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• Vol. 10 • June 23 - June 29, 2022
MY TRUTH By Cheryl Smith PUBLISHER
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Grammy-Winning Producer Pharrell Pays Off North Texas Student’s Loans
Channing Hill enters senior year debt-free at Howard University By Valerie Fields Hill
Holler if You Hear Me! There are about 39,000 people in the city of Duncanville, TX. In this suburban city that is part of the ‘Great Southwest” which includes the cities of DeSoto, Cedar Hill and Lancaster, an election was a held to determine who would be the mayor for the next four years. According to unofficial records, approximately 2342 citizens cast ballots and incumbent mayor Barry L. Gordon was victorious over challenger, City councilman Mark Cooks, by a slim market of less than 200. There are a number of reasons for the low voter turnout. Some say apathy and restrictive voter laws are just a few of the issues confronting voters. Some say these issues are taking a toll on voters and making it difficult to prepare for future elections; which the next one is right around the corner — the oh so important but often overlooked midterm elections in November. Then there’s the rising costs of gasoline, food, medicine and of course, housing. The question some ask is, “would it have been better to have received the stimulus monies and food stamps at the same time as price gouging began at the pumps, and it became cheaper to eat out than to prepare a healthy meal at home?” After all, who wants to hear about corporate executives receiving huge salaries or more corporations touting record profits, when more and more people across this country are finding themselves waiting in anticipation of the eviction notice that they know is on the See MY TRUTH, page 10
Texas Metro News Editor
Music producer Pharrell Williams, who wrote the blockbuster cult classic song “Happy” for 2013’s animated film Despicable Me 2, made a few college students – including a North Texas coed – gleeful Friday by promising to pay off their student loan debts. The five HBCU students and recent graduates, including Channing Hill of BedStudents with Pharrell Williams (4th from right)
Fred Hammond – “Way Back When!” By Vincent L. Hall June is Black Music Month, and all the melodies of life are converging to remind us how we got over. In the Black Church, those melodies envelop the songs of Zion, from the hymn book to the Good book. This Black History Month, you must check out Fred Hammond’s recent gospel medley “Way Back When.” This 14-minute “disco version” chocked full with some of the Black church's most moving staples will take you way back.
See GRAMMY-WINNING, page 10
Dallas Mayor, City Manager agree on path forward, together Mayor Eric Johnson and City Manager T.C. Broadnax on Tuesday announced that they have reached an agreement for moving forward together. “A little over a week ago, I said that it was time for a change at the top of our city government,” Mayor Johnson said. “I still believe we
City Manager T.C. Broadnax
Mayor Eric Johnson
need change. But after some serious and frank discussions with our city manager, I believe
he is ready to make the necessary changes to address issues that are critically important to
our residents. “The time for rhetoric is over. It is now time for a reset. It is now time to heal. And it is now time for real results and accountability.” Broadnax said he recognizes that he hasn’t handled some issues in a way that is “up to my own standards.” See DALLAS MAYOR, page 13
New and Improved: Austin Street Center By Asia Nicole Alcorn and Kendall Gayle Washington Texas Metro News
DALLAS – As City and County officials grapple with the homelessness issue, the support that Austin Street Center continues to provide to homeless citizens of Dallas since 1983 has reached new heights with the opening of a new and larger state-of-the-art facility on Tuesday. Now located at 2929 Hickory Street in Dallas, Austin Street provides its “guests” with a vaSee NEW AND IMPROVED, page 10
Rapid Rehousing Case Managers Brooks Willhoite, Alesia Cate and Cortina Jackson; Director of Advancement Communications Teresa Thomas; Rapid Rehousing Case Managers Barbara Houston, Cynthia Russell and Alicia Hatcher. Credit: Kendall Gayle Washington
It can take you back if you grew up in one of those old-fashioned "gut-bucket Gospel" churches where voice and rhythm were all you needed. Or maybe you were raised in one of the "silk-stocking" churches where you moved from hymn to anthem, to spiritual, and to Gospel. On the other hand, maybe your parents took you to a "high brow" Black or integrated church. There wasn’t no screaming and hollering, hand clapping and tambourine shaking. No drumbeats or "Saturday Night" instrumentation. Your church was more on the scope of Catholicism or Presbyterian. Fred Hammond has something for all of you. Not only does it get me ready for church, but it has also become the processional to my workouts on the treadmill and long walks. This captivating and engaging See FRED HAMMOMD, page 11
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SEP 23 AT 12 PM – SEP 25 AT 7 pm Historic Downtown McKinney 111 N. Tennessee St., McKinney
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• June 23 - June 29, 2022
Metro Community Calendar powered by JUNE BLACK MUSIC MONTH PRIDE MONTH Black Male Health Month
22-25 National Newspaper Publishers Association Annual Convention, New Orleans, celebrating 195 years of the Black Press.
Charles Haley, former Dallas Cowboys player and NFL Hall of Fame inductee; Ashlee Hunt Kleinert, CEO of D Magazine and Ruthies Food Truck; Libbie Terrell Lee, Executive Director Golden S.E.E.D.S. CDC; Roland Parrish, CEO of Parrish Restaurants; Rosie Stromberg, Dallas Jewish Historical Society; Carolyn Toliver, Benefits Counselor of Community Council of Greater Dallas; and Rev. S.M. Wright II, Pastor of People’s Baptist Church and President of S.M. Wright Foundation.
Don’t miss Bobby Sessions, Jayson Lyric, Coach Tev, and Trey Haggerty @ The Echo Lounge & Music Hall in Dallas
Fair Park Fourth 4:30 PM – 10:00 PM at Fair Park
22 Tracy Morgan Live @ The Texas Trust CU Theatre At Grand Prairie
23
Kendrick Lamar w/ special guests Baby Keem & Tanna Leone July 23rd @ The AAC in Dallas
27 Burna Boy live @ The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
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AUGUST Kendell & Mary Beck Scholarship Gold Tournament at the Golf Club of Dallas, 2222 W. Red Bird Lane, Dallas. For more info, contact Bro. Michael Dade or Bro. Abron Young ThetaMuSigma1914@ gmail.com
*** Market Street Allen USA Celebration 7 PM – 10:00 PM at Celebration Park *** Summer Movies on the Lawn: The Goonies 8:30 PM – 10:30 PM at Omni Dallas Hotel
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Wiz Khalifa w/ special guest Logic at the Dos Equis Pavilion in Dallas!
11-12 Kevin Hart live August 11th & 12th @ The AAC in Dallas!
26
From 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. at Dallas City Hall Plaza - A Free event and open to the public; the “Giants Shoulders on Which We Stand Memorial” and Interfaith Prayer and Praise Celebration.
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.
Shakespeare in the Park: A Midsummer Night’s Dream until Jul 17, 2022 · 8:15 PM – 10:30 PM at Samuell-Grand Amphitheatre
25 Verna H.E.L.P. Seventh Annual Empowerment Prayer and Living Legends Brunch from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Royal Oaks Country Club honoring these living legends nominated for their legendary efforts in making a difference in our community and the lives of others: Margie Aguilar, Co-Founder ISP Studios; Tim Brown, NFL Hall of Fame and Heisman honoree; Attorney Paul Coggins, Partner of Locke Lord and former U.S. Attorney; Lauriston Crockett, CEO of Genostim Labs; Felecia Frazier, Founder and Executive Director of Chocolate Mint Foundation;
Dallas Zoo Safari Nights until Jul 2, 2022 · 7 – 9:00 PM at Dallas Zoo
27 Discover Downtown Movie Series: Selena 8:20 PM at West End Square The Ultimate Holistic Festival 2022, Mind Body Spirit at Armstrong Park, 100 James Collins Blvd. in Duncanville. Sponsored by the Global Holistic Movement and you can reach them at theultimateholisticfestival@gmail.com. For more info, www.Globalholisticmovement.org Dallas Taco and Margarita Festival, 12– 6:00 PM at Ferris Wheelers Backyard and BBQ
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.
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1980s Nostalgia Night · 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM at Arlington Museum of Art
JULY 2 Liberty by the Lake 6:30 AM – 11:00 PM at Colony Five Star Sports Complex *** Outlaw Music Festival: Willie Nelson and Family, 3:15 PM at Dos Equis Pavilion *** Independence Day Celebration 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM at Klyde Warren Park
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Addison Kaboom Town 5:00 PM – 11:00 PM at Addison Circle Park
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I Was Just Thinking with Norma Adams-Wade “History Class is The Weeknd live Au- in Session” Join in on Facebook/@ gust 14th at The At&t TexasMetroNews and BlogTalkRaStadium in Arlington dio.com at 11 am -1 pm. CST. Wednesdays. Join the conversation call 646-200-0459. 16
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Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms joins White House By Erika DuBose
Black Wall Street Times
Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has a new role in the White House. Lance Bottoms was recently selected as senior adviser to the President on public engagement. Lance Bottoms now oversees the White House Office of Public Engagement. President Joe Biden appointed her, along with a handful of other advisory personnel. According to the President, Lance Bottoms “understands that democracy is about making government work for working families, for the people who are the backbone of this country. She led the city of Atlanta with strength through the pandemic, through a summer of protests and pain, and through the mass shooting that left Atlanta’s Asian American community in fear.”
From ATL to the White House Lance Bottoms replaces former Congressman Cedric Richmond, who was the first Senior Advisor in the Office of Public Engagement. Former Congressman Richmond is still a close advisor of President Biden. The White House Office of Public Engagement provides a link between the public and the Biden administration. Lance Bottoms will ensure that the administration receives input from diverse constituencies across the country. In a statement to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Lance Bottoms said, “As we continue to navigate historic global challenges, it remains important to have a diversity of thought and experiences within the White House. I am looking forward to helping continue the impactful work that is being done on be-
FILE - Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms arrives to speak during a drive-in rally for Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden at Cellairis Amphitheatre in Atlanta, Oct. 27, 2020. Bottoms is joining the Biden administration, replacing Cedric Richmond as head of the office of public engagement. Credit: AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File
half of the American people.” Who is Keisha Lance Bottoms? She served as Mayor of Atlanta from 2018 until 2021, and was a city councilwoman prior to that. Lance Bottoms is an attorney by profession, and served as a prosecutor and a magistrate judge be-
fore her tenure as mayor. She was born and raised in Atlanta, which she calls a “welcoming city,” and said that Atlanta “will remain open and welcoming to all” when twice-impeached former White House occupant Donald Trump pushed to expel undocumented people in Georgia.
A graduate of Florida A&M University's School of Journalism and Graphic Communication graduate, Lance Bottoms is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and Links, Inc. Lance Bottoms is also an advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community, and created the city’s first LGBTQ advisory board in 2018. She also pushed for Covid restrictions to remain in place when the virus was surging in Georgia. Lance Bottoms has received accolades for her work in public service, including choice words from President Biden. “Keisha is bright, honorable, tough and has the integrity required to represent our Administration to the American public,” President Biden stated, noting that he and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden “have known Keisha for a long time and look forward to working with her more closely.”
Seven Decades After First Black Reporter Covered White House, the Black Press Receives Coveted Credentials By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire
Seventy-two years after President Franklin D. Roosevelt invited Harry S. McAlpin Jr. of the National Negro Publishers Association to cover an Oval Office news conference, and 82-years after the founding of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), the Black Press can freely cover the White House. The NNPA has received a hard pass, allowing near-unfettered access to the White House. Called the ultimate White House credential, the hard pass allows on-demand access to the famed Pennsylvania Avenue complex. “The National Newspaper Publishers Association’s Senior National Correspondent, Stacy Brown, has once again enabled our national trade association representing the Black Press of America, to make another historic yet contemporary step forward with the official acquisition of the White House hardpass,” said NNPA President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. “The hard pass gives the
NNPA daily access to the White House,” Chavis remarked. As a correspondent for the NNPA member newspaper, the
vened after a group of Black Association Dinner in Wash- covers the administration will leaders expressed their frustra- ington. show more deference to the tion. However, while honoring the NNPA and the Black Press of Still, the Association pushed trailblazers, the Association America, which celebrates its back. failed to acknowledge Chavis 195th anniversary in 2022. “The president could break and the NNPA, which pur“At this pivotal era in Amerthe color line for his press con- chased a table for 10 at the din- ican history, having daily acferences, but he could not re- ner only to be issued two tickets cess for the NNPA to the news write the WHCA’s membership and seated in the very back of and issues at the White House policies,” George Condon, the the crowded ballroom. that impact the quality of life author of a forthcoming work Perhaps, with the coveted of Black America and other on the history of the Associa- White House hard-pass ac- communities of color are so tion, told NPR. quisition, the Association and important and timely,” Chavis “They blackballed [McAlpin] the rest of the press corps that concluded. from ever joining the Correspondents’ Association or attending the group’s annual dinner.” Non Profit Organizations are invited to apply for funding to provide human development In 2014 the Asprograms or services directly benefiting residents of the South Dallas Fair Park sociation finally community. Applications for the 2022 Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the South paid tribute to Dallas/Fair Park Opportunity Fund (SDFPOF) will be accepted through July 8, 2022. McAlpin, who died in 1985, with The SDFPOF provides loans and grants to promote economic development and support the first Harry S. McAlpin Jr. Scholhuman development initiatives in neighborhoods surrounding Fair Park. NOFA provides arship awarded to the form of application and scoring criteria for the human services grants. A maximum of a college student. $100,000 will be awarded to fund the projects and services. Earlier this year, the Association Proposals will be submitted on the City of Dallas Bonfire system https://dallascityhall. honored Alice bonfirehub.com/portal no later than 5 p.m. July 8, 2022. Dunnigan and To apply for the 2022 Notice of Funding Availability, visit https://sourcedallas. Ethel Payne at the White House org/2022/01/21/south-dallas-fair-park-opportunity-fund/ Correspondents’
Proposals are being accepted for South Dallas Fair Park Opportunity Fund
The hard pass gives the NNPA daily access to the White House.
Atlanta Daily World, McAlpin covered his first White House press conference in 1944. However, the White House Correspondents Association vehemently objected to the African American journalist and routinely blocked him from covering the White House. President Roosevelt inter-
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• June 23 - June 29, 2022
If She was Still Alive…
QUIT PLAYIN’ By Vincent L. Hall Editor's Note: We are pleased to inform our loyal readers that we have heard you. Although Vincent had announced his retirement, just like Magic Johnson, Randall Cunningham, Michael Jordan, Tina Turner, Deion Sanders, Brett Favre, Justine Henin, Lauryn Hill, Tom Brady, Cher and yes, the GOAT - Muhammad Ali, he is coming back! After a lengthy and grueling but amicable process we were able to reach terms and you can continue reading his insightful, thoughtprovoking, informative and liberating thoughts on these pages!!!
Your Great Grandmother would whip your ass! And if she didn't, somebody else's grandma might do it in her absence. Comedian and Oscar award winner Monique, has a niche for grabbing the spotlight. She speaks boldly, and in some cases, out of order, but her citations are anything but ambivalent. This latest caveat set Black Twitter afire. Monique was forthright with her admonishment of Black women who sport bonnets, headscarves, pajamas, and slippers in airports and other public places. T E X A S
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"When did we stop having pride in ourselves," she asked. “When did we stop asking if we were presentable?” The controversial celebrity admitted that being fully "made up" in heels was not an expectation. Black Twitter had very little sympathy. Most of those were vociferous in their opposition. However, all of the comments were generational. When police shootings began to go viral on social media, America learned about "The Talk." Although discussing interactions with the police as a Black man or woman is paramount, it is just one of the “talks” most of us got. Another part of “The Talk” prior to the Millennials and Gen Z, was that we have to be twice as good as White folks at everything just to get even, much less ahead. Monique's critique is a throwback to that era, and it has some merit. Whenever we mentor young Black men, the subject of "presentation" comes up. Everyone has the freedom to choose. You just gotta be ready for the consequences. The truth is that what White folks call wardrobes are more akin to costumes to Black peo-
ple. We still can’t escape 400 years of racist misnomers and misrepresentations. A Black man in a suit is a preacher. That same Black man in a tracksuit and tennis shoes is either a “star athlete” or a “jiveass thug.” It depends on the quality of the outfit. Monique was not alone in de-
crying some of the latest trends. The Wall Street Journal released a report two years ago that is parallel. “While attending Mass at the University of Notre Dame last fall, Maryann White saw something that horrified her: leggings.
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.
consider hats, tank tops, flip flops, and team athletic attire too casual for our restaurant. If you'd like to wear a hat in our bar, we ask that it be worn traditionally.” Their website adds a few more guidelines, and this was one item that caught my eye. “To minimize distractions to other guests, please take cell phone conversations out of seated areas, set devices to silent, and limit the use of laptops or tablets.” Their warnings are wildly successful. It keeps out the people they want out and draws in the types of people they want. And frankly, Scarlett, I'm tired of hearing your bullshit phone conversations while I try to drown the day's pain with a Margarita! My daughters discussed this issue with me, and we agreed to disagree. It was a respectful dialogue. My argument is that Black America is 12% of the total population and dwindling. Given our history of oppression and a permanent minority status, we may need to talk. Quit Playin', if Grandmother saw you in that airport, she would “pick a switch” just right for your derriere!
Vincent L. Hall is an author, activist, and an award-winning columnist.
District 4 - What’s in a name?
Publisher : Cheryl Smith Editor: editor@myimessenger.com
Address: 320 S.R.L. Thornton Freeway Suite 100 Dallas, Tx 75203 Website: www.texasmetronews.com Phone: 214-941-0110
A group of young women, all clad in clingy Spandex and short tops, were sitting directly in front of her and her family. “I thought of all the other men around and behind us who couldn’t help but see their behinds,” the self-described Catholic mother of four sons wrote in a letter to the editor that was published by the Observer, Notre Dame’s student newspaper, on Monday. “My sons know better than to ogle a woman’s body — certainly when I’m around (and hopefully, also when I’m not). They didn’t stare, and they didn't comment afterward. But you couldn’t help but see those blackly naked rear ends. I didn’t want to see them — but they were unavoidable. How much more difficult for young guys to ignore them.” Maryann White and Monique are as far apart as they are close. Their call for a "standard" sounds archaic to Millennials, but it’s a Godsend to Baby Boomers. The “standard” in dress and demeanor is now in the cold war stage, but it could be warming up. A local restaurant has some warnings on its website for potential patrons. “ON OUR DRESS CODE: We
OUR VOICES By Carolyn King Arnold To name a street, building or park after a person is a way of publicly honoring that person’s achievements. Seeing those names ignites interest within us to find out more about that person, talk about where we’ve been, and helps us determine if we’re heading in the right direction. Arthello Beck Jr. (1941-2004) artist and native oak cliff resident was the first Black person to open a gallery in Dallas Texas. Beck’s paintings spoke loudly through his use of bright colors on social, political and religious matters, they demonstrated his diversity in artworks that captured the daily lives of Black people. Twin Falls
Park, located, on the corner of South Polk and West Red Bird Lane in Dallas Texas will be the new home an Arthello Beck Jr. sculpture. Hiawatha Williams, founder of Williams Chicken has dedicated his life to improving the lives of others in the community and giving them an opportunity to succeed. For 18 years Mr. Williams worked for the Church’s Chicken enterprise, thirty years ago believing in himself, a dream and his abilities started The Williams Chicken Enterprise. The Cummings Recreation Center located at 2976 Cummings St, Dallas, TX has been renamed the Hiawatha Williams Recreation Community Center. Together we will transformer today’s District 4 into a thriving district where jobs, community pride, respectable affordable housing and the essentials of quality of life are common place for all residents.
The Cummings Recreation Center
Twin Falls Park
Arthello Beck Jr
Hiawatha Williams
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FAITHFUL UTTERANCES By Dr. Froswa Booker-Drew This weekend, I was blessed with the opportunity to be in the presence of greatness. Artstillery shared scenes from their upcoming play on Fair Park/South Dallas with an audience. I was the moderator of a panel of women whose leadership has shaped the narrative of South Dallas: • Willie Mae Coleman • Vicki Meek • Alendra Lyons and • Denise Montgomery All these women are legends for their commitment, longevity, and determination to ensure that the community was not neglected through their activism for resources. For me, it was a reminder that so often, we think things happen overnight, but we are standing on the shoulders of those before us. I am grateful
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The Cost of Freedom
that Artstillery has captured their stories and experiences forever. I learned so much listening to them---there was so much I did not know. There is still so much we all need to learn. Celebrating Juneteenth is a reminder of remembering the work of our elders and that it is imperative that we take the time to listen, learn, and collaborate to continue the work. There has been progress but there is so much to do. We often focus on what is wrong without giving credit to what’s right. Juneteenth is a reminder that so much information is intentionally withheld. The fact that our enslaved ancestors were not freed for three years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation should make us understand that the same tactics occur even now. If we are not careful, all these modern-day distractions will keep us so confined in focusing on our needs that we do not see the overwhelming challenges of
collective and that we are all impacted whether directly or indirectly. We might see the struggles of our ancestors as something that happened in the past without recognizing the correlations to our current circumstances. We might see our ancestors as inhabiting plantations when the reality is that many of us are still enslaved to plantations today. We are captured by wrong thinking that will make us think that we are competing against others when those individuals could be our partners. We are captured by practices that do not serve us well. Mantras like I can sleep when I die is creating a culture of overworked and chronically ill people. We are captured by relationships that keep us from realizing our best self. We are captured by jobs, careers, and the pursuit of titles that reinforce the idea that more stuff is better while becoming entrenched in debt. We are captured by congregations that make us feel good
but give us no substance to live. Juneteenth reminds us that as much as we would like to believe we are free—we are really freeish. It is time to learn from our elders, seek wisdom and begin to create a narrative that is in our best interest. This narrative is understanding the power of God. Our ancestors understood this well. They understood the connection to God and that their joy and freedom was more than what others could dictate. “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (2 Corinthians 3:17) Having a relationship with God did not stop their fight but it was a part of the fight for freedom. They understood their value when others did not. It is important that we begin to know that as well: “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you
were bought at a price.” (1 Corinthians 6:19) Our ancestors knew that no matter what was said or written, they fought for what they deserved for themselves and for those of us to come: “You, my brothers, and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.” (Galatians 5:13-14) Listening to the elders on Saturday reminded me that they lived to make our lives better because of their love. I am so grateful to Opal Lee, the mother of Juneteenth, and our other elders who have persevered for all of us to benefit from their sacrifices. We owe them to continue learning, building relationships with one another, and pursuing God’s purpose for our lives. We owe them to free our minds. Dr. Froswa’ Booker-Drew is the President of Soulstice Consultancy, LLC. To learn more about her, visit drfroswabooker.com.
NUL’s ’21 Pillars’ Tour Focuses on Racism, Excessive Force Among Kansas City Police Department TO BE EQUAL By Marc Morial “Governance of the KCPD is an atavistic vestige of slavery and Jim Crow that does not foster public confidence and trust. The stakeholders whose tax dollars fund the department lack the power to redress the KCPD’s incompetence and deficiencies. Despite the abysmal clearance rate, the BOPC maintains the status quo. As a result, the community is disillusioned by its disenfranchisement and the department’s incompetence. Victims of violent crime who lack confidence that the perpetrators will be brought to justice take matters into their own hands contributing to an escalating cycle of violence.” — Kansas City civil rights leaders to Attorney General Merrick Garland In 2019, officers of the Kansas City Police Department investigating a traffic accident stormed
into the backyard of Cameron Lamb’s home and shot him dead as he was backing his truck into his garage. Those officers, never prosecuted, still are on the force. In 2020, a KCPD officer shot Donnie Sanders in the back as he fled from a traffic stop. The officer, who was not wearing a body camera, and who falsely claimed Sanders had a gun, was neither disciplined nor reprimanded. Last year, Malcolm Johnson was shot execution-style in the head while face down on the ground with several police officers on his back. Officers allege that Johnson had a gun and shot an officer in the leg, but video captured at the scene raises questions about their account. The list of similar incidents is appallingly long. KCPD officers have used deadly force more often than 98% of similarly-sized departments, killing 36 people between 2012 and 2020. A Black person was more than four times as likely to be killed by police as a white person in Kansas City from 2013 to 2020. Does this staggering use of deadly force
make the KCPD more effective? Far from it. The department has cleared or solved only two out of every 10 violent crimes and placed 495th out of 500 of the largest law enforcement agencies in the country. But the citizens of Kansas City, 30% of whom are Black, have little recourse because of a racist poli-
Credit: Pexels.com
cy dating to the Jim Crow era that gives a state board control of the city’s police force. This week, the National Urban League took our 21 Pillars Tour — a nationwide initiative to promote our common-sense framework for safe and effective law enforcement — to Kansas City. Watch the event here: https:// nul.org/program/police-reform.
We heard heartbreaking stories from the survivors of KCPD racism and violence. We engaged in substantive discussions with members of the law enforcement community. And we reiterated our wholehearted support for the tireless activists and advocates who are working to bring about much-needed reforms, most notably Urban League of Kansas City President and CEO Gwen Grant. Grant, who helped lead a successful effort to oust former KCPD Chief Rick Smith, is suing to release the department from state control and has asked the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the department’s disturbing patterns of misconduct, discrimination and violence against communities of color. As Grant explained in a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, “During the Civil War, Missouri never seceded, but it was mostly sympathetic to the Confederacy. St. Louis, however, was Union-leaning. Claiborne Jackson, Missouri’s segregationist governor, didn’t want St. Lou-
is to control its own arsenal, so in 1861, he encouraged the state legislature to pass the ‘Metropolitan Police Bill’ that gave the state control of St. Louis’s police department … one state representative called the bill ‘an effort to disenfranchise and oppress the people of St. Louis because they were not sound on the Negro question.’ One of Jackson’s appointees to the first police board confirmed that it was ‘adopted to enable our people to control St. Louis.'” In 1874, the state also seized control of the Kansas City force. The Missouri Supreme Court declared the Kansas City Board of Police unconstitutional in 1932, but another segregationist governor, Lloyd Crow Stark, reinstituted the board in 1939. St. Louis took back control of its police force in 2013, leaving Kansas City the only city in Missouri, and the only major city in the United States, without local control of its own police department. For Kansas City, the Jim Crow era persists. Marc Morial is president/CEO of the National Urban League.
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Failure of Government Owned Networks Provide a Warning For Dallas Our Voices By Dr. Roy E. Alston, PhD There’s no denying that our lives have changed dramatically since the beginning of the pandemic. About 45 percent of Americans are working remotely either some or all of the time, telehealth usage is 38 times higher than it was at the beginning of 2020, and students have become increasingly reliant on learning outside of the classroom. These trends all point to one clear reality: the internet has become even more important in today’s hyper-connected world. I’m grateful that the Dallas City Council acknowledges that internet access is a need for Dallas residents trying to keep up in this digital age, and that they are evaluating the best
path forward to get our city’s unconnected residents online. However, it is concerning that Dallas policymakers are considering an option that would not solve the problem. A proposal for the City to create a new, government-owned “middle mile” network will do nothing to address broadband adoption. These government-owned networks rarely go as planned there are countless examples of networks failing and ultimately squandering taxpayer dollars. In the last few months alone, we have seen several other large cities consider (and in some instances fund) such plans only to find out later that they made a big mistake. One example is Tucson, Arizona, where the City Council approved spending millions on a government-run “middle mile” and wireless network – the same model Dallas is considering. Tucson’s network has connected only 995 homes, has cost
nearly $7 million, and will continue to cost taxpayers $300,000 each year to maintain. What has resulted from this monumental mistake is the head of Tucson IT department’s resignation, as well as Tucson City Council members who voted for the network now calling it an “embarrassment.” The City of Toronto recently nixed plans to create the largest municipal broadband network in North America after seeing the writing on the wall. At first wide-eyed about the prospect of creating a government-run network in Toronto, as details emerged about what the process would cost and entail, city lawmakers realized that the proposal simply wasn’t feasible and that there were more cost-effective, superior options available. The good news is that if we look to the root causes of the digital divide – the affordability and adoption gaps – we can make real progress, especially among our most vulnerable
populations. The affordability gap refers to people who aren’t online because they can’t afford the cost of a broadband subscription, while the adoption gap is made up of folks who aren’t online because they lack the necessary language skills, digital literacy, or do not see the relevance of the internet. There are recently created, federally-funded resources that we can utilize to address the affordability gap and adoption gap head-on. The first is a program that about half of the city (48 percent) is eligible for, the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), a new initiative created under the bipartisan Infrastructure Law that provides a $30 monthly voucher on internet subscriptions for those at 200% or below the federal poverty line. In May, the White House dramatically bolstered the program by announcing that 20 internet service providers have committed to either increasing
speeds or reducing costs for the services they provide under the program, which ensures that all ACP-eligible families will essentially have access to high-speed internet subscriptions for free. To address the adoption gap, Dallas should also leverage the Federal Infrastructure Law’s $2.75 billion allocation in digital literacy grant programs, which train vulnerable communities about the skills they need to navigate the web, as well as the subscription options that exist and how to enroll. I hope that our lawmakers here in Dallas will focus on real solutions to address the affordability and adoption challenges we face with broadband internet. A government-run network would be a costly mistake, especially when we already have the resources we need to address the city’s digital divide for vulnerable residents. Roy E. Alston, PhD has more than 30 years of progressive experience in leadership and strategy including time in the military, law enforcement and the healthcare industry.
For Those Who Didn’t Vote OUR VOICES By Dr. John E. Warren In California, it is expected that there will be low voter turnout. It is anticipated that this will be the case in a number of states holding primaries because a number of people are frustrated with the problems of the pandemic, high gas prices, and inflation at the grocery store and across the country. But apathy is not the answer. As a matter of fact, the Extreme Right mainly sees an opportunity for the Republican Party to run its candidates for office at all levels, with anticipated success for those who bought the Big Lie that Donald Trump won the Presidency. That Right Wing element of ul-
tra-conservatives is counting on low voter turnout among the rank and file of Americans, many of whom are Democrats. Low voter turnout among people of color and young white voters who did go to the polls in 2020 to elect President Biden represents an opportunity for those seeking to overthrow our democracy, to gain positions of power for the 2024 election they otherwise could not win. So for those of you concerned about gun violence, but not enough to vote, your nonvote was just a vote for the NRA and their 50 U.S. Senators who still will not ban assault weapons. Your nonvote is a vote of confidence for those U.S. Senators who continue to block the Voting Rights Act, who refuse to pass laws making Roe vs. Wade a federal law as opposed to leaving its fate up to a bought and paid for Republican U.S.
VOTE Supreme Court majority no longer listening to the American people as it did in the days of Brown vs, Board of Education in 1954 and a host of similar decisions since. Those of you who didn’t bother to vote did cast a vote against the George Floyd Act; you cast a vote against the $22 billion dollars needed to continue the fight against the pandemic while sending $44 billion to Ukraine.
Your failure to vote and that of your family and friends in other states might have set the stage to elect a Republican to the U.S. Congress to shift the balance of power away from the Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives or set the stage to elect just one more Republican to the U.S. Senate to shift the balance of power back to Mitch McConnell and the Republicans instead of giving us needed votes
to overcome the Filibuster. Yes, there are consequences to your decisions of apathy which many of us will have to bear. So the next time you have a complaint about what the government is doing, remember, you are getting just what you deserve. Unfortunately, those of us who did vote, have to share your fate. Dr. John E. Warren is publisher of The San Diego Voice and Viewpoint.
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Listen to Your Heart: Raising Awareness of a Serious Heart Condition By Dr. Aaron Horne, MD
Structural and Interventional Cardiologist, Summit Health
More than a year and a half into a global pandemic that has disproportionately impacted communiDr. Aaron ties of color, we Horne, MD continue to live through a public health tragedy. If there is any hope to be drawn from so much hardship and loss, it’s that COVID-19 has reignited new conversations about disease awareness and the inequality that still exists in our healthcare system. As a cardiologist, who has been treating heart disease for 8 years, I’ve witnessed how delayed visits can impact care within our community. It is always upsetting when patients come to my office with advanced heart disease that potentially could have been diagnosed and treated earlier. That’s why there is one condition I want every patient to be aware of. It’s called transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy, or ATTR-CM. ATTR-CM is a serious and often underdiagnosed cause of heart failure. ATTR-CM is a progressive disease, in which over time the heart
muscle begins to thicken and stiffen. There are two types of ATTR-CM; the wild-type, which is associated with aging, and the hereditary type, which is associated with a gene change (mutation) and can be passed down from a relative. The most common mutation in the United States, known as V122I, is found almost exclusively in African Americans. Approximately 3% to 4% of African Americans are thought to have the V122I mutation, although not all individuals with the V122I mutation develop symptoms of hereditary ATTR-CM. While heart failure is common among Black, African American, and Afro-Caribbean communities, hereditary ATTR-CM in these populations is often overlooked by doctors for several reasons. In fact, some patients with ATTR-CM say they visited up to five doctors before receiving an accurate diagnosis. This is why I am excited to be partnering with Pfizer on Voices for the Heart in Dallas - a community-based initiative bringing together physicians and trusted local organizations within African American, Black, and Afro-Caribbean communities around the country to increase awareness of hereditary ATTR-CM as an often-underdiagnosed cause of heart failure.
Early signs of ATTR-CM can include an irregular heartbeat, fatigue, shortness of breath, carpal tunnel syndrome, swelling in the hands and feet, and numbness and tingling in the hands. Some of these symptoms are not traditionally associated with heart disease, which may contribute to multiple doctor’s appointments and a delayed or incorrect diagnosis. I’m committed to spreading awareness of hereditary ATTR-CM because I have seen firsthand how a delayed diagnosis can adversely impact a patient (and their loved ones), making it essential to inform our community about this condition – including everyone from patients to caregivers to local healthcare providers. If you’re experiencing seemingly unrelated signs and symptoms (e.g., irregular heartbeat, fatigue, shortness of breath, or carpal
tunnel syndrome), have a family history of cardiac issues, and have been diagnosed with heart failure, talk to your primary care doctor or an experienced cardiologist. Whether they seem related or not, it’s important to share your symptoms and health history. This will allow your doctor to provide the care you need and to make an appropriate diagnosis. Family members and caregivers also have an important role to play because they sometimes notice or remember health symptoms that the patient may forget or neglect to mention and help people with hereditary ATTR-CM manage their disease. As part of the Voices for the Heart effort, myself and former NBA basketball player and coach Don Chaney, a hereditary ATTR-CM patient himself, will be featured speakers at virtual town
hall on June 25, 2022. Don will share his personal story of being diagnosed and living with hereditary ATTR-CM. I will share more information about hereditary ATTR-CM symptoms and diagnosis, and there will be additional educational resources on hereditary ATTR-CM available to the community. For additional information on the event, click here and scan the QR code below. Working together, we can overcome the challenge of low awareness and raise our collective voices to help educate family members, friends, and neighbors at risk of developing hereditary ATTR-CM.
For resources on hereditary ATTR-CM, including a discussion guide to help conversations with your doctor, you can visit www. yourheartsmessage.com/don. Content developed by Pfizer in collaboration with Dr. Aaron Horne. Dr. Aaron Horne is a consultant on Pfizer's Voices for the Heart program.
BIG MAMA SAID:
HATE THE SIN BUT LOVE THE SINNER
We Have to Mobilize in Unity if we are to Save USA's Democracy BLACK CARD By Terry Allen When I pull any Lucille “Big Mama” Allen rules out of her vast faith driven Playbook, I stand to change a life just by absorbing and passing on wisdom from Big Mama on the back porch or front porch. Lucille “Big Mama” Allen would always speak her truth in the powerful Black woman position, her hands on hips stance, and the voice would begin with a term of endearment “Honey,
you got to hate the sin but love the sinner.” Her legacies became part of lifetime lessons. She taught me how to seek knowledge, recognize the good in most people even why they demonstrate bad and evil behaviors. Her most important request from her Sin/Sinner advice was to publicly and personally recognize the sin or wrongdoing but lend support to the person's soul and spirit. That was Lucille “Big Mama” Allen’s grace and mercy statement. Let me tell you about my beloved grandmother audience, Lucille “Big Mama” Allen filled her three sons and three daughters, 16 grandchildren, 50 great grandchildren, 38 great-great
grandchildren, seven great great-great grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews and bonus family members with simple, Bible-based logic for us to use all throughout our lives. When she talked about loving the sinner she uttered James 3:4, “ The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”. So, if you really, really want to hate someone’s sin, hate a sin which is actually hurtful like rape, murder, incest, child abuse,
and any other of one of the other destructive sins so you are telling me that those who stormed the seat of the government creating an insurrection; those who killed innocent people charged with a replacement theory belief system and those who wish to shut down factual history in our curriculums are supposed to love them? I do not think so! We sin ourselves all the time and at no time do we blink an eyelash at it. And when we are clocked on it, we make excuses. We have to do something about the divisive and attack mode we as citizens are currently in. We have to mobilize in unity and save the country and create a new attitude.
The only part of the “Love the Sinner; Hate the Sin” statement that is doable is “love.” And so, I ask you. Can love be enough? Big Mama said, “Jesus loved this other person enough to die for them. And if He loved them, why can’t we? I say let’ supersize love. I let the love I saw at City Men Cook be an everyday situation. So, the next time your words want to say “Love the Sinner; hate the sin,” just stop at love. Go restore democracy. Use love as the tool and drop the weapons. 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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Family Affair at Elite News Juneteenth Expo in Fair Park
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The return of #CityMenCook! Kudos to event creator and organizer Terry Allen, and to all who joined our Dallas-Fort Worth Association of Black Journalists Can We Really Talk? conversation. Special thanks to moderator Cheryl Smith and panelists Dominique Alexander and #DrAlonMilwicki.
Civilized Fest Photos By Eva Gray Coleman Civilized Fest, where local and national artists took the stage, including So You Think You Can Dance winner, Kida The Great. Enjoyed dance competitions and good food from Jaykusteaux Custom Cuisine and many other vendors. There was Civilized Conversation, Youth Forum and more. Event hosted by Big Thought and Shy Speaks at Gilley’s in Dallas.
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New and Improved cont. from page 1 Grammy-Winning Producer cont. from page 1 riety of opportunities while promoting personal growth, with housing and job opportunities, medical services and spiritual support. At Austin Street’s Grand Opening on Thursday, June 16, longtime supporter Norm Hitzges received a walking stick engraved with the Ten Commandments, made by former Austin Street Center resident, Roosevelt Wilkerson In addition to that walking stick, the team at Austin Street named the Engagement Center after Hitzges who has donated more than a million-dollars in support for the homeless community. On Tuesday the Center opened the doors of its new 60,000-square-foot facility to the public and as early as 6 a.m., people experiencing homelessness began arriving at the Center, in search of a home. Coupled with Dallas lacking an affordable housing market and the rapidly increasing number of people moving to the area; the importance of the philanthropic community, and agencies like Austin Street Center, is even more significant. as it provides safe shelter and basic needs to men, 45 and older, and women,18 and older. According to Teresa Thomas, Director of Advancement Communications, there were about 65% males and 35% females at the facility, with more than 51% identifying as African American. She said Austin Street has a three-tier system, which demonstrates a client’s progress. Tier one is when a client first arrives and gets settled in. Tier two is when they start to receive job opportunities within Austin Street Center, in the kitchen and other areas. Tier three is when a client is looking for housing, has a stable income and is almost ready to depart from the Center. The residents of the Center are ecstatic about the new facility. They are especially excited about the new ice machine. Two of the clients, Freddie Anderson and Robert Wells, have both been staying at Austin Street for the past three months. After a lot of hard work and genuine growth, they have now reached Tier three and will be finding a home soon.
“I see how the volunteers come out, help and donate their time when they don't have to, but they do every day,” Anderson said. “Austin Street has been very good to me." Wells said he is striving to be a good influence on his four daughters. "Austin Street is a blessing. It’s really an answered prayer. My girls are motivated to do something other than the wrong thing,” Wells said. Cameron Jenkins, a representative from The Intersection of Research & Practice, has worked with Austin Street clients seeking counsel since 2018. “It’s the little things that make residents happy,” Jenkins said, adding that he believes the new location is a step in the “right direction.” The Austin Street Center has implemented resources in the new facility to ensure its clients have a bright future. They will be hosting teaching, exercise and mental health sessions for their clients. Volunteers are always welcome, as well as clothing donations, hygiene products and food that is not expired. Homelessness is a big issue across the country and especially in Dallas where according to a report released by the City of Dallas’ Office of Homeless Solutions, “of the 2,000 beds in Dallas Shelters, the majority are full every night.” As Dallas prepares for several days of consistently triple digit days of sweltering heat, Austin Street is ensuring there will be fewer bodies on the streets, seeking respite from life-threatening heat related issues.
Asia Nicole Alcorn
Asia Nicole Alcorn, Texas Metro News Multi-media journalist. Asia is a senior at the University of North Texas at Denton, studying Broadcast Journalism and Spanish. Email: AsiaAlcorn@ my.unt.edu Twitter: AsiaAlcornTV
Kendall Gayle Washington, Texas Metro News Multi-media journalist. Kendall is a rising high school senior at Bishop Dunne Catholic School, with hopes to pursue Kendall Gayle journalism. In May she Washington received her Associate of Art and Science Degree from Dallas College. Email: kgaylewashington@gmail.com Twitter: kkendallgayle
ford, received the news that Black Colleges and UniversiHill, a junior Strategic Legal their loans would be paid off ties. and Management Commuwhile they participated in a “@Pharrell is canceling all nications major at Howard panel discussion Friday in their student loan debt,” John- University, had told attendees Washington, D.C. The panel son tweeted on his official she worried that the $18,000 explored the personal impact NAACP account Friday. “@ in student loans she had acof college loan debt. POTUS, it’s your time now to cumulated not only affected “I think my mama started do the same for all Americans her, but also her family and praise dancing when I called plagued by student debt.” sibling. her,” Hill wrote on her InHill said her debt listagram feed, after receikely would affect her ving the news. “Today, I parents’ ability to borenter my senior year with a row money to finance clean slate.” her younger sister’s Friday’s discussion was undergraduate studies, hosted by the NAACP. It which begin next year. was among a host of activiOther panelists ties planned as part of Wil– each of them are liams’ three-day, “SomeNAACP student leaders thing in the Water” festival from historically Black being held in the nation’s Florida A&M Univercapital over the Juneteenth sity – Devan Vilfrard, holiday weekend. Southern University in Williams, who frequentBaton Rouge – Robyn ly performs under only Hughes, Norfolk State his first name, created the University – Jamie TurChanning Hill's reaction upon hearing news festival in 2019 as a means ner and North Carolina of bringing together people According to research by A&T State University – Damafrom many walks of life, inte- the NAACP, Black Americans rius Davis – shared similar rests and political persuasi- by comparison to all others concerns over mounting colons. He is among the festival’s have student loan debt that is lege debt. star-studded lineup of singers higher than their median anUpon learning the news, and musicians. nual income. A cancellation of Hill, who is president of HoMeanwhile, NAACP Nati- $10,000 would not place their ward University’s NAACP stuonal President Derrick John- student debt lower than their dent chapter and a graduate of son, celebrated the students’ annual income, the NAACP Euless’s Trinity High School, reactions by posting images of contends. said she was speechless. She, them, including Hill, appeaFurther, the civil rights orga- herself, had advocated for the ring shocked and tearful at the nization maintains, the aver- Biden administration to cannews. age white family has an aver- cel students’ federal student Johnson also reiterated his age of 10 times the amount of loan debts. call for President Joe Biden’s wealth as the average Black “My God. I’m still in disbeadministration to cancel loan family. Additionally, White lief,” Hill wrote on her Instadebts for low-wage earning college graduates have seven gram feed. “Get active in this graduates and other students, times more wealth than Black fight to cancel ALL student particularly those attending college graduates, according loans. Call Biden. Tell him it’s the nation’s 107 Historically to NAACP researchers. time.”
My Truth cont. from page 1
way or “halving” their medication doses so they will last longer? And you have to wonder if there is such a crisis, if inflation’s literally killing us; how do people have the money to afford guns and ammunition to go on shooting sprees or commit random acts of violence? I wonder what thoughts are going through the head of basketball great, Houston’s shining star Brittney Griner, as she sits in that cell in Russia. What
are they doing and saying to her? Are they torturing her or trying to mess with her head by making her think that people here don’t care about her? Just thinking about her incarceration is stressful. I applaud those who are working to bring her home and I shake my head at those who don’t even find a minute in a day to think about, say a prayer, right a letter or mention the name, Brittney Griner, to anyone they talk to. Which brings me to my truth. I’ve always been told that a hit dog will holler. Well, I am calling on those
who aren’t being hit! You need to start speaking up and not just when you are feeling the pain! You need to get up and vote, and not just when your friend is on the ballot. You need to reach out and talk to legislators. elected officials, corporate executives, community leaders and everyone, and not just when you are hungry or about to lose something. You need to care about someone else because one day you or someone you love will need the same! You may have not been hit, but it is the right time to holler!
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Fred Hammond - "Way Back When"cont. from page 1 into a praise party. Keith Pringle’s universally accepted "Call Him Up" is followed by Edwin Hawkins Singer's "Oh Happy Day." Thank You, Lord," also written by Edwin Hawkins, brings us the song's benediction. “Consuming the Black Gospel Culture: an Interpretive Study of Symbolic Exchanges” by Yuko Minowa, and David S. Glover, Long Island University - Brooklyn Campus in 2009, created a visual to show the range and scope of Gospel music. The work describes how Black Gospel extended the cultural range of church music from withdrawn and introspective to evangelical and “mass hysteria.” (Even when intellectuals study us with the best intentions, they can’t describe our joy!) Black church music was born in the brush harbors and secret places where former enslaved Africans could "steal away" to the real Jesus and escape their White master who declared himself and his kind the Almighty. It was my pleasure to interview Mr. Hammond 10 years ago as a testament to his remarkable role as a father. So
here is a bit of that. “Fred Hammond has scored a litany of award nominations and multiple Dove and Stellar Awards. However, none compare to the joy he has experienced as being called Dad by 24-year-old daughter BreAnn and 14-year-old son Sean. He takes every aspect of their growth and development seriously and personally. What struck me as a writer about him was his eagerness to be open, honest, and transparent. He didn’t mince words, falter in stating his beliefs, and didn't sugarcoat or hide any aspect of his life experiences, Good or bad. B. B. King once had a hit song, "I like to live the love I sing about in my song." Fred Hammond's life is a remix and an example of King's words. Hammond's songs and vocal preachments align with his love for his God, his family, church folk, and humankind in general." This medley and musical masterpiece lines up with his knowledge of the Black church and its great traditions. Happy Father's Day, Fred Hammond. Hopefully, this audience will listen and enjoy. #itsallaboutdemspins
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mélange of Black church history is introduced to us with a neo- classical fanfare that sets the stage for the process of praise. Then, it breaks into three triads. It begins with a lofty liturgical blend of “His Mercy Endureth Forever,” lands on “Glory to Glory,” continues the praise with “An Awesome God” and concludes with “Total Praise.” This pattern aligns with the old days when nothing commenced without exalting the subject of our praise. The next phase of the service declares "I Was Glad" and extends that joy to an inviting segment of "We Welcome You!” Then Fred goes into the 1970s when James Cleveland brought some funk to Gospel. "Lord, help me to Hold Out.” I can still see them choir robes swaying down the aisle and stepping from side to side! Lawd! If you thought Kirk Franklin caught hell for "Stomp” You don’t know how inappropriate most church leaders thought “worldly” music was to the church. But after asking the Lord to help you hold out, came "Lord, I'm available to you." After that, worship turns
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Dallas Mayor, City Manager agree on path forward cont. from page 1 “I know my team and I can be better. I understand that I am fully accountable to my 15 bosses. So today, I want to say to the mayor, to the members of the City Council, and to all the residents of this dynamic city: I accept the challenge,” Broadnax said. “I take full responsibility for addressing the issues that are critical to the long-term success of the City. I recognize that our problems are not just about what the media reports, but how we perform. I own that.” He continued, “But today isn’t about looking back. It’s the beginning of a new era — one that I’m very excited about,” he said. “I’ve committed to the mayor that we will reset moving forward and that we will take a fresh approach to the challenges that we still need to address together. And he has committed to me that
he will be a collaborative partner in these efforts.” Major areas of agreement between the mayor and the city manager: • Permitting: The city manager will develop a clear action plan for fixing the city’s development services backlogs and delays on an expedited timeline. The plan will incorporate feedback from builders and developers and focus on improving the customer experience. It will also focus on both short-term triage and systemic change that will ensure smoother operations in the future. • Public safety: The city manager and the mayor are committing to working together to make Dallas the safest major city in the United States. The city manager is committing to
active and timely meet-andconfer negotiations with police and firefighters. The mayor and the city manager will also collaborate on improving community-based public safety initiatives such as violence interruption services, blight remediation, and lighting improvements in high-crime areas. • 911 call center: The city manager will continue to make improvements to the 911 call center to ensure reliable, efficient, and high-quality service and public safety for residents. • Focus on high-priority issues: The city manager and mayor will work collaboratively to address top citywide issues, such as enhancing the city’s international stature, continuing to develop an Economic Development Corporation that puts the City of Dallas’ economic
FULL STATEMENT FROM CITY MANAGER T.C. BROADNAX I have dedicated my life to serving the needs of others and to making life better for the communities I serve. It is my passion. It’s what gets me out of bed in the morning. And it’s what motivates me to weather any storm. This is a great city. I first began spending time in Dallas when I was earning my Master’s degree from the University of North Texas. I still remember the awe I felt walking into Dallas City Hall for the first time in search of an internship. That day, I saw a potential future in Dallas. And I dreamt that one day I would be the city manager here. My dream came true more than two decades later. I was thrilled to accept this job and to make a new home for my family in Dallas. We love it here. We’re part of the fabric of this community now. I would not have it any other way. I have spent the last five and a half years focused on improving services, building relationships, and dismantling the many inequities that have divided this City for many years. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished together during that time. I’ve hired a new police chief who has implemented a violent crime reduction plan that is making our communities safer. We’ve made improvements to public safety through non-police interventions, many of which came from the Mayor’s Task Force on Safe Communities. We’ve resolved the 911 call center challenges through an aggressive staffing plan. We’ve worked with the mayor and the City Council to develop and implement plans to address longstanding systemic inequities and environmental problems. And there is more work planned and needed. We’re addressing homelessness on an unprecedented scale and pace, with a collaborative model, through our Dallas Real-Time Rapid Rehousing Program.
And I’m proud of all the 13,000 city employees who dedicate themselves to public service every single day. But just because I’m proud of our work doesn’t mean I’m satisfied. As the mayor has said, we can’t afford to rest on our laurels. What recent days have shown me is that we have some healing and hard work ahead of us. Some members of the City Council have expressed, publicly and privately, their frustrations with the pace of necessary changes, with the prioritization of issues that are important to their constituents, and with my responsiveness at times. I admit, I haven’t handled some of these issues up to my own standards. I know my team and I can be better. I understand that I am fully accountable to my 15 bosses. I want to say to the mayor, to the members of the City Council, and to all the residents of this dynamic city: I accept the challenge. I take full responsibility for addressing the issues that are critical to the long-term success of the City. I recognize that our problems are not just about what the media reports, but how we perform. I own that. But today isn’t about looking back. It’s the beginning of a new era — one that I’m very excited about. I’ve committed to the mayor that we will reset moving forward and that we will take a fresh approach to the challenges that we still need to address together. And he has committed to me that he will be a collaborative partner in these efforts. One thing that the mayor and I have always been on the same page about is the desire for clear plans and evidence-based strategies to improve our city government. It’s become clear to me that’s exactly what we need now to be able to move forward as a City. Read more at www.texasmetronews.com
interests first, and passing and implementing the mayor’s policy priorities for City Council’s committees. • Communication: The city manager will enhance communication about progress on top priority issues. The city manager will also develop a protocol for surfacing problems for City Council discussions. The mayor and city manager will begin meeting on a biweekly basis to discuss major issues, priorities, and progress. The city manager is also committing to promoting citywide initiatives such as the mayor’s “Summer of Safety” campaign. In addition, the mayor and city manager have discussed the need to address other crucial issues, such as the city’s technological infrastructure, the concerns of Dallas firefighters, and the city
government’s need to attract and retain top talent. To provide greater detail and accountability on those efforts and other issues, Broadnax is developing what he is calling his R.E.A.L. Impact Plan. R.E.A.L. is an acronym for Responsible, Equitable, Accountable, and Legitimate. With the mayor now in isolation due to COVID-19, he plans to cancel Thursday’s special-called meeting for a performance review of the city manager and city auditor. Instead, the City Council can conduct performance reviews of all four of their direct reports in August following the July recess. The city manager hopes to discuss his plan, as well as additional concerns and issues with City Councilmembers in the days ahead.
FULL STATEMENT FROM MAYOR ERIC JOHNSON As the mayor of Dallas, my job, as defined by our City Charter, is to serve as the chairman of our city government’s board of directors, which is the Dallas City Council. Together, we hire a city manager, who acts as the CEO for the city government and serves at the direction and at the pleasure of the City Council. My job is unique in that I am the only person in this city who is elected to represent the interests of all 1.4 million residents of Dallas. That means I am accountable to every one of them. I take that job very seriously. I was born and raised in Dallas, and I have called this city home for my entire life. My wife and I are raising three children here. And I feel forever indebted to the communities who raised me. Dallas, to me, is a beacon of hope and opportunity — a place that gives people a chance to improve their own lives and the lives of their families. And I have been entrusted with the awesome responsibility of making sure our city government does everything it can to keep it that way. But lately, on too many issues that affect our residents’ lives, I believe we have needed to see a real sense of urgency and measurable progress. That is why, a little over a week ago, I said that it was time for a change at the top of our city government. Today, I want to say that I have not really changed my mind about that. We do need change. But after some serious and frank discussions with our city manager, T.C. Broadnax, I believe he is ready to make the necessary changes to address issues that are critically important to our residents. I am confident now that he fully grasps the gravity of the challenges we face and that he understands the importance of our shared priorities. And I am ready to work closely with him in these efforts. In other words, the city manager and I have agreed on a clear path forward. The time for rheto-
ric is over. It is now time for a reset. It is now time to heal. And it is now time for real results and accountability. But as we get beyond all the noise around us, I believe it is important for me to acknowledge a few things. First, I understand that the city manager has an incredibly difficult job. Overseeing the work of 13,000 employees is not easy. People are going to make mistakes, and while that is not the CEO’s fault, it is ultimately his responsibility to manage through it and to hold people accountable. That is a tough spot for anyone to be in. And there is no doubt that doing a job like that for five-and-a-half years can take a tremendous toll on any person, especially amid all the unprecedented challenges that have come our way. But the stakes are high, and we cannot afford to make excuses. Dallas residents deserve the very best. There can be no participation trophies in this competitive environment. We must demand excellence at Dallas City Hall from ourselves and from each other. And ultimately, we cannot accept or be satisfied with anything less than success. That means that we must break through the inertia of city government. We must be relentless about building a better future. We must be willing to adapt to changing circumstances, shift strategies when necessary, and seek and welcome help. And when problems arise, we must act quickly. I believe T.C. is smart enough, savvy enough, and experienced enough to get the job done. That was never in doubt for me. I also know that he is capable of getting things done. For example, I have appreciated the way that he has embraced our kitchen-sink approach to public safety and hired an experienced and thoughtful police chief who leads those efforts. Read more at www.texasmetronews.com
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Poor People’s Campaign holds major DC rally to combat poverty The Rev. William Barber II, co-chair of the Poor People's Campaign, called legislation that hurts the poor ‘forms of policy murder.’
By Jack Jenkins WASHINGTON (RNS) — Thousands of clergy, union leaders, activists and scholars rallied near the U.S. Capitol on Saturday (June 18) at a march organized by the Poor People’s Campaign, calling on Congress to take action and address the plight of millions of Americans who struggle with poverty and low income. “This level of poverty and greed in this, the richest nation in the history of the world, constitutes a moral crisis and a fundamental failure of the policies of greed,” thundered the Rev. William Barber II, a Disciples of Christ minister and co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign, as he opened the Mass Poor People’s and Low-Wage Workers’ Assembly and Moral March in Washington. “The regressive policies which produce 140 million poor and low-wealth people are not benign,” he continued. “They are forms of ‘policy murder.’” What followed was a more-than-fivehour rally, featuring an array of mostly liberal-leaning speakers. Their theme was the way a complex of policy failu-
A crowd gathers for the Mass Poor People’s and Low-Wage Workers’ Assembly and Moral March in Washington on June 18, 2022. Credit: Jack Jenkins
res conspires to keep the poor in dire straits. The massive march — turnout, though lower than what organizers initially aspired for when they began planning roughly a year ago, was still sizable — was the culmination of years of organizing by the Poor People’s Campaign, patterned after the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s final project before he was assassinated in 1968. Read more at www.texasmetronews.com
Elijah Anthony, from Boston, attends the Mass Poor People’s and Low-Wage Workers’ Assembly and Moral March in Washington on June 18, 2022. Credit: Jack Jenkins
The Rev. Neal Christie, a United Methodist minister, attends the Mass Poor People’s and LowWage Workers’ Assembly and Moral March in Washington on June 18, 2022. Credit: Jack Jenkins
The Rev. Amanda Weatherspoon, a Unitarian Universalist minister, attends the Mass Poor People’s and LowWage Workers’ Assembly and Moral March in Washington on June 18, 2022. Credit: Jack Jenkins
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Lifestyle Metro Calendar powered by JUNE Black Music Month LGBTQ+ Pride Month 23
National Newspaper Publishers Association Annual Convention, New Orleans, celebrating 195 years of the Black Press. Publisher Bobby R. Henry of the Westside Gazette will be honored and featuring Stephanie Mills. Thursdays on Tap at the Perot - until Aug 25, 2022 · 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM at Perot Museum of Nature and Science 2022 Oak Cliff Film Festival, until Jun 26, 2022 · 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM. at The Texas Theater
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The Ultimate Holistic Festival REBIRTH, 9am-5pm Celebratiing Life and Wellness at the Armstrong Park and D.L. Hopkins Senior Center, 100 James Collins Blvd. in Duncanville There will be a Too Vegan Chef in Dallas Contest, African Dance Festival and more.www.globalholisticmovement.org
Dallas Metroplex Musicians’ Association’s William S. Mitchell Sacred Choral Music Workshop Concert will be held at 4:30 P. M. Pearly Gate Baptist Church will host this endeavor. It is located at 6021 University Hills Drive, Dallas, Texas 75241, Dr. Thomas J. Payne, Senior Pastor, and Dr. Robbie Moore, Pastor.
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2022 Texas Democratic Party State Convention
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Family Festival / Fiesta de la Familia 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM at Kimbell Art Museum
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The 2022 ILIVE Women’s and Girls Wellness & LifeStyle Expo! University of Texas at Arlington, Texas 10a- 2:30 p 300 W. First Street Arlington, Texas, TX 76017
The Denton County Democratic Party (DCDP) will hold its LBJObama Dinner at the HIlton Garden Inn, 785 State Highway 121, Lewisville. The keynote address will be given by former Texas State Senator Wendy Davis and the guest speaker will be Texas House Rep. Jasmine Crockett. For tickets call 972-835-7301.
***** Fort Worth Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce 41st Annual Luncheon will be held at the Omni Hotel in downtown Fort Worth. Register through the Chamber’s website at www.fwmbcc.org
Send your calendar items to editor@texasmetronews.com
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Parker County Peach Festival 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM at Downtown Weatherford
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Bastille on Bishop 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM at Bishop Arts District
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11:00 AM to 2:00 PM--A Memorial Balloon and Floral Ceremony for the 30 City and County leaders that assisted with the START and EXISTENCE of Verna’s H.E.L.P. Foundation “HELPING EVERYONE LIVE POSITIVE.” “THE THIRTY SHOULDERS WE STAND ON OF GIANTS.” Honoring the Late Frank and Judy Lott, Honorable Elsie Faye Higgins, Mayor Annette Strauss, Gloria Hogg, Murdine Berry, Olga Mae Rabourn, Mr. J.B. Jackson, Honorable Albert and Lovie Lipscomb, Pastor George W. Pryor, Pastor S.M. Wright, William and Mozelle Blair, Comer J. Cottrell, Lawson Ridgeway, Attorney Louis A Bedford, M. T. “Buddy” Minyard, Judge John H. Wittington, Judge Cleo Steele, Fred Meyer, Norman Moorehead, John Stemmons, Peter and Betty May Stewart, Dr. Charles Mitchell, Mayor Jack Evans, Poncho Medrano, Mayor Starke Taylor, and Mayor Robert Folsom.
4th Annual DFW HBCU Alumni 5K Run/Walk Scholarship Event at 7:00am at Mike Lewis Park, 2410 N Carrier Pkwy, Grand Prairie Texas https://linktr.ee/incrhouse
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BAMM, Being a Melanin Mom, Inc. cordially invites you to Second Annual Black Owned Experience Summer Expo! 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM CDT Lofty Spaces, 816 Montgomery Street Dallas, TX