GarlandJournal
WWW.GARLANDJOURNAL.COM
MY TRUTH
By Cheryl Smith Publisher
What will be your boss move? Power and influence. When you have an opportunity to make a difference, to do good when all around you seems bad; do it! Excitement was in the air as news that the cancelled CBS drama, “All Rise” could be coming back for a third season. According to numerous reports The Oprah Winfrey Network was negotiating with Warner Bros.
SERVING NORTH EAST TEXAS
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 VOLUME X
Raising the Next Generation of Heroes Hometown Hero Tyrese Maxey, and the Tyrese Maxey Foundation has partnered with the local Spring Valley Studio Movie Grill to unite the future heroes of Garland for popcorn and superhero action movies at the first ever Tyrese Maxey Foundation Marvel Family Movie Night. Slated for September 4, 2021 at 2:30 p.m., at the Spring Valley Studio Movie Grill located at 13933 N. Central Expy, Dallas, TX, 75243, the Tyrese Maxey Marvel Family Movie Night is purposed to unite the local youth of Garland through community self-sustaining giving. With Maxey’s love for Marvel Movies and the collective help of community sponsors, the Tyrese Maxey Foundation, Studio Movie Grill and the entire Garland Community; the foundation’s Marvel
I Was Just Thinking... By Norma Adams-Wade
Harllee-Phelps family: Dallas Black dynasty of achievement - Part I Family Movie Night is providing Garland’s youth with the resources and tools to build and rebuild their community from within. Building on the Foundation’s core value of faith and family, Tyrese said he is hoping to instill his community with the knowledge of giving to help others, or “save the day” in the same community. By encouraging local youth to give back to others within
their own community, Maxey and the Tyrese Maxey Foundation will not only help to raise the next generation of leaders but raise the next generation of Superheroes. To serve as an example, Maxey will serve as guest speaker for the event. Local youth will have the opportunity to meet and greet with Tyrese before the start of the event,
How much achievement can come from one family? Yes, there are many examples of families that set high bars and just about all, if not all, of the family members clear the hurdle and then some. They go out into the world and stand tall above us average citizens.
See HEROES page 6
30th Annual Freedom Fund Virtual Brunch and Silent Auction – Garland, Texas Simone Missick
What good news to hear when we are surrounded by so much news that is wreaking havoc in the minds of so many. And nothing’s wrong with a little entertainment! Just imagine, we could get to see the talented, gorgeous and smart Simone Missick back on the bench as the socially-conscious and conscientious Judge Lola Carmichael. And you get See MY TRUTH, page 7
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Garland, Texas Unit- serving the Garland Community will host its 30th Annual Freedom Fund Virtual Program and Silent Auction.
Date: Saturday, September 18, 2021 Time: 10:00 A.M. Brunch Silent Auction (online one week) September 12, 2021 – September 18, 2021 2021 Theme “The NAACP, Still A Voice in the Community”
Keynote Speaker / Master of Ceremony/ Scholarships • Keynote Speaker – Dr. Devin Atchison, Senior Pastor for Westside Baptist Church, Lewisville, TX • Mistress of Ceremony – Mrs. LaKisha Culpepper, Garland ISD Liaison to the African American Community • Elaine Bradley Scholarship – NAACP Garland Youth Council
member to be announced • GISD African American seniors with the highest GPA will be recognized for each of the seven high schools • John Willie Washington Legacy Scholarship – An African American student enrolled in a Texas state certified vocational or technical school, or the Dallas County Community College District
Adult Award Recipients • Education Award – Dr. Ricardo Lopez, Garland ISD Superintendent • Volunteer Service Award – Timothy Robinson, Founder and Chairman of Inspired to Help • Community Service Award – Garland Health Department • Bridge Builder Award – Intrinsic Smokehouse and Brewery Note: For more information on this event, contact the NAACP Garland Unit at 972.381.5044, voice box #5, or visit the NAACP Garland Unit’s Web site at: www.garlandtxnaacp.org.
Superb Women
August 2021
TERRY WADE-OTTLEY Whether she’s in the board room or out in the community, Terry Wade-Ottley is putting her best foot forward for the betterment of all! Terry Wade- Ottley is the Community Affairs/Development Manager–Texas for Regions Bank. Terry has over 30 years in banking. She has spent 20 years of her banking career specializing in community development, economic development, and community outreach working with non-profits. Terry has advertising and public relations experience in both private business and as a volunteer for non-profits. In August 2008, using her own funds, she began fostering nine horses and several cats and dogs that were neglected. This was the foundation of Gabby’s Sanctuary ARK (Acts of Real Kindness) (GSA). Much of her work involved young people and their families. Terry is a servant leader. She also is involved in assisting families affected by domestic violence, encouraging and promoting small businesses, women entrepreneurs and providing outlets, like working with horses, for children in low-to-moderate income families. JUDGE STACI WILLIAMS Judge Staci Williams is smart, committed and focused. Judge Staci Williams is a graduate of the Georgetown University Law Center, Smith College, and The Hockaday School. A twoterm Judge of the 101st District Court in Dallas County, Texas; she has served on the Board for The Hockaday School; Dispute Mediation Service, Inc., S.A.A.V.E.D. and North Texas Volunteer Center; and, as Chair/Co-Chair of various committees for the Dallas Bar Association and the J.L. Turner Legal Association. In September 2015, Judge Williams created the Citizens’ Civil Academy (CCA) to educate citizens about the civil court system. She has over 10 years judicial experience and 27 years of legal experience including: Trial Attorney and Administrative Judge with the EEOC; Arbitrator for NASD/FINRA, U.S. Postal Service, Dallas Area
Rapid Transit (DART), Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS), and the Washington Metropolitan Airport Board; Counsel, U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee; and Dallas Municipal Court Judge. And guess, what? She’s also a twin, so there are two superb Williams women walking around town! HON. GYNA BIVENS Gyna Bivens is the Mayor Pro Tem of Fort Worth, TX Gyna M. Bivens is the Mayor Pro Tem for the City of Fort Worth. She also serves as president and executive director of North Texas Leaders and Executives Advocating Diversity (LEAD), a consortium of major employers in North Texas whose chief executive officers seek to increase diversity in their managerial ranks. Prior to accepting this role, The Fort Worth City Councilwoman, who recently was reelected to another term, was recruited in 1998 to become the first African American corporate spokesperson for one of the nation’s largest electric utility companies. Gyna spent part of her career as a television news reporter, giving her the opportunity to interview every U.S. president dating back to Jimmy Carter. Many became familiar with her voice on Soul 73 KKDA-M.She has volunteered with many organizations, and was twice elected Chairwoman of the Board of Directors for the Fort Worth Transportation Authority. She has served on more than 30 boards and commissions and has been recognized, awarded and presented by several organizations. BERNETTA JO YOUNG Bernetta Jo Young is a consummate professional who is well-prepared and focused. Bernetta Jo Young, a native of Dallas County with more than 34 years of professional experience inclu-ding 16 years with the City of Dallas; is currently serving as Interim Division Manager III for the City of Dallas. Bernetta holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business
Administration from the University of Oklahoma, where she was initiated into Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. She previously served as District Director for U.S. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee; Registrar and Manager of the Office of Vital Statistics for the City of Dallas; and worked in the corporate banking industry for 13 years at AmeriTrust, where she became the first African American female in the state of Texas to be promoted to trust officer. Bernetta is loyal, honest and a sincere member of Community Missionary Baptist Church of DeSoto. She is a Texas Registered Code Enforcement Officer and a National Safety Council Defensive Driving Instructor. DR. JENNIFER STIMPSON Dr. Jennifer Stimpson is the type of educator you want in the classroom! Dr. Jennifer Stimpson makes learning science an exciting experience. A graduate of Dillard University with a BS Degree in Chemistry, she received a MA Degree in environmental chemistry from the University of Northern Iowa. Dr. Jennifer received her doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education. Prior to teaching fifth grade science at The Hockaday School, she taught chemistry in the Dallas Independent School District. Dr. Jennifer is the founder of JSTEMP Science, an education platform to inspire students to consider STEM. The recipient of numerous recognitions and honors, she received Texas Women’s Foundation Maura Leadership Award, Dillard University’s Alumnae Award for Professional Excellence, The “Hidden Figures in STEM” award from the National Society of Black Engineers and an Inspiration Award from the Michael Jordan Foundation. A finalist for Ebony Magazine People’s Choice Award, this member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority was featured in O: The Oprah Magazine as a “Rock Star Scientist.” REP. RHETTA BOWERS Rep. Rhetta Andrews Bowers is a proud native Houstonian, wife and mother who has been honored by several organizations. Texas State Rep. Rhetta Bowers represents House District 113 and made history elected as the first African American to represent this district that includes all or parts of Rowlett, Garland, Mesquite,
Sunnyvale, Seagoville, Combine, Balch Springs, and Dallas. Rep. Bowers is an alumna of Spelman and Texas Southern University, earning a bachelor’s degree in Telecommunications, with an emphasis in Broadcast Journalism. She began working in DC in public television at PBS headquarters and WETATV 26/Radio 90.9. She returned to Texas’ KCENTV 6 and was later promoted to news producer. She also was educational services coordinator for KERA TV 13/Radio 90.1. A former educator and volunteer within Garland ISD, she is a member of St. Paul United Methodist Church and a life member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Rep. Bowers is a cofounder and four-time Co-chair of the Dallas Women’s March. She is the recipient of the 2019 Bands of Hope “Trailblazer Award,” Afiya Center’s “Legislative Achievement Award,” TSU’s “Distinguished Alumna of the Year and Texas Legislative Black Caucus 2019 “Freshman of the Year.” SHERYL ADKINS-GREEN Sheryl Adkins-Green is brains, beauty, influence and grace! Sheryl Adkins-Green is the Executive VP and Chief Marketing Officer at Mary Kay, Inc.; leading the global marketing strategy, brand positioning, new product development, advertising, digital marketing, social media, product education, and customer insights. She has worked as the Business Director at Kraft Foods, Regional President at Citibank, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Cadbury Schweppes/Snapple Beverage Group, and Vice President, General Manager at Alberto Culver. In 2020, Sheryl received the CMO Leadership Award, and in 2019, she was named to BLACK ENTERPRISE’s 2019 Most Powerful Women in Corporate America List. Sheryl earned a BS degree from the University of Wisconsin and received her MBA from Harvard Business School. A trustee of Texas Christian University, she serves on the boards of the AT&T Performing Arts Center and the Dallas Museum of Art and she also serves as a judge for the 2021 Miss Universe Pageant.
N. W. Harllee
Photo credit: Dallas ISD
Such a family was the Harllee and Phelps family of Dallas whose achievements we will chronicle. I was just thinking…, this family dynasty illustrates one of many chapters of Black history lost in the rapidly- turning pages of time. But let’s remember them here. We begin with the family patriarch: See THINKING, page 7
DR. JACQUIE HOOD MARTIN Dr. Jacquie Hood Martin is a treasure. Always calm and focused; she is a joy to be around! Jacquie Hood Martin, PhD is an ordained minister, columnist, documentary creator, speaker handbook author. Dr. Jacquie served for a decade as the first female staff pastor at The Church Without Walls in Houston, TX, and she served for two years as pastor at The Bridge International in Chicago, IL, a church she cofounded. Currently she serves as co-chair of the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Sunday of Hope Advisory Council. Dr. Jacquie was also Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs at City College of Chicago. She received a M.Ed. in Higher Education/Online Technology from Northcentral University and her PhD at Louisiana Baptist University and Theological Seminary. She is sincere and so helpful because she empowers attendees. A loving wife, Rev. Jacquie is a certified master coach, DiSC certified trainer, author, documentary creator, leader in strategic planning, professional development, education advancement and personal empowerment. Check her out at www.jhoodandassociates.org JUDGE STEPHANIE HUFF Judge Stephanie Mitchell Huff is conscientious, committed and highly respected because of her sincere approach to everything she is involved in. Judge Stephanie Mitchell Huff received a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a J.D. from the University of Kansas School of Law. The Navarro County District Attorney’s Office in 2007 as the Chief Juvenile Prosecutor. She later became a felony assistant district attorney in Dallas County and from 2013 - 2014, she served as the Chief Felony Prosecutor of the Dallas County Gang Unit. In 2015, she was sworn in as the youngest sitting Criminal District Court Judge in Dallas County, for the 291st Judicial District Court. The judge is also an adjunct professor of criminal law, contracts law, and criminal procedure at Kaplan College. A member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and Concord Church. Judge Huff has a received numerous awards, including: Felony and Misdemeanor Prosecutor of See SUPERB WOMEN page 8
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GarlandJournal
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 2, 2021
WWW.GARLANDJOURNAL.COM
Virtual and liVe Community Calendar
Black College Day Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Hispanic Heritage Month
THE DOC SHEP SPEAKS SHOW! From 11 am. CST on Facebook Live/@TexasMetroNews, @ fnsconsulting, and You Tube @docshepspeaks.
AFROJams Africa ft. TOOFAN Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/afrotvchannel 7 pm CDT.
SEPTEMBER 2
“Dallas Love Field’s Lead with Love” Live. Feat: Veletta Forsythe Lill, Benjamin Espino, Viola Delgado. Guest: Jason Roberts,12:30 pm CDT. On the Love Field’s, Facebook and YouTube.
Dallas Mimosa Walk: Labor Day Holiday Weekend at Deep Ellum Outdoor Market 101-199 N. Crowdus St. Dallas 12-3:30 pm. Tickets: https://bit.ly/3DaJGnV .
Happy Birthday to Dr. Felicia Shepherd
Soul Line Dance Tuesday-Live! Virtual, host BE Creative Arts Center. 7 pm CDT Reg: www.becreativeartscenter.com FREE.
5th Fair Park Blues & Jazz Festival Dedicated to Ms. Opal Lee at The African American Museum, 3536 Grand Ave. 4-9:30 pm. Tickets: www.fairpark.com.
The Connection with Debra BrownSturns. On Facebook.com/TexasMetroNews & BlogTalkRadio.com. 7-8 pm. 646-200-0459.
SEPTEMBER 8 I Was Just Thinking with Norma Adams-Wade. 11 am -1 pm. CST On Facebook Live/@TexasMetroNews and BlogTalkRadio. com. Join the conversation 646-200-0459.
Day Trippin-Labor Day Weekend 97.9 DJ Kayotik & DJ Reese at Seven Lounge, 3017 W. 7th St. #500, Ft. Worth. 3-8 pm. Tickets/ https://daytrippin2021. eventbrite.com.
Irving-Las Colinas Jazz Concert & Art Exhibition. Feat: Althea Rene at Toyota Music Factory-Texas Lottery Plaza, 340 W. Las Colinas Blvd. Tickets: https://bit.ly/3sBRcU2 7-11 pm.
Ask Dr. Amerson with Dr. Linda Amerson.12 pm. CST @DFWiRadio.com, and Live on Facebook @DrLindaAmerson
MLK Produce Distribution 10 am-12 pm. Temporarily Relocated to Park South YMCA, 2500 Romine Ave. Info: 214-2382299.
SoulJazz Thursdays Feat: Natural Change Band. Hosted by Sandaga 813, 813 Exposition Ave. 8 pm-12 am. Visit www.sandaga813.com.
The Interview with: The Black Press USA. Host Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Streaming live at 11:30 CST on www.facebook.com/blackpressusa/live.
SEPTEMBER 5
Dallas District 1 Artists Meet & Greet Mayor Pro Tem, Chad West at The Turner House, 401 North Rosemont Ave. 5:30-7 pm. https:// bit.ly/2UJqIDy. 4TH Riverfront Jazz Festival Kick Off Doing it New Orleans Style at AT&T Arts District, 208 S. Akard St. Downtown. 7 pm.
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.
Don Diego Live at The Attaché Cigar, 4099 Camp Wisdom Rd. #101. 7-10 pm. Info: http://www.theattacheclub.com/
SEPTEMBER 9
Labor Day Weekend Morning Flow with Black Swan Yoga at The Pool Club, 1445 Turtle Creek Blvd. Dallas. 10-11 am. Tickets: https://bit.ly/3jgRCw9
SEPTEMBER 3-5 4TH Riverfront Jazz Festival, Host TBAAL at Dallas Convention Center, 1309 Canton St. Tickets: www.tbaalriverfrontjazzfestival.org
SEPTEMBER 3 First Fridays at Main Station, 100 South Main Street, Duncanville. 7-11 pm. Tickets: https://bit.ly/3sIPG2d.
SoulJazz Thursdays Feat: Natural Change Band at Sandaga 813, 813 Exposition Ave. 8 pm-12 am. www.sandaga813.com. The Connection with Debra Brown-Sturns. OnFacebook. com/TexasMetroNews & BlogTalkRadio.com. 7-8 pm. 646200-0459.
Water2Wine Comedy Show! Hosted By Comedian Angelia Walker at Hyena’s Comedy Night Club, 5321 E. Mockingbird Ln. Dallas. 8 pm. Eventbrite.com.
Let’s Get Connected A Fort Worth Metro Black Chamber Event. Reg. in advance: https://bit.ly/3D9dvVZ 7-9 pm CDT
SEPTEMBER 10
I Love the 90’s R&B / Hip Hop {Mega Day Party & Pool Party} Labor Day, at Aloft Dallas Love Field, 2333 West Mockingbird Ln. Dallas. 4-9 pm. Eventbrite.com.
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.
70 Years Church Anniversary Outdoor Park and Praise, 5707 Bonnie View Rd, Special music Guest: Myron Butler. 9 am.
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. Irving-Las Colinas Jazz Concert & Art Exhibition. Feat: Najee at The Marriott Dallas Las Colinas, 223 W. Las Colinas Blvd. Tickets: https://bit.ly/3sBRcU2. 7-11 pm.
SEPTEMBER 4 Irving-Las Colinas Jazz Concert & Art Exhibition. Feat: Kandace Springs at Westin Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas, 400 W. Las Colinas Blvd. Bit.ly/3sBRcU2 7-11 pm.
SEPTEMBER 7
Alter Ego Poetry Host Real Rare Poetry at The Attache Cigar, 4099 W. Camp Wisdom Rd. #101. 7 pm.
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Free Up Fridays The Friday Night Escape at Heroes Lounge, 3094 N. Stemmons Fwy.10 pm Tickets: https://bit.ly/3gOBYpX.
SEPTEMBER 6 Labor Day
Every Friday Night Don Diego and The Razz Band at Club Odyssey, 7439 Westmoreland Rd. 6 pm. Face Mask Required.
Dallas County Democrats Labor Day Picnic at Ernie Roberts Park, E. Pleasant Run Rd. DeSoto. 11 am. Reg: https://bit. ly/3mNFDIA
SEPTEMBER 11 L. Clifford Davis Legal Association 41st Annual Scholarship & Awards Banquet at Historic Hilton Hotel, 815 N. Main St. Ft. Worth. 6 pm. Tickets: Eventbrite. com/e/162483589791
Labor Day Splash Pool Party at Crowne Plaza Dallas Downtown, an IHG Hotel 1015 Elm St. Dallas. 3-9 pm. Tickets: https://bit.ly/38GnzI9
LEGAL NOTICE These Texas Lottery Commission scratch ticket games will be closing soon:
Game #
Game Name / Odds
$
Official Close of Game
End Validations Date
2274
500X Loteria Spectacular Overall Odds are 1 in 3.10
$50
9/2/21
3/1/22
2279
30X The Cash Crossword Overall Odds are 1 in 4.28
$3
9/3/21
3/2/22
2284
Jumbo Bucks 300X Overall Odds are 1 in 3.90
$10
9/10/21
3/9/22
2288
Joker’s Wild Overall Odds are 1 in 4.40
$2
9/19/21
3/18/22
Winner Winner Chicken Dinner $1 Overall Odds are 1 in 4.98
9/22/21
3/21/22
2290
Money Money Money Overall Odds are 1 in 4.09
$5
9/22/21
3/21/22
2040
Mad Money Multiplier Overall Odds are 1 in 2.98
$20
9/22/21
3/21/22
2337
$5 Million Fortune Overall Odds are 1 in 3.53
$50
9/23/21
3/22/22
Texaslottery.com is the official source for all pertinent game information. Game closing procedures may be initiated for documented business reasons. These games may have prizes unclaimed, including top prizes. In addition, game closing procedures will be initiated when all top prizes have been claimed. During closing, games may be sold even after all top prizes have been claimed. Must be 18 or older to purchase a ticket. For help with a gambling problem, ncpgambling.org. © 2021 Texas Lottery Commission. PLAY RESPONSIBLY.
T:10”
2286
2021 Dallas OMG Food Fest at Main Street Garden Park, 1950 Main St. 2-10 pm Tickets: https:// bit.ly/3BoKmnZ
Round Up Retreat! By Southwest Dallas County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. at Mt. Lebanon Baptist Camp, 1701 Texas Plume Rd. Cedar Hill. Reg: https:// bit.ly/3DyQa08 10 am. Resurrection Body of Christ Church presents Marriage Resuscitation Seminar. Special Guest Apostle David Ransom. 10-3 pm. Info: www.resurrectionbodyofchristchurch.com Parkland Free flu shots available at Parkland’s Neighborhood Clinics Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon and 1-4 p.m. at: deHaro-Saldivar Health Center, 1400 N Westmoreland Rd. Dallas, and Garland Health Center, 802 Hopkins St., Garland. Frisco Rotary Farmers Market, 6048 Frisco Square Blvd. Farm fresh produce and more.8 am-12 pm.
SEPTEMBER 12 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. 2021 Back to School Picnic presented by New Nation Youth and Family Development It’s Free at 3440 W Clarendon Dr, Dallas. 4-8 pm. Salute THEM Awards ‘My HBCU Joy’ hosted by Loni Love honoring Kym Whitley, David Banner. On Facebook.com/AARP Black Community. 6pm. CDT. The Oasis Smooth Jazz Fall Concert. Feat: Don Diego at Toyota Music Factory, 340 W. Las Colinas Blvd. Irving. 10-4 pm. Tickets: www.thevinoygroup.com DeSoto Small Business Expo at Grow DeSoto Market Place, 324 E Belt Line Rd. 12-5 pm.
BLACK LIVES MATTER
GarlandJournal
WWW.GARLANDJOURNAL.COM
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 2, 2021
Food, Fun and the Holy Spirit By Eva D. Coleman
Lifestyle & Culture Editor Photo credit: Eva D. Coleman
The doors of 4Thirteen Kitchen & Sports Lounge are open. Let us all collectively say “Amen.” Founded by owner Angela Germany on the principles of well-known biblical scripture Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” she is truly a testament of getting it done. The large, wooden doors at the entrance of the restaurant location off of State Highway 121 in Lewisville are tall and majestic. You cannot see through them, which makes one wonder what’s inside. “They [the doors] were already here and we just refinished them,” Germany said. Once opened, you enter into a place filled with music, smiles and laughter. A huge, rectangular bar in the middle with chairs all around it is a focal point. Round, high-boy tables with seating surround the bar area. There’s a stage ready for performances, a game area with a digital jukebox and pool table, and an expansive outdoor patio, encouraged for use by cigar and hookah enthusiasts, with tables covered with red umbrellas to shield the sun. The venue has something for everyone.
4Thirteen Kitchen _ Sports Lounge General Manager Phillicia Bryant
4Thirteen Kitchen _ Sports Lounge customer Derrick Williams enjoys cigar on patio
“That’s exactly what it’s about,” Germany said. “I want people to enjoy different experiences.” Germany is no stranger to Dallas and entertainment. The Wichita, KS native is a socialite affectionately known by many as “Angela Kiss-Dallas,” a moniker from her
4Thirteen Kitchen _ Sports Lounge owner Angela Germany outside restaurant
prior KISS Entertainment of Dallas event planning and promotions company. Since moving to the metroplex in 2008, she’s hosted several signature events and parties. She chronicled her journey from idea to the opening of 4Thirteen on social media. She shared the good, bad and unexpected experiences as a restaurateur, and admits there were times she wanted to give up. However, her story of fortitude and realities has inspired a legion of friends and family. In the midst of #Journey2Open, she lost her sister, Stafon Jackson-Bishop, to a long battle with cancer. Within 10 days of Stafon’s death, her son’s father and ex-husband passed away from medical complications of COVID-19. Both were tremendous losses of which she publicly posted about her pain and mental anguish. The opening of 4Thirteen is a testament of her strength to persevere. With over two decades as a pharmaceutical and information technology (IT) professional, she recently resigned from her full-time job to devote efforts to 4Thirteen. She gushes at how her resignation came as a surprise to many, including her co-workers and management. She shared that her boss even mentioned it was “never on their radar” that she would leave. Typically in a faith walk, it’s not about what you “see.” “Life is just too short,” Germany said. “I want to do things I’m passionate about.” Greeting guests throughout the venue and providing guidance to staff was 4Thirteen General Manager Phillicia Bryant. Bryant made her mark on Dallas nightlife long ago as chief operating officer (COO) of the legendary Tephejez Nightclub. Bringing her experience to 4Thirteen was spiritually connected. “Early on, I asked Angela about the name 4Thirteen and told her that was my favorite Bible verse,” Bryant said, adding, “she smiled and said ‘Mine too.’” Bryant seemed at home in the relaxed and welcoming atmosphere and says she hopes 4Thirteen can be a “destination spot.” Her presence lit the space more than
4Thirteen Kitchen _ Sports Lounge interior
the numerous screens displaying sports as she floated from entrance to tables to bar then patio. “I’m a people pleaser. I love touching tables,” Bryant said. “I love seeing people excited and enjoying themselves and having a good time.”
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4Thirteen Kitchen & Sports Lounge opens in Lewisville
4Thirteen Kitchen _ Sports Lounge sweet tea
WNBA Player Joins Mavs Staff as Assistant Coach By Dorothy J. Gentry Sports Editor
Add a WNBA champion to the growing group of new faces preparing to usher the Dallas Mavericks franchise into a new era. Kristi Tolliver, a three-time WNBA AllStar and two-time champion, joins the Mavs as their newest assistant coach. The hiring was first reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
4Thirteen Kitchen _ Sports Lounge southern fried chicken, mac _ cheese and fries
AP Photo/Ashley Landis
4Thirteen Kitchen _ Sports Lounge patio view
Bryant’s keen sense of focus on service coupled with Germany’s faith-filled vision should keep guests flowing in. “We can pack a venue, that’s no problem,” Bryant said. “How you handle the customer will dictate whether or not you will retain them.” 4Thirteen Kitchen & Sports Lounge is located right off of State Highway 121 Frontage Road on the southbound side, just past Lake Vista Drive. “It’s so convenient, easy access for someone coming from anywhere,” Germany said. From hot wings to fried chicken, authentic catfish, mac & cheese and greens, the comfort food is flavorful and tasty. The famed scripture of the venue’s name on the back of some staff members’ shirts, with “Established 2021 #ByFaith” on others, brings a different level of comfort. It’s a constant reminder all throughout of “I can do all things.” Angela Germany did. And no matter what we face on life’s journey, we all can. For more information, visit 4thirteendallas. com
The Mavs have yet to make a formal announcement but Tolliver, 34, confirmed the hiring herself on her personal Twitter social media account. “Thank you all for the love and support entering this new journey with the @dallasmavs. So thankful for this opportunity and can’t wait to get to work. #MAVS” Tolliver currently plays for the Los Angeles Sparks. The WNBA and NBA do not play in the same seasons. She was drafted No. 3 overall in the 2009 WNBA draft by the Chicago Sky. She was traded a year later to the Sparks where she won a championship in 2016. She left the Sparks in 2017 to play for the Washington Mystics where she won a second championship in 2019. She returned to the Spark this year. The WNBA star brings previous coaching experience to the Mavs. While in Washington she spent two seasons as an assistant with the NBA’s Washington Wizards. Mavs fans are in for a totally new leadership group as the franchise named Jason Kidd as its new head coach and Nico Harrison as its new general manager this summer, replacing Rick Carlisle and Donnie Nelson respectively.
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GarlandJournal
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 2, 2021
WWW.GARLANDJOURNAL.COM
Labor Day The March Begins!
Quit Playin’ By Vincent L. Hall
I love Labor Day because that’s when the family reunion goes down. Naw, not mama ‘nem; my political family. This group is as diverse and entertaining as my immediate family. Each year, I and the fam’ meet up for breakfast. The Dallas AFL-CIO sponsors the repast to gather up the Union brothers and sisters and signal the kickoff for the upcoming political season. In 1863, then-President Abraham Lincoln issued what was arguably the most significant executive order in American history. Proclamation 95, an unnumbered executive order we know as the Emancipation Proclamation, was de facto labor regulation. Proclamation 95, like the 13th Amendment that it 31 years later, favored the fundamental freedoms of
enslaved workers in deference to the liberties slaveholders exercised for almost 300 years. W.E.B. DuBois once remarked that he saw the American Civil War as a “General Strike.” Throughout the bloodiest war in our history, an estimated 198,000 Black men traded their “pruning hooks” for militaryissued muskets. These men made up 10% of the Union Army, and another 19,000 served in the Navy. Although Labor Day was created in 1882 by unions, it didn’t gain national acceptance until some blood was shed. The official legislation making Labor Day a National holiday was passed on June 28, 1894. President Grover Cleveland signed it after 13 strikers were killed and 57 were wounded by U.S. Marshals and the U.S. Military. Like all national holidays in America, Labor Day evolved as a result of people who died for a cause. Check it out, MLK Day, Lincoln’s Birthday, and Veterans Day were all borne of human sacrifice. As you guessed by now, most of those martyrs died honorably fighting for the poor and disenfranchised. The “Pullman Porters” were among those who fought for justice. Shortly after the Civil War, Industrialist George Pullman, specifically sought out former slaves to work on his sleeper cars. However, when they
joined their White counterparts to fight for decent wages and conditions, they were attacked and, in some cases, killed. In the 2015 article titled “Labor Day, the labor movement and Black Americans, the story of the Pullman Porters was put center stage. “Labor Day was nationally established after the Pullman Strike of 1894 when President Grover Cleveland sought to win political points by honoring dissatisfied railroad workers. This strike did not include porters or conductors on trains, but racism fueled part of the workers’ dissatisfaction for the black porters and was never addressed. Pullman porters were black men who worked in the trains’ cars attending to their primarily white passengers, performing such tasks as shining shoes, carrying bags, and janitorial services. During this period, this profession was the largest employer of blacks in the nation and constituted a significant portion of the Pullman company’s workforce. Yet, blacks were not allowed to join the railroad worker’s union. Being excluded from the right to fight for fair work and wages, the Pullman porters formed their own union called the Brotherhood of the Sleeping Car Porters, the first black union, and A. Philip Randolph was its
first president. That name should sound familiar: the first planned March on Washington was Randolph’s brainchild. Set to take place in the 1940s, this demonstration was called off weeks before its kickoff date because President Roosevelt met with Randolph and other civil rights leaders in 1941 and signed an order barring racial discrimination in the federal defense industry. Roosevelt did so to stop the march from happening.” Labor Day should always be a rich cultural observance that signals the time to get ready for the upcoming election cycle. History and politics’ are always in lockstep. But, history never stops marching, and we should never allow anyone to stop our march to the polls. In the spirit of A. Philip Randolph, I will never miss the Dallas AFL-CIO Labor Day Breakfast! Vincent L. Hall is an author, activist, and award-winning columnist.
Message to Michael
Wake Up and Stay Woke
By Dr. E. Faye Williams Mike Pompeo, I read your thoughts about America being “the greatest nation and greatest force for good on the planet, and it is up to us to keep it that way.” Obviously, you’ve never lived as a Black person, so with a few adjustments in your thinking, I could agree with you. If only you’d said America is the greatest nation and the greatest force for good on the planet for white people, I could agree with you. Understand that other people who’re not white haven’t had it as good as you have. Imagine you were Black, brown, red or yellow. Do you think you’d have enjoyed the historic brutality of white
people? Suppose this was the native police without consequences, relegated land of your ancestors and suddenly to the back of the bus or to jobs below your land was stolen, your people were minimum wage? Would you really be killed, treaties were dishonored, and happy forgetting the cruelty that has your people were forced to live on un- existed for years and continues under desirable land with few resources and the veil of social order? fewer prospects for a prosperous futuSeriously, if your white people had re. Would you have enjoyed that? been denied education, denied decent Suppose you’d been placed in con- housing, denied decent jobs — denied centration camps, or your family wor- just about everything you would ever ked the fields raising fruits and vege- have hoped for, would you be shoutables for the masses while being paid ting from rooftops how great Ameriless than minimum wage? Imagine ca is, and that you don’t want to hear your infant children being rounded anything about critical race theory up in their young adulor the truth thereof? thood and deported to You mean you really a country where they’d wouldn’t care that, with never lived and where few exceptions, your they had no social or community didn’t have minimal cultural condecent healthcare or nection. grocery stores or good Think about it. All of schools? these things were done Knowing your curto non-white people by rent elevated lifestyle, white people like you. I find it difficult to beHon. Mike Pompeo White people like you lieve that, under the became the beneficiaoppressive circumstanries of their labor and their deprivati- ces previously described, you wouldn’t on. Truthfully, if circumstances were have wanted equal rights, safe streets, reversed, would you really sit back, fair police protection, fair voting rights, grin and be happy about people of co- and the opportunity to succeed on the lor prospering while your people were basis of your personal merit. Truth is lynched, brutally beaten/killed by the sometimes hard to take, but if things
had been reversed, I believe you would be found in the street yelling “White Lives Matter,” “White Voters Matter,” “I’m white and I’m proud!” In reality, you ARE white and were born with all the associated privileges. My observations inform me that even poor whites understand the privilege their color offers them. Too often, the inability to understand leads one to falsely believe their privilege derives from being smarter or more deserving. That wrong-thinking will lead, as it has seemingly led you, to become an undeserving, self-serving, uncaring, ignorant white man who knows the truth, but who can’t contend with the discomfort of acknowledging the truth. Your greatest fear is losing undeserved white privilege and having the rest of us treated like the beings God made us. If you could just imagine what equality would be like, I am sure you would not have written that muddled article you wrote for CAVPAC. Critical race theory is about truth-telling and it’s obvious that people like you know little about TRUTH! 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
President Biden’s COVID-19 Directives for Schools and Nursing Homes
Our Voices By Sen. Royce West
President Joe Biden announced two efforts aimed at helping Texas school children and residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities. First, President Biden instructed Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona to take the steps needed to protect school children by using all available oversight authority - including legal action - to stop governors or other officials’ efforts to “block and intimidate local schools and educators.” The President called out politicians for their attempts to turn public safety measures into partisan disputes for their own political gain. He cautioned that state executives who are taking power away from local educators are “setting a dangerous tone,” for the country. I could not agree more! I fully support President Biden’s directives to Secretary Cardona. We cannot play politics with the lives of Texas schoolchildren when we know that local school boards and superintendents will do what is necessary to protect students from COVID-19. Secondly, President Biden announced that his administration will require all nursing home workers who serve Medicare or Medicaid clients to be vaccinated. The President correctly noted that the vaccination rates among nursing homes’ staff in Texas trails the overall vaccination rate of the rest of America. I support the Biden Administration’s actions to protect residents in nursing home and long-term care facilities across this nation, and in the great state of Texas. Mask mandates and vaccinations are not and should not be political. These are public health measures we must all pay attention to in order to protect our fellow Texans and save lives. My overriding philosophy of government has always favored local control. I believe that government closest to the people is best for the people. For more information, please contact Kelvin Bass at 214-467-0123.
Spend Nine Minutes And 29 Seconds To Make A Difference
TO BE EQUAL By Marc Morial
If we can lift black lives from the margins of society, we can lift all lives.” – USC Law Professor Jody David Armour I had the honor of delivering the commencement address at Tennessee State University. Like many historically Black colleges and universities, TSU was born in the crucible of the age of segregation. It was born at a time when our forefathers and foremothers were escaping
from the throes of the Ku Klux Klan. They were escaping from the pandemic of lynching which was sweeping the South. If they lived in the 1870s, 1880s, and 1890s, they may have had a chance to vote. A chance to hold public office. A chance to own property. Then in the late 1896, the Supreme Court ruled in Plessy v. Ferguson that legal segregation did not violate the U.S. Constitution. For the sons and daughters of enslaved ancestors, that represented a great betrayal. And in those times, just imagine the courage it took, the determination it took for the sons and daughters, grandsons and granddaughters, of our enslaved ancestors, to aspire to a college education. That entire generation, faced with this betrayal, didn’t cover, and they didn’t quit. They created great, historically Black colleges and universities. They created the NAACP and the
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organization I’m proud to lead, the National Urban League. They created the Alphas, the Kappas, the Omegas, the AKAs, the Deltas, Zeta Phi Beta, and all the rest. They created organizations of Black doctors, and nurses, and lawyers. And they were determined to strive against those difficult times. What does that have to do with today? Well in 2020, the year just ended, our lives were upended by an invisible virus, an enemy we couldn’t see and we couldn’t touch. But it could see us, it could touch us, it could infect us, and it did kill us. And our lives were upended, by nine minutes and 29 seconds of a knee on the neck of our brother George Floyd in Minneapolis. Nine minutes and 29 seconds that ignited a new flame of activism. All of this presents a question to the Class of 2021 – a class that has withstood a year of virtual instruction, a
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massive wave of job loss, interacting from behind masks at a distance of six feet. The Class of 2021 has seen family members and friends fighting for their lives on ventilators. The Class of 2021 has overcome this invisible virus, and the challenge of those nine minutes and 29 seconds. And that question is: What will you do now? Will you become spectators, or will you seize the moment? My charge to the Class of 2021 is to commit to nine minutes and 29 seconds each day to the fight for social justice and civil rights in this country. Nine minutes and 28 seconds, spent urging the United States Senate to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. Nine minutes and 29 seconds spent telling states like Georgia: we will not be silent while you suppress our votes. Nine minutes and 29 seconds a day reaching back to your high school or
community, serving as a role model and a guide for another young person. Nine minutes and 29 seconds, every day, to honor the memory of George Floyd and all the men and women who have lost their lives to racially-motivated police violence. To honor the memory of the lives lost to structural racism in our health-care system during this awful pandemic. Whether we graduated this week or 50 years ago, we all stand on the shoulders of the brave men and women who came before us, the men and women who built great universities in the crucible of Jim Crow, men and women who had the audacity to seek a college education against all odds. We all should remember their courage and carry it with us as we work to build a nation without racism, without poverty, and without bitter division. 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.
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GarlandJournal
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 2, 2021
5
Give the Girl some Grace
Faithful Utterances By Dr. Froswa Booker-Drew On this past week, I moderated a panel discussion that included some of the most brilliant women that were physicians and medical professionals. There was one word that I continuously stumbled and slaughtered— ‘obstetrics’. For the life of me, I couldn’t get it out of my mouth correctly. Instead of being embarrassed, I owned my mistake. Even with a PhD, I don’t know everything, can’t do everything, and still realize how much I don’t know. A dear friend reminded me of my challenge when she posted that as a public speaker, she messed up recently as well by saying “um” repeatedly. Mistakes happen. We don’t always do our best. As I’ve gotten older, I don’t feel
the need to be embarrassed by my faults and failures. I’m human and I make a lot of mistakes. Some of them I’m aware of and others are brought to my attention. Instead of hiding behind shame or my ego, I learn from it, do better and move on. I’ve learned how to give myself grace. As a young adult, I didn’t have the wisdom to understand the unrealistic expectations I was placing on myself to get everything right and as a result, I set the bar high for others. I didn’t extend grace to myself, and others were not given the grace to fail or do better, either. As a society, I find that we want grace for our errors, but we are not as compassionate with others who fail. I’ve been guilty of this, too. I want to be forgiven but so often, I might be reluctant to forgive as quickly. My daughter just turned 21 years old, the same age as Sha ‘Carri Richardson. As I look at my daughter discovering her voice and vision, I realize that she has so much still to learn. She’s witnessed and experienced a lot in her short time on the planet and there is so much more she will go through. Despite her brilliance, she has made choices and decisions that have raised
“It’s who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That’s the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship...” my eyebrow and my blood pressure at times. She’s young. I often remind her that some of the wisdom you gain isn’t in books, it’s through living and in 21 years, there is still a lot of learning, living, loving, laughing and loss that she will experience. As I saw Sha ‘Carri trending on Twitter coming in last in the 100-meter race and withdrawing from the 200 meter, the posts that followed were not only appalling but laced with so much mean-spiritedness. They harped on her previous comments failing to recognize what this young woman has endured. They failed to
realize that despite her talent, she still has a life ahead of her filled with more growth and life lessons. They didn’t give her grace. They only saw her problems and failed to see the possibilities and potential within. Maybe it’s because we reflect to others what exists within us. I’m so grateful that God doesn’t treat us the way we treat others. I’m glad that God has expectations for our lives and yet, recognizes our weakness and that we will fail and fall short (Romans 3:23). Sometimes repeatedly. It’s interesting that in the story of the woman at the well in John 4:1-3 (MSG) the Pharisees “were keeping count of the baptisms that he and John performed (although his disciples, not Jesus, did the actual baptizing). They had posted the score that Jesus was ahead turning him and John into rivals in the eyes of the people.…” Instead of focusing on improving themselves, they created mess—a typical technique of distraction. Jesus leaves and goes to Samaria where he encounters a woman at the well. In their conversation, Jesus reveals his awareness of her multiple husbands and current in-house lover. He doesn’t condemn her for this. Jesus
says to her (John 4: 23-24 MSG), “It’s who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That’s the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship...” Could it be that our blessings are limited because we are not honest with ourselves which impacts our worship and relationship with God? If we are honest, much of the rhetoric we are seeing is not necessarily about the confidence of Sha ‘Carri. It’s interesting that Muhammad Ali did the exact same thing in talking about his ability as a strategy to deal with the media and his opponents. The rhetoric today is really about a society that relishes in the failure of others, that fails to see their own inadequacies and prefers to place athletes on pedestals than to realize that they are human. Give the girl some grace…. 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
Our Voices
By Rep. Yvonne Davis This has been an unusual legislative year to say the least – but I am confident Texas and Texans will survive and ultimately thrive. As you well know, the 87th Regular Legislative session ended with a bang, and it has continued through two special called sessions! The re-
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
gular session ended with Democrats saying, “enough is enough” and leaving the House Chamber to stop a controversial voter suppression bill by running out the clock to end the session. There is no question that Democrats as well as all Texans want fair and secure elections! However, a voter suppression bill designed to make it more difficult for individuals to vote does not enhance security in our election process. It is my thought that every citizen’s participation is essential to having and maintaining a strong and representative government. However, the Governor called the first special session on July 8th to address the voters suppression bill as well as other measures, that failed during the regular session, including Article 10 funding for the legisla-
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
We will Survive
tive branch of government which he vetoed. After a 24-hour hearing on the controversial voting suppression legislation Democrats again, walked out after insults and humiliation during the process. The first special called session ended with no action taken due to a lack of a quorum in the House. Democrats traveled to the nation’s capital to visit with Congressional leaders regarding the need for federal legislation to protect voters and their voting rights without intimidation. This effort brought additional focus on the legislation and the need to protect all citizens from this form of intimidation and violation of their rights. Consequently, the Governor called a second special session, August 7th, which is currently ongoing. I believe we have too many critical
issues facing our State to be bogged down with partisan politics. The State must redefine it’s priorities and focus on ways to protect and improve the quality of life for all Texans. As a Democrat who believes our state government can and should do better, I will continue to advocate for all citizens. Please know to break quorum is not an easy decision to make, in fact, it’s a very difficult action to take. Sometimes it is necessary to take bold action to get the attention of others who have no perspective and/or understanding of the long-lasting effects of such negative legislation. It is always my desire to have an environment where there is room to talk and discuss our differences. The House rules are designed to serve its members and so maintaining a quorum is required not only to ensure
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
the integrity of the body, but to move measures forward. Consequently, denying a quorum is a strategic tool to put measures on hold when the action is not in best interest of the state. While I understand that there are many perspectives – we must all seek to create a Texas where every Texan is respected. Currently, the House of Representatives is meeting and should focus on issues like COVID-19, health care, a thirteen check for retired teachers, and true property tax relief. Finally, I appreciate the many calls and emails expressing concerns, support, and views during the quorum break. Your input is always welcome and appreciated. I look forward to continuing to work and govern in a manner that is respectful to and for all Texans to keep our State strong and safe!
BIG MAMA SAID: Check Yourself, Before you Wreck Yourself Because Your Attitude Will Take You Far!
Black Card By Terry Allen
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
Herb Kelleher, Former Head of Southwest Airlines
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! Lucille “Big Mama” Allen platform was always steeped in the Biblical word. The reference she used for this was as stated in the Bible. _ _Ephesi-
ans 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 our-
selves 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 award-winning media professional, journalist, and entrepreneur. He is also the founder of City Men Cook and 1016 Media. Reach him at terryalllenpr@gmail.com
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GarlandJournal
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 2, 2021
THE PROTEGE
At The Movies By Hollywood Hernandez Maggie Q is the world’s deadliest female assassin in the action/ thriller THE PROTEGE. The movie starts out in Vietnam where Moody (Samuel L. Jackson) finds young Anna cowering in a closet with a gun in her hands and a house filled with dead Vietnamese soldiers. Moody takes her in and trains her to work in the family business. Anna has two sides to her persona. One is a deadly killer who is deadly with guns, knives, hand to hand combat, and any household appliance she can get her hands on. She’s also a sophisticated London bookstore owner who specializes in rare books and is also passionate about the books she sells. (Spoiler alert) When her mentor and father figure is brutally
killed she becomes a one woman killing machine tracking down and killing anyone who was involved in his murder. Michael Keaton, who quickly develops sexual feelings for Anna, is the world class gangster who she discovers was the one who gave the order to kill her surrogate father. The sexual chemistry between the two creates a separate side plot that is both steamy and smart. There’s plenty of action in THE PROTEGE and the movie takes us to several countries in this cat and mouse game between lovers and assasination targets. Who’s going to win the battle? That’s the question that skillfully keeps us guessing until the very end. THE PROTEGE is rated R for some bloody violence and sexual situations and runs for 1 hour and 49 minutes. On my “Hollywood Popcorn Scale” I rate the movie a LARGE.
That Celebrity Interview By Valder Beebe Before a hint of scandal or before VH1 pressed the pause on T.I. and Tameka “Tiny” Harris’ reality show after the couple was accused of sexual abuse, I had the opportunity to interview Tameka Harris aka Tiny, of the hit reality show T.I. & Tiny: Friends & Family Hustle. T.I. & Tiny: The Family Hustle is the VH1 reality series which follows the lives of rapper T.I. and his wife Tameka. The Grammywinning rapper [T.I.] has had his share of legal trouble. Tiny is my guest in the Valder Beebe Show studio as we spoke earlier this year about family and T.I. & Tiny: Friends & Family Hustle anticipating a new season on VH1, at the time. The series follows T.I. & Tiny: The Family Hustle, which ran for six seasons
Heroes from page 1 where they can take pictures and receive autographed photos of Garland’s Hometown Hero. In addition, the Tyrese Maxey Foundation is holding a fundraiser beginning August 26, 2021, to fund our kid-heroes’ free admissions into local Tyrese Maxey Community-wide Events. The Tyrese Maxey Foundation is seeking donations starting at $20.
Reverend Needs Heavenly Advice Ask Alma By Alma Gill Dear Alma, My brother in-law is a minister, but he’s also an oblivious, self-centered fool. At Christmas, he irritates people by doing things like sitting in my 94-year-old mother’s favorite chair and acts hurt when we tell him to get up. Or he goes shopping and is late for the big dinner. I said we shouldn’t wait for him, but that’s a hard one to enforce. I try to not let it get to me, but part of me says he needs to be told that he is not the center of our universe. My poor sister is constantly making excuses for him. How long should we suck it up, or is it time to finally dish some out? W.P., Springfield, Va.
VH1 T.I. & TINY STAR, TAMEKA “TINY” HARRIS on VH1 and following the Harris family as the former returned home from a 12-month prison sentence. Tameka ‘Tiny’ Harris rose to fame as part of the R&B group Xscape during the 1990s. Tiny also won a Grammy Award for cowriting TLC’s “No Scrubs.” Tiny has since become a familiar face on reality TV, starring in the shows Tiny & Toya for BET and The Family Hustle. She married T.I. in 2010 and the couple have three children together. Tiny also has a daughter, from a previous marriage.
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VBS: Tameka Harris, welcome to the Valder Beebe Show for the first time. I’m so delighted you are here. TH: Thank you, glad to be here. VBS: Well, I’ve admired you on TV for a very long time because you are doing something that is very hard, putting your life out there for the viewers to see and judge. Putting your relationship, your family, your life out there in T.I. & Tiny: Friends & Family Hustle. Like I said,
I admire you. TH: Thank you very much. I’ve enjoyed every bit of it. Working with my family and close friends, your private life become hard to keep private. VBS: When you bring your family and friends into something that is so on center stage, how do you keep them connected? How do you keep them continuing to want to do this? TH: Well, they [family] all complain, here and there but at the end of the day, we all love what we do. We’re just being a family and putting it out there and taping it. It can be a little challenging at
times, especially the young ones. VBS: What about your relationship with T.I. and putting your relationship center stage? TH: I feel like our relationship is already center stage. We’ve been in the music industry so long. It been ok. I have though …….
Sponsorships are also available. The first 50 kids between the ages of 2 and 12 will receive free admission into the event. Adult admission is $25 for attendees ages 13 and up. All attendees must RSVP online at https://www. eventbrite.com/e/tyrese-ma xey-foundation-marvelfamily-movie-night-tickets168478458605?aff=tickets For information on the event or how to sponsor a child, contact Telea@phenixx.com.
The Tyrese Maxey Foundation is a non-for-profit organization founded on faith-based values that teaches today’s youth to take the initiative on and off the court. Through the teachings of integrity, honesty, generosity, courage, charity, respect, and hope, the Tyrese Maxey Foundation provides Garland’s youth with the necessary skills and tools to become the next generation of leaders. With a focus on faith, family, fashion, and finance; the Tyrese Maxey Family
Foundation aims to give back to ensure scholars success towards a collegiate education and a professional career. In an effort to make this happen, community events, monetary and item donations, inspirational speaking engagements, high school assemblies/prep rallies attendance, financial discussions, college talks, and more will be the start of the Tyrese Maxey Foundation stamp in the Garland community for an effort of change and hope.
Complete video interview: SoundCloud.com/valderbeebeshow ; more interviews: ValdeBeebeShow. com; YouTube.com/valderbeebeshow ;SoundCloud.com/kkvidfw ; 411RadioNetwork.com; broadcasting to a national audience on KKVI FM Radio, Streaming TV, Social Media, Print Publications; I MESSENGER, Texas Metro News, and Garland Journal News.
Garland Unit NAACP
Presents the 30th Annual
Freedom Fund Virtual Brunch
ACP, still a voice in the community The NA Speaker
Mistress of Ceremony
Dr. Devin Atchison
Senior Pastor Westside Baptist Church, Lewisville, TX
LaKisha Culpepper
Garland ISD, Liaison to the African American Community
Join Us Virtually
September 18, 2021 ~ 10:00am
$20 donation click here.
The link for brunch will be emailed following donation.
The spectacular Silent Auction will be online! For more information, call the NAACP Garland Unit: 972-381-5044, Voice Box #5
Dear W.P. Family gatherings; they’re a blessing, aren’t they? Some relatives come from far away; others just drive across the bridge. But, oh, what a time it is…for the first good hour. Which group will you hang with — the ones on the couch watching the game, the ones drinking in the basement and doing whatever, or the ones at the kitchen table? I’m a kitchen table kinda girl myself. That’s where you find out everybody’s business. LOL. Sorry, this isn’t about me; it’s about your BIL – the minister who wants all the attention. I can hear him now, “Hello, world. Yea, the one that revolves around me.” Sounds like your BIL is accustomed to having things go his way. Whatever he says, it’s fine. Whatever he does, it’s fine. Many in his congregation affirm that for him every Sunday, don’t you know. I know because my father was a minister, and I watched how he was treated. We sometimes discussed this very topic while riding home from service or after visiting with church members. We’d talk about how ministers have to work on their humility. They’re local celebrities, and that makes it very hard. Since your BIL is a minister, I would be remiss if I didn’t refer to a Bible verse. The one that comes to mind goes something like, “God resists the proud or the scornful, but He gives grace to the humble.” We all could use some extra grace, can I get an Amen. Just like compassion, humility doesn’t always come naturally. I know I’ve taken the long road in answering your question, but I think it’s important to understand where your BIL is coming from. Clearly, the Reverend-Mister-Local-Celebrity in your family has taken it to the next level. Yes, you could have a talk with him, but not at a holiday gathering. Do it in smaller company, maybe even the next time you call your sister and he answers the phone. Ask him, straight up: “What’s up, Chuck? Why you always taking Mama’s seat?” Then take two steps back and remind him of his ability to humble himself and acknowledge the needs of others. He’ll be shocked and taken aback but also wise enough to listen to what sounds, to him, like a compliment. Family gatherings and special events are just that – special events. It’s not the time to let him, her or them “have it.” Use these celebrations to build unforgettable memories and traditions that will live forever within your heart. Alma Alma Gill’s newsroom experience spans more than 25 years, including various roles at USA Today, Newsday and the Washington Post. Email questions to: alwaysaskalma@gmail.com. Follow her on Facebook at “Ask Alma” and twitter @almaaskalma.
GarlandJournal
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THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 2, 2021
CADNET CLASSIFIEDS
My Truth from page 1 to see her showing Black love to her equally talented, handsome and smart FBI agent of a husband and father of their daughter. Talk about a diverse cast! Well, it was refreshing for me to tune in to the work of an excellent writing, directing, producing and acting team that is relatable. Then I began to think about all the boss moves that Ms. Winfrey continues to make. And she doesn’t have to do ANYTHING, you hear me? If she doesn’t want to do, it won’t get done. But she pushes the envelope constantly addressing issues; not making a big splash, just doing what needs to be done. Many of us could learn from her. Whether she’s building schools, educating a class of Black men in college, or taking care of so many; she’s doing what she feels compelled to do and it’s her journey. Which brings me to my truth. Coming from New Jersey, I am more into baseball and bas-
ketball than football; but then I went to that powerhouse, Florida A&M University, and begin to see a little of what the fuss was about as I began covering more and more sports, as a reporter. Well fast forward to all the “hype” surrounding Colin Kaepernick; who is referred to as an “activist” today, when in the past he was viewed as just a socially-conscious brother who played football and spoke out about injustices. Some might say there isn’t any difference between the two and others who entertained and spoke out are discussed, along with the price they paid. And there are so many who vilified Mr. Kaepernick, doing everything they could to end his career; even to the point of playing mediocre players, because they could. Still others criticized the teams but still bought those tickets and turned on their television sets. Well, I am not Oprah, but I took one “big” for me step that I
EDUCATION
thought was pretty “boss.” I remember a photographer asking me for press credentials to cover the NFL for Texas Metro News. I told him he could cover Pee Wee, Little League, Pop Warner, high school, college or women’s Legend’s Football League; but I wasn’t focusing on the NFL at all. For me the NFL needed a lot of help in so many areas and especially in changing the mindsets of some of their racially-insensitive owners. The photographer urged me to agree to the credentials; saying he would get me the “money shot.” My response: The only ‘money shot’ you can get me is of Kaepernick back on the field playing! End of discussion. When the photographer walked away, I’ll admit I felt good. It was not an adversarial type of conversation. Just matter of fact. Kaepernick, and so many oth-
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ers deserve a chance and it’s just unfortunate that while I own my publications, I don’t own a team because the brother would be playing or maybe even coaching! That’s what you do with boss moves! So, I’ll take this small victory. Sure we’ll write good stories, like Drew Pearson’s induction into the Hall of Fame; but we’re not going to contribute to this madness. We have to demand what the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin asked for…R-E-S-P-EC-T!
THINKING from page 1
Norman Washington Harllee, (c. 1847-1853, died 1927) also known as N. W. Harllee, was a beloved, towering figure in Dallas Black education beginning in the 1880s. He moved to Dallas in 1885 -- approximately when he was in his late-30s. His ability to teach and relate to people took him from being a teacher to principal to the height of supervising the public education of ALL African-American children throughout Dallas.
Historical photo of Harllee school
Photo credit: James H. Smith 1930 historical directory through the Portal of Texas History
His parents were enslaved when he was born on the Harllee plantation near Lumberton, N. C. and his exact birth date is unknown. Harllee taught himself to read and write, began teaching other Blacks in his early 20s, enrolled in college in what is now
N. W. Harllee Elementary School
the historically-Black Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, N. C. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1879 and later a Master’s from the University of Chicago. Harllee wrote several math, history and geography text books. He also was a railroad postal clerk in North Carolina and an influential Black community civic and political affairs leader in North Carolina and Dallas. He trained teachers on the local and state level and was the first superintendent of the Texas State Fair’s “Colored Department” in the 1880s. Surprisingly, from the 1890s to 1900s, he even wrote a column about Black community affairs in The Dallas Morning News major daily and later the Black-owned Dallas Express. Four months before he died in 1927, the school system and community honored his 41 years of
Photo credit: Pinterest
superior service by renamed the Ninth Ward School where he had been principal in his honor – the N. W. Harllee Elementary School at 1216 E. Eighth St. DISD records say that tribute made him the first person of any color in Dallas to have a school named for them while they still lived. The Harllee school still today is a highly-esteemed symbol in the Eighth Street community of Oak Cliff, across from the familiar Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center. It was one of nearly a
dozen schools that DISD decided to close in 2012 under budget cuts. But after a vigorous community campaign to save and restore it, the former elementary school reopened the following year as N. W. Harllee Early Childhood Center. Part II next week will continue with other Harllee family members who carried on the patriarch’s powerful family legacy. He work ethic, intellect, and genuine concern for youth and the Black community benefitted all of Black Dallas and much of the city proper. Hurry back next week and stay tuned. 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
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8
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 2, 2021
SUPERB WOMEN continued from page 1
the Year and Dallas County Heavy Hitter Award. She is also one of four Dallas County Judges that created Pipeline to Possibilities Program (P2P), that partnered with DISD to educate young adults about the criminal justice system and making good decisions. CHEF CASSONDRA Chef Cassondra is a pro. She’s old school, new school and the future of healthy living, cooking and eating! Cassondra Armstrong is the founder, CEO and President of Chef Cassondra Culinary Concepts. Many may remember her from The Dining Table, back in the day! She studied Food & Hospitality at El Centro College and received a BA Degree in Business Administration with emphasis in Management. A native Dallasite, she has a grocery store line, ”Good 2go tm”. She has also established her own non-profit organization, LUWI, Living Urban Working Institute, where she is teaching the basics of food prep to the unemployed, the newly-released, non-violent ex-offender, and at risk youth. Chef Cassondra has toured with The American Heart Association promoting “Take Wellness to Heart”, and presently serves as an Ambassador for “Power to End Stroke. Interested in living and eating healthy, call Chef Cassondra 972-904-3600. LYNN PRIDE RICHARDSON We are PROUD to highlight Lynn PRIDE Richardson. She gives public defenders a good name! Lynn Pride Richardson is the Chief Public Defender for Dallas County, where she is in charge of the largest and second oldest Public Defender’s Office in Texas. A native Floridian, she is a graduate of Spelman College and the University of Florida College of Law. It is important to note that her client-centered approach to criminal defense also inspired her to create a special conditional dismissal docket for mentally ill offenders and to pursue reformative justice initiatives. A member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Lynn has lived a life of public service. She exhibits a servant leadership heart through efforts like “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever,” for incarcerated women and the “Black Lives Matter to Public Defenders March.” Lynn cares and it helps for those, especially with little or NO money, who are seeking justice. It’s her leadership that is making the difference! TRENISHA FOREMAN For times such as these, we really need Trenisha Foreman as we deal with living during a pandemic! Trenisha Foreman hosts Tre’s Universe every Friday @7pm CT on dfwiradio. com, interviewing an eclectic group of guests on wideranging topics and subjects of interest. A graduate of Bowie High School, she received a bachelor’s degree in social work from the University of Oklahoma and has worked extensively as a mental health counselor and therapist. She is a fitness lover, who specifically loves weight training. Trenisha is the co-author of “Soulful Prayers: The Power of International Communication with God”-By Cheryl Polote-Williamson and “Daughters of Promise: Global Women Devotional” - By Dr. Kimberly Ellison. She also graces the pages of fitness and health/beauty magazines. ATTY. YULISE WATERS Brains, consciousness, commitment, beauty and more, that’s Atty. Yulise Reaves Waters! Atty. Yulise Reaves Waters is Deputy Director of the Lone Star Justice Alliance (LSJA). Prior to joining LSJA, Waters was an Assistant City Attorney and Community Courts Prosecutor for the City of Dallas. She also co-founded the Second Chance Community Improvement Program (SCCIP) for emerging adults (17-24) that identifies and addresses the unmet needs to reduce the likelihood of recidivism. Yulise serves on the board of POETIC Trauma Therapy Center and Creative Arts Studio, ARK (Adults Relating to Kids) Group, and Family Gateway. Many also know her as a Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant. She has been named to the Dallas Business Journal’s “40 Under 40.” A native Dallasite, Yulise graduated Magna Cum Laude with a B.A. in English and Spanish and a B.B.A. in Organizational Behavior and Business Policy from Southern Methodist University. She also earned her JD from the Dedman School of Law at SMU. Pursuing an MBA in the Executive MBA Program, this wife and mother, is an eloquent speaker and born leader. DR. MARY E. BECK Dr. Mary E. Beck transitioned on August 5, 2021. She was on our list and we still want to recognize her superbness! Dr. Mary E. Beck was a native of Shreveport, LA. She graduated from Booker T. Washington High School and received a Bachelor of Science Degree from Wiley College, where she was initiated into the Theta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. She received her M.A. Degree from SMU. She later attended North Texas State University (now
GarlandJournal UNT) and received a certification in Elementary Ed. Dr. Beck received a teaching certification for students with Intellectual Disabilities from Texas Woman’s University and a Master of Administration and Supervision from Prairie View A&M University. After her retirement in 2002, she attended Vision University and received a Doctorate in Ministry and a Doctorate in Philosophy and Leadership. Dr. Beck was a DISD “Teacher of the Year” finalist in 2000, and she received the ‘Educator of the Year’ Award from Paul Quinn College in 2001, NAACP Award for Education and George H. Chandler Educator’s Award during the Beta Chapter’s Centennial of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. DEIDRE DAVIS Deidre Davis has lived a life of service-corporate and community! Deidre Davis, PHRCP is an experienced Human Resources Professional with a demonstrated history of working in television and digital media. She received a BA degree in Radio, Television and Film from the University of Louisiana at Monroe (Northeast Louisiana University) where she was initiated into the Lambda Rho Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Deidre also received a MS Degree in Human Relations and Business from Amberton University. Still, young and full of energy, Deidre retired as the Director of Human Resources for WFAA-TV after decades of committed service and currently she is a Human Resources Business Partner at Envy Gaming. HON. REMEKO EDWARDS Hailing from the great city of Selma, Alabama, Judge Edwards is widely respected and with good reason! Remeko Tranisha Edwards is the Judge of County Criminal Court #7 in Dallas County. Prior to taking her seat on the bench, she was managing attorney for Law Office of Remeko T. Edwards, Former Probation Officer at Dallas County Juvenile Probation Department. Hailing from Selma, AL., the Lancaster High School graduate went on to receive a Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Texas at El Paso and Bachelor of Liberal Arts from UTA. Then she graduated from Texas Southern University’s Thurgood Marshall School of Law. The judge is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and served as President of the Dallas Black Criminal Bar Association and Board Member of Woman Called Moses, We the Village, Christians in Public Service, Dallas Holmes Boyz, National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice, and Ellis County African American Museum. Humble, gracious, sincere and committed, she is also a member of the Dallas Chapter of Mexican Bar Association (MABA), State Bar of Texas, Dallas Bar Association, Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program, and Antioch Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church. HON. SANDRA JACKSON Judge Sandra Jackson understands the importance of FAMILY! The Hon. Sandra Jackson is judge of the Texas 302nd District Court., a family court. Hailing from Lawton, OK, she graduated from MacArthur High School and attended Oklahoma State University where she earned a B.S. in political science before going on to study law at Southern University Law Center. A member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Judge Sandra is a member of the Dallas NAACP, past president of the Dallas Association of Black Women Attorneys and Dean of the Potter’s House School of Ministry. She has sat on the boards of Habitat for Humanity, Legal Services of North Texas and the Transformation Ministry. Prior to her election, she served as an assistant district attorney in the Juvenile Division of the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office. While she was also a caregiver for her mother, who lived with Alzheimers; the judge’s kind and giving spirits extends into the community. She believes in helping families! DR. STACIA’ ALEXANDER Mental health experts like Dr. Stacia Alexander are so important! Dr. Stacia’ Alexander is a life coach, therapist, trainer, author, talk show host, consultant and sought-after speaker. A success strategist, she focuses on mental health, human development and corporate wellness. For nearly a quarter of a century Dr. Stacia’ has been the director of Positive Influences, a privately held counseling agency with offices in Dallas and Ft. Worth. She is also the Mental Health Director of the on-campus counseling center providing services to the Paul Quinn College student body. A licensed professional counselor, certified by the Texas Board of Professional Counselors, she received a Master of Arts Degree in Counseling Psychology from Amberton University and a Doctor of Philosophy, Clinical Psychology from Walden University. A member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Dr. Stacia teaches anger management, parenting and more, gaining a 5 star rating. A wife and mother, she is also gorgeous and exudes a spirit of self actualization and authenticity. She’s engaging and concerned; devoting her many talents, which also include home improvement and graphic designing.
VEREE HAWKINS BROWN Family and finances are important to Veree Hawkins Brown, and should also be important to you! Veree Hawkins Brown is a Financial Advisor with both broker/ dealer and investment advisor certifications. She focuses on helping individuals achieve their long term financial goals. Her background includes leadership roles at Sabre Holdings in finance and marketing and as a Financial Advisor for Morgan Stanley and ISC Group, Inc. As the CEO of Veree Hawkins Brown LLC, an event management and luxury floral design, she worked with individuals, corporate and non-profit organizations. As the leader of an international airline account relationship team at Travelocity. com LLP, she oversaw contract negotiations for all airline clients and the implementation of online marketing campaigns. A graduate of Albuquerque Academy, she holds a BBA in English Literature from Dartmouth College and a MBA from Southern Methodist University. She serves Dartmouth College as a member of the Association of Alumni. NICOLE BARRETT Nicole Barrett was the total package! At 15 Nicole Barrett was crowned Ms. Junior Texas. A graduate of North Mesquite High, she received the Greer Carson Scholarship for Acting to the College of Santa Fe, NM, where she studied theatre/drama. She also was 1st Runner Up for Miss Santa Fe and would later win the title of Ms. Black Texas in 2002. Nicole had a strong social media and was named one of the 2013 Fresh Faces of Fashion, was featured in Modern Luxury Magazine and served on the board of the Dallas Theatre Guild. A former reporter for Elite News, she hosted “The Nicole Barrett Show,” a fresh, bold and entertaining program that ranked #5 in the D/FW marketing eventually propelled the show to higher heights when in 2014 the show made its television debut on KTXD-TV. Nicole’s most recent conquest was becoming the only Black woman in America to own a cigar company, Kinky Friedman’s Cigars. Vibrant and genuine, that was Nicole. DOROTHY TUCKER Dorothy Tucker has had a long career in radio and television and now begins her second term as NABJ President. Dorothy Tucker knew she wanted to be a reporter since she was 16 years old when she was at Austin High School. Today she is an investigative reporter at WBBM-TV, where she has worked since 1984. She’s enjoyed stints at KWGN in Denver, WREG-TV in Memphis, KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh, and she began her career at WMBD-TV. On Friday, August 20, she was re-elected president of the National Association of Black Journalists; winning 83% of the vote. A native Chicagoan, Dorothy majored in radio, television and film at Northwestern, where she graduated with a B.S. degree with honors. Passionate and committed, this award-winning journalist also worked for WVON-Radio in Chicago. She is a former member of the Northwestern Alumni Association and serves as a member of the Northwestern University Leadership Circle. A long-time member and board member of the NABJ- Chicago Chapter, Dorothy is a wife and mother enjoying the empty nester life, but that means NABJ gets more of her attention! WHITNEY PEOPLES, PHD Fort Worth’s own Dr. Whitney Peoples is a scholar, author and educator. Dr. Whitney Peoples is the inaugural director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the School of Public Health at the University of Michigan. Dr. Peoples previously served as a director in Educational Development and Assessment Services and coordinator of DEI Initiatives and Critical Race Pedagogies. A Fort Worth native, this author was a visiting assistant professor at Texas Woman’s University and Provost PostDoctoral Fellow at UTA. Whitney earned a PhD in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from Emory University, an MA in Women’s Studies from the University of Cincinnati, and a BA in Political Science from Agnes Scott College. Whitney is the co-founder of the Black Feminist Health Science Studies, which aims to highlight the necessity of incorporating social justice into medical science. ROSLYN THIBODEAUX GOODALL An advocate and a servant, Roslyn Thibodeaux Goodall is a joy and a blessing! Roslyn Thibodeaux Goodall is a consultant for Alzheimer’s & Caregivers Educational Events and she works tirelessly educating communities about the disease. She is a career Human Resources Professional with success in developing programs and processes. She has transferred HR skills to develop effective community health education events and she is able to draw on her extensive network to produce events that address health disparities. Roslyn is an event planner, public speaker, career counselor. A community health educator, she worked at UT Southwestern Medical Center as Associate Director, Community Recruitment Initiatives, training manager and manager of employee relations. Roslyn attended St. Vincent’s Academy
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where she participated in theater and the choir. She graduated from Paul Quinn College with a Bachelors’ degree in Business Education and from Texas A&M University- Commerce with an MBA in Marketing Research. Hailing from Shreveport, LA, Roslyn is a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Links Inc and she served as a board member of the Alzheimer’s Association, Greater Dallas Chapter. PASTOR JACQUELINE TOLBERT Pastor Jackie is a true servant and not just on Sundays. She gives and gives! Pastor Jacqueline Minor Tolbert hails from Kilgore, Texas where she graduated from Sabine High School. She is currently the senior pastor of Vivian Chapel Christian Methodist Episcopal Church in Longview, TX. Pastor Jackie graduated from Texas A&M University-Commerce and Dallas Theological Seminary. A wife, mother and grandmother, Pastor Tolbert loves children and she is a true community servant who spreads a positive message of faith, love, hope and charity wherever she goes. Also an educator, Pastor Jackie wakes up every day on a mission. Whether she is getting in her daily workout, delivering food or supplies to needy families throughout East Texas or checking on the sick and shut-in; Pastor Jackie is the epitome of all things noble. JONQUIL AHKIR Jonquil Ahkir is focused, supportive, talented and she brings so much joy into the lives of many with Tea Cake Kids! Jonquil Akhir is the brains and talent behind the company she started more than 25 years ago. “Tea Cake Kids” is a clothing and accessories line featuring children of color and the kids are named after her relatives. It’s important to note that Jonquil adds her personal touch to her creations and she has put a lot of long hours into sewing and applying images to her carefully designed products. A Dallas native, she graduated from Skyline High School where she was in the Fashion Design Cluster. She then attended El Centro College where she received and Associates Degree in Fashion Design and Pattern Drafting. She also attended Texas Tech University. Jonquil, who left her job at the Post Office to become an entrepreneur, putting smiles on the faces of children and their parents, with Tea Cake Kids also worked as a TSA Security Manager, for Homeland Security. Check out Tea Cake Kids at https://www.teacakekids.com SERITA JAKES First Lady Serita Jakes is an inspiration to so many as she shares her triumphs to help others as they face obstacles. Serita A. Jakes is executive director of women’s and children’s affairs at The Potter’s House. Born in Beckley, West Virginia, she was injured in an accident and was told she’d never walk again, but if you know Mrs. Jakes, she’s resilient and she has overcome so many obstacles. A gifted writer, Mrs. Jakes’ first book, The Princess Within, followed by Beside Every Good Man: Loving Myself While Standing By Him; and, The Crossing, which tackles such issues as domestic violence, trauma and post traumatic stress syndrome. A drama major in college, Mrs. Jakes was the co-executive producer of the stage plays Woman, Thou Art Loosed and Behind Closed Doors. In addition, she assisted in the production of the film, Jumping the Broom. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and launched Serita Jakes Home, a thoughtfullydesigned collection of candles and home décor accent pieces.. A loving wife of almost 40 years, mother and grandmother, Mrs. Jakes is a dynamic speaker and motivator. DIANNE GIBSON Dubbed ‘Miss Community,’ dianne gibson is the gift that keeps on giving! Longtime Dallas resident and community advocate dianne gibson is affectionately known as “Miss Community.” The Georgia Peach joined the Dallas City Attorney’s Office in 2004 and currently serves as the Manager of the Community Courts. dianne has more than 30 years of experience in working with the community to provide the general public with social services and housing. Many know her voice and familiar “Hey Family” greeting heard on several local radio stations, sharing information to empower listeners and their communities. dianne, who began using lower case letters for her name, attended the University of South Florida. She has been the recipient of numerous awards recognizing her volunteerism and community service including the Women Who Make a Difference Award; the NCNW Inc. Volunteerism Award; the National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa, Inc. Commission on Civil Rights, Education and Legislative Affairs Award; the Molina Healthcare Award for Community Service and, the Greater Dallas Urban League Whitney M. Young Jr. Humanitarian Award. A longtime member of Concord Church, dianne has served on the South Dallas Fair Park Trust Fund Board and the Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center Advisory Board.
KASANDRA DAVIS Kasandra Smith-Davis is a First Lady, entrepreneur and requested speaker Evangelist-Missionary Kasandra Smith Davis is the owner of See Yourself Accessories Boutique. As an independent consultant at Paparazzi Accessories, she’s up early in the morning sharing words of wisdom and showcasing attractive, affordable jewelry under the banner of Jewels in the Word. Kasandra hails from Florida and she attended Kathleen High School in Lakeland, FL where she played on the girls basketball team. A graduate of the University of South Florida, where she was initiated into Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, she is also a member of the Church of God in Christ and is the First Lady at Powerhouse Ministries COGIC. A wife, mother and grandmother, Kasandra has held several positions in housing and property management, including as executive admin coordinator at Housing Authority of the City of Lakeland Florida. Possessing a kind and gentle spirit; Kasandra is loving and supportive. A born leader with an entrepreneurial spirit. Check her out at http:// www.paparazziaccessories.com/ksdavis DR. LEVATTA L. LEVELS A Skyline HIgh School grad, Dr. Levatta L. Levels is the CEO of Higher Levels Educational Group and an adjunct professor, author, and advocate. Dr. Levatta L. Levels is a 30-year veteran educator serving as an elementary teacher, assistant principal, principal, bilingual specialist, director, assistant superintendent and superintendent. Dr. Levels has served many professional and civic organizations, including as delegate to the Texas Democratic Convention representing Senate Dist. 23, DeSoto Chamber of Commerce Board, Leadership Southwest Board, Big Brothers Big Sisters Southern Region Board, UNT Exes Board, and the UNT Advisory Council. She is active with the Texas Association of School Administrators, National Council of Negro Women, PTA, UNT Trailblazers, Texas Counseling Association, Texas Association of Black School Educators, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., and the Zeta Eta Alumnae Association. She earned an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Texas A&M University-Commerce and BS and M.Ed with a focus on Education Administration from UNT; also completing the Superintendent Certification program at the University of Houston-Victoria. She is a mother of two, a grandmother to one and a mentor for many. DR. DOROTHY M. BLAND Dr. Dorothy Bland is a student’s ideal professor; someone who cares about their growth and development inside and outside of the classroom. Highly respected and the recipient of numerous awards, Dr. Dorothy Bland is more of an asset in the classroom primarily because in addition to her academic credentials, she also has worked in newsrooms and brings her practical experience into the classroom. She received a B.S. degree in journalism from Arkansas State University, MBA from George Washington University and Ph.D. from Florida State University. Since 2013 she has been at the University of North Texas; spending five years as Mayborn School of Journalism dean. Previously she served as the journalism division director at Florida A&M University. Dr. Bland served in news reporting and editing roles at USA Today. She served as president and publisher of both the Chillicothe (Ohio) Gazette and Fort Collins (Colo.) Coloradoan and received the Gannett Media Company President’s Ring for Excellence as a publisher three times. A member of NABJ, she has served on a variety of industry boards including the Newspaper Association of America Foundation. A person of impeccable character and work ethic, anyone should be honored to have her as a mentor or colleague. DR. SHEILA BAILEY Dr. Sheila M. Bailey lights up a room when she enters. Dr. Sheila M. Bailey is fondly referred to as “Sheila B.” Hailing from Stamford, CT; this international bible teacher, engager of people, conference speaker and ministry builder for women serves as the Founder and President of Sheila B. Ministries. A member of Concord Church, this mother and grandmother received a B.A. in Christian Education from Bishop College and an Honorary Doctor of Humanities from Dallas Baptist University. A recipient of numerous awards including the Dallas Baptist University’s Women’s Auxiliary Board 2016 Ruth Award and Movement Day Global Cities 2016 Honoree by the NYC Leadership Center for her impact on Christian leaders for the Kingdom; Dr. Bailey is the author of Makeovers with Leftovers and coauthored The Inheritance, a New 40 day Devotional. She is also a contributing writer for Fulfilled: The NIV Devotional Bible for Single Women. Dr. Sheila is nationally recognized as a mentor and an advocate for women in ministry. An honorary council member of the Fellowship of Professional Women, she is a fan of Mickey Mouse and “enjoys traveling the world, writing and ministering to God’s people.”