Texas Metro News 2-17-22 by Cheryl Smith

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• Vol. 10 • Feb. 17 - Feb. 23, 2022

MY TRUTH By Cheryl Smith PUBLISHER

Every vote matters

I didn’t get to show love on Valentine’s Day, by casting my vote in the primary election. Monday, February 14, 2022 was the first day of early voting and I wanted to walk into a polling location and cast my vote for the candidates of my choice. No matter how long it took, I was going to go through every page, until the very end of the ballot, to make sure that I did my civic and moral duty. I wanted to cast my vote for those who came before me and were denied; for those who will never vote because of interactions with a system that stripped them of that right; and, for those yet unborn who deserve to have people with decency and common sense making decisions about their future. I missed that first day, and second; however it is my intent to not let this week come to an end without voting. Until I make it to the polls, I pray every day that I will make it to the polls because I would hate for some incompetent, ill-prepared, unconscionable and yes, unethical person to be elected because of my refusal to take advantage of the right to vote. Critics or devil’s advocates would say that I voted before See MY TRUTH, page 11

VOTE

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Tarrant County student wins NAACP Image Award Youth advocate to be recognized for sit-in on Howard campus

By Rebecca Aguilar Texas Metro News

When Channing Hill graduates from Howard University in 2023, she knows she will leave the campus a better place for future students. Hill, along with three other coeds, led #BlackburnTakeover, a 34-day sit-in in which more than 100 Howard students occupied the Washington, D.C. campus’ Blackburn University

Center from Oct. 12 through Nov. 14, 2021. The students complained that Howard’s dorms were unlivable, infested with rodents, prone to repeat flooding and were past due for remediation of mold. During the protest, dozens of students abandoned their dorm rooms and camped outside in tents on the grounds of the Blackburn Center. Channing said the students’

protest was born of necessity. “Protests have a role and create change,” said Channing, 20, who is president of Howard’s NAACP student chapter. “Protests serve as something that shine a light in the dark; but to keep that light on, you have to continue the work.” Channing’s work with the protest is being recognized later this month during the 53rd NAACP Image Awards, which See TARRANT COUNTY STUDENT, page 15

Channing Hill

Ann Williams Still Being Recognized for Continuous Contributions to the Arts

Ann Williams

From the depths of Africa to the soul of America, dance has been a rich part of the African- American culture. The vibrant movements and depth of the rhythmic beat have been a strong source of expression throughout history. As we celebrate Black History Month, this cultural richness is shared by the founder of the Dallas Black Dance Theatre (DBDT), Ann Williams. Although it has been almost 8

years since she retired from DBDT, Williams remains active on the Board of Directors of DBDT. She is also actively involved with the International Association of Blacks in Dance, Prairie View University Alumnae Association, Board of Directors of Ursuline Academy of Dallas and Advisory Board Member of The Martin Luther King Center in Dallas. Williams as a Dallas History maker recently received the Life-

Media executive shares Black struggle in high office I WAS JUST THINKING... By Norma Adams-Wade This is a community conversation to shed light during an era clouded by racial ignorance about people who look like you and me. International media darling Sharon Nash Alexander recently

shared some of her experiences as a veteran cable television executive producer who still is learn- Sharon Nash Alexander Credit: Linked In ing to pick her battles in executive offices. One of her questions is: How much has George Floyd affected Black lives at executive levels. Floyd, of course, was killed on See MEDIA EXECUTIVE SHARES, Page 2

time Achievement Arts Award presented by the Business Council for the Arts. The Business Council for the Arts encourages, inspires, and stimulates businesses and municipalities to support the arts in the workplace, in education, and in the community. She was a member of the first arts leadership class in 1988, founded by the late Raymond Nasher, who was a well-known and respected See ANN WILLIAMS, Page 2

City honors civil rights legend (From left) Candace Thompson, board chair of the Friends of Juanita Craft House and Museum, Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson, Christa Sanford, president of Junior League of Dallas, Ella Goode Johnson, Chairwoman of the Arts and Cultural Advisory Commission of the City of Dallas and member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., pose with the proclamation of Juanita Craft Day during an event honoring Craft’s legacy and her 120th Birthday at City Hall on Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022, in Dallas, TX. See JUANITA CRAFT,Page 7

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• February 17 - February 23, 2022

Media Executive Shares Black Struggle in High Office May 25, 2020 when a Minneapolis police officer held his knee for more than 9 minutes against the neck of Floyd, handcuffed and pinned on the ground until he died. Floyd’s death had worldwide social impact that still lingers. Alexander currently is in a dispute with higher-ups and other executives on her cable network job. She is director of development for H2R Productions that does cable shows. The journalism and mass communication graduate of the University of North Texas and the University of Georgia also was the original executive producer of the Discovery Inc. HGTV new series, Buy It or Build It, filmed in Dallas. Alexander discovered and brought to the network the show’s stars -- licensed contractors and twin brothers Chris and Calvin LaMont who also live in the Dallas area. Her credentials are solid. With a 30-plus years career in entertainment industry producing, screenwriting, show hosting, and news reporting, Alexander has cast talent for various other prominent shows including America’s Got Talent, and Ellen DeGeneres’ Even Bigger Really Big Show. Alexander has produced shows for many celebrities, including Steve Harvey and Tom Joyner. She has interviewed an “A List” of stars including Denzel Washington, Elizabeth Taylor, Tom Hanks, Eddie Murphy and Will Smith; and she also covered the Academy and Grammy Awards. She has been

on the cover of People magazine and her face was featured on a board game inspired by the Australia science and technology television show, Beyond 2000, that she hosted. She was Australia’s first Black television news anchor. “It was a wonderful experience and added to my credibil-

Ann Williams

etta Drew, Executive Director.” Williams grew DBDT from a community-based organization and a semi-professional organization to a fully professional dance company recognized as the fourth largest black dance company in the nation. DBDT tours annually throughout the state, nationally and internationally. During its history, the company has performed in 31 states, 16 countries, and on five continents. Zenetta Drew, the executive director of the Dallas Black Dance Theatre, nominated Williams for this prestigious award. Drew said, “Ann Williams is a visionary extraordinaire who in-

cont. from page 1

art collector, real estate developer and banker. Williams said, “It has been my life’s work to build a lasting institution with its foundations in choreographic excellence and the talents of Black dancers. Now in our 45th anniversary year, Dallas Black Dance Theatre continues to change lives and impact communities, buoyed by new generations of artists and supporters. I am so pleased of the present leadership team at DBDT, Melissa Young, Artist Director and Zen-

eran pick her battles, and how do they prepare for the outcome? Here are some aspects of challenges Alexander says she currently faces and the respect she expects in her position. This community conversation gauges your thoughts. Please offer intelligent solutions.

Board game Beyond 2000 showing Sharon Nash Alexander on the cover

ity within the industry,” she said in a www.blackstreetonline. wordpress.com interview. But with her skills intact, Alexander still is currently battling to maintain her footing in a cutthroat profession that takes no prisoners and regularly leaves lives and careers on the cutting room floor. But for pundits who advise “pick your battles,” Alexander has picked this one. During a recent blog conversation, she talked with Texas Metro News about both the glamour and cutthroat nature of the entertainment television industry. And I was just thinking…how does a seasoned vet-

1. Some executives above her do not call her by her correct job title. She is an executive producer not a lower casting producer. “I have worked hard to get to where I am in this business,” so she says she expects to be addressed correctly. 2. Others on the cable series team, she said, have interfered with her relationship with her clients. A cohort gave her clients figures from her fee that were private, causing a riff in the client-producer relationship. 3. As executive producer, she must be informed about all

production decisions including the shows’ final edit. Many decisions have been made without her knowledge or input – including the shooting schedule, script, editing and casting. “They have basically shut me out completely,” Alexander said. Also, another producer emailed her clients casually calling them “boys,” apparently not aware of the racial overtone of the term for a Black male. 4. She must not be criticized for improper “behavior” – much like being viewed as an angry Black woman – when she asserts her opinion. 5. She is about six months behind in receiving payment for her work. She said she was told that difficulty securing permits to shoot has caused the problem. Since production company executives live in Canada and she in Dallas, she asserts that she could help secure permits but was not asked to. “This again is a put-down,” said Alexander, the daughter of well-known Dallas community and civic leaders Joe and Herdercine Nash. 6. After signing her contract, she learned that a different plan for paying her was in effect. “I never agreed to this,” she said. The production company had been shooting for two months before she learned about it. And six months have passed since her “first and only payment.” When she sent an invoice, she was told that the company is

Zenetta Drew, Nancy Nasher and Ann Williams

spires everyone and everything she touches. She taught me that with passion, commitment, and hard work, your dreams are just unrealized realities.” Williams is a member of Al-

pha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Trinity Chapter of The Links, Inc., Dallas Chapter Associates of Jack and Jill of America, Lifetime member of NAACP, and the Black Chamber of Commerce.

cont. from page 1

“behind in shooting” and her payment date keeps getting pushed back. “I am sure that all the above-the-line people have been paid except me,” Alexander said. 7. In her contract, she said she agreed to help pay 35 percent of the company’s estimated $30,000 development overage cost. Later, the actual cost was $125,000 and she was being docked $20,000 out of $48,000 that she was owed. Alexander’s attorney found $51,000 of that were the company’s own expenses, such as rent and supplies for their Canada office and attorney fees for various contract negotiations – all which she disputes. “I don’t think I should be responsible…,” she objects. 8. She makes the point that her contract signing interestingly coincided with society’s new wokeness after George Floyd was killed. “My question …is, if you have Black talent, but the Black people behind the scenes are treated poorly, is that really any progress?” she asked. I was just thinking…., could she be right? Please share your thought to editor@texasmetronews.com. 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

Throughout her life, Williams has placed a high value on education. She is a graduate of Prairie View A&M University and was the first African American to receive a Master of Arts Degree in Dance and Related Arts from Texas Woman’s University. She holds a certificate in Arts Management from Texas A&M University, she has received an honorary degree, Doctor of Humanities from Northwood University, and in May 2008 was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Philosophy in Dance from TWU. At the age of 84, Williams enjoys playing bridge and is currently working on her autobiography.

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Lorenzo: NOJNOP!

QUIT PLAYIN’

the Queen's taste," it validates Channels 4, 5, 8, and 11, Parkevery sacrifice. The early rising, land and DISD, and other racist inclimate weather, and being institutions. By Vincent L. Hall cursed by the general public was Hell, we even got kicked out of Northpark Mall one time. Whenever my children sit to taxing. write an obsequy on the life and times of their father, I pray that No Justice, No Peace, No Justice, No Peace. they remember to add my participation in the "Warriors." You redneck white folks, and you Uncle Tom Negroes. For at least 10 years, we pickIn the land of the beast, No Justice, no peace. eted at least six days a week, often several times per day. When I drop my daughter at If you think fighting city hall is They don't have to belabor the point, but that season of my Townview or see the wave of rough, it's because you've never life still brings me great pride. diversity at DISD that replaced faced those bastards in corpoWhenever I see Blacks, Browns, a lily-white arrogance that rate America. Them business and women in the C-suites of served neither white folks nor boys are gangsta! The Warriors had to fight raclocal police departments, or a folks of color... I feel good about Black Fire Chief with a diverse “two-stepping” in those inter- ism and pessimism on the street, sections to exhaust the full 90 on the job and sometimes in the team, my heart swells. hood. The Dallas power structure summoned weak-backed Uncle Toms and "wish they were White" Latinos to deride us publicly. But we just kept coming. We worked as a team and as individuals to fight anything and anybody who threatened our "inalienable rights.” The inalienable rights that God gave and the Founding Fathers felt charged to disseminate at their discretion There will be more stories in No Justice, No Peace! (NOJNOP) my book coming soon. But toAt every instance where my seconds the law allowed us to day, for the record on local Black eyes fall upon Channel 8’s “Un- cross the street. We slowed traf- history, you can get a glimpse of what's to come. Of course, you apologetically Black” Tashara fic and accelerated justice. The truth is, for the balance of know names like John Wiley Parker, rocking her sassiness in whatever hairstyle she wants, 10 years, we shut down streets Price, but this snippet will inspitting the "King's English to as we confronted DPD, DFD, troduce you to another brother

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who made our two to eight-hour shifts bearable. “Lorenzo Gray, a smooth, dark-skinned brother with his trademark cap and dark shades, was hell on a bullhorn. He was more rhythmically revolutionary, but his preachments would always go "next level" when the Warriors felt the sting of an attack. Lorenzo could go from public policy to personalized punishments. He could switch gears and go from comical to caustic. Lorenzo did some freestyling, but he never veered from the mandates of call and response. The Warriors were forced to keep a trained eye on their surroundings while keeping with the beat. He was like a metronome with spikes. Lorenzo could cut you in rhyme and rhythm. His voice would never quiver, and his volume never failed. He was a cascade of words and well-placed inflections that punctuated his purpose. Lorenzo created freedom verses a-lacarte as we were in the streets. The cadence, syncopation, and ability to create a hard beat with no drums were unbelievable. He made time move swifter and eased the tensions of everyone in earshot. But there were some days when raw emotions, rank adrenaline, and therapy didn't matter.

Lorenzo Gray

If you caught John Wiley and the Warriors on a bad day, it was going to get ugly; it was "going down like four flat tires on a Cadillac." Lorenzo imposed his will on our emotions, but he always made us better." Lorenzo’s antics on the mic merely mimicked Dr. King’s lifelong cry, “True peace is not merely the absence of tension: it is the presence of justice.” No Justice, No Peace! (NOJNOP) The Warriors are proud of the tension we put on this community. It made a difference, and I pray that Erinn, Alison, and Hailee don't ever forget my part in it. If he’s available, have Lorenzo lead a few lines of NOJNOP! Vincent L. Hall is an author, activist, and an award-winning columnist.

“Whether it’s Affirmative Action Or Supreme Court Pick: Black Folks could lose” OUR VOICES By Thomas Muhammad “It's just like when you've got some coffee that's too black, which means it's too strong. What do you do? You integrate it with cream, you make it weak. But if you pour too much cream in it, you won't even know you ever had coffee. It used to be hot, it becomes cool. It used to be strong, it becomes weak. It used to wake you up, now it puts you to sleep.” Malcolm X

I ain’t tripping out like some about the US Supreme Court opportunity that opens up for a Black woman Justice because I’m totally clear that I’m a citizen in this country by default. My ancestors were never asked if they wanted to remain here after the so-called Civil War. Were yours? In fact, we’ve been raising hell here ever since and yet many of us have been trying our damned best to blend into this bull&(#! and still a majority among these white bigoted goat ropers still find ways to keep us out, even as

some Black folks have put themselves through what they thought would get them in the door! Take for instance the folks whose names are now front runners of President Joe Biden’s nominees. Now don’t get me wrong people can marry whom they want, but then when you add the pitiful historic woes of Affirmative Action programs to the mix things really turn into a disaster. We all know that in this program White woman qualify and get the bulk of the funds. And who do they date or marry? You guessed it White men!

So Black folks lose out! And by the way, tell me do you think the average street brother would stand a chance with these sisters with Harvard lifestyles standing in judgement of us poor Black folks? Hope I’m wrong! And I’m tired of hearing this new label being used such as “people of color” It has gotten on my last damned nerve! Check out the reporting for instance on the death of the former beauty queen. Did you see that news report showing a picture of she and four other beauty queen contestants? They were All Black, but

were described as “women of color.” Excuse me they were not “of color.” They were all Black! So damn it, we should not allow people to water down our accomplishments! That sister’s death was sad enough she didn’t have to have the insult added! And that has to be addressed moving forward. After all isn’t that what our struggle was and is all about, right? Until Then The Struggle Continues… Thomas Muhammad is a local Dallas activist who can be reached at tmuhammad2003@yahoo.com

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CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS IS CONSCIENCE OF CONGRESS THE LAST WORD By Dr. Julianne Malveaux All too often, the Congressional Black Caucus gets a bad rap. What do they do, many ask. What have they recently accomplished? Are they leaning on their revolutionary origins, their founding in 1971? Have they become go-along to get-along politicians as usual? These are reasonable questions that I often raise myself, often so frustrated by Congressional inaction that I don’t see the big picture, the lovely picture of more than fifty Black members of Congress, when we once had only one at a time, and with the many ways that their collective action makes a difference. All too often, it is not what they do but what they prevent by working to stop the foolish impulses of some of the Republicans who would oppose our Black existence. I was reminded of the efficacy of the Congressional Black Caucus when I recently interviewed Dr. Sherice Jenaye Nelson, a Howard University-educated political scientist whose recent book, The Congressional Black Caucus: Fifty Years of Fighting for Equality (Archway Publishing, 2020), re-

counts the history of Black political participation at the Congressional level. This sister scholar has done meticulous work describing the many ways the Congressional Black Caucus has been enormously impactful. In our radio conversation, though, she also talked about the limitations that CBC members face because of their ideological diversity and their need to be reelected to make change. My idols are the activists like Congresswomen Maxine Waters (CA), Sheila Jackson Lee (TX), Barbara Lee (CA), and Karen Bass (CA). Newcomers like Cori Bush (MO) and Lucy McBath (GA) have also earned my admiration for their strong positions and willingness to go against the grain. At the same time, some will go nameless who don’t much step up or speak up. Dr. Nelson reminded me that some of them don’t have the freedom to speak, partly because they represent majority-white districts or aren't that radical, being elected because they are & moderates. Still, they can sometimes be counted to vote with their African American colleagues, and those are the votes that count. Writing them off can be counterproductive when we need to get things done. Don’t get me wrong – we should call them on their racial ambiva-

lence when we need to. At the same time, during this Black History Month, I’m willing to dial back some of the criticism and look at the very many excellent things the Congressional Black Caucus has done.

because they deserve it. At the same time, I can’t completely take my critic hat off. It is shameful that so many did not support HR 40 when Congressman John Conyers (MI) lived. It is commendable that Congress-

Dr. Sherise Jenaye Nelson’s book is one worth reading. It speaks to the foreign policy the CBC has done historically, especially around Africa issues (Congressman Ron Dellums’ championship to the Free South Africa movement is notable) and Caribbean issues, especially around Haiti. Domestically, Congressman James Clyburn (SC) HBCU advocacy is laudable, as is Congresswoman Alma Adam’s (NC) work forming the bicameral, bipartisan HBCU Caucus. There’s more, and you’ll have to read the book to get the whole story. I’m lifting these Black folk during this Black History Month

woman Sheila Jackson Lee has taken the baton from him and championed the reparations cause, and with the help of organizations like NCOBRA (the National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America) and NAARC (the National African American Reparations Commission, an organization sponsored by the Institute of the Black World), garnered 215 co-sponsors for the legislation. Why aren't more Black members of Congress more enthusiastic about economic justice and reparations? Political considerations notwithstanding, this is a just cause. The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation has annually

sponsored a Phoenix Awards Dinner at its annual legislative forum. The awards reference the closing speech of Congressman George White, who was the African American post-Reconstruction member of Congress (1897-1901). He highlighted Black progress since enslavement and said that, like the phoenix, we would rise. We have140,000 farms and homes, valued in the neighborhood of $750,000,000, and personal property valued about $170,000,000. We have raised about $11,000,000 for educational purposes…We are operating successfully several banks, commercial enterprises among our people in the Southland, including one silk mill and one cotton factory. We have 32,000 teachers in the schools of the country; we have built, with the aid of our friends, about 20,000 churches, and support seven colleges. Congressman White spoke of progress. There is still much room for advancement. The Congressional Black Caucus members are agents of progress. Criticize them, if you will, but embrace them. They are the conscience of Congress. They are our champions. Dr. Julianne Malveaux is an economist, author, and Dean of the College of Ethnic Studies at Cal State LA. She is also President of PUSH Excel, the education arm of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition. You may reach her at juliannemalveaux.com

BIG MAMA SAID:

TRY ME AND YOU WILL REAP WHAT YOU SOW BLACK CARD By Terry Allen When Lucille “Big Mama” Allen stood in the doorway between the kitchen and the “big room” and spoke from her playbook, this particular advisory, "TRY ME” turned our usually loud, noisy house immediately into an extremely quiet refuge. “TRY ME” was one of the few statements in Big Mama’s roster that was used by many women along my life journey. When “Try me” was used, it was

an automatic stance that meant you have tested me in the worst way and now you will see how that will affect you and your situation now and, also, in your immediate future. NOW! What was lesson? Lucille “Big Mama” Allen clearly let us know what try me meant- To try someone is to test my patience, home, children, money, intelligence, and/or worth. In other words, you're testing my limitations in a way that's determined to be insulting, offensive and/or antagonizing. Lucille “Big Mama” Allen platform was always steeped in the Biblical word. The reference, "Try me" always came with a Co-

me-to-Jesus’ reference. She referred us to Hebrews 13:6 “So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”. Now let me expand on how this enlightens others. For one, When Lucille “Big Mama” Allen stood in the doorway between the kitchen and the “big room” and spoke from her playbook. This particular advisory, TRY ME” turned the usually loud, noisy house immediately became extremely quiet. “TRY ME” was one of the few statements in Big Mama’s roster that was used by many women along my life journey. When “Try me” was used, it was an automatic stance that meant you have tested

me in the worst way and now you will see how that will affect you and your situation now and in your immediate future. Now let me expand on how this enlightens others. For one, “Try me” says, “I am stronger than ever and stronger than you ever will be” and “Touch my friends and family and I will rip you a new one” In these times of disinformation and emotional upheaval, I see all of us showcasing our “Try Me” moments when we hear untruths being said about us. Just a few days ago, I received a note of feedback that I was entirely responsible for something that I could not have influenced nor was I in the room

when it happened. The good part is, I was Big Mama’s child and I had my tribe and my proof. The tribe and proof shut down the attack and my ‘Try Me” stance faded back into the background. The extended portion of the lesson is having a tribe and producing proof, so those purveyors of the lie will lose, email me your best “Try Me” moment at terryallenpr@gmail.com. Family, I need you. Thank you, publisher Cheryl Smith, for my platform. Big Mama because of you, I have a tribe. 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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“Experience counts!” DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY Early Voting: February 14th - February 25th

Election Day: March 1st

Paid for by the Ingrid Michelle Warren Campaign, Algernon “Al” Herron Treasurer , P.O. Box 131205, Dallas, Texas 75313 In compliance with the voluntary limits of the Judicial Campaign Fairness Act.

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Broncos’ Sale to Robert F. Smith Could Help NFL Begin to Solve Race Problem OUR VOICES Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. Even before Coach Brian Flores filed a class-action lawsuit against the National Football League claiming the league discriminated against Black coaches in their hiring practices, it was pretty clear that professional football has a race issue. The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport at the University of Central Florida recently found that, in 2021, around 71 percent of the players in the NFL were people of color, while only a quarter were white. Yet of the league’s 32 teams, only three head coaches are people of color. And only two team owners are non-white: Jacksonville Jaguars’ owner Shahid Kahn is a Pakistani-American and Kim Pegula, a Korean American, is a co-owner of the Buffalo Bills. In a league whose players are overwhelmingly Black, there needs to be more representation in the front office of people who look like the athletes that take the gridiron each Sunday. With the Denver Broncos expected to hit the market sometime this off-season, now is probably the best time in the 101-year history of the NFL for the league to have its first Black team owner and to begin to change the plantation mentality that has plagued professional football for decades. When considering potential

buyers of the team, one name continually rises above the rest: Robert F. Smith. Smith, the 59-year-old founder of private equity firm Vista Equity Partners, whose net worth is estimated to be around $6.7 billion, may not have the star power that other potential buyers do (i.e., former Broncos quarterbacks Peyton Manning and John Elway or Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos). But what he does have is a long track record of success in the largely white world of investment. He has an ability to see value where others do not, successfully investing in emerging enterprises and quickly making them profitable. Consider, for example, that Vista currently has $86 billion in assets under management. And the Broncos could certainly use some of Smith’s magic given that the team hasn’t had a winning record since the 2015-16 season when they won the Super Bowl. Putting aside Smith’s investing acumen and ability to grow emerging businesses, his up-from-the-bootstraps story and expansive philanthropic work in the Black community would go a long way to changing the make-up of a NFL ownership from its traditional purview of stodgy, old white men. For one, Smith is a Denver native whose curiosity, intelligence and drive led him to a job with Bell Laboratories when he was just in high school. From there, Smith went on to Cornell and Columbia universities and jobs with Goodyear, Kraft, and Goldman Sachs before founding

Juanita Craft cont. from page 1 By Sriya Reddy The city of Dallas proclaimed Feb. 9 as Juanita Craft Day to honor the civil rights activist on her 120th birthday as efforts to restore her South Dallas home move forward. Craft led civil rights activism in Dallas from about 1950 until her death in 1985. She advocated for integration in Dallas, including at the State Fair, and organized numerous NAACP youth chapters throughout Texas. Much of her work educating youth was

done right in her own backyard. Candace Thompson is the board chair of the Friends of Juanita Craft House and Museum. Thompson said that she felt seen through Craft’s work. “She was a forerunner before all of us, before our city was ready to embrace inclusivity,” Thompson said. “I think it’s beautiful to see all the things that she did start to come to fruition.” One of Craft’s last wishes was for her home to continue to be a place of learning and become a museum.

When considering potential buyers of the Denver Broncos, one name continually rises above the rest: Robert F. Smith

Vista Equity in 2000. What his resume shows is that Smith is not afraid of breaking down walls and inserting himself into traditional bastions of whiteness like the Ivy Leagues and private equity. If there is any Black man in America who could take on the lily-white structure of NFL ownership, it’s Robert Smith. If the NFL is serious about changing not just its image, but its relationships with its players and fan base, then Smith would also be an ideal partner for the league. He not only talks a big game about racial equity, but he backs it up by putting money where his mouth is. In 2019, Smith spent $34 million of his own money to settle the loan debt for the nearly 400 students who graduated that spring from Morehouse College. He also donated $20 million to the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the largest

by an individual donor to the museum at the time, and he helped found and donated $50 million to the Student Freedom Initiative, which aims to relieve the financial burdens on minority college students. Through Vista, Smith has also spearheaded the Southern Communities Initiative, a consortium of companies working to address problems facing communities of color in the South, where almost 60 percent of all Black Americans live. Through the SCI, Smith hopes to tackle pressing issues like substandard education and workforce development opportunities, housing and healthcare inequalities, the digital divide, limited access to capital, and physical infrastructure failures in these communities. In an argument about integrating professional football, Black activist and journalist Halley Harding wrote in the Los Angeles Tri-

On Wednesday, the city’s Office of Cultural Affairs accepted a gift of $176,000 from the Junior League of Dallas, raised through private donations, for the restoration of the Juanita Craft Civil Rights House, which was damaged due to a flood in 2018. It is part of the $1.4 million in funding the Junior League has raised for the project so far. Thompson is looking forward to the renovation, but said that this work is more than just the house. “With this house being restored, our hopes are that it also brings about revitalization, and

growth, and development with the community moving forward,” she said. At a ceremony issuing the proclamation, Mayor Eric Johnson said that during Black History Month especially, it’s important to recognize Dallas’ role in the civil rights movement. “In this city, we’re going to acknowledge and celebrate our history,” Johnson said. “We’re not going to forget our past. We’re going to embrace it and we’re going to learn from it. And I think we’re a better city for it.” Adam Bazaldua, councilmember representing District

bune in 1941 that “most persons, corporations or businesses almost always forget the people or incidents that made them big.” Harding added: “This story is about a great American sport [football] that took all the aid the colored American could give and then as soon as it became ‘big league,’ promptly put a bar up against the very backbone of its existence.” These words could just as aptly be applied to the NFL today as they did back in the 1940s. But now, as America once again reexamines its turbulent past when it comes to race, the NFL probably has its best chance in years to right a glaring gap in its leadership when it comes to the Broncos. And if there is anyone who can fill that gap, it’s Robert Smith. Dr. Benjamin Chavis is president and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) and can be reached at dr.bchavis@nnpa.org.

7, said that this day is not only to commemorate the work of Craft, but also to build upon and uplift South Dallas. “It’s almost counterproductive for us to highlight a woman who fought her entire life to break those barriers if we allow for those barriers to continue to exist,” Bazaldua said. “So we’ve got to be proactive and aggressive at continuing to break those barriers down.” This story, originally published in The Dallas Morning News, is reprinted as part of a collaborative partnership between The Dallas Morning News and Texas Metro News. The partnership seeks to boost coverage of Dallas’ communities of color, particularly in southern Dallas.

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Celebrating the rich heritage and ancestry of Black People

17 Women, Words, and Wisdom: Songs by Black Female Composers - Fort Worth Opera. Fort Worth Opera’s smash-hit Black History Month concert, A Night of Black Excellence: Say It Loud - Songs of a Revolution. 2 to 3:30 pm at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, 3200 Darnell St. Tickets: https://bit.ly/3AunwMn

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Mutual Survival: Black-Jewish Relations in the 21st Century. Online event by Wassmuth Center for Human Rights. Phillip Thompson, Idaho Black History Museum, discusses the crucial collaboration of Blacks and Jews during the 20th and 21st Centuries. 7 to 8 pm CST. Reg: https://bit.ly/356GXzc BLACK VOTERS MATTER! Dallas-Ft. Worth

2020 - Actress Ja’Net Dubois died - Born 8-5-32

1927 Actor Sidney Poitier born in Miami, FL. Dies 1/2022-

Poet Langston Hughes born. Died May 22, 1967

I Am Not Your Negro - James Baldwin - Film History Livestream by Washington DC History & Culture. 7 to 9 pm CST. Reg: https://bit. ly/3AnAprG

21 1965 - Malcolm X murdered in Harlem, NY

BBW Presents A Black Diamond Affair Grown & Sexy by Beautiful Black Women, Inc. BBW hosts a casual Black DIAMOND Affair you do not want to miss. Ticket price includes entry, food, drink (BYOB) & live entertainment. 4 to 9 pm. Tickets: https://bit.ly/3qTZszv

Erykah Badu at The Factory In Deep Ellum by Music Concerts Online. Attendees must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test result within 72 hours of the event OR full COVID-19 vaccination prior to entry for live events at The Factory in Deep Ellum and/or The Studio at the Factory. Doors open at 6:30 pm. Concert from 8 to 11 pm.

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The B.A.C. 2 BLACK FEST (Black Arts Centennial) by Infinite Arts Movement, celebrating over 100 years of Black Arts through music, poetry, dance, and supporting Black Owned Businesses at Frisco School Of Music & Performing Arts, 9360 Preston Rd. Frisco. 7 to 10 pm. Register/Tickets: https://bit.ly/3rHHlf9

New Light Church presents Grief, Peace Conference, 1300 S. Beltline Rd, Mesquite, 10a-12p with Pastors Shawn and Marian Rabb and facilitated by Mental Health Expert and Author, Andrea Wise-Brown, LPC

9:00 AM - 10:00 AM: Tarrant County College - South (5301 Campus Dr, Fort Worth) 10:30 AM - 11:30 PM: University of Texas Arlington (701 S Nedderman Dr, Arlington) 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM: Cedar Valley College (3030 N Dallas Ave, Lancaster) 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM: Mountain View College (4849 W Illinois Ave, Dallas) 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM: University of Texas Dallas (800 W Campbell Rd, Richardson) BVM will lead Caravan to Polls at 5:30 PM

A Night of Black Excellence: Songs of a Revolution, 2 – 4 PM I.M. Terrell Academy for STEM and VPA, 1411 I M Terrell Cir S Fort Worth, TX

Brims and Mimosas Beats and Brunch Day Party, 11a-5p at FIVEE Bistro & Bar, 1319 Botham Jean Blvd. 1992 - John Singleton became 1st Black film director to receive an Oscar nomination (Boyz N the Hood).

Tracing African Jamaican Roots: Secrets of 1817 Slave Registers Uncovered, by Ancestry Talks with Paul Crooks. Blending Black ancestry with Black history, Paul Crooks reveals how he used the 1817 Slave Register to trace his ancestry and bring his back story to life. 1 to 2 pm. Booking Information: https://paulcrooks.info/ black-genealogy-online-events

• The Young OG’s Texas TakeOver @ Hyena’s Comedy Nightclub (5301 E Mockingbird Ln) Starring Teddy Ray & Lewis Belt Hosted by JCann Showtime 7pm (2 item Minimum) Tickets - CertifiedFunnyComedy.com or txt 832 921 7288

27 Dallas Stars vs. Buffalo Sabres, American Airlines Center, 2500 Victory Ave, Dallas 1 to 5pm. The World According to Andrew on BlogTalkRadio.com 8 am.-10 am. CST. Sundays Tune in for thought-provoking, enlightening, informative, and entertaining news and commentary. Join the call 646200-0459 on Andrew’s World. Doc Shep Speaks Show! A fresh perspective, but still entertaining! Welcome to The Doc Shep Speaks Show!!!. Tuesdays at 11 am. CST Live on Facebook/@TexasMetroNews, @ fnsconsulting, and YouTube Live @ docshepspeaks.

I Was Just Thinking with Norma Adams-Wade “History Class is in Session” Join in on Facebook/@ TexasMetroNews and BlogTalkRadio.com at 11 am -1 pm. CST. Wednesdays. Join the conversation call 646-200-0459.

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Honoring Delta Sigma Theta President Cheryl Hickmon OUR VOICES By Marian Wright Edelman On Jan. 20, Cheryl Hickmon, the national president of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., passed away. Delta Sigma Theta is part of the National Pan-Hellenic Council of the “Divine Nine” historically Black Greek letter institutions that for decades have produced a pipeline of community and political leadership. They are often partners in the Children’s Defense Fund’s (CDF) mission and work. They were among the first organizations to support the CDF Freedom Schools initiative known as Chapters Beyond Books, a partnership between

CDF and the Divine Nine, churches, community groups, faith-based organizations, and chapters of other prominent organizations that has distributed nearly 50,000 culturally-relevant books to children across the country to help mitigate learning loss during the pandemic. Cheryl Hickmon had just been elected as the Deltas’ National President in November 2021, carrying on a long legacy of civic involvement and service. She was initiated into the sorority as a student at South Carolina State University in 1982 and spent the next four decades as an active member holding elected and appointed leadership positions at the national, regional and local levels. She served as national first vice president, national secretary, Eastern regional director, South Atlantic regional representative, co-chair of the National Scholarship and Stan-

dards Committee, co-chair of the National Leadership Academy, co-chair of the National Documents Review and Revision Task Force, and president of the Hartford Alumnae and Alpha Xi chapters before ultimately being elected national president.

Cheryl Hickmon

Credit: deltasigmatheta.org

She was also a member of the NAACP, the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW), the National Brotherhood of Skiers, and St. Monica’s Episcopal Church. This was all in addition to her

work supervising in vitro fertilization labs for andrology and endocrinology at Montefiore’s Institute for Reproductive Medicine and Health in New York, where she spoke about how much joy she received helping people with the gift of children. Dr. LaKisha Grant-Washington, the sorority’s current Hartford Alumnae Chapter president, told a reporter her friend and mentor had “always been a change-maker.” “She made friendships and partnerships with state legislators that made sure that when there were issues that needed to be spoken about that represented the Black community, she was that voice, or helped us to be the voice. … I think we would do her the most justice of continuing her legacy by always making sure that we are serving the community as she would have had us to do.”

National First Vice President Elsie Cooke-Holmes told another interviewer, “Her legacy will be really wanting to make sure that we go to higher heights, wanting to make sure that we continue and got to our higher heights of impacting the world.” The sorority called Cheryl Hickmon an “ideal Delta,” and said she “is remembered not just for being a leader but for being a true sister who embodied integrity, grace, and the noble spirit of fortitude.” All of these are wonderful tributes for a leader who spent tireless hours working with her sorors and others to serve her community and lift those around her to “higher heights” so they too could make a difference. She will be deeply missed. Edelman is founder and president emerita of the Children’s Defense Fund.

In Remembrance of Our History and Faith FAITHFUL UTTERANCES By Dr. Froswa Booker-Drew

I am always grateful for the opportunity to share my story. Recently I had the pleasure of speaking to youth and adults who were involved in the Denton Chapter of the Links. The topic was social justice, and I shared my experiences starting as a teenager in Shreveport, Louisiana marching with Dick Gregory in the evenings to address drugs and violence in our community in the 80s. I shared about being involved on campus at the University of Texas at Arlington as the President of the NAACP advocating for more Black and Brown faculty and students. Due to our efforts, we were awarded two years in a row, Outstanding College Chapter in the nation. I elaborated on my

work in my mid to late twenties working at the South Dallas Cultural Center, the African American Museum and Mrs. Juanita Craft’s House and how those experiences shaped me. I would have never thought that years later, I would be working at the State Fair of Texas, the same place that Mrs. Craft integrated! In my role at the Fair, I have been dedicated to changing the narrative in philanthropy to ensure that small, grassroots organizations led by people of color are supported. More than 70% of the organizations we have funded are led by people of color. This is significant when the average for funding organizations led by people of color is dismal. I recognize that my efforts are important and yet, it is because I stand on the shoulders of individuals like my parents, like Juanita Craft, Ida B. Wells, and so many others. I will never forget what they have done, and Black History Month is just a reminder

to all of us of the efforts of those who came before us and that the work must continue. It is unfortunate when we choose to forget because it is painful. Deciding not to include books in a library should not stop us from instructing our children and advocating for changes in our communities. Parents are their children’s first teachers. Just as we are demanding that schools recognize our history, our homes should also be places of learning to ensure that our children have the knowledge they need to succeed. We must be committed to remembering. The Bible mentions the word remember more than two hundred times. There is something powerful about remembering. Forgetting is not only dangerous but debilitating. Repeatedly, God reminds the Israelites to remember their struggle: Then take care lest you forget the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. (Deuteronomy 6:12)

And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. (Deuteronomy 8:2) Why is remembering important? It allows us to make informed decisions. Marcus Garvey, founder of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (and so much more) stated, “A people without knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.” Without roots, you are not able to sustain life. You cannot grow. You are disconnected. As we celebrate Black History Month, we cannot afford the delusional and irresponsible acts of others stop us from being committed to learning and celebrating the rich past of our ancestors, the work of our current day heroes and sheroes and our legacy of movers and shakers that are making a dif-

ference for a better future. People of faith must also not forget who we are in God. As we struggle with injustice on so many levels, we must remember who God is and what God says about us. We live in a remarkably interesting time and despite what people may say or do, we cannot forget who we serve and what God has done for us. I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. (Psalm 77:11) “Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me.” (Isaiah 46:9) We cannot forget God’s goodness and faithfulness. We must choose to remember in a world that would like to erase and forget. Dr. Froswa’ Booker-Drew is the host of the Tapestry Podcast and the author of three books for women. She is also the Vice President of Community Affairs for the State Fair of Texas. To learn more, visit drfroswa.com.

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Raising the minimum wage is long overdue OUR VOICES By Sen. Royce West One of the unexpected outcomes of the two year plague that is COVID-19, was that minimum and low-wage workers were able to find their voices. And although some would adamantly block out reason to maintain the status quo, it is clear that increasing the federal and state minimum wage is past overdue. Last year, after federal COVID relief efforts included additional payments to Americans who had been cut off from jobs, the howls began that too many recipients of weekly $300 pandemic payments no longer wanted to work. The payments were on top of standard state unemployment benefits that have been available to separated workers since the program's inception in 1938. During the last quarter of 2021, the average weekly unemployment benefit paid in Texas was $407. The maximum amount that those eligible can receive is $549; all based on the recipient's past earned wages. The minimum weekly benefit is $71. Texas was among the first states to stop paying the extra $300 federal benefit before it was scheduled to expire last September. The thought of recipients living-it-up on $700 a week, or a little more than $2,800 a month per person, was too much for the Texas Association of Business to stomach. They urged Texas' Governor Greg Abbott to shut it down. And he did. Keep those figures in mind. On average, state unemployment benefits come to about $1,630 monthly. Where am I going with this? At $7.25 an hour, a minimum wage worker earns $290 a week before taxes. Even without pandemic supplements, unemployment recipients on average receive nearly $120 per week more than mini-

mum wage workers get in gross pay! That's $1,160 per month (before taxes) that a person is supposed to live on, if this level of impoverishment can be described as "living." This is before, not after paying for rent, food, transportation and clothing. And oh yes, kids cost money too! Even if there are two minimum wage workers in a household, it's still $500 less monthly than one person received in combined pandemic unemployment benefits. So it makes sense that some minimum wage workers may not have been overly anxious to return to front line jobs where their lives could be at risk. Let's plug those wages into how much it costs to live in 2022. Those two minimum wage workers, even without kids, cannot afford to live in a 2-bedroom apartment in the Dallas area, which according to Rent.com, now costs an average $2,414 a month. It's consistent with 2020 findings by the National Low-Income Housing Coalition that said a minimum wage worker cannot pay rent for a two-bedroom home in any state in the U.S. Prices for new and used automobiles have both increased by thousands due to the COVID supply-chain, shortage of processing chips. Gas prices, even in petroleum-king Texas, hover above $3.00 per gallon; meaning a minimum $40 fill-up for most cars. And I don't need to mention how much more we all now spend at the grocery store or the hike in fast food prices. Three times in the past, I've authored bills that would have increased Texas' minimum wage. None were granted a hearing. Two bills filed by House Democrats in 2021 failed to move - as predicted by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick while speaking to the Texas Business Leadership Council a year ago. Their opposition is the same, raising the minimum wage will prove too costly for small businesses and will eventually cost workers their jobs.

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A new twist was added last year when a House member evoked the automation boogey-man, saying that raising the minimum wage would mean more selfserve kiosks in stores and fewer workers. Funny, that's already happened. Yet, I'm unaware that the owner's savings have been shared with customers or remaining workers. But outside Texas, some have seen the light. California will be the first state to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour for businesses with more than 25 employees. As of 2021, 29 states, plus the District of Columbia, have raised their minimum wage above the federal $7.25 floor. Twenty-nine states have proposed incremental increases to at least $15 an hour. Nine states have agreed to index the minimum wage based on the cost of living, while 10 states' minimum wage increases kickedin in 2021 following earlier passage of voter initiatives or new legislation. Even Florida raised its minimum wage to $15 in 2020, supported by 60 percent of voters. National retailers like Amazon, Target and Starbucks have raised minimum pay to $15 an hour. Costco pays $17. Walmart pays $12. Starting pay at Texas-based Buc-ee's averages $14 an hour. Studies say increased pay produces better employee productivity and retention. A study by the Economic Policy Institute pointed to a 2020 survey of small business owners by CNBC which concluded that an increase in the minimum wage "would have no impact on their business." But we're stuck at $7.25. Those who say no to increasing the minimum wage are woefully out of touch with those who work for it. Maybe they should be forced to walk in that man's shoes to see just how uncomfortable they are. Royce West was first elected to the Texas Senate in November 1992. He represents the 23rd Senatorial District on behalf of the citizens of Dallas County.

• February 17 - February 23, 2022

Every Vote Matters cont. from page 1

and we still ended up with incompetent, ill-prepared unconscionable and yes, unethical people in office. True! You won’t get an argument here. Which brings me to my truth. Dr. Ben Chavis of the National Newspaper Publishers Association recently stressed the importance of voting, especially in Texas where we have been dealing with so many oppressive and racist laws. I have to believe that every vote counts, that my vote counts, and that if you vote, yours will too. So, every day, I am having discussions about voting. Sadly, there’s no difference in the young mother of three who has found herself dependent on government assistance and the college-educated man working in corporate America, or the homeless person living under the bridge. People of all walks of life are opting out of the process that is determining their very existence. According to the secretary of state, 66% of 17 million registered Texas voters joined me at the polls, and that was pretty high for Texas! Well, that was a presidential election! In contrast, although there was a significant increase during the midterm election in

2018, 46.3 should have and could have been better. Fast forward to 2022 and folks are already predicting the turnout is going to be low. People we can’t afford a low turnout. I applaud Black Voters Matter and look forward to their efforts in Texas this week. Hopefully everyone will be just as engaged. We need every able-bodied person voting. We need every elected official out campaigning, even if they don’t have an opponent or they aren’t on the ballot. Face it! You can’t dust off your “we need everybody voting” message only when you want people to vote for you! The playbook is real. The struggle doesn’t stop. The issues must be addressed. Furthermore, no matter how much you “don’t like politics,” you can’t hide or disengage yourself without consequences and repercussions. Efforts to encourage people to go to the polls can’t be minimized or stymied. We have to remain vigilant and focused. We have to be encouraging and supportive, while also informative and non-judgmental. No matter what! We have to get out the vote, because every vote does matter!

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• February 17 - February 23, 2022

CMS Administrator Makes History By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire A White House photo featuring dozens of African American members of the Biden-Harris administration circulated the internet during the opening days of Black History Month, and one would be hard-pressed to find anyone as proud as Chiquita Brooks-LaSure. The first Black woman to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Brooks-LaSure offered the brightest smile when mentioning the historic photo that featured Vice President Kamala Harris and a host of Black staffers who help push the administration’s work forward. “I’m so proud and really moved,” the Philadelphia-born Brooks-LaSure asserted. “When I got nominated, I heard from women across the country, and I didn’t realize how meaningful it would be for so many people for me to sit in this chair,” she continued. “I have older women and younger women come up to me and say how proud they are. That really fuels me to want to use this role in a way to change people’s lives, and I feel so grateful for that opportunity.” “The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) resolutely salutes and congratulates Chiquita Brooks-LaSure for her outstanding leadership at Health and Human Services (HHS) CMS. We look forward to expanding the partnership between CMS and the NNPA. Medicare and Medicaid are vital to the present and future of African Americans and other communities of color,” affirmed Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr, NNPA President and CEO. A former policy official who played a crucial role in guiding the Affordable Care Act – or Obamacare – through passage and implementation, Brooks-LaSure enjoys decades of experience working in government and the private sector. As deputy director for policy at the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight, and earlier at the Department of Health & Human Services as director of coverage policy, Brooks-LaSure led the agency’s implementation of Obamacare coverage and insurance policy provisions.

She assisted the House of Representatives leaders in passing several healthcare laws, including the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008, as part of the Democratic staff for the House’s Ways and Means Committee. As administrator for CMS, Brooks-LaSure oversees programs that include Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance

Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, the first Black woman to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Program, and the HealthCare.gov health insurance marketplace. “I was born in Philadelphia, raised in New Jersey, and have been living in Virginia for a big chunk of my life,” said LaSure, who’s married with a young daughter. “I was always interested in policy from a young age,” she explained. “When I was in graduate school, I had a friend who I took health policy and social policy, and she really got me on the healthcare policy track. I always said, ‘once you start on health, you never look back because there’s no policy area that has the ability to touch so many lives, especially in the federal government.” The COVID-19 pandemic has upped the pressure on CMS and other agencies, but Brooks-LaSure recalled similarities to when the ACA became law. “The ACA was born out of a difficult time,” she recalled. “Before we passed the law, not everyone thought we should focus on health policy. We had the Great Recession, and one of the pieces of people’s financial security was healthcare because one out of every three bankruptcies resulted from medical costs. “So, it became imperative to pass the ACA, and I think we’re at

the same moment today. The pandemic has made it more difficult in terms of wanting to do so many things with healthcare policy.” Brooks-LaSure asserted that Americans now have a greater appreciation of why healthcare is vital and why the uninsured and those not having access to vaccines and drug treatments affect everyone. “I think people have seen health disparities at a different level,” she stated. “I think we now have an opportunity to address those [disparities] if we seize this moment.” She told NNPA Newswire that a record 14.5 million signed up for 2022 health care coverage during the enrollment period. “Investing in financial assistance and outreach allows more people to have access to the care that they need,” Brooks-LaSure stated. As part of Vice President Kamala Harris’s Call to Action to Reduce Maternal Mortality and Morbidity, HHS, through CMS, has taken steps to improve maternal health and support the delivery of equitable, high-quality care for pregnancy and postpartum care. CMS has proposed a “Birthing-Friendly” designation to drive perinatal health outcomes and maternal health equity improvements. According to a release, the designation would initially identify hospitals that provide perinatal care, participate in a maternity care quality improvement collaborative, and implement recommended patient safety practices. CMS has also encouraged states to take advantage of the American Rescue Plan’s option to provide 12 months of postpartum coverage to pregnant individuals enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP. Brooks-LaSure said history would ultimately smile upon the unprecedented diversity. “I think that representation matters so much, and we will have changed this country because so many of us are in these roles with our diverse perspectives strengthen policymaking,” Brooks-LaSure said. “The more you have people who come from different experiences, you make stronger and better policies and making sure the next generation see they can sit in these roles.”

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Tarrant County Student will broadcast live at 6 p.m. Central time on BET. She will be honored with the “Youth Activist of the Year” award. The award recognizes all Howard University students who dared do something about their on-campus living conditions, Channing said. “This is not just an award for me. This is an award for us. It's our achievement, our sacrifice,” she said. “The 34 days that we went and struggled, and for all of us who took a failing grade last semester.” Channing’s father, Clarence E. Hill, Jr., said his daughter is his hero.

Hill and her peers staged the “Blackburn Takeover” sit-in, the longest student protest in Howard’s history. The sit-in was a rallying call heard across the country and around the world: Daily updates on the sit-in went viral on social media under its own hashtag. The movement sparked similar protests for quality housing on other historically Black college and university campuses across the nation. Meanwhile, national news media outlets covered the students’ concerns. Civil rights leaders visited the campus. Politicians on Capitol Hill joined the conversation. Rapper Gu-

Attorney and Howard students prepare for a media briefing with Roland Martin Unfiltered, announcing the ending of the protest.

“It’s humbling, inspiring and invigorating when your children can become your heroes,” he said. “I’m proud and thankful because I know the commitment she has to the cause and the work she put in. “I’ve always admired Channing’s will and determination to fight for what she thinks is right and to speak her truth to power.” The Howard University protest began last fall when a handful of students requested to meet with the university’s president, Dr. Wayne A.I. Frederick, regarding their concerns over mold growing in student dormitories. The complaint was a decades-old one: Howard students had protested similar concerns in 2001 and again in 2017. When Dr. Frederick agreed to meet with some campus leaders, whom protesters claimed he had hand-picked, but refused to meet with others,

cci Mane declined to perform during Howard’s storied homecoming week, in solidarity with the protesting students. Initially, it did not appear that university administrators would address the students’ concerns, Channing said. “Jesse Jackson came and went. Cory Booker came and went. Elizabeth Warren tweeted; and the news cycle came and went,” said Channing, a junior who graduated from Euless’ Trinity High School. “Still, the school was stagnant.” On Day 34 of the protest, however, the school’s administrators signed an agreement effectively meeting the students’ demands – and promising them they would not be expelled from school or otherwise disciplined for their organization and participation in the sit-in. Still, Channing, said she is unsatisfied that housing problems continue to arise at Howard, despite the students’ protest. On the day she spoke with

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Texas Metro News, she said a Howard dorm flooded. “Did we get everything we wanted? Absolutely not. Are we satisfied with what we got? Absolutely not,” Channing said. “Do we feel that students are safer in the immediate meantime? Yes.” Valerie Fields Hill, is not surprised by her daughter's tenacity and courage to speak out on issues she feels are unfair. Her mother remembers Channing finding her voice as a child when she was often among the few Black girls in her classroom - and was bullied. “She became tired of having to explain herself,” her mother said. “She was tired of being called names.” According to her mother, by the time Channing reached high school, she had found her purpose. “By then, she had well developed a strong sense of advocacy.” Channing said she gained strength and determination from her mother, and she hopes to have the same inner peace someday. “Even in really hard times, she has this unyielding faith that it will be okay,” Channing said. “I try to emulate that, but I have not mastered it.” It was her father who she learned confidence from. “My dad is the type of person that can talk to anybody. He walks into a room with confidence,” she said, adding that she got charisma from both her parents. Channing plans to travel to Los Angeles to accept the NAACP Image Award later this month and she is glad her parents will be at her side. When she accepts the award, she said she'll make sure the world knows she and her peers are proud to be Howard students and for what they accomplished for future generations of coeds. “This is us being recognized (and them) saying ‘You did a good job and you did the right thing’.” After graduation, Channing plans to attend Howard University Law School. She wants to become a defense attorney for juvenile offenders.

• February 17 - February 23, 2022

IN MEMORIAM

Clifton Curtis Sneed, Jr. June 1, 1954 to January 21, 2022 SERVICES HELD FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2022, 3:00 P.M. AT BLACK AND CLARK FUNERAL HOME, DALLAS Clifton Curtis Sneed, Jr.

Clifton Curtis Sneed Jr was born in Dallas, Texas on June 1, 1954 to Clifton Curtis Sneed Sr. and Inez Latson Sneed. Affectionately called “Cliff,” he spent his childhood years with his father and stepmother, Rosie, in New Jersey. He graduated from Clifford J. Scott High School in East Orange, New Jersey and traveled back to Texas to attend Huston Tillotson College in Austin, where he also pledged Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Clifton then returned to New Jersey because of his father’s illness and pursued careers in Heating and Air Conditioning, as a member of the Newark Police Department, a substitute teacher and later in Financial Planning before returning to Dallas in April 1981. Two months later he met Marva Jones, and on December 2, 2006 he married the love of his life. To this union there were no children born but they had the love of a blended family with children from prior relationships. Clifton’s first born, Cheron Sneed, was his pride and joy. His bubbling baby boy Tychique Walker brought so much excitement into his life, and LaLonnie Moore, Marva’s daughter, who he raised from the time she was two years old, stole his heart. Clifton loved life. His desire was to help people live a prosperous life. He never met a stranger and enjoyed striking up conversations with folks he had never seen

before and never saw again. He enjoyed bowling, playing Scrabble, and his favorite game, Bid Whist. He also loved to travel and he and Marva loved to go to their favorite city, Las Vegas. Clifton was a sports fan and his favorite football team was the Los Angeles Raiders (now the Las Vegas Raiders). He and his grandson, Azariah, would talk Raider football for hours. He almost always wore something bearing the name or logo. And yes, he had no love at all for the Cowboys! He also loved to entertain and his home was always full of joy and laughter for cookouts, Super Bowl parties and hosting dinner parties for family and friends. He cared for and was loyal to his friends, always willing to be a source of inspiration and support; he believed that to whom much is given, much is expected; therefore many benefited from his generosity. Clifton Curtis Sneed Jr. left this earthly realm on January 21, 2022. He leaves to cherish his life and his memory: his loving wife, Marva, who shared each others love for 41 years (16 of those years as husband and wife); daughter, Cheron Sneed; son, Tychique (Mahogany)Walker; stepdaughter, La Lonnie Moore; grandchildren Jaworski Sneed, Jovita Sneed, Azariah Gabriel Sneed, Zenaiyah Sneed and Ja’nayia Campbell; brother, Dwight D. Sneed, Sr.; and uncles, aunts, cousins, and friends.

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