I Messenger 1-7-21

I MESSENGER VOL XI NO 19 JANUARY 7, 2022

SUPERB WOMAN

December 2021

I Messenger An IMM LLC Publication MAILING ADDRESS 320 S. R.L. Thornton Freeway Suite 220 Dallas, TX 75203 WWW.TEXASMETRONEWS.COM 214-941-0110 Cheryl Smith PUBLISHER - EDITOR editor@myimessenger.com www.myimessenger.com S. Curet GENERAL MANAGER stewartcuret@myimessenger.com EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Marva Sneed EDITORIAL TEAM Anthony Council Chelle Wilson Dareia Tolbert Dr. Felicia N. Shepherd Dorothy J. Gentry Eva Coleman Monique P. Stone Lajuana Barton Rebecca Aguilar Vincent Hall DESIGN/LAYOUT FzanStudio WEB/SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR

Free - Take One

CIRCULATION/DISTRIBUTION MB Distribution

.EWSSTANDS IN

Rowlett AT .EWSSTANDS IN esquite d,Rowlett ardson Mesquite chardson .Dallas

Free - Take One

editor@texasmetronews.com

Editorial submissions

& E.Dallas

450-13971 Year 1 Year Subscription $45.00 3)(903) 450-1397 Subscription $45.00

I Messenger

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

January 7, 2022

I MESSENGER

2

myimessenger.com

INSIDE

FAITHFUL UTTERANCES As we enter a new year, it is important to reflect.

For many, the new year is an opportunity to make changes and do things differently. I would encourage you in 2022 to think about your network and think strategically about your relationships.

p11

WAKE UP AND STAY WOKE There’s an obvious scheme afoot to return the United States to a period in time where we lived with a completely different social construct and contract. There are those who are diligently working to return us to a time before many of the hard-fought and recently won constitutional protections we supposedly now enjoy.

BLACK BUSINESS Dr. Frederick D. Haynes III, of Friendship-West Baptist Church, recently announced 100 Days of Buying Black in acknowledging the 100th Commemoration of the Tulsa Race Massacre. The 100 days began September 23, 2021 and ran through December 31, 2021.

p19

p29

President Biden Proclaims January as National Human Trafficking Prevention Month

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire

Human trafficking – whether in the form of forced labor, sex trafficking, or other offenses – counts as an abhorrent abuse of power and a profoundly immoral crime that strikes at the safety, health, and dignity of millions of people worldwide,” President Joe Biden said in a statement declaring January as “National Human Trafficking Prevention Month.”

“We reaffirm our commitment to protect and empower survivors of all forms of human trafficking, to prosecute traffickers, and to bring an end to human trafficking in the United States and around the world,” President Biden stated.

The heightened awareness of human trafficking comes on the heels of an HBO documentary that finally spotlighted the world of the Black and Missing Foundation, headed by Washington, D.C.-based sisters-inlaw Derrica and Natalie Wilson.

The film, BLACK AND MISSING, pulled back the curtain and explored how systemic behaviors and attimyimessenger.com

tudes stem from centuries of deeply rooted racism.

It exposed the stark disparity in the media coverage of white and Black missing persons.

The intimate look at Derrica and Natalie’s personal crusade to locate missing Black people also highlighted stories of hope and closure as the Black and Missing Foundation contributes to the resolution of several high-profile missing persons cases.

Derrica and Natalie have both cited human trafficking as a significant hurdle in finding missing individuals.

“My Administration is committed to stopping human trafficking wherever it occurs. We released the updated National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking, a whole-of-government approach to combating human trafficking in the United States and abroad,” President Biden asserted.

The plan links anti-trafficking initiatives to the administration’s wider efforts to counter illicit financing; advance gender and racial equity; expand the rights and dignity of

President Joe Biden

working people; and promote safe, orderly, and humane migration.

“My Administration is also dedicated to ensuring that our justice system holds accountable any individuals or entities engaged in this horrendous crime – and that our domestic and global economic systems offer no safe harbor to forced labor or other abuses,” the president continued.

“In addition to helping survivors on their road to recovery, we must also learn from their expertise in order to better detect trafficking crimes that are often hidden in plain sight, bring perpetrators to justice, and improve our prevention efforts.”

The president added that since

3

human trafficking disproportionately impacts racial and ethnic minorities, women, and girls, LGBTQI+ individuals, vulnerable migrants, and other historically marginalized and underserved communities, the administration’s mission to combat human trafficking must always be connected to broader efforts to advance equity and justice across society.

“During National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, let us resolve to counter injustice and fortify our commitment to pursue dignity and freedom for all people,” said President Biden.

“I call upon businesses, civil society organizations, communities of faith, families, and all Americans to recognize the vital role we play in combating human trafficking, and to observe this month with appropriate programs and activities aimed at preventing all forms of human trafficking.”

The National Human Trafficking Hotline (1-888-373-7888) is an important resource to report a tip or ask for help.

January 7, 2022

MY TRUTH by Cheryl Smith Publisher

Can you dance?

I’m dancing every day that I am on this earth.

I might start doing the Duck, Philly Freeze, Hustle, Funky Chicken, Smurf, Tootsie Roll, Twist, ChaCha, Cha Cha Slide, Electric Slide, Charleston, Macarana, Salsa, Percolator, Humpty Dance, Cupid Shuffle, Camel Walk, Da Butt, Wop, Butterfly, Wobble, Stanky Leg, Moonwalk, Whip, Nae Nae, Mambo, Robot, Jerk, Lindy Hop, the Dog, Bop, Mashed Potatoes, Dougie, Running Man, or bumping — which I will do against the wall if I don’t have someone with me!

Who knows? I may break out into Voguing, Chicago Stepping, Boogalooing, Popping, Swinging, or Cabbage Patching.

Give me a beat!

When I am on the dance floor, I will be Debbie Allen, Alvin Ailey, James Brown, Chris Brown, Fred Astaire, Bill Bojangles, Martha Graham, Gene Kelly, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Amber Pickens, Janet Jackson, The Fly Girls, Gregory Hines, Rudolf Nureyev, Katherine January 7, 2022

Dunham, Misty Copeland, Savion Glover, Joaquin Cortes, MC Hammer, Michael Jackson, Shakira, Fayard and Harold Nicholas, Janet Collins, Paula Abdul, Shane Sparks, Anna Pavlova, Sammy Davis Jr., Michael Flatley, ReRun, Rita Moreno, The Les Twins, Ciara, and Ann Williams; all in one night!

Which brings me to my truth.

Joy is so important.

Do you know what brings you joy? Is someone else stealing or depriving you of joy?

Whatever you do, stop the madness today!

Live a life full of joy and it helps by finding what brings a smile to your face and makes your heart sing.

There are people who make me feel that way and there are things I do, like dancing that make me feel good.

It even helps me to see others experiencing joy, like its contagious.

I’ve long been told that misery loves company, but gosh, I get a rush seeing others feeling good!

I MESSENGER

Then too, oftentimes we don’t know another person’s journey, so we don’t know what they are experiencing and why. We don’t know if the person we see dropping it like its hot on the dance floor is dancing for the first time since doctors said they’d never walk again, or if the person wolfing down food at a restaurant is able to taste food for the first time in months, since first diagnosed with COVID. Majoring in the minors keeps folks from enjoying life to the fullest. Fortunately for me, the things that bring me joy don’t cause harm to others so I don’t have anything stopping me from enjoying life, except any inhibitions I may harbor.

Author Charles Swindoll said, “Let go of all your excuses... Let go of so many needless inhibitions that keep you from celebrating life.”

The incomparable Nikki Giovanni breaks it down also.

She said, “There is always something to do. There are

4

hungry people to feed, naked people to clothe, sick people to comfort and make well. And while I don’t expect you to save the world I do think it’s not asking too much for you to love those with whom you sleep, share the happiness of those whom you call friend, engage those among you who are visionary and remove from your life those who offer you depression, despair and disrespect.”

And you can hear the sound of the music. Your body starts to move. Nothing else matters. You’re sweating. The beat has you “shaking your money maker,” and any pain or discomfort is not part of your reality at this moment in time.

Before you know it, you’ve danced through five or six songs. You’re full of joy.

You may need to hydrate or take a breather.

They don’t play slow songs like they did back in the day, so I guess you have to do like that popular dance song of the past decade instructs you to do…

You have to Walk it Out! myimessenger.com

The Promised Land Awaits!

QUIT PLAYIN’

BY VINCENT L. HALL

My loyal audience will testify that from time to time, I have sit-downs and one-onones with the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It is from this sacred desk that I transcribe our sessions and convey them to you. This editorial is another episode of our chats.

As Doc and I sit down and chat from time to time, I usually get ready for the conversation by plowing through the luminous and lofty oratories that he left us.

For my part, I bring him the latest statistics on Black progress or the lack thereof in these “yet-to-be United States.”

Generally, I just dust off the previous year’s report. Unfortunately, there ain’t enough change to make a difference.

Before rendering the final transcripts to you, I generally scrub them to omit curse words that Dr. King blurts out.

Don’t get holy on me. Jesus wept as he succumbed to the sympathy that overtook him at Lazarus’ graveside. Witnessing the continued mistreatment and inhumane treatment among mortals is more than a real saint can endure.

Parenthetically, Dr. King confided that in retrospect, the “I Have a Dream” speech was merely a hallucination.

Looking back on it now, he knows full well that America would never relegate respect nor secure rights to a people that it so cruelly and callously despises.

The former Michael King myimessenger.com

Jr. went on to say that he had “been to the mountaintop,” but if he had told the whole truth about what he saw, it would’ve scared most of you to death. Instead, King left us hope and a reason to believe.

However, for our session in 2022, he pointed me to a speech he delivered just a few weeks before the American intelligence community had him killed.

It was a personalized position paper intended for Memphis’ sanitation workers and all workers in general.

On March 18, 1968, King “dumped the house” with a manifesto titled “All Labor Has Dignity.”

speech in Memphis.

“We know that it isn’t enough to integrate lunch counters. What does it profit a man to be able to eat at an integrated lunch counter if he doesn’t earn enough money to buy a hamburger and a cup of coffee?”

Martin Luther King very well understood that in this America, in the cradle of capitalism; in the nation, with a history of the vilest slavery system in the world, Black Lives will never truly matter until Black Commerce matters. Therefore, we must support our own and demand our share.

Hell, he said (hell is in the Bible, stay with me), Ameri-

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The Bishop Charles Mason Temple of the Church of God in Christ in Memphis, Tennessee, hosted a crowd of sanitation workers on strike and their supporters.

Dr. King admitted that he thought about that speech after hearing a Dallas County Commissioner who was defiant in positing that Black Lives won’t matter until Black Commerce Matters. Doc had said as much before he got mid-

ca doesn’t give a damn about poor whites or any people on the planet that lack the power and control that money and wealth allows.

And to that end, we got some Black folks who are just as guilty.

“The Negro “haves” must join hands with the Negro “have-nots.”

And armed with compassionate traveler checks, they must journey into that other country of their

5

brother’s denial and hurt and exploitation.

This is what you have done.

You’ve revealed here that you recognize that the no D is as significant as the Ph.D., and the man who has been to nohouse is as significant as the man who has been to Morehouse. And I just want to commend you.”

Dr. King was in rare form.

He said he was proud of that Dallas preacher with the ankh in his church, in a building shaped like a pyramid. King was proud of him for calling for “100 Days of Buying Black.”

However, he cautioned that Black businesses, like Black history, cannot be “featured” for a day, week, or month. Being proud and supportive of who God made us have to be a daily mantra.

Dr. King ended his missive with a message that we still need to hear today.

“Never forget that freedom is not something that is voluntarily given by the oppressor.

It is something that must be demanded by the oppressed.

Freedom is not some lavish dish that the power structure and the white forces in policy-making positions will voluntarily hand out on a silver platter while the Negro merely furnishes the appetite. If we are going to get equality, if we are going to get adequate wages, we are going to have to struggle for it.”

We must stop hallucinating about a mountaintop dream and get down to (Black) business. Quit Playin’: the Promised Land awaits!

Vincent L. Hall is an author, activist, and award-winning columnist.

January 7, 2022

VOTE

VOTE January 7, 2022

I MESSENGER

6

myimessenger.com

Be the lifeline patients need.

Give blood or platelets.

Call 1-800-RED CROSS, use the Blood Donor App, or visit RedCrossBlood.org

myimessenger.com

7

January 7, 2022

A ward W inning

Sunday Brunch B U F F E T

M a k e Yo u r R e s e r v a t i o n s TO DAY !

97 2 - 2 9 6 - 0 4 0 3

January 7, 2022

I MESSENGER

8

myimessenger.com

Wear the masks, wash your hands and show love! myimessenger.com

9

January 7, 2022

BIG MAMA SAID:

“DON’T LOSE THE BATTLE CELEBRATING SMALL VICTORIES- STAY FOCUSED” THE BLACK CARD BY TERRY ALLEN

The ancestral playbook Lucille “Big Mama” Allen left for us ALWAYS worked for everyone who received her message. Her message was about creating successful outcomes working very little. Her inside message was “stay focused”!

Successful people generally celebrate their victories after every success they achieve in their daily lives.

Sometimes, the victory is small, sometimes it is big.

We generally celebrate the easy wins we call victories, but overlook the bigger battle to our disadvantage.

Big Mama’s wisdom taught me that it is very beneficial to celebrate small victories, as your mood will be much better, you will be more productive, and you will be motivated while postponing or losing sight of the bigger battle.

Big Mama said everybody needs to take the time to celebrate small wins. She said it makes you feel accomplished. Our existing platforms, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Facebook consistently show us we know how to share your small victories. Yet the likes and shares diminish when we post the bigger battle.

Winning small victories January 7, 2022

are joyous yet documenting battles are not but they both contribute to growth.

Every person has a battle they’re always fighting, whether we’re aware of them or not. For this reason, you should never judge someone for what they do or how they act, because you can’t really know their secret battles. There are times when we face light challenges and we easily overcome them. We celebrate, and we enjoy that victory. But what happens when the battles we are fighting are bigger than we are and we feel like quitting?

The only thing you can do is to hold on until you come out the other end when you win the hardest battle. Big Mama said that is when God is the footprint you see carrying you through the battle.

Currently, the activists inspired by George Floyd are celebrating victories like corporate donations, creation of DEI C-suite jobs and increased fundraising. Yet the activists of Emmett Till have seen the small victories like the creation of affirmative action C-suite jobs and access to equal education while the winning battle rewarded us with battle victories like voting rights and civil rights acts!

Now the rewards of the Battle are being dismantled.

The battles won are being disrupted as the current activists are too busy celebrating the small victories with topical social media focus

I MESSENGER

that do not seem to have any infrastructural depth or permanence.

We need to restore the battle with grounded victories in voting, economic development and historical redress.

Although the battle is hard and exhausting, know that the larger battle will bring greater victory and reward.

The battle victory will be

10

sweeter than any victory you have ever had!

In the words of Les Brown, “The harder the battle, the sweeter the victory.” Email me at the paper, terryallenpr@gmail.com if you are not sure how to tell a battle win from a small victory.

Terry Allen is a multi-media journalist and former board member of the National Association of Black Journalists.

myimessenger.com

Your Network can Impact Your Net worth FAITHFUL UTTERANCES

BY DR. FROSWA BOOKER-DREW As we enter a new year, it is important to reflect. For many, the new year is an opportunity to make changes and do things differently. I would encourage you in 2022 to think about your network and think strategically about your relationships.

Much of our existence depends upon those we are around and although we cannot control every person we encounter, we can be more intentional about who has access to our time, our talent, and our treasure.

Everyone cannot be on your team.

While working on my PhD, I became fascinated with the term, ‘social capital,’ which is about networks, associations, and relationships. At the core of social capital is trust. Just as money or our education are forms of capital that can be used to make things happen, our relationships also can either elevate or expel us from opportunities. Relationships flourish when there is trust and the willingness to collaborate.

When there is jealousy, envy, gossip, slander or even hatred, there is division and discord—there is no trust.

And yet, many people will continue to run with folks who they don’t like secretly. myimessenger.com

Called ‘Frenemies,’ it is a combination of the words ““friend” and “enemy” and refers to “a person with whom one is friendly, despite a fundamental dislike or rivalry.” These are toxic relationships that take away time and energy for relationships that could be productive and beneficial.

Frenemies do not have a clear view of themselves and tend to distort reality often because of their clouded vision that is compounded by low self-esteem, unresolved emotions, and toxic behaviors like passive aggressiveness. Frenemies are hazardous to your health and wealth.

In Numbers 13, Joshua and Caleb were spies with ten other men to determine if they could take the land of Canaan as requested by Moses. “30 Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” 32 And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored.

They said, “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. 33 We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked

the same to them.”

Caleb and Joshua were the only ones who believed that it was possible. Keep in mind that these men were from the 12 Tribes of Israel—they all lived, worked, and worshipped together—and yet, they had a vastly different report. They not only spread misinformation within the group to create doubt, but they also saw themselves as inadequate. More importantly, they trusted in their ability and not in God’s. Caleb and Joshua were the only ones permitted to enter the Promised Land.

Are you missing the promises of God because of who is in your camp? Are there individuals that you needed to leave behind in 2021 so that you could enter 2022 trusting

11

what God promised you with the right people?

Everyone cannot go with you because they cannot see what you see. I am often reminded of the comparison between eagles and chickens. One soars in the air and the other scratches on the ground.

In 2022, examine your crew. It may be time to walk away from those who cannot see the possibilities but only identify the problems.

Dr. Froswa’ Booker-Drew is the Founder and CEO of Soulstice Consultancy, specializing as a Partnership Broker and Leadership Expert for companies and organizations to thrive with measurable and meaningful impact. She also is the VP of Community Affairs and Strategic Alliances for the State Fair of Texas.

January 7, 2022

January 7, 2022

I MESSENGER

12

myimessenger.com

myimessenger.com

13

January 7, 2022

January 7, 2022

I MESSENGER

14

myimessenger.com

Wear the masks, wash your hands and show love! myimessenger.com

15

January 7, 2022

January 7, 2022

I MESSENGER

16

myimessenger.com

myimessenger.com

17

January 7, 2022

RECOVERY OR CRISIS? THE LAST WORD BY DR. JULIANNE MALVEAUX

According to MasterCard’s spending reports, consumers spent more than 10 percent more than they did in 2019 before the COVID pandemic even hit.

Inflation rose by 6 percent each month in October and November (don’t add it up – it’s monthly, not annual).

Unemployment rates are lower than they’ve been in more than a decade. And yet, folks are singing the blues, asking for an extension of child tax credits, looking for support for those living at the periphery, and looking for opportunity.

The Scrooges in the house aren’t inclined to do a darn thing about it. Thus you get a Senator Joe Manchin (D-WVA), whose one-trick line is that he can’t support inflation, or a Senator Kristen Sinema (D-AZ), a shill for Big Pharma.

While some economists are touting economic recovery, others wonder who is recovering.

Dr. Algernon Austin, who directs the Race and Economic Justice Program at the Center for Economic and Policy Research, asserts that we aren’t counting disadvantages correctly.

In particular, he has written that Black male unemployment is far more severe than the unemployment rate data measure, especially when we consider the January 7, 2022

employment-population ratio, incarceration, and other factors that leave Black men far more unemployed than other men (https://cepr. net/report/the-jobs-crisis-for-black-men-is-a-lotworse-than-you-think).

In his estimation, about $12 billion is leaked from the Black community because of job losses and related differentials.

Austin’s work does not directly address the losses that the Black community experiences because of the

advantaged, discriminated against, and robbed of economic agency.

I appreciate the many ways that younger Black folks create alternate paths to income and wealth for themselves and their communities, using electronic media, selling their “merch,” and putting their face in the space.

However, they should not be denied the mainstream paths to economic prosperity, ways too often riddled with pitfalls, challenges,

I appreciate the many ways that younger Black folks create alternate paths to income and wealth for themselves and their communities, using electronic media, selling their “merch,” and putting their face in the space. differential treatment of Black women, but they are at least equal.

Discrimination and differential treatment are a tax on the African American community, which is often unrecognized.

The recent focus on the wealth gap allows us to delve into the history of the gap, the systematic ways that predatory capitalism has extracted wealth from the Black community.

It’s not just about the past, though. It is about the current practices that African American workers are dis-

I MESSENGER

and just everyday racism.

Thus, when conversations about economic recovery occur, it is essential to note that an unequal start will result in an unequal finish.

In other words, centuries of discrimination will yield unequal recovery results.

This is important because as some, like Senator Manchin, are talking about inflation, some are harder hit by inflation than are others.

When some, like Manchin, talk about low unemployment, others say they can’t find jobs. And while some are talking about eco-

18

nomic recovery and supply chain issues, others are spending up a storm.

Our economy has always been bifurcated, but COVID has made it even more so.

The President has not done a great job, but he is exponentially better than his predecessor. Yet he has not done enough to close gaps between the haves and the have nots.

Many are experiencing an economic recovery, and good for them. Too many, still, are living through an economic crisis, which is not so good for them or their families.

The gridlock between Congress and the Senate paralyzes our nation and puts stumbling blocks in the path forward.

Are we prepared to allow a few narcissistic laggards to throw a monkey wrench into the Biden plan? And is President Biden prepared to prioritize collegiality over results?

When the data is disaggregated, we will find that economic recovery is uneven.

The Biden Administration can fix some of this through executive order, and they need to do it as soon as possible.

There are young folks who heard our President say he had their backs. Now they want him to exhibit some backbone. Those whose lives are in an economic crisis aren’t interested in gloating about economic recovery.

Dr. Julianne Malveaux is an author, economist, and social commentator.

myimessenger.com

No Time to Waste WAKE UP AND STAY WOKE DR. E. FAYE WILLIAMS, ESQ.

There’s an obvious scheme afoot to return the United States to a period in time where we lived with a completely different social construct and contract.

There are those who are diligently working to return us to a time before many of the hard-fought and recently won constitutional protections we supposedly now enjoy.

The very ones who think we benefit disproportionately are the ones working overtime to steal our hard-earned gains.

They pretend not to understand when we point to their efforts to oppress and diminish those rights. They seem to nonchalantly say, “We didn’t really intend for non-white people to ever become equal.”

There is one political party that has fully embraced the political and social philosophies of white supremacy. Every time we see news reports, we know which political party that is.

They’ve even found help among select people of color who have been adequately rewarded to “move on up and live high on the hog” as payment to deny the circumstance which the masses protest.

They know better, but, at the expense of our people, are willing to

myimessenger.com

go along for a self-serving purpose.

Sadly, the other political party seemingly does not recognize the current and ongoing threat to our democracy. Their in-fighting and constant focus on two recalcitrant members provide the perfect example of an unforced, self-induced error.

I do not negate the importance of the progressive work being done, but there is an unacceptable naivety of blindly working for progressive outcomes while the mechanics of their destruction are being codified daily by political opponents in increasing numbers of states.

Even a blind man can see that Republicans are committed to converting our democracy into a fascist, permanent majority.

True to his word, the disgraced, twice-impeached ex-president put three appointees on the U.S. Supreme Court who are intent on establishing a pathway to the elimination of Roe v. Wade. Although I value the sanctity of life, I equally value the right of a woman to make cogent decisions about her health and life.

As an attorney, I see no clearer indication of their true intent than their allowing the Texas abortion law to stand, concurrently, in contradiction to decided law under Roe. Almost daily, we are witness to the imposition of new laws that give Republicans the authority and means to override voter outcomes that are unfavorable to them.

In their flagrant attempt to over-

19

turn the 2020 elections, Republicans have assigned the label of “illegitimate” votes and voters in areas occupied by voters of color.

Their voter suppression laws and activities shout their belief that the votes of people of color matter less than those of their “white base.”

Left unchallenged, the outcome is clear. We may not know how far some will choose to take us, but we understand the direction they will want to go.

You must protest these negative eventualities. You don’t need flowery rhetoric or a well-designed script. We have no time to waste!

Write or send your emails to: • U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510 • U.S. Sen. Mitch McCon- nell, U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510 • U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510 • U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510 • The Honorable Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. 20515 • Congressman James Clyburn, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. 20515 Explain that you support the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act and want it passed into law even if it requires a “carve out” of the Senate filibuster. The future is critical.

We can’t wait for others to act.

Dr. E. Faye Williams is national chair of the National Congress of Black Women, Inc. Contact her via www.nationalcongressbw. org.

January 7, 2022

January 7, 2022

I MESSENGER

20

myimessenger.com

Superb Women December 2021

CYNT MARSHALL For Cynt Marshall, Leadership matters! Character matters! Every voice matters! People matter!

A’LISHA WILLIAMS A’Lisha Williams is committed, focused and strategic.

She is a cross-functional team player and leader.

Southeastern University. Dr. Cynthia is a member of National Council of Negro Women, National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice (NABCJ) and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. After more than 35 years in various executive positions for AT&T, and also serving as President and CEO of Marshalling Resources; Cynt Marshall became the first Black Woman to become the Chief Executive Officer in the National Basketball Association, for the Dallas Mavericks. It wasn’t her “First” first, however. She was also one of the first Black cheerleaders at the University of California at Berkeley and also first Black member of her sorority, Delta Gamma. With deep roots in Birmingham, AL, this trailblazer was a track star in high school. A wife and mother; Cynt is highly respected and praised for her work ethic, faith, visionary leadership, consciousness and fortitude. She’s also a cancer survivor and has honorary degrees from Livingstone and Bennett Colleges.

EVELYN HENRY MILLER A servant leader, Evelyn Henry Miller is a mentor and coach to many. Saluted and heralded for her business acumen and sense of community; she’s also Who’s Who in Black Dallas.

DR. CYNTHIA MARSHALL-BIGGINS Students love Dr. Cynthia Marshall-Biggins and she has spent most of her career on college campuses helping shape the lives of future leaders.

Dr. Cynthia Marshall-Biggins is the Vice President for Academic Affairs at Texas College where she provides the overall supervision and oversight for the academic programs, activities, and personnel of the College. Previously she served as VP for Student Affairs and Dean of Student Affairs at Paul Quinn College. A graduate of Lawton High School, she has a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice and Corrections from Cameron University, a Master’s in Criminal Justice Administration and Management from University of Central Oklahoma and a Doctor of Education from Nova

Currently the Chief Financial Officer of TDIndustries, Evelyn Henry Miller has held numerous senior level positions at Agencies of Change, A.H. Belo Corp (The Dallas Morning News), BancTec, CellStar Corporation and Aviall/Ryder System. Her board service includes DentaQuest, Dallas Casa, Young Women’s Preparatory Network, and Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity. She has been honored as one of “Two Thousand Notable American Women,”inducted into the “Black Women’s Corporate Hall of Fame, and received the Humanitarian of the Year from Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. A Magna Cum Laude graduate of the University of Houston, C.T. Bauer College of Business, Evelyn is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. She enjoys yoga, tai chi, and fitness boot camps.

myimessenger.com

21

An independent Marketing and Advertising Professional, A’Lisha Williams is the Global LeadSocial Media for Alcon. She has enjoyed stints at KTVT, Galderma, Haggar Clothing Co., National Alliance for Grieving Children (NAGC), Michaels Stores, RadioShack, H&R Block and PPAI. A graduate of Arlington Heights High School, this native of Fort Worth attended Stephen F. Austin State University, where she received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism. Her work with the Dallas-Fort Worth Association of Black Communicators (now Journalists) and The National Conference of Black Mayors with cohorts at Howland PR established A’Lisha as a powerhouse. She’s a senior level professional who delivers time and time again.

She has served on the board of NAGC, Fort Worth Metro Black Chamber of Commerce and Camp Fire USA. CHERYL MAYO WILLIAMS, M.S.P.H. A visionary leader and master strategist Cheryl Mayo Williams, M.S.P.H. has a servant’s heart, including service on board of Girl’s Inc.

January 7, 2022

As the HR Budget and Contracts Administrator for the City of Dallas, Cheryl leads the Budget and Contracts team. She is a graduate of Fisk University (Bachelor of Science in Business Administration) and Meharry Medical College (Master of Science in Health Administration). Cheryl is a member of the Dallas Assembly, The Dallas Chapter of The Links, Inc., a graduate of Leadership Dallas and Leadership Texas Women, and a life member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She serves on the Board of Directors for the UNT - Dallas Foundation and an Alumni Board Member of the Texas Women’s Foundation. Previously she has worked for Dallas County District Attorney’s Office, TPS Consulting Firm, West Dallas Community Centers, BMS and Astrazeneca, HCA Medical Center of Arlington, and Parkland Hospital.

SONYA D. HOSKINS, JD. Internationally recognized, Atty. Sonya D. Hoskins is highly regarded for her leadership, legal mind and commitment to service.

TRACY BROWN Bridge building is Tracy Brown’s specialty. Some go through life not realizing the significance. They need Tracy!

Improvement Group at Chester Engineers, Inc, and as a Management Consultant for Carter & Burgess. Kaye consults with other businesses at the Executive level, regarding the financial implications of compliance, mergers, restructuring, budget constraints and day-today operations of their businesses and organizations. A member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, she is focused on finance, economics, entrepreneurship, Fashion, Fitness, Gender Equality and Technology.

EVE CLARK Eve Clark is a survivor, an achiever who loves the Dallas Black Dance Theatre and The Dallas Opera.

She’s also a world traveler!

Attorney Sonya D. Hoskins is a member of the National Bar Association, National Bar Institute and J.L. Turner Legal Association; all of which she has served in key leadership positions. A co-founder and partner at Robinson & Hoskins LL, she graduated from UTA with a Bachelor of Science Degree in criminal justice and a Juris Doctorate with honors from Southern University Law Center. A member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Sonya is also past chair of the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce, former trustee of the Dallas Women Foundation, former director of the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau and past president of The Trinity Chapter of The Links, Inc. KAYE BEALER Kaye Bealer launched her first company when she was 26 and she continues to lift as she climbs. Just check out The C-Suite on YouTube.

The Founder of The FISCAL Firm, Kaye Bealer is the owner and chief executive officer of K. Bealer Consulting, Inc., a full service management consulting firm in Dallas. She received her B.S. Degree in Economics and Finance from the University of Texas at Dallas. She has also worked as the Director, Business January 7, 2022

I MESSENGER

Tracy Brown is a pro when it comes to leadership development, diversity strategy and employee engagement. The president of Diversity Trends LLC, Tracy is an accomplished speaker and author, she has produced and hosted internet radio programs and the company has provided training to more than 400,000.

Having served on the board of several organizations or associations, Tracy co-founded Dallas Dinner Table (Healing Racism One Dinner at a Time) and co-designed the Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership curriculum sponsored by SMU and the Center for Non Profit Management. The nationally-recognized expert is the author of the book, “Breaking the Barrier of Bias” and four audio programs, including: “motiVersity™: Motivating While Valuing Diversity.”

ERICA ANDERSON Coach Erica Henry Anderson infuses excitement into the athletic program at Paul Quinn College. She’s energized, experienced and a huge asset to the school, program and students.

In a male dominated industry, Eve Clark dominates.

She is the president of MEB Construction, a general contracting firm that she started in 2006. They perform tenant finish outs, commercial renovations, construction project management and placement of concrete barricades. A Chicago native, Eve attended the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth and completed programs for minority business owners and women business owners. She is an alumnus of Leadership Texas. A wife, mother and grandmother; she has served on the Board of Directors for the D/FW Minority Supplier Development Council. About 25 years ago she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and if you look at her accomplishments over the years; you can’t help but feel proud and inspired by her journey!

22

Paul Quinn College’s women’s basketball and volleyball coach, Erica Henry Anderson is in her sixth season at Paul Quinn. She is also the Associate Athletic Director. Hailing from Shreveport, LA., where she graduated from C.E. Byrd High School, she has taken Paul Quinn women’s basketball to new heights with back-to-back 20+ wins, a USCAA Championship myimessenger.com

appearance, and a USCAA Final Four appearance. Prior to Paul Quinn, Coach was at Prairie View A&M, Fort Valley State, and Grambling State Universities and coached in the NJCAA at Darton College. A wife and mother, Coach is a California State University, Fresno Alum with a Bachelor of Science in Pre-occupational Therapy Studies and she has a Masters Degree in Health and Physical Education/Fitness from Albany State University.

KELSEL THOMPSON Describing her as a community engagement expert, your go-to person, problem solver, connector and customer service centered appropriately describes Kelsel Thompson.

Strategic Management Consultant for CRM & Associates LLC, Dr. Marguerite “Margo” McClinton Stoglin, has an impressive portfolio. She was Texas State Director for IGNITE National and she has worked for Wingspan Portfolio Advisors and served as Special Assistant to the President and Director of Trio Program Paul Quinn College. Dr. Margo received her Bachelor of Arts in Educational Studies/Sociology, where she was also president of the Nu Alpha Chapter of AKA. She received her Masters in Education from Harvard University and her Doctorate in Higher Education Administration/Public Policy from Florida State University, in addition to a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Texas at Dallas School of Management. She is also part of Leadership Texas, Junior League of Texas, Leadership Dallas, Family Place, Fort Worth Club of the Rotary.

BRIDGET SIMS LEWIS A hometown girl, Bridget Sims Lewis desires and sphere of influence has no boundaries as she has shared her knowledge, wisdom and passion internationally. She a pro who loves family and traveling!

Kelsel Thompson is the External Affairs Manager/ PQC Plano Site Director at Paul Quinn College; but she has also served as manager-external affairs/ alumni relations, athletic director and dean of students.

She was Dean of Student Life at Austin College. Kelsel received her BS degree in engineering technology from Texas A&M University and a Masters Degree in College Student Personnel from Miami University. A member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, she also sits on the board of LifePath Foundation. Kelsel is a favorite with students because she is totally invested in their success and respected for her commitment to the growth and development of the oldest liberal arts HBCU west of the Mississippi.

DR. MARGUERITE “MARGO” MCCLINTON STOGLIN Dr. Marguerite “Margo” McClinton Stoglin is involved with Texas Lyceum, Dallas Summit, Village Giving Circle - Texas Women’s Foundation and Alpha Xi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority

KAWANISE MIMS Kawanise Mims cares about children, health, education and human rights. Her affiliations include Junior League of Dallas and Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity Young Professionals

Bridget Sims Lewis, an Emmy Award winning news producer, is also a marketing and communications, media relations consultant. A wife and mother, she has an impressive portfolio that includes being the Director of Marketing and Communications at the Oakridge School, Consultant for Mouthpiece Communications, Interim Association VP for communications and Assistant director or media relations at UTA, news producer at KXAS-NBC5, WFAA-TV and WSB-TV; and she was also a writer for The Potter’s House of Dallas.

Bridget received a Bachelors degree in journalism from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and a Masters degree as a Hitchcock fellow. A long- time member of the National Association of Black Journalists and PRSA, she’s also part of Leadership Arlington.

MARKEYTA MITCHELL Attorney Markeyta Mitchell will be discussing Entity Structures at the December 16 Lunch & Learn presented by the Zan Wesley Holmes Jr. Community Outreach Center. She knows the pros and cons of setting up business entities in Texas.

myimessenger.com

Markeyta Mitchell is an attorney whose specialty is in commercial and estate planning. A Memphis, Tennessee native, she also specializes in corporate governance and contract disputes and has experience defending physicians in medical malpractice suits.

Before moving to Texas, she served as a judicial clerk for the Tennessee Attorney’s General’s office, the Mecklenburg Public Defender’s office and several law firms. She is a member of the State Bar of Texas, Dallas Association of Young Lawyers, and the J.L. Turner Legal Association. Markeyta earned her bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and her law degree from Charlotte School of Law in North Carolina.

23

A graduate of the University of North Texas with a B.S. Degree in Educational Psychology/Counseling, Kawanise Mims has had the pleasure of building incredible relationships with community members, corporate representatives, and non-profits across the City of Dallas. Kawanise has enjoyed stints at Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity and AmeriCorps.

A 2016 graduate of Leadership Southwest, with TREC, Kawanise leads the organization’s real estate educational programs (including Real Estate 101, Real Estate Bootcamp, and Community-oriented Real Estate Accelerator), as the Community Investment Manager.

January 7, 2022

Outside of work, Kawanise likes to spend time in Florida, watch her favorite sports teams, and spend quality time with family and friends.

FELICIA PIERSON Felicia Pierson was a recruitment specialist in the U.S. Peace Corps. and she has an extensive background in volunteerism.

a community advocate for mental health, Dr. Jada is also a philanthropist and founder of the Be You! Foundation supporting mental health programs and services to encourage positive change in families.

Hailing from San Pablo, CA., she received her BA degree in professional communication and MA in Human Services Counseling from Regent University, MS in Mental Health Counseling from Palm Beach Atlantic University and her doctorate from Argosy University.

Dr. Jada’s Life Coach Masterclass gives you the path to success helping you cut through the time and expense of training and certification. Dr. Jada is known for her transparent, practical style of communicating and training.

ANGA SANDERS

As Senior Director of Community Investment at The Real Estate Council (TREC), Felicia brings her passion and commitment to delivering capital and technical assistance to underserved communities in North Texas.

Following a career in corporate banking in New York, Felicia has utilized her skills and talents to support community and economic development initiatives in low and moderate-income communities in California and Texas. She holds an MBA from the Stern School of Business at New York University. When not working, you can find Felicia reading or out exploring the world and documenting her experiences with a camera.

DR. JADA JACKSON-HILL Dr. Jada Jackson-Hill is an author and International Communicator, providing Counseling to Couples, Families, and Individuals. She also specializes in Self-Esteem Counseling, Sexual Abuse, Depression, Anxiety, Spiritual Confusion and Relationships.

Dr. Jada Jackson, Ed.D, LMHC, NCC is a Nationally Certified Counselor, Licensed Mental Health Counselor and President of Total Life Counseling-Dallas and Vice President of Care Management at Listeners On Call. She’s also a TV Host, Producer, and Author. As January 7, 2022

I MESSENGER

Anga Sanders, the Founder, Executive Director and Creative Spirit at FEED Oak Cliff and The Dallas VegFest is a former Human Resources executive with extensive, broad-based generalist experience in all areas, including investigations, employee relations, compliance, policy development and training. She specializes in HR Outsourcing, Employee relations, HR Administration, Investigations, Policy/Procedure Development, Staffing/Recruiting, Management Training, Diversity Management. Anga has had stints at Global HR Solutions, LSG Sky Chefs and Haggar Clothing Co. Having received her Bachelors and Masters Degrees from SMU, Anga has served as Chair of the Board of Community Council of Greater Dallas; Board Member, Texas Christian Community Development Network (TxCCDN); and on University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas Executive Airport Steering Committee, FEED Oak Cliff, SMU Alumni Board and SMU African American Alumni Board.

DR. BEVERLY MITCHELL-BROOKS An eloquent speaker and community servant, Dr. Beverly Mitchell is a recipient of numerous awards including the Susan B. Anthony Award from the League of Women Voters.

In 1990 when she was named president and CEO, Dr. Beverly Mitchell Brooks became the first woman to head the Dallas Urban League. A graduate of Dillard University, she was the first Black student to earn a master’s degree in pure science from Texas Woman’s University. Dr. Mitchell-Brooks received her doctorate in molecular biology-biochemistry. Born, educated and

24

raised in Sunny South Dallas, the member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority has worked at the Environmental Protection Agency and the City of Dallas. A former director of the Greater Dallas Community Relations Commission, she served as director of public affairs for Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART).

MAYOR RACHEL L. PROCTOR As the brainchild and creator of the eMErge™ Online Devotional App, Mayor Rachel L. Proctor engages her app subscribers with daily inspirational messages, shareable timeline graphics for social media and Bible studies to help them live intentionally in their faith, life, love and businesses!

An author and entrepreneur, Rachel L. Proctor was first elected to the DeSoto City Council in March 2013. In May 2014 she was re-elected and from May 2016 through May 2019 went on to serve as Mayor Pro Tem. In February 2021, she began serving as the 22nd mayor of DeSoto. No stranger to politics, she held several positions, including Student Council and Sophomore Class President. A graduate of UTA with a Bachelors degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, she is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and a licensed minister. She has served as a Board Member of the Dallas County Child Welfare Advisory Board and she has been recognized as Dallas Business Journal 40 Under 40, DeSoto High School Alumni Hall of Fame, SDBPWC Ombudswoman Award, and Mabel Chandler Distinguished Award Female. myimessenger.com

VERNA BROWN MITCHELL Verna Brown Mitchell absolutely always has a smile on her face and can bring a smile to your face also, because she is genuine, compassionate, intelligent, committed, resilient, honest and loving.

An inductee into the African American Education Archives and History Program’s Hall of Fame, Verna Brown Mitchell was also inducted into the Dallas public school Principals’ Hall of Fame and was lauded for volunteer service during the 52nd V. Alyce Foster Trailblazer Awards luncheon by the South Dallas Business and Professional Women’s Club. In 2016, Verna celebrated 50 years as a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and she is a past president of the Dallas Alumnae Chapter. An alum of Huston-Tillotson University from the class of1966, Verna is a transplant survivor and a community treasure who’s served on the City of Dallas’ Senior Affairs Commission. Verna is also a member of Trinity Chapter of The Links Inc. She has done so much for so many. Reach out to Verna and share some love on her birthday, December 22!

LESIA RAMSEY If you’re looking for quality, originality, class, and a great time for all, you’re looking for Lesia Ramsey to be involved. Her spirit alone is enough to turn a bad day into a great one!

Formerly an Administrative Services Coordinator at Pavaso, Lesia Ramsey is the Founder of Extravagant Events, Custom Events and Wedding Planning. Lesia is a hands-on coordinator who has been involved in organizing events for over 20 years. She spends a LOT of time researching new vendors to constantly keep clients on top of trends, deals and new ideas. She has enjoyed stints at Baylor Scott & White Health, Ericsson Inc. and JP Morgan Chase. Lesia is a board member of Jaren’s Angels Foundation, Mothers Opposing Bullying Foundation, Inc., and she has volunteered at Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. A graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School in Dallas, Lesia is talented, myimessenger.com

beautiful, uplifting, conscientious, smart and funloving. She knows how to have a good time and she’s living life to the fullest!

DR. LAWANA GLADNEY Dr. Lawana Gladney is a phenomenal woman and mother, purposed to live her best life while helping others to achieve their best life

As the CEO of Gladney Enterprises, LLC, and 24 Carat Speakers, Dr. Lawana Gladney focuses on emotional wellness and the science of the mind. She earned a Bachelor of Applied Science in Elementary Education and Teaching from Oklahoma State University, a Master of Education in Educational Psychology and a doctorate in Instructional Psychology and Technology from University of Oklahoma. A native of Wichita, KS, she’s the author of Gladney Prosperity System, If You’re in the Driver’s Seat, Why are you Lost?... A Roadmap to an Amazing Life! You Can’t be Sick, I Have to Work- 50 Tips to Emotional Wellness for Working Mothers If I Have to Tell you One More Time- 6 Keys to Motivating your Kids to Action. She has received the Dallas Business Journal women in Business Award and Dallas Black Chamber Quest for Success. Dr. Gladney has been an adjunct professor at OU. VERNETTA KINNARD She’s a Warrior, a community servant and an allaround giving and caring person.

Administrator at Dallas County and was recognized as the Juvenile Department Employee of the Month (May 2021) for her hard work and dedication to meeting the demands of her position.

AMBER BARBEE PICKENS An absolute joy, Amber Barbee Pickens is a multitalented entertainer hailing from Dallas, Texas. An exceptional triple threat who graduated from The Juilliard School, Amber is a professionally trained dancer, actor, and singer.

Amber Barbee Pickens has so many credits to her name, including author. She recently produced a coloring book to recognize and honor Black trailblazers in the world of dance and Blooming in Motion Coloring Book features original illustrations by Amber of 20 Black dancers and over 70 blooming floral mandalas to color. Pick up your copy at the African American Museum! Always active, locally people have watched Amber who at 10, began studying with the masters of dance, acting and singing. From classes with Debbie Allen on school breaks in LA to summers in NYC at the Alvin Ailey School and Broadway camps to acting boot camps with Bill Duke since she was 12, Amber has put in the work which has led to her casting in Law and Order SVU, choreographing the feature film PASSING and gracing stages across the country. Look for more in the future!

DOMINIQUE TORRES WILLIAMS An attorney at The Torres Law Office, P.C., a practice focused on family law and criminal defense, Dominique Torres Williams is an alumna of Girls Inc. of Metropolitan Dallas.

Vernetta Kinnard studied at Northwood University.

She is CEO/Founder/President of Children on the Mend, Inc. (COTM) providing an alternative perspective and service that inspires youth and young adults to reach for their fullest potential while reducing negative emotional behaviors. Vernetta focuses on building positive traits of worthiness, promoting the importance of education, empowerment, self-esteem, motivation and spirituality. She worked as a Quality Assurance

25

Following graduation from Skyline High School, Dominique enrolled in Eastfield College in Mesquite before transferring and receiving her Bachelor of January 7, 2022

Arts in Political Science and Government from the University of North Texas and her JD from the Texas A&M University School of Law where she was a member of the Black Law Student Association. A member of Junior League of Dallas, she served on the Board of Directors for Dallas area Rapid Transit, Sharing Life Community Outreach, Inc., Southeast Dallas Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and League of Women Voters Dallas; and she was a clinic volunteer at Legal Aid of Northwest Texas, reading tutor for Reading Tutor and Playroom Volunteer for Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center. As a personal injury litigation attorney, Atty. Torres Williams handles all aspects of litigation including drafting pleadings, responding to discovery, conducting and defending depositions, negotiations and meditations,and being 1st Chair in trial.

GWENDOLYN JONES Gwendolyn Jones’ passion is purpose-filled as she lives the life of a survivor helping others to survive.

attended DeKalb County Schools, with her graduating from Avondale High School. Stacey received degrees from Spelman College (Magna Cum Laude), the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas and Yale Law School. An award-winning author of several books, she is co-founder of NOW Account. A former Georgia State Legislator for a decade, she also produced the documentary All In: The Fight for Democracy. She has received the NAACP Image Award for Social Justice Impact and she is recognized around the world for being smart, intuitive, strategic, methodical, and focused.

DR. JANEANE ANDERSON An avid dog lover, Dr. Janeane Anderson has done extensive work on adolescent sexual health and reducing risky behaviors.

Gwendolyn Jones is the founder and executive director of Arise! International, Inc., an organization she established almost 13 years ago to work with and deliver presentations at schools, community events, colleges and churches about sexual abuse awareness, prevention, and recovery. She has written articles about sexual abuse and she works with others to help end vicious cycles of abuse. Gwendolyn began facilitating her first Shelter from the Storm© support group in September 2008. For six years she was the lead facilitator at her local church and facilitated three support groups per week. She is a recipient of the 2021 Esther Award – Leadership Through Action – Genesis Women’s Shelter & Support and the 2018 EMERGE Award – presented by Rachel L. Proctor, thenMayor Pro Tem, DeSoto, TX. A graduate of Lincoln High School, she spent almost a decade as a manager – Methods and Procedures for AT&T. HON. STACEY YVONNE ABRAMS Candidate for Governor. Public Servant. Author.

Creator. Orator Entrepreneur. The Honorable Stacey Y. Abrams is brilliant and widely respected.

Stacey Y. Abrams was born in Madison, Wisconsin, and raised in Gulfport, Mississippi. When her parents moved to Atlanta, Stacey and her younger siblings January 7, 2022

I MESSENGER

Currently Janeane Anderson is an Assistant Professor in the College of Nursing at University of Tennessee Health Science Center received Masters of Public Health, Health Communication from the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, where she also earned her Ph.D. An NABJ and DFW/ABC baby, Janeane was in the Dallas-Fort Worth Association of Black Journalists Urban Journalism Workshop when she was a freshman at Grand Prairie High School. She went on to the University of Missouri at Columbia where she received her Bachelors and Masters degrees, and also became a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority (side note- one of her line sisters was also in the DFW/ABC workshop with her!). Dr. J. has also taught at Lincoln Humanities and Communications Magnet and Paul Quinn College, and worked at the Dallas Weekly.

TAMIKA D. MALLORY Tamika D. Mallory is a Social Justice Leader, Movement Strategist, Author, Harlem Girl and one BAD sister!

26

Tamika D. Mallory is one of the most fearless and socially conscious activists in the movement today.

She attended Monsignor Scanlan High School and The College of New Rochelle. A member since she was 11, Mallory served as the youngest ever Executive Director of the National Action Network and made history when she helped shepherd the largest single day demonstration, the 2017 Women’s March on Washington, serving as one of its four national co-chairs. Born in Harlem, Tamika is always wellprepared and methodical in her efforts as she calls attention to the many ills plaguing society. A clear, conscientious, conscious, strategic voice is just what we need and get when Tamika is speaking. She hits home every time and makes us proud!

DAWN BLAIR A proud alum of Bishop College where she was a business/marketing major and was initiated into the Delta Omega Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Dawn Blair grew up in Sunny South Dallas.

Dawn Blair attended Bishop Lynch High School and Business and Management Center. Dawn is a real estate manager for the City of Dallas. When she ran for Dallas City Council, the Dallas Morning News referred to her strong leadership skills. She grew up in South Dallas. A board member of Dodd Education and Support, Dawn has volunteered w/EK Bailey Ministries, working on economic development initiatives and conference planning/execution; Make-A-Difference Day, providing service to the community at large, including lunch for nurses in the neonatal unit; thank you gift bags to nurses/nurses aid at local nursing homes; hosted baby showers for teenage mothers; various acts of kindness to the community (i.e. water on hot summer days, gift cards for gas/groceries). myimessenger.com

myimessenger.com

27

January 7, 2022

January 7, 2022

I MESSENGER

28

myimessenger.com

Call issued to Support Black Businesses Buy Black!

Dr. Frederick D.Haynes III

CROWNED FINANCIALS LLC

Dr. Frederick D. Haynes III, of Friendship-West Baptist Church, recently announced 100 Days of Buying Black in acknowledging the 100th Commemoration of the Tulsa Race Massacre. The 100 days began September 23, 2021 and ran through December 31, 2021.

In the call, Friendship-West is “committed to economic justice in supporting Black-owned businesses, advocating for just lending practices, and working towards comprehensive sustainable community development.”

On the FWBC Facebook page, it reads: “Our goal is to continue the legacy of Black Wall Street by circulating our dollars within the Black community to strengthen our economic base.”

We are joining the movement and you can too at www. texasmetronews.com and https://www.facebook.com/ groups/100daysofbuyingblack In support of this initiative, for the next 100 days, in this spot, we will feature a Black-owned business!

Crowned Financials, LLC is a credit repair and financial literacy agency. Owner Brittany Greene doubles as the agency’s Lead Coach and teaches her clients and students how to increase their credit score anywhere from 50 to 250 points without hiring credit repair companies. Ms. Greene is also the author of,The Mind & Money Manual and A to Z Credit Crowned Financials has been featured on Yahoo Finance, BuzzFeed, HBCU Wall Street, Fox News and other finance publications and radio stations. Crowned Financials has hosted Financial Literacy workshops across the country and frequently visits HBCUs. Their slogan is “We ain’t broke, we are pre-rich.” Crowned Financials offers myimessenger.com

free personal credit consultations: https://url.bio/ iambrittanygreene. For more information email the agency at info@crownedfinancialsllc.com or visit www. crownedfinancialsllc.com

THE SPOT HEALTH AND WELLNESS

THA SPOT is an alternative, holistic and wellness retail store that doubles as an event space. Located in Old East Dallas, this millennial- owned, Blackowned business, was created by a true renaissance woman, Myriah Hampton. THA SPOT specializes in herbal medicine, organic herbal teas, and essential oils. You can find herbs, essential oils, powders, loose-leaf teas, shirts along with candles, skincare products, and crystals brought to you by local

29

black-owned businesses. They also offer CBD-infused teas and honeys. All products can be ordered via www. thaspotdtx.com or visit 1327 Empire Central, Suite 230A, Dallas, TX. You can get 10% off of your first order. Check THE SPOT out today!

TRUSO

TruSo is a video-based social networking app.

Founded by serial entrepreneur and award-winning marketer, Matthew Newman—TruSo is positioned as a disruptive technology in the social networking space, as a video/audio social networking app that includes integrated chat, accessibility for the Deaf, and built-in monetization for users. “Now, we are introducing a social community that is built and funded by Blacks for Blacks and has monetization built-in so that everyone wins. Those who use the app should also benefit financially’” said Mr. Newman. To join the beta, visit JoinTruSo.com. To reserve your investment, visit https://startengine-ttw.webflow.io/ttw/truso. Upon launch, TruSo will be available for both Android and iPhone users.

KRAFTED BY KC

Krafted By KC brings unique catering experiences to the Dallas area with private and corporate events that will delight and inspire. Krafted

By KC came about from a mom, owner Karmin Lane, who loves to create boards for special occasions. They focus on quality and flavor, and create fresh tables, boards, boxes or jars for any event.

They can bring their artistic expertise to your home or event, giving you the freedom to enjoy top-quality charcuterie without making an effort. Their slogan is “Creating vibes with edible art.” Contact Krafted By KC at karmin@kraftedbykc.com or (469) 693-5330 for more information.

January 7, 2022

MGM ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND REPAIR LLC

MGM Roadside Assistance and Repair primarily operates in the Road Service and Automotive business industry within the Automotive Repair, Services and Parking sector. This startup organization has been operating for almost a year. Aric and Marcus Mumphrey service lock-outs, fuel, flats, mechanical services, etc. For immediate help call Marcus at (214) 845-1981 or Aric at (214) 624-0020. Visit the shop at 4614 Stokes St, Dallas, TX 75216.

SAINT MARTIN’S PLACE

Saint Martin’s Place, home of SMP Multimedia, is a historically renovated home updated to capture the early 20th century character to suit more modern times. Centrally located minutes from downtown, Dallas SMP provides a unique setting for your next photo shoot, content creation project, podcast, business meeting or conference. Built in the early 1900’s and listed in the National Register of Historic Places, Saint Martin’s Place is a historical home that has been updated to capture the early 20th century character to suit our more contemporary times. Located in the entrance to the South Blvd. Historic District Saint Martin’s Place was founded by James Mitchell in 1995 with the restoration of the building being completed in 1999. Located at 2603 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Dallas, TX 75215 Email: saintmartinssouth@gmail.com Phone: 214-4287000

JHB PUBLISHING

Jelani Hashim Bracey is the CEO of JHB Publishing.

An author and a poet, he has written three books; “A Daddy is Born,” “A Daddy is Born: Princess Edition,” and Black Excellence: A Celebration of Greatness”; of which the latter is currently for sale in the African American Museum in Dallas, TX. He said his mission is to “eliminate this conditioning set forth by the school system, by exposing all children and people everywhere to literary works that reflect the greatness and importance of Black history and culture; and to promote love, pride, and knowledge of self in Black children around the world.” He is the CEO of B.L.A.C.K. 2 LIFE, a nonprofit organization founded to empower January 7, 2022

I MESSENGER

Black men to strengthen underserved communities through education and inspiration.

Check him out at https://www.jelanihashim. com. Give him a call at 469-316-8846 or email jhbpublishing79@gmail.com

MAMA’S HERBAL HAIR LINE

Anaiah Howard is the owner of MaMa’s Herbal Hair Line where you can find “the most potent and high quality oils to the high in alkalinity herbs and minerals. They stock essential products for all hair and skin types. From any types of skin and hair conditions you may be suffering from, they have you covered! They only stock organic plant-based products made with herb and minerals that are high in alkalinity and healthy for your hair. Check Mama’s Herbal Hair and Body Butter out at www.mamasherbalhairline.com.

Call 318.431.8240 or email mamasherbalhairline@ gmail.com

THE CAKE BAR

Cake Bar is a bakery and retail shop where you can enjoy a large selection of traditional, southern-style made from scratch cakes and confections on the spot or take them to go.

Items sold include 16 different made from scratch cakes, a variety of pound cakes, quick breads, cookies, ice cream, and assorted beverages. Owner and longtime baker Tracy German’s passion for baking inspired her to open up shop with the help of the Trinity Groves incubator program.

“Making food for people is a very personal thing, and it connects you to every person,” she says. Visit her website at https://www.cakebardallas.com/ 3011 Gulden Lane, Suite 117, Dallas Texas 75012 (972) 684-5801

MENA FREEMAN HOMES

SKYLINE RANCH

Skyline Ranch in Dallas, Texas sits on 90 acres of lush foliage with an incredible view of beautiful downtown Dallas. It’s perfect for weddings, quinceaneras, reunions, concerts, and corporate events. You can choose from a variety of packages or a rental-only option. The hall features three wooden dance floors, a bar, a DJ booth with marble countertops, and table and chair covers. With more than 25 years in business, the family-owned business always offers 15% off for full-package rentals for Fridays and Sundays, and also offers discounted off-season rates. Robert and Pennie Pitre also serve 5,000 kids annually for free with 10% of all proceeds of their earnings going directly toward the help and service of at-risk and special needs kids.

There’s so much to do at Skyline Ranch. Check out the site at www.skylineranch.com or visit -- it’s just 20 minutes south of downtown 1801 E. Wheatland Rd. Dallas, TX 75241 972-224-8055

30

ARE YOU READY TO BUY? DON’T HAVE AN INSIDE TRACK? IT’S TIME TO CONSULT A PROFESSIONAL . . .

Are you about to take one of the most important steps of a lifetime, the selection and purchase of some kind of real estate? If you are like thousands of others, you are seeking something in the country or in a small town. You see, more and more Americans are moving to small towns or in the country to establish a lifestyle away from the big city or suburbs. If you have decided to make this move, finding what you want might appear impossible. Contact Mena Freeman, Real Estate Agent. Visit the website at www.menafreemanhomes. com/index.html. Call 972-841-4299 or email Mena Freeman at Menafreeman.realtor@gmail.com.

THE HAIR RECOVERY CENTER

Owner Kendra Timmons, a Certified Trichologist, specializes in hair restoration using a minimally invasive, primarily holistic approach and is venturing into PRP (platelet-rich plasma) at The Hair Recovery Center. Treating hair loss patients with a multitherapeutic approach that addresses the condition myimessenger.com

both internally and externally is proving successful for both men and women as well as individuals who have lost their hair due to chemotherapy and hormonal changes. “By analyzing the scalp as well as the body’s systems and finding the imbalances that may be causing an individual’s hair loss, we are able to treat the whole person,” Timmons explains.To book an appointment visit her website at http://www. hairlosscenterarlington.com/

NOW PROPERTY INVESTMENTS

our inimitable fit. Your suit shouldn’t just be something that you wear but something that expresses who you are underneath. See why professional athletes, supermodels, and television stars have all chosen Don Morphy suits. Choose your style; meet with Don Morphy’s lead designer in the Dallasvshowroom.

Create something truly unique to you. Enjoy your suit; After the final alterations, you will be left with a one-ofa-kind item that truly embodies your individual style.

Book your appointment at https://www.donmorphy. com/ You can find Daniel at DonMorphy.com and Don Morphy on FB & IG.

THE HONEY POT COMPANY

LIVING ABUNDANTLY

DON MORPHY

Living Abundantly owner and coach Brandy Baxter coaches families to bring future financial goals into present reality.

She also owns Envision 30, a learning and development company for future-focused leaders. She is the author of the book, The Story of Three Little Divas: Reach Your Money Goals in 3 Steps Before You Huff and Puff and Blow Your Next Paycheck Away.

Brandy is also the co-founder of Black Girl Financial Magic, an organization that supports and promotes women of color who work or have businesses in personal finance. Brandy is a veteran of the United States Air Force, and she is currently pursuing a doctorate in Strategic Foresight. Visit the website at www.BrandyBaxter.com. Follow her on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram

“Inimitable style for inimitable people.”

Don Morphy is an award-winning Black-owned custom menswear label owned by Custom Suit Designer Daniel Mofor. Every custom Don Morphy item embodies the character of its wearer and comes with

Tomorrow Leigh is a licensed Esthetician from Glendora, CA with 18+ years of experience. She has a passion for helping people cultivate their best skin. As a prominent melanin authority, she focuses on treatments that deliver effective results without compromising the health or integrity of the skin. Tomorrow tailors each facial to the client’s individual needs through education and customized personal skincare treatments and regimes.

The services are facials, waxing and tinting, and much more. Not sure which one to go with? Book a service that you feel will fit your needs, and Tomorrow will examine your skin and give you the best treatment for your desired results. The Dwell Spa is located at Village

If you want to sell your Dallas/Fort Worth house…

Now Property Investments is ready to give fair all-cash offers. Don’t let your unwanted property frustrate you.

They will buy your Texas house now, regardless of condition. Neal Jonson is the owner of NOW Property Investments LLC. Neal invests in rental properties, fixing and flipping, and providing alternative ways for homeowners to sell their homes. Avoiding foreclosure? Facing divorce? Moving? Upside down in your mortgage? Liens? It doesn’t matter whether you live in it, you’re renting it out, it’s vacant, or not even habitable. They can help. Basically, if you have a property and need to sell it…Now Property Investments can give you options and make you a fair cash offer, closing when you’re ready to sell. Visit the website at https://www.nowpropertyinvest.com/

Salons, 7331 Gaston Ave, Suite 109 Dallas, TX 75214.

Phone: 469-530-0497 or email: thedwell@gmail.com.

Book your appointment at https://www. thedwellspa.com/

The Honey Pot Company was born out of one woman’s need to naturally heal herself. Founder and Owner Beatrice “Bea” Dixon, became a woman on a mission, searching for natural remedies to help prevent unruly infections. She created The Honey Pot Feminine Wash, her very own natural treatment for Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) and healing aid. She encourages, “Cleanse, hydrate, and balance your vagina with our plant-derived feminine hygiene washes and wipes.”

Considered the first complete feminine care system, powered by herbs ®, The Honey Pot Company produces washes, wipes, tampons, pads and pantyliners. Their mission is to educate, support, and provide women around the world with the tools and resources that promote feminine health and wellness. Products are in major retailers like Target and Walmart, and can be found at thehoneypot.co

TELFAR

THE DWELL SPA

myimessenger.com

31

Telfar is a unisex line established in 2005 in New York City by Telfar Clemens, a Liberian-American fashion designer, and sold internationally. The collection includes handbags in various sizes and inspiring colors, as well as jewelry and select clothing.

Telfar’s hit bag is nicknamed the “Bushwick Birkin.”

Teflar is being worn by the biggest name celebrities, including Beyonce, and the brand collaborates with other major fashion labels to keep designs fresh. These one-of-a-kind bags are usually completely sold out on the website and thus a prize to have when purchased.

Place your order today: https://shop.telfar.net/ January 7, 2022

BLACK GIRL SUNSCREEN

In 2016, Shontay Lundy created Black Girl Sunscreen (BGS), a 30 SPF lotion infused with natural ingredients and formulated for women of color. Made with melanated skin in mind, BGS dries completely clear and protects melanin without the whitecast. Founded in Miami, Black Girl Sunscreen was created to provide a non-white residue sunscreen brand for women of color, and with three main products. Located in stores like Ulta and Target, the brand has also been featured in Essence Magazine and recently debuted a kid’s line called Sunscreen-BGS Kids. Black Girl Sunscreen uses no parabens or other harmful chemicals. The goal of BGS is to start the conversation globally around sun safety to educate and protect melanin beauties worldwide.

FInd out more at https://www.blackgirlsunscreen.com

& Technology, she hit the streets looking for a place to plant her talent. Founder Rachel James went to work for herself, incorporating Pear Nova and assembling a team of creative conspirators all working in trade to help each other push their talents out into the universe.

The debut line is all creme nail polishes, with an aura of silk and leather. Pear Nova is designed in Chicago, made in the USA, cruelty-free, vegan-friendly and made from clean products.Pear Nova offers self-care products in addition to nail care, and Pear Nova Studio opened its doors in 2019 creating a physical space for women to feel safe, pampered, and beautiful. Check out https://www.pearnova.com

cuisine that is affordably priced and freshly prepared.

Patrons can also experience homemade desserts to complete their meal with a sweet taste. You have to try the loaded fries and stuffed turkey legs and you’ll definitely be satisfied. Check them out at https:// www.forgetmenotseatzntreatz.com/. Call in your order today at 214-200-3155.

VETERANS R MOVING US

ELLIS ISLAND TEA

KAZMALEJE HAIR COMPANY

Pronounced Cosmology, Kazmaleje is a hair company designed for women and men with textured hair. This female, Black-owned business is empowering women and men to rock their natural curls and celebrate their unique style with the use of KurlsPlus detanglers and combs. The combs mimic fingers combing your hair! It’s the first and only hair tool company to be certified Plastic Neutral by rePurpose Global. With every purchase, the company donates a percentage towards vetted programs that will collect and recycle plastic waste. The company is also committed to supporting ethical wages for marginalized waste workers in Kenya, and ultimately reducing plastic leakage into landfills and waterways.

Find out more information at https://www.kazmaleje. com

Ellis Isle has been on the scene since 2008, but the original family tea recipe? That spans back centuries.

When Nailah Ellis founded her company she based the tea on a family recipe created by her greatgrandfather, Cyril Byron, a Jamaican immigrant and chef who came to America through Ellis Island more than 100 years ago. This refreshing Jamaican tea now operates a full-scale, state-of-the-art production facility and ships orders to retailers and customers nationwide.

Ellis Isle only uses real, natural hibiscus, rosehips, honey and mint. Just like Pop Ellis would. Last year comedian/actor Kevin Hart invested in the Michiganbased beverage company. Find our more at www. ellisislandtea.com.

This company is staffed by Veterans of the US Military. They provide the highest level of customer service and are proud of the quality of work they deliver. Their experienced commercial movers are experts in dealing with high tech office equipment and furniture, and will come on the day of your move with the latest in transport and moving equipment to us.

Veterans R Moving Us – Dallas is located at 1111 W. Mockingbird Ln, Suite 735, Dallas, TX 75247. You can also text 972-835-8387 with your moving details to begin the process.

1ST CHOICE SOFTWASH PRESSURE WASHING

FORGET ME NOT EATZ-N-TREATZ

PEAR NOVA

Pear Nova was founded in 2012 by Rachel James.

A graduate from the International Academy of Design January 7, 2022

I MESSENGER

Marcus Darden Sr., is the owner of Forget Me Not Eatz-N-Treatz. Located at 3662 W. Camp Wisdom Rd. Suite 1035, Dallas Texas 75237; inside Redbird Mall.

The local restaurant features American and Barbecue

32

1st Choice Softwash Pressure Washing is a premier power washing service in DFW. There are a number of services they provide including pressure washing, roof cleaning, and gutter cleaning. They also clean houses, decks, and solar panels as well as seal concrete and stain decks. Schedule your appointment by calling 817-239-9221 or 469-205-8664, and to book an appointment online visit 1stchoicesoftwash.com myimessenger.com

myimessenger.com

33

January 7, 2022

January 7, 2022

I MESSENGER

34

myimessenger.com

A ward W inning

Sunday Brunch B U F F E T

M a k e Yo u r R e s e r v a t i o n s TO DAY !

97 2 - 2 9 6 - 0 4 0 3

myimessenger.com

35

January 7, 2022

Metro Community Calendar January 2022 Jan 7

powered by

Jan 15, 1 to 6 pm

Jan 16, 7:30 pm

Jan 28, 6:30 to 9 pm

Happy Founders Day Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

The 90s R&B Kick Back Starring Bell Biv Devoe, Jagged Edge, 112, Tony Toni Tone & 702 at The Texas Trust CU Theatre.

Tickets: https://bit.ly/32RY2fd

The Vin Collective: Bottles, Bites, & Binge-Worthy - Featuring Diana Bandoh.

Tickets and Location: https://bit.ly/3DtmkbU

First Friday + M.A.D.E. Dallas at Dallas Farmers Market, 920 S. Harwood. 7-10 pm.

MLK DAY POP UP SHOP, by Get Fine Fashion at 6850 Manhattan Blvd. Ft. Worth. Reg: https://bit.ly/3e55rtR

Jan 8, 6 to 8 pm

Jan 15, 9 pm to 1 am

TROLLS- Musical Theatre Production

by First Dance Studios - a DreamWorks Animation and presented by a young Jamaican cast. Tickets: https://bit. ly/3sTzj52

POETS N' JAZZ – Feat: Se7en the Poet at TBAAL Muse Café 1309 Canton St. Tickets: www.ticketmaster.com

Jan 8, 9 pm

MLK Day of Service: Gloves, knit cap and blanket donation drop off and family fun day by National Multicultural Heritage Museum, The Ranch, 3534 E. Berry Street, Fort Worth

Realizing The Dream Healthy Living Expo hosted by I Messenger Media L.L.C. and the Don’t Believe the Hype Foundation and powered by COMERICA Bank and The Avenue PRC, at the African American Museum, 3536 Grand Ave. in Fair Park.

Jan 15, 10 am to Jan 16, 4 pm

Jan 21 – 29

Facedown, The Maverick, 1616 W Hebron Pkwy, Ste 108, Carrollton

Jan 8, 12 to 3 pm Curvy Queenz Dance Team auditions, 2204 Kelly Blvd Apt 101, Carrollton

Jan 15, 10 am to 2 pm

Dallas Area Train Show 2022, Plano Event Center, 2000 E Spring Creek Pkwy, Plano

Jan 9 Happy Founders Day Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.

Jan 12, 9 to 10 pm CST Vinyasa Yoga & Chakra Sound Bath with Marquita René. Online event Reg: https://bit.ly/3mRKYxu

Jan 15, 9:30 to 11 am 28th Annual Carrollton MLK Parade, Horizon Unitarian Universalist Church, 1641 W. Hebron Parkway, Carrollton

Jan 15, 7:30 to 11:45 pm

The Schomburg Center 's 10th Annual Black Comic Book Festival by Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.

Online event Reg: https://bit.ly/3EOtLve

SMOOTH WINTER GROOVE IV feat: Charlie Wilson, Joe & Raheem Devaughn at Texas Trust CU Theater, 1001 Lone Star Pkwy. Grand Prairie. Tickets: https://bit. ly/3FRWSPr

Jan 14, 7 pm 2022 MLK Civil Rights Pioneers and Activist Celebration by National Multicultural Western Heritage Museum. Downtown Cowtown at the Isis Theater 2401 North Main St. Fort Worth. Tickets: https://bit.ly/3DXAMcJ

Jan 14, 7:30 to 11:45 pm Deon Cole: Coleology Tour at Majestic Theatre, 1925 Elm St. Tickets: https://bit. ly/3sezSq1

January 7, 2022

Little Women, Brodie Copeland Theatre at Willow Bend Center of the Arts, 6121 W Park Blvd, Ste. B216, Plano, (Jan 21, 7 pm; Jan 22, 1 pm & 7 pm; Jan 22, 2 pm; Jan 27, 7 pm; Jan 28, 7 pm; Jan 29, 1 pm & 7 pm)

Jan 23, 3 pm Dr. Martin Luther King Celebration & Peace March - City of Cedar Hill, Texas – Government Center, 285 Uptown Blvd.

Jan 26-29 8 am to 10 pm. CST

Jan 13, 11 am 4 pm CST Happy Founders Day Delta Sigma Theta Ssorority, Inc.

Jan 17, 10 am to 5 pm

I MESSENGER

Denton Black Film Festival. The Denton Black Film Festival returns this January with a hybrid festival. Campus Theatre, 214 W Hickory St, Denton.

Jan 29, 8 am to 11 am Neo Soul Day Party at Michael’s of Las Colinas, 925 W. John Carpenter Fwy. #100, Irving. Tickets: https://bit.ly/32ATme5

February 2022 Feb 5, 7 to 11 pm Patton Oswalt Live: Who's Ready to Laugh? Majestic Theater, 1925 Elm St, Dallas

Feb 12, 8 pm Miss Dee’s Kitchen by Award Winning Producer/Director Snoop Robinson at TBAAL, 1309 Canton St. Tickets: http:// snooprobinson.com/index.html

Feb 26, 9 am Frozen - Let it GO!, Dallas Drone Racing, 2304-2312 Sandy Lake Rd, Carrollton

Feb 27 1 pm to 5 pm Dallas Stars vs. Buffalo Sabres, American Airlines Center, 2500 Victory Ave, Dallas

MARCH 2022 Mar 19, 6 to 9 PM Kaleo in concert, The Pavilion At Toyota Music Factory, 300 West Las Colinas Boulevard, Irving

Jan 16 Happy Founders Day Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.

7:30pm 39th Annual Black Music & Civil Rights Concert Kim Burrell, Dallas Symphony Orchestra at Meyerson Symphony Center, 2301 Flora St. Tickets: www. ticketmaster.com

myimessenger.com

Lifestyle Metro Calendar powered by JANUARY 2022

13

16

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc,

Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.

7 Onwards & Upwards: American Healthcare Employer LIVE Q&A Onwards & Upwards is showcasing an American healthcare employer. Facebook Live @ConneticsUSANursing. 9 am [EmpowHer Sisterhood] Taking Inventory: How to Know When to Let Go - a panel discussion by Social Media Relations.

Jumpstart the new year with power. Multiple dates. Online event Reg: https://bit. ly/31mbW97 1 pm CST

8

Homelessness - Development or Funding Our Way Out? Facebook Live @CoffeeandPolitics101. Guests: Derek Avery of Coir Holdings, LLC, Brandon Vance board member with the Dallas Homeless Commission. 10 -11 am CST Roundtable Breakfast - "Mercy For Judas" at The Black Academy of Arts and Letters, 650 S. Griffin St. Tickets: www.ticketsforless.com 10 am to 2 pm

9

Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.

5-part Virtual Entrepreneur Workshop sponsored by South Dallas Business & Professional Women's Club, Inc. Reg: https://bit.ly/3JzGRQy 2 to 4 pm CST

Creating An African American Museum In Fort Worth Update --Panel Discussion by National Multicultural Western Heritage Museum. Reg: https://bit.ly/3mevlQr 12 to 1:30 pm

12 Living Room Series for Black Women New Year Kickoff by Blk Women Series and New Heights Communication. Reg: https:// bit.ly/3HtMmhR 5 to 6:30 pm CST

HOLIDAY FOR A KING: DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

14 Healing Holistically: A Black Spiritualist Event by Pennie Murray, PhD. 615 Main St. Frisco, Tickets: https://bit. ly/3pPC05G 6:30 -8 pm CST

Native Conversations: Early Colonial Settlement and the First Deeds -- Facebook Live to explore the interconnected relationships between the Dutch, Swedes, English and Algonkian peoples in their respective regions/colonies, with Drew Shuptar-Rayvis. @MuseumOfNativeAmericanHistory. Reg: https://bit.ly/3FQP0xx 11 am to 12 pm

Travel Indoors! (Black Travel Summit Digital Sessions) by Black Travel Summit. Instagram Live monthly digital sessions with a variety of Black travel influencers, Black ski groups, Digital Nomads, and more discussing a variety of topics to get you traveling more, for less. Reg: https://bit.ly/3eJozhu 12pm CST

Black Voices in Research Storytelling Finale by U of F CTSI's Diversity and Cultural and Competence Council. Online event Reg: https://bit.ly/3488mAk 9 to 10 am CST Black Ivy League Alumni-Alumnae Panel Discussion. The Black Ivy League* is a consortium of alumni-alumnae members representative of all eight of the long-established colleges-universities known for their academic excellence and admission selectivity. Online event Reg: https://bit.ly/3qHbBGM 2 to 3 pm CST

15

The Dallas Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and Friendship-West Baptist Church present a Candidates Forum, featuring gubernatorial, lieutenant governor and 30th Congressional district candidates at 3:00p.m., FWBC, 2020 West Wheatland Road. Program will also feature a candidates fair.

26 The 5th Annual Realizing the Dream Healthy Living Expo will be held at the African American Museum, 10am-5pm. Presented

by Comerica Bank and The Avenue PRC, the Expo features financial literacy and mental health and awareness sessions, a beauty bar (with hair, skin and make-up vendors), CBD 101 Session, health screenings, COVID Vaccines and Testing, DNA Tests, food vendors, entertainment, A Karaoke competition and more! Call 214-941-0110 to register your booth. Or log on to www.realizingthedreamexpo.com Martin Luther King, Jr. Justice Award Luncheon & Memorial Reception honoring Karen D. McCloud at Arts District Mansion, 2101 Ross Ave. Reg: www. dallasbar.org. 12 pm.

18 Ready, Set Kindergarten! Online event. Learn how to prepare your future kindergartner for the first day of school. Reg: https://bit.ly/3HudblR 6 pm CST

20 Beyond Washington Online event broadcast via Facebook Live. @Mosaic Templars Cultural Center 6 to 7:30 pm CST Let's Talk... Conversations on Race, Equity, & Belonging by Chantelle Fitzgerald. Multiple dates. Online event Reg: https://bit.ly/3pRYxiB 4 to 5:30 pm CST Watch Party! Network Like You Mean It with The Career Mavericks with Alysha M. Campbell, and Jessica Sinclair

by U.S. Black Chambers Community Economic Development

myimessenger.com

22

23

"Come Meet A Black Person" Anti-Racism Virtual Series Multiple dates. Online event Reg: https://bit. ly/3sPMqo5 2 to 4 pm CST

Project Moses presents fighting for freedom: Understanding sex trafficking, Saint Michael and All Angels, 8011 Douglas Ave., Dallas, 6 pm to 9 pm

17

LSU Press Facebook Live Author Series on "Medicine and Healing in the Age of Slavery" -- Online event @LSUPress.

2 to 3 pm

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc

11

Corporation, online event. Reg: https:// bit.ly/3qJ2J3o 1 to 2 pm CST

37

The Denton Black Film Festival returns with a hybrid festival.

Campus Theatre, 214 W Hickory St, Denton.

27 Preparing for Cognitive Incapacity: Why it’s Important and the Nightmares you Risk - Free webinar. Reg: https:// bit.ly/3pNFXYX Presenter: Rex Hogue, Attorney & Partner - Haiman+Hogue, PLLC, 10 to 11:30 am

29 2022 DFW Chapter Kickoff- A Promise Kept, hosted by the National Black MBA Association - DFW Chapter in the SMU, Crum Auditorium, Collins Executive Bldg. 3150 Binkley Ave. Register at https://bit.ly/3eMNGQq 10 am to 1:30 pm

30 Octavia E. Butler Slow Read, a slow read of Octavia E. Butler’s body of work, hosted by Njeri.

Online event tickets: https://bit. ly/332Qc2E 12 noon to 1:30 pm CST

January 7, 2022

January 7, 2022

I MESSENGER

38

myimessenger.com

www.grandpasecret.com

myimessenger.com

39

January 7, 2022

ARRESTED

HE IS A SERIAL RAPIST

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

We’re talking about a community.

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

Crimestoppers 877-373-8477 January 7, 2022

I MESSENGER

40

myimessenger.com