seven (7) times more likely to have surgery for fibroids and more than 2x as likely as white women to have a hysterectomy.” Slonim began her career as an Interventional Radiologist which is minimally invasive
image guided surgeries using cutting edge technologies. After working on staff at Stanford for several years teaching residents and fellows, she moved to Dallas to head up the Interventional Radiology department at Methodist Dallas and Charlton for 16 years. A physician for 32 years, she conducted her first uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) in 1997, the first year they were performed in the USA. In 2016, she left her practice at Methodist and pursued her passion to focus solely on treating uterine fibroids. On a systemic level, structural racism contributes to disparities in healthcare. Slonim says, “Black women are more likely to have received suboptimal care through the years, have a poorer state of health, or have a delayed diagnosis of fibroids. Their more complex fibroid situation contributes to higher risks and worse outcomes during fibroid surgery than other ethnic groups.” Slonim notes that there are a couple of known risk factors that can be addressed directly in regard to helping prevent or treat uterine fibroids, one being Vitamin D deficiencies. Most American women are
By Kazai Drew
By Dr. Froswa Booker-Drew
vitamin D deficient, but especially Black women. She suggests that: • Black women start taking vitamin D supplements, 2000 units/day. Stress is also a risk factor for fibroids, so obtain and maintain peace in daily life, whether it is from prayer, meditation, connecting with friends, or enjoying
estrogen feeds the fibroids and makes them grow. And the last thing she mentions is that hair relaxer contains a chemical that mimics estrogen, so for women who used hair relaxers long term, there is an increased risk of fibroids that correlates with how long it has been used and how many times scalp burns
Dr. Suzanne Slonim
Rep. Senfronia Thompson
a relaxing spa day or hot bath. • Statistics show that women that are a part of an exercise program tend not to form new fibroids. • Eating a lot of red meat is a risk factor and fruits and vegetables are protective. • Being overweight is a risk factor. The bottom line is that fibroids are fed by estrogen, which is made by the ovaries, but estrogen is also made in fat cells. So, if you have a lot of excess fat, you have more estrogen than normal. All that extra
remain suspicious of the vaccine. “That suspicion is well justified given American history, but unfortunately, it’s also dangerous when we’re dealing with a potentially deadly disease like COVID or a widespread problem like fibroids.” She states, “Unfortunately, there is no cure for fibroids.
occurred from the chemicals. Black women may start their fibroid journey earlier in life with poorer health due to inequities that exist because of inadequate access to healthcare facilities, lack of quality doctors, and mistrust of the medical system. Slonim says, “If you look at the COVID-19 vaccine numbers in Texas as of midJuly 2021, only 33% of Black people have been vaccinated while 44% of Whites have. When I talk to my Black friends who haven’t gotten vaccinated, it’s because they
They can be surgically removed, leaving the uterus in place, but if the patient is more than a few years from menopause, the only way to be sure the fibroids won’t come back is to have a hysterectomy. Fortunately, there are many fibroid treatment options.” Recently, legislative bills in Texas focused on Uterine fibroids--HB1966 and HB1967 were passed due to the behind-the-scenes efforts of Dr. Slonim. In partnership with State Rep. Senfronia Thompson [D],
and others, these bills will make every July Uterine Fibroids Awareness Month and provide a database of information about women with uterine fibroids and to uterine fibroid education and research. Dallas County Commissioners Court passed a resolution to promote fibroid awareness as well. Slonim’s hope is that bringing awareness and education to the topic of uterine fibroids will remove the taboo about discussing it and help women make informed decisions about their healthcare. “Uterine fibroids have a significant impact on the quality of life for women. The need to educate people may appear daunting, but it is not insurmountable. I have seen the impact that my small practice is making, and I know that every year more women’s lives can improve exponentially.” To learn more about fibroids, visit www. fibroidfree.com for more information. HERitage Giving Circle will also host a forum on the topic. To attend this virtual event on August 17 at 7 pm, visit https://www. heritagegiving f und.org/ for more information. Dr. Froswa’ Booker-Drew is an author of three books and the host of The Tapestry podcast. To listen to episodes of the podcast, visit https:// www.spreaker.com/show/ the-tapestry_1 and to learn more about her work, go to https://drfroswa.com/
Don’t do it ALONE!
What’s On Miles’ Mind By Miles Jaye
Who can stand all the noise? Who can tolerate all the clamor? What are the short and long-term negative effects of a never-ending, mind-bending, multi-media maelstrom of disquieting mayhem and confusion? Was the human being designed to input and process a constant barrage of voice bombs or is silence a vital element of the human experience? Was the human mind designed to filter out static and incessant white noise or does the brain suffer unrepairable damage from the brutal onslaught of 24-hour cycles of thoughts, opinions
and lies, and thoughts and opinions about thoughts and opinions and lies? When we are finally confronted with the answers to these questions will it be too late for remedy, cure, or vaccination? For some, the opposite is the danger-- too much silence. For some there is no voice with which to carry on a normal conversation, in person, so, they crave the noise. Cell phones have replaced companionship, family and friends. In numbers far more than we can imagine, there are those with no family and no friends, whatsoever. More than could possibly make any fair news coverage will live alone and die alone. Surprised? Have you never thought about it? You see them in line at the checkout counter, you encounter them in the parking lot, but you don’t recognize them as islands, isolated, they appear so normal. The homeless have as one of very few advantages, visibility, that is until you turn away from the nagging, unpleasant sight of them-- your guilt is irritating. Those who experience
human life alone are invisible to the naked eye. They are veterans, elderly, widowers, ex-cons, and drug addicts, but they are also musicians, lawyers, salesmen, schoolteachers, and accountants. They eat alone every night. They sleep alone every night. They awaken every morning to the sound of silence, so they break the silence with TV voices. They immediately reach for their cell phone to reconnect them to the world of other human beings with whom they have no contact other than through the beloved electronic devices, so they turn up the volume. Part of the required telephone questionnaire on every call to the VA, after “last four of your social” and your “complete date of birth” is, “Do you live alone?”, “Have you had thoughts of harming anyone?” and “Have you had thoughts of harming yourself?” I’m asked these questions, without fail or exception, each and every time I call the VA. Every time I visit for a medical checkup, they follow the same procedure. They know the
dangers of existing alone. They can only hope that a caller in crisis will speak his or her truth to power and reveal and acknowledge the depths, darkness and pain of their despair and the urgent need for help. They may save a life. Alone is deadly! Now for the rub, alone is also a state of mind and therefore may not accurately depict the reality of your living conditions. Ever hear someone say they could feel alone in a crowded room? Others may reside at your home, yet you feel isolated, insignificant, invisible, alone. You don’t recognize them as islands, isolated, or at risk, because they appear so normal. I for one have spent far too much of my adult life alone. Then late in life I learn that I am one of several family members suffering from social anxiety and depression. The social anxiety explains why, as unhealthy as isolation is, I’ve learned to prefer it. The depression explains why I crash after encountering social exposure, which, for an entertainer, could be rather often. Interestingly, much of my youth was spent home alone--
latchkey kid before the term latchkey was a thing. In isolation, I find myself prolific with endless energy and virtually no end to what I can accomplish. Then comes the crash, the depression brought on by the isolation. It’s quite the paradox! It’s not bi-polar but it can present itself as such. So, how does one self-diagnose that all that is needed is a friendly voice, a warm smile, a gesture of kindness, a shared laugh? How might a loved one recognize that all that is needed is a friendly voice, a warm smile, an unconditional gesture of kindness, and an occasional shared laugh? It may feel at first like intrusion, but you may save a life! This essay is dedicated to Naomi Osaka, Simone Biles, the late Phyllis Hyman, and countless others among us… family and friends, suffering in silence. That’s what’s on my mind. Website: www.milesjaye.net Podcast: https://bit.ly/2zkhSRv Email: milesjaye360@gmail.com
Spirit of The Olympics
Wake Up and Stay Woke
By Dr. E. Faye Williams With few exceptions, every four years, citizens of the world revel in the pomp, ceremonies and athletic excellence of the Olympic Games. Something in the human spirit admires the competition of the games and, for that moment in time, the emergence of the best athletes. Like many this year, my attention has been primarily focused on
gymnastics. I admire the grace, skill and agility of gymnasts and the long-term perseverance required to develop their craft to the level of world competition. I have nieces who are fledgling gymnasts and I know the extent of commitment required for them to compete at the local and state levels. I know of the hours they spend in practice each day while also managing their schoolwork and household responsibilities. I can attest that this is no small or insignificant task. It tests the full measure of their physical and emotional strength. My exposure to their gymnastic experience gives me a degree of insight into the challenge of maintaining the personal “balance” required to compete with regularity. That insight is why I condemn the criticism directed at Simone Biles for prioritizing her mental health ahead of competing in the Tokyo Olympics. I have read that she has been criti-
cized for a lack of “toughness.” Some criticism questions her patriotism and commitment to the country that she is supposed to represent. She has been accused of being self-centered and self-indulgent. These unjust critiques are of the same ilk as those used to deride and degrade tennis star Naomi Osaka. Both of these young women have chosen their mental well-being over the expectations for their athletic performance. This choice is just as important as if they had pulled a muscle or broken a bone. (This may not be true for Simone, as she has been known to compete with broken toes.) Their concern for personal mental health and well-being may be a newly expressed reason, but the expected “right” of the external control of “our” performance is nothing new. It harkens back to the control exercised throughout our existence in this nation — from slavery through the civil rights era to today.
When Colin Kaepernick took a knee, he was disparaged as lacking a sense of patriotism. He was called a “bastard” by the sitting president. He was accused of being an ingrate who was privileged to be allowed to make the huge sums of money he made for playing a game. His placing principles over dollars was inconsistent with the mindset of those who criticized him. Prospering silently while others suffer under the oppression of systemic racism was not in Colin’s “playbook.” His critics could only focus on money, but his principles caused him to focus on the injustice occurring daily in his community. And who can forget Fox Media personality (not newscaster) Laura Ingraham telling LeBron James to “shut up and dribble.” I have always believed that telling someone to “shut up” was among the greatest insults one could give another human being. It is tantamount to telling someone he or she is worthless. It is unacceptable to
think that LeBron would sit in silence while the so-called leader of the free world practiced the vilest racism. At the peril of their careers and lifestyles, Muhammad Ali, Arthur Ashe, Jim Brown, John Carlos, Tommie Smith and others have ignored the demand for them to “shut up and perform” or “go along to get along.” Each of them demonstrated their steadfast belief in a purpose higher than just existing as well-paid but muted entertainers. They, and we, are more than performers. Like the spirit of the Olympiad, we will exercise our right to express the full measure of our talents. Williams is president of the National Congress of Black Women. Dr. E. Faye Williams is President of the National Congress of Black Women and host of “Wake Up and Stay Woke” on WPFW-89.3 FM
6
THURSDAY AUGUST 19, 2021
GarlandJournal
WWW.GARLANDJOURNAL.COM
THE SUICIDE SQUAD
At The Movies By Hollywood Hernandez THE SUICIDE SQUAD, with the exception of Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), has an all new crew of
bad guys turned good who are led by Bloodsport, Idris Elba. The rest of the crew are all new characters who set out to defend the world against an interstellar weapon that could destroy the world. My favorite mutant here is a
giant, walking shark whose superpower is just being a shark. He snacks on the enemy throughout the entire movie. What do you expect? He’s a hungry shark. The other Suicide Squad characters include John Cena as Peacemaker, Polka Dot Man, who throws lethal polka dots from off his body, and a female character who can control rats; lots and lots of rats. This third version of Suicide Squad has a lot more humor in it. The movie was written and directed by James Gunn, who also wrote and directed THE GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY movies. So, while bloody and gory, the movie has plenty of laughs to go along with the action. Elba is great in his role as Bloodsport, the leader of the
team, and Viola Davis is back as Amander Waller, the head of the government agency that controls THE SUICIDE SQUAD. Her team plants an explosive device at the base of the brain of all of the mis-fits turned mercenaries. Giving her full control of the team to obey her orders or die. THE SUICIDE SQUAD is the best of the three movies in the DC Comics Universe. Look for more movies in the series as well as a PEACEMAKER spin-off movie starring John Cena. The movie is rated R for some real bloody and gory scenes and it has a run time of 2 hours and 12 minutes. On my “Hollywood Popcorn Scale” I rate THE SUICIDE SQUAD a LARGE.
DR. GREGG EURE That Celebrity Interview By Valder Beebe In June, when our nation celebrated fathers for Father’s Day, numerous social media posts of well-wishes for fathers who are healthy or ill, inspired the Valder Beebe Show, as our audience is comprised of 89.9 percent BabyBoomers. We wanted to have a discussion of the recent survey results conducted by eleflex Incorporated (NYSE:TFX). The survey of approximately 1,000 U.S. men, age 45+, with at least one urinary symptom common with BPH. Survey results show men with urinary symptoms: and treatment can help restore quality of life. Are you or someone you love an extreme bathroom planner? If you’re a man over the age of 45 experiencing urgent or frequent urinary symptoms, or if you feel
like you’re spending a lot of time planning your next bathroom trip, it might be time to talk to your doctor about your prostate health. Urinary symptoms in aging men could signal a common men’s health condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), also known as an enlarged prostate. BPH affects over 40% of men in their 50s and 80% of men in their 70s.1,2 Men with BPH often experience bothersome urinary symptoms, such as an urgent or frequent need to urinate, which can significantly impact their quality of life. Whether they limit the amount they drink to plan for interrupted sleep, or purposefully seek out and stay close to the bathroom, extreme bathroom planning to accommodate their urinary needs can impact their normal daily activities. In the studio to explain this common men’s health condition, Dr. Gregg R. Eure, MD, FACS, Urology of Virginia, offers expertise in adult urology with special interest in BPH, prostate disease, erectile dysfunction and
DR. GREGG EURE
men’s health. Dr. Eure is research chairman for the Urology of Virginia Research Department and a worldwide leader in investigating minimally invasive treatments for BPH..—Dr. Gregg Eure publicists provided text in conjunction with the Valder Beebe Show VBS: As a well-known urologist would you explain what prostrate problems men’s suffer from most. GE: All men have a prostrate and about in half of them it enlarges due to age. With the
enlargement it blocks the urinary tract of over half the men in the United States as they age. VBS: Are common prostrate problems because men are living longer? GE: Not because men are living longer, but yes they are living longer but because they age. With this medical awareness there are processes and systems to deal with this common problem. There are innovative and revolutionary care to combat this problem. VBS: How important is it for men to address this common problem? GE: Ignoring symptoms, for example frequent trips to the bathroom impacts others and the man’s life, also. You can see your ……….. Pamela Long and Kiely Williams complete interview…… SoundCloud.com/valderbeebeshow; more interviews: YouTube.com/ valderbeebeshow: Broadcasting to a national & global audience: ValdeBeebeShow.com ; KKVI FM Radio, KRER FM, 411RadioNetwork, Streaming TV, Social Media, Print Publications I MESSENGER, Texas Metro News, and Garland Journal News.
Rey from page 1 Rey’s campaign slogan, “B.E.L.I.E.V.E” has been a clarion call to the membership. The crux of the message is that members must BELIEVE in their power and what is possible if they are united. “The next chapter will be our best yet,” he said. “We will raise our engagement level to address poverty, access to the ballot box, the wealth gap, and health disparities for black and brown men.” When Rey was first elected in 2011, he was the youngest mayor elected in Spring Lake’s history. He served three terms. Rey is Deputy Director of Human Resources for The U.S. Army Materiel Command (AMC). AMC synchronizes and integrates the Army’s total capabilities in support of the Chief of Staff of the Army’s priorities and Combatant Command requirements. As the Army’s Lead Materiel Integrator, AMC manages the global supply chain, synchronizing logistics and sustainment activities across the entire Army. Rey holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and a Juris Doctor Degree from William and Mary School of Law. Also, elected to Phi Beta Sigma’s General Board of Directors are Bro. David Turner, International First Vice President; Bro. Maxwell McDaniel, International Second Vice President; Bro. William Frasier, Jr., International Treasurer; Bro. Dr. Marcus Chaney, International Director of Education; Bro. Terrence Gibson, International Director of Bigger & Better Business; Bro. Malwan Johnson, International Director of Social Action; Bro. Kennedy Barnes, Esq., International Legal Counsel; Bro. Joshua Busby, International Director of Collegiate Affairs; Bro. Jared Jackson, Collegiate Member-at-Large and Bro. Shawn Adams, Collegiate Member-atLarge.
Devolution: This is what we’ve come to Our Voices By Sen. Royce West Evolution by definition means that an idea, a person or entity has undergone change. I know I certainly have. A caterpillar evolves into a butterfly. And yes, my behavior and perspectives are much different than me, the 40 year-old attorney and certainly from me, the 18-year-old, college student-athlete. I hope you can say I’ve evolved. Such is not the case for the condition that currently besets America. I’ll back my thesis. Evidence being compiled to this day accuses the most recent, former Commander-in-Chief of taking numerous illegal steps to overturn the outcome of the November 2020 Presidential Election. And members of his own party attempted to prevail upon him to
stop watching and take action to call off angry mob violence that on January 6, 2021, desecrated the very Chambers of Congress (actions he “incited” hours earlier with Texas’ attorney general present) with the intent to stop the legal transfer of power from the 45th to the now-sitting 46th President of the United States. After the unprecedented attack on the nation’s Capitol, when the world witnessed members of Congress in mortal danger, fleeing House and Senate Chambers for safety, still 138 House Republicans and eight Republican Senators voted, to object at least once, to certify that Joe Biden won the race for President. Months later, many still will not say outright that the former reality show host did not win and Biden did. Congress’ toxic climate dates back at least to the impeachment of former President Bill Clinton, through Bush #2’s presidency, intensified with the constant obstacles placed in the path of 44th President Barack Obama and me-
tastasizes now. Unfortunately, it has shown few signs of getting better. It’s worse! It’s devolution. The polar opposite of evolution. And there are more examples than this account can encapsulate. Why you ask, do some elected officials conduct themselves in ways that do not, in the opinions of a divided electorate, reflect what is best for the public? One word: POLITICS! It’s dangerous. And now, it’s even costing lives. Days ago, Kentucky Senator Rand Paul made a video telling America that “No one should follow the CDC’s anti-science mask mandate.” This comes months after Paul became the first U.S. Senator to contract the coronavirus. He labeled officials who have attempted to put safety measures in place “petty tyrants and bureaucrats” and characterized House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as being “drunk with power,” which segues to my next example of America’s political devolution. Last month, Texas Governor
Greg Abbott issued another executive order that now makes it illegal for any state, county or local governmental entity to impose mask or vaccination requirements. The order came days before the opening of schools across Texas. It impacts county -run hospitals. Not to be far-right outdone, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has threatened to defund school districts and officials who defy his similar order that blocks mask mandates. Both orders came just days after the White House reported that Florida and Texas were responsible for 1/3 of all new COVID-19 cases across the country. Over the last eight days, more than 1 million new cases have been reported nationwide. Over the past week, Texas has averaged 10,000 new cases a day, trailing only Florida with more than 18,000. Nationally, there have been 100,000 new cases reported daily over the same period. The reasons again point to politics in both states. Abbott faced
extreme criticism from the political right in 2020 for shutting down the state. Since then, Dallas-based, former State Senator Don Huffines and former Florida one-term Congressman and recent Republican Texas party chair Allen (no relation) West have launched primary challenges. DeSantis has sought to walk into footsteps laid by the incumbent President who lost the 2020 election. What depths of societal devolution have been reached when candidates and elected officials choose political power and influence over protecting the lives of citizens, including those who did or did not, or will or will not vote for them? People’s lives and livelihoods should unquestionably come first. It’s time for the Governor to show some “personal responsibility.” Royce West was first elected to the Texas Senate in November 1992. He represents the 23rd Senatorial District on behalf of the citizens of Dallas County.
BIG MAMA SAID: Check Yourself, Before you Wreck Yourself Because Your Attitude Will Take You Far! We knew a lesson was about to come when Lucille “Big Mama” Allen stood in the doorway between the kitchen and the “big room” where we all watched TV, ate dinner and, at the end of the day, slept. This particular advisory, “check yourself before you wreck yourself” was often repeated in the house because so many of Big Mama’s family members had emotional buttons that were easily pushed. Right in the midst of an ongoing tirade, Big Mama would call out your full name and say “Terry Allen, you better check
yourself before you wreck yourself”! Lucille “Big Mama” Allen wanted to know that the disposition that you are displaying now needs some attention and redirection. NOW! What was lesson? Big Mama wanted you to pay attention to or to immediately improve your own behavior. Big Mama wanted you to state your case with pure motives. And if you cannot be accountable and self-aware and if your motives are not pure, Big Mama’s advice meant that you need to work on it. Today! Not tomorrow!
Black Card By Terry Allen Lucille “Big Mama” Allen platform was always steeped in the Biblical word. The reference she used for this was as stated in the Bible. _ _Ephesians 4:22-24 says, “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the
attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” Some of us who were ranting do not have the correct hearts for speaking our mind. I can see Big Mama saying that two of our country’s governors about community safety. Big Mama’s phrase is also floating out there in pop-culture today comes from a rap song and then a movie, “Check Yo Self Before You Wreck Yo Self.” So that is what we are going to do today. We are going to check ourselves before our attitudes wreck us and cause
us problems. Let’s commit ourselves to living wisely and check ourselves. The iconic Herbert Kelleher, the former CEO of Southwest Airlines, once said: “When we select employees, we consider attitude more important than degrees and know-how. We use no psychological or aptitude testing. We don’t care much about education and experience, because we can train people to do whatever they have to do. We hire attitudes.” Terry Allen is an awardwinning multi-media journalist and owner of 1016 media
GarlandJournal
WWW.GARLANDJOURNAL.COM
Top Pick in NBA Draft is Arlington’s Cade Cunningham By Dorothy J. Gentry Sports Editor
He’s the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons. He’s headed to the Motor City to help revive and restore a franchise that finished last in the league this year. But to Cade Cunningham, Arlington, Texas will always, always be home. “I mean, coming out of Arlington, I’m very prideful about my city. I love my city to the end of me.” the 19-year-old said shortly after being drafted in the NBA’s 2021 Draft last Thursday. “I’m born and raised there. I’ve learned so much there. All my friends grew up there. I’ve had ups, downs, everything in Arlington, Texas,” said Cunningham. “That’s a place I’ll always call home and will always be grateful for. “You know, in the NBA I want to carry that same Arlington swag and step in with the
Cade Cunningham
same mentality that somebody from the DFW has.” Cunningham began high school at Arlington Bowie High School before transferring to basketball powerhouse Montverde Academy in Florida, where he was rated a consensus five-star recruit. As a senior he received national player of the year recognition. He played college basketball for Oklahoma State University and was named a consensus first-team All-American and Big 12 Player of the Year after his freshman season with the
team. Cunningham also won a gold medal with the United States at the 2019 FIBA Under-19 World Cup. Cunningham said he is thrilled to “step on the onto the court with the greats that I’ve watched for a long time and see them in person and learn from them and take as much as I can from them. “But I know how much responsibility comes with being the No. 1 pick. I know how much responsibility a city will put on the guy that they take No. 1,” he said. “I’m more than excited to take on those tasks and try to deliver to the city of Detroit. I’m just happy to be here, thankful for the opportunity and ready to get started.” Cunningham said he has learned a lot of important life lessons from his dad, Keith Cunningham, and older brother Cannen, that will serve him well in this next phase of his life. “My pops, I mean, he is the hardest worker I’ve ever met in
my life. He’s wired to work -- to wake up at 3:45 every morning, no matter if it’s a holiday, no matter what’s going on, he’s ready to get up and work. That’s a fact,” Cunningham said. “I’ve never seen him oversleep. I’ve never seen him complain about working. So to have that as the head of your household, I mean, you can only take from that and learn from it and apply it to your life. I know how much hard work can bring you, and to be in this position now is a testament to that.” Big brother Cannen has pushed Cunningham just like his dad. “He wants greatness out of me. He’s pushed me to be great since I was a kid. He’s never taken it easy on me,” said Cunningham. “He’s always kept it real with me. That’s why those two guys are the biggest influences in my life, because they’ve always kept it real with me and they’ve always been there to support me.”
and has 11,000 square feet. The Southern end of the campus is the new home of the Dallas County Training Academy and has 11,000 square feet. Sheriff Marion Brown wants to get her officers closer to the people they serve. You cannot have “community policing” if you have no roots in the community. The well-placed artifacts and exhibits in the building pay tribute to Court officials and Law Enforcement officers who made history by being the “firsts” in Dallas County. In addition, there is a 22-foot mural design that is aesthetically captivating and historically significant. The Dallas Public Library collaborated with the project to showcase photographs that depict the lives and challenges of Black people in this city and county. The Marion Butts collection is extensive, and a small part of it landed on the walls of the SDGC. Visit the library too! If you need a title change, a small claims court, or help with your veteran’s benefits, you can get service in an environment
that speaks to the culture and beauty of Southern Dallas. There is also a hanging featuring John Wiley Price. Most of the attendees felt that the SDGC should be named in his honor. Administrator Martin stunned the audience with the official word that Commissioner Price had 51 years of service with Dallas County. (If I’m dead that long…turn me over!) The “great divide” in quality of life issues, broadband and general services are still plaguing the south side of America’s ninthlargest city. Commissioner Price
opined that the average life span south of I-30 is 23 years shorter than our neighbors north of the line are. If you live in the South and you love the South, you had better go
soon. Twenty-three years will come before you know it! Hurry Hurry! Vincent L. Hall is an author, activist, and award-winning columnist.
HELP WANTED The Association of Community Publishers (ACP) is searching for an Executive Director. If interested, visit afcp.org or ifpa.com and click on the “Executive Director Search” link for more details
Health & Fitness Dental insurance - Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. Covers 350 procedures. Real insurance - not a discount plan. Get your free dental info kit! 1-888-623-3036 www. dental50plus.com/58 #6258 VIAGRA and CIALIS USERS! 50 Generic Pills SPECIAL $99.00 FREE Shipping! 100% guaranteed. 24/7 CALL NOW! 888-445-5928 Hablamos Español
Attention oxygen therapy users! Inogen One G4 is capable of full 24/7 oxygen delivery. Only 2.8 pounds. Free info kit. Call 877-929-9587 DISH TV $64.99 For 190 Channels + $14.95 High Speed Internet. Free Installation, Smart HD DVR Included, Free Voice Remote. Some restrictions apply. Promo Expires 7/21/21.1833-872-2545 New authors wanted! Page Publishing will help self-publish your book. Free author submission kit! Limited offer! 866-951-7214
*To qualify, consumers must request a quote, purchase, install and activate the generator with a participating dealer. Call for a full list of terms and conditions.
Hearing aids! Bogo free! High-quality rechargeable Nano hearing aids priced 90% less than competitors. Nearly invisible! 45-day money back guarantee! 833-669-5806
BACKED BY A YEAR-ROUND
CLOG-FREE GUARANTEE CALL US TODAY FOR
A FREE ESTIMATE
AT&T Internet. Starting at $40/month w/12-mo agmt. 1 TB of data/mo. Ask how to bundle & SAVE! Geo & svc restrictions apply. 1-888-7968850
1-855-995-2490
10 %
OFF
SENIOR & MILITARY DISCOUNTS
Mon-Thurs: 8am-11pm, Fri-Sat: 8am-5pm, Sun: 2pm-8pm EST
GENERAC Standby Generators. The weather is increasingly unpredictable. Be prepared for power outages. FREE 7-year extended warranty ($695 value!) Schedule FREE in-home assessment. 1-844-334-8353 special financing if qualified.
Directv Now. No Satellite. $40/mo 65 Channels. Stream news, live events, sports & on demand titles. No contract/commitment. 1-866-8256523
Offer valid February 15, 2021 - June 6, 2021
YOUR ENTIRE PURCHASE*
Train online to do medical billing! Become a Medical Office Professional at CTI! Get trained & certified to work in months! 888-572-6790. (M-F 8-6 ET)
Eliminate gutter cleaning forever! LeafFilter, most advanced debris-blocking protection. Schedule free estimate. 15% off Purchase. 10% Senior & Military Discounts. Call 1-855995-2490
7-Year Extended Warranty* A $695 Value!
+
EDUCATION
HughesNet Satellite Internet – Finally, no hard data limits! Call Today for speeds up to 25mbps as low as $59.99/mo! $75 gift card, terms apply. 1-844-863-4478
844-334-8353
OFF
CARS/TRUCKS WANTED!!! 2002 and Newer! Any Condition. Running or Not. Competitive Offer! Free Towing! We’re Nationwide! Call Now: 1-888-416-2330.
Thinking about installing a new shower? American Standard makes it easy. Free design consult.1-888-674-3005 today to see how to save $1,000 on installation or visit www. newshowerdeal.com/display
REQUEST A FREE QUOTE!
15 %
Autos Wanted
The Generac PWRcell solar plus battery storage system. Save money, reduce reliance on grid, prepare for outages & power your home. Full installation services. $0 down financing option. Request free no obligation quote. 1-855-270-3785
Prepare for unexpected power outages with a Generac home standby generator
Subject to Credit Approval
CADNET CLASSIFIEDS
CASH FOR CARS: We Buy Any Condition Vehicle, 2002 and Newer. Nationwide Free Pick Up! Call Now: 1-800-864-5960.
from page 4
Special Financing Available
7
Miscellaneous
Hurry Hurry
FREE
THURSDAY AUGUST 19, 2021
+
5%
OFF
TO THE FIRST 50 CALLERS!**
Life Alert. One press of a button sends help fast 24/7! At home and on the go. Mobile Pendant with GPS. Free first aid kit (with subscription.) 877-537-8817 Free brochure.
| Promo Number: 285
For those who qualify. One coupon per household. No obligation estimate valid for 1 year. *Offer valid at time of estimate only 2The leading consumer reporting agency conducted a 16 month outdoor test of gutter guards in 2010 and recognized LeafFilter as the “#1 rated professionally installed gutter guard system in America.” Manufactured in Plainwell, Michigan and processed at LMT Mercer Group in Ohio. See Representative for full warranty details. CSLB# 1035795 DOPL #10783658-5501 License# 7656 License# 50145 License# 41354 License# 99338 License# 128344 License# 218294 WA UBI# 603 233 977 License# 2102212986 License# 2106212946 License# 2705132153A License# LEAFFNW822JZ License# WV056912 License# WC-29998-H17 Nassau HIC License# H01067000 Registration# 176447 Registration# HIC.0649905 Registration# C127229 Registration# C127230 Registration# 366920918 Registration# PC6475 Registration# IR731804 Registration# 13VH09953900 Registration# PA069383 Suffolk HIC License# 52229-H License# 2705169445 License# 262000022 License# 262000403 License# 0086990 Registration# H-19114
ARRESTED
Attention: If you or a loved one worked around the pesticide Roundup (glyphosate) for at least 2 years & has been diagnosed with nonHodgkin’s lymphoma, you may be entitled to compensation. 855-341-5793
Wanted to Buy Wants to purchase minerals and other oil and gas interests. Send details to P.O. Box 13557 Denver, CO 80201
HE IS A SERIAL RAPIST
He targeted members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. but this is more than about a sorority. We’re talking about a community. Come on PEOPLE! Don’t you CARE? Will it matter when it is your sister, mother, aunt or grandmother or
maybe YOU?
Crimestoppers 877-373-8477
Reader Advisory: The National Trade Association we belong to has purchased the above classifieds. Determining the value of their service or product is advised by this publication. In order to avoid misunderstandings, some advertisers do not offer employment but rather supply the readers with manuals, directories and other materials designed to help their clients establish mail order selling and other businesses at home. Under NO circumstance should you send any money in advance or give the client your checking, license ID, or credit card numbers. Also beware of ads that claim to guarantee loans regardless of credit and note that if a credit repair company does business only over the phone it is illegal to request any money before delivering its service. All funds are based in US dollars. Toll free numbers may or may not reach Canada.
8
GarlandJournal
THURSDAY AUGUST 19, 2021
WWW.GARLANDJOURNAL.COM
Former Ms. Black Texas Nicole Barrett, remembered Talk show host, businesswoman, and former Ms. Black Texas Nicole Barrett transitioned on August 10, after suffering an aneurysm. Born April 6, 1975 in Dallas, TX to Linda Barrett and Lee Vernon Bryant, Jr., she was baptized at New Mount Zion Baptist Church, at an early age, under the pastoral care of Dr. Reverend Robert E. Price. In her formative years, Nicole displayed many gifts including being a skilled communicator. Early indicators were her performances in Easter Recitals at school and church. At the tender age of 3, Nicole recited Psalms 23 in an Easter Program. She found her voice during that show-stopping performance and we all know from that point on, Nicole was never at a loss for words. That voice, her brains and beauty led her into the world of pageantry, and in 1990, at the age of 15 she won her first of many pageants and was crowned Ms. Junior Texas. It was in her drama class at North Mesquite High School that she fell
Nicole Barrett
in love with the theatre. She went on to star in “A Raisin in the Sun,” and “Elvis and Annabelle,” and on episodes of Style Network’s “Big Rich Texas.” Upon graduation, Nicole received the Greer Carson Scholarship for Acting to the College of Santa Fe, NM, where she studied theatre/drama. During her matriculation Nicole was the 1st Runner Up for Miss Santa Fe. She would later win the title of Ms. Black Texas in 2002. Nicole also honed her skills as a journalist, reporting for the Elite
Covid-19 from page 1 that I tested positive,” Abbott said from the balcony of the governor’s mansion in Austin, in a video shot nearly three hours after the announcement. “The good news is that my wife continues to test negative,” Abbott said, referring to Texas first lady Cecilia Abbott. “Also, [I] want you to know that I have received the COVID-19 vaccine, and that may be one reason why I’m really not feeling any symptoms right now,” Abbott said in the video, his first on-camera appearance since testing positive. He tweeted the minute-long video at 6:30 p.m. “I have no fever, no aches and pains, no other types of symptoms,” the Republican governor said. Abbott, 63, who has been wheelchair-bound since a tree fell on him while he was a young law school graduate studying for the bar, has waged political war on two fronts in recent weeks. He’s called two special legislative sessions and excoriated Texas House Democrats who fled the state to block passage of an “election integrity” bill that he insists is needed to deter voter fraud. More recently, Abbott has blasted school superintendents and local elected officials for defying his July 29 ban on local mask requirements. He has said “personal responsibility,” not edicts, will get Texans through the pandemic. “As I work my way through this,” he said of his infection, “I will stay engaged every single day on everything happening in the Texas Capitol including working with the members of the Legislature.” In the official announcement that he has contracted COVID-19, Abbott communications director Mark Miner said Abbott “is in constant communication with his staff, agency heads and government officials to ensure that state government continues to operate smoothly and efficiently. The governor will isolate in the governor’s mansion and continue to test daily.” Abbott was fully vaccinated against COVID-19 late last year and early this year, using the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine. Abbott is receiving Regeneron’s monoclonal antibody treatment, Miner said. Abbott is “in good health, and currently experiencing no symptoms,” Miner said. “Everyone that the governor has been in close contact with today has been notified.” NBC News, citing two unnamed sources, said Abbott has told people he received a third booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Asked if the governor received a booster, Abbott press secretary Renae Eze replied, “I am not aware.” In recent weeks, Abbott has received national attention for preempting local mask requirements in Texas, where the coronavirus’s delta variant has been surging. Abbott and state lawmakers also have banned vaccine passports designed to give vaccine-hesitant people further incentive to get the shots.
MONDAY EVENT On Monday night Abbott, who is seeking a third term next year, appeared at an event sponsored by the Republican Club at Heritage Ranch in Collin County. On his personal and campaign Twitter accounts, Abbott was pictured not wearing a mask and surrounded by a large audience of people not wearing masks. Monday’s was one of several recent pub-
News. She then went on to host “The Nicole Barrett Show,” a fresh, bold and entertaining radio show that ranked #5 in the Dallas/Ft Worth market. Her attention to detail and probing interviews propelled the show to higher heights when in 2014 the show made its television debut on KTXD-TV; featuring several icons, including actors Diahann Carroll, Larry Hagman and Debbie Reynolds, just to name a few. It’s no wonder that Nicole had a strong social media following and was extremely active virtually. She was always camera-ready and her gift of gab was a definite attention-grabber. Named one of the 2013 Fresh Faces of Fashion, she was featured in Modern Luxury Magazine and served on the board of the Dallas Theatre Guild. Her special charity events included “A Luncheon with Debbie Reynolds,” “Shirley Jones Concert Gala,” “Ron Springs Gift for Life” to raise awareness and money to increase organ donors, and most recently, “Kinky Friedman’s Birthday Bash.”
lic events at which neither the governor nor audience members wore face coverings. On Tuesday, Abbott posed with blues rock guitarist Jimmie Vaughan, Vaughan’s family and Cedar Park Mayor Corbin Van Arsdale. Abbott tweeted that Vaughan, brother of the late Stevie Ray Vaughan, was “a legendary Texas musician in his own right.” A spokesman for Jimmie Vaughan, reached later Tuesday, said in an email that “despite the news today of Governor Abbott’s positive Covid diagnosis, Jimmie and family have tested negative and are doing fine. ... We wish the governor a speedy recovery.” Late Tuesday, when asked if the governor might have contracted the virus at such maskless events, Eze referred a reporter to Miner’s statement. Speaking of Abbott, she added, “He tested negative yesterday.”
Nicole with her mother
Nicole’s most recent conquest was becoming the only Black woman in America to own a cigar company. Her interest and skills seemed endless. While she didn’t allow grass to grow under her feet, and she loved and lived life to its fullest; her pride and joy was centered around her mom, Linda, who she loved taking with her on some of the many fun and exciting assignments and events where they both met and spent time with some interesting people. Despite her petite frame, she
REGENERON Asked why Abbott would take the monoclonal antibody treatment made by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals if he has no symptoms, Eze said, “It is recommended that you begin Regeneron within 10 days of testing positive and before you start experiencing symptoms.” Regeneron and Eli Lilly have developed synthetic antibodies that can be infused into patients shortly after they develop COVID-19 symptoms to help them mount a faster immune response. Eli Lilly’s drug is derived from antibodies isolated from one of the first U.S. patients to recover from COVID-19. Regeneron’s infusion contains a cocktail of two antibodies to help prevent the virus from becoming drug-resistant. Such monoclonal antibodies are already used to fight cancer and autoim-
appeared to be everywhere and even larger than life. Whether it was that gorgeous, captivating smile or that wonderful burst of laughter; Nicole brought joy into the lives of many and that is evident from the countless photos of her with those she admired and those who admired her. She simply had an aura about her. Nicole definitely had the “it” factor and her energy was contagious. Nicole is preceded in death by her father, Lee Vernon Bryant, Jr.; grandparents, James and Leary Barrett; and uncles, Michael Barrett and Roosevelt Thomas. Nicole leaves to cherish her memory, her loving mother, Linda Barrett; grandfather, Lee Vernon Bryant, Sr. (Leslie) ; grandmother, Alberta Lily; uncles, Paul Barrett, James Barrett (Evelyn), Larry Barrett, Keith Bryant; aunts, Gwenda Barrett Jackson (Eddie), Carolyn Bryant Alexander; half -brother, Lee Vernon Bryant III; half- sister, Chantell Lily; godmother, Maude Gilmore; god aunt, Thelma VanDyke; and, a host of family member and friends.
mune diseases, and Abbott has promoted their use. Since last summer, the state has created infusion centers at COVID-19 hotspots, as a way of keeping people with mild and moderate symptoms out of already slammed local hospitals. Last Thursday, Miner dismissed as false persistent rumors the governor had tested positive. On July 21, four days after she attended a border security event in Del Rio with Abbott and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody tweeted that she’d tested positive for COVID-19. On July 22, Abbott had himself tested and the result was negative, said Eze, his spokeswoman. Read Full Article: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/ politics/2021/08/17/texas-gov-greg-abbott-tests-positive-for-covid19/