VOL III ISSUE 25 July 15, 2015 www.texasmetronews.com
Young, gifted and black!
Texas Metro News Service in the name of the Honorable Nelson Mandela See page 3
Jaylen D. Bledsoe
Successful innovator impacts others in entrepreneurship camp By Eva D. Coleman Entertainment Writer He taught himself seven different languages in two and a half weeks. The craziness of it all is that he was 12 years old at the time, and we’re talking computer programming languages. Jaylen D. Bledsoe is speaking volumes, going from the kid who created websites for family and friends to founder and CEO of The Jaylen D. Bledsoe Global Group, LLC with 150 contracted employees. He started his first company, Business Man’s IT Solution at age 12. He later launched Bledsoe Technologies, LLC in March 2012, offering website designs, technology consulting, servers, email systems, Google applications and much more. He makes technology sexy and cool. At age 17, Bledsoe has spoken to over 25,000 students and 10,000 corporate executives, leaving his digital footprint wherever he goes. “My emphasis right now is on impacting the world, impacting people, innovating for people,” Bledsoe said. He’s an innovator for big names and See Young, gifted and black, page 8
Dallas sexual assault victim awarded more than $21 Million
DALLAS - A young woman who was sexually assaulted in 2011 by the owner of a popular pizza restaurant in Addison, Texas, has been awarded $21.43 million following a four-day bench trial heard in the 193rd District Court in Dallas. Judge Carl Ginsberg issued the award late Thursday after hearing evidence that Ajredin "Danny" Deari, owner of codefendant Pastazios Pizza in Addison, served the then-18-year-old victim multiple rounds of beer and whiskey at the restaurant under the pretext of a job interview. The victim eventually passed out and awoke in a nearby hotel room while she was being sexually assaulted by Mr. Deari, who then fled the scene. Subsequent physical examinations determined that Mr. Deari had infected her with herpes during the assault. The woman, who is identified as "Jane Doe" due to the nature of the assault and her age at that time, was in Judge Ginsberg's courtroom throughout the trial. "The judge called this the most offensive set of facts he had ever seen during his time on the bench," says Dallas attorney Trey
Trey Crawford of Gruber Hurst Elrod Johansen Hail Shank
Crawford of Gruber Hurst Elrod Johansen Hail Shank, who represented the woman at trial with co-counsel Royce West of Dallas' West & Associates L.L.P. and Gruber Hurst Elrod co-founder Michael Gruber. Mr. Deari pleaded no contest to criminal charges and the next day filed for personal and business bankruptcy protection. Pastazios continues to operate under Chapter 11 status. "This is certainly one of the largest
Royce West of West & Associates LLP
bench trial judgments in Dallas County in recent memory," says Mr. West. "This young woman has been waiting for justice for four long years, and she's fought very hard to make sure that every business owner is aware of the consequences of their actions." Gruber Hurst Elrod attorney Brian Mason also represented the woman at trial. The case is Jane Doe v. Pastazios Pizza, Inc; and Ajredin "Danny" Deari, No. 1304564.
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The need for Interfaith Peace Building
By Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson During the July Congressional recess, I participated in an international conference in Taipei, Taiwan. The conference focused on utilizing culture and faith to promote world peace. During the conference, the participants highlighted the need for interfaith conflict resolution. One thousand guests from seven different countries and various religious beliefs united to find common ground on which to build peacemaking and peacekeeping strategies. As I reflect on this experience I am hopeful for the future, yet burdened by the growing prominence of racial, ethnic and religious conflicts that threaten not only our physical security, but the future of peace and social harmony throughout this country. This threat was highlighted by the brutal murders of nine innocent people as they attended Bible study at the Emanuel
African Methodist The role that Episcopal Church faith leaders FROM THE HILL in Charleston, played in the By Congresswoman South Carolina wake of this Eddie Bernice Johnson on June 17th. tragedy is Eddie Bernice Johnson represents In the wake of not new in the state of Texas’ 30th congressional this tragedy, our society. district in the United States House of people of diverse Faith leaders, Representatives. backgrounds came throughout together to pray, our history, to worship and to collectively mourn the have led us through transformative change. tragic loss of life. At the urging of various During the height of the Civil Rights faith leaders, the people of Charleston movement, members of the clergy stood with led the nation in one of the most powerful Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Selma and in peace-building demonstrations that we have many parts of the country during the struggle witnessed in recent history. The families for racial and social equality. Collectively, of the victims shocked the world as they they called for justice and awakened the addressed the alleged killer with words of conscience of America. forgiveness and love. Recently in Dallas, pastors of two As the country mourned faith leaders in churches: one with a predominantly Charleston and those throughout the country African American congregation, the other echoed messages of hope and stood in with a predominantly white congregation, solidarity to denounce hatred and division. exchanged pulpits so that their members
could experience diversity in worship, and begin to build relationships as people of faith. In another incident, members of a Muslim congregation in North Dallas worshipped with an inner-city church, telling its members that they stood in solidarity with their “brothers and sisters” during times of despair and difficulty. As we move forward towards reconciliation, it is important to recognize and encourage the important role that faith leaders play in building a harmonious community. The prudent, hopeful and profound messages of our faith leaders are essential to the survival and growth of our society. They remind us of our shared humanity which is an essential principle for conflict resolution, and the peace-building movement that people of goodwill hunger to find and experience.
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Building named in honor of Cleophas Steele
Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price recently announced that Dallas County has formally named its facility at 414 South R. L. Thornton (Dallas) in honor of Cleophas R. Steele, Jr. Judge Steele died on February 18 at the age of 69. A Dallas native, a graduate of Lincoln High School, and a deacon and board trustee for Good Street Baptist Church, Steele became a justice of the peace in 1975—one of the first African-American elected officials in Dallas County—and conducted court in the building that now bears his name. He served as justice of the peace for thirty-one consecutive years, a tenure that is surpassed only by former district attorney Henry Wade. In 2002, Judge Steele received the
Hon. Cleophas Steele
Dallas Bar Association’s MLK Justice Award, and in 2012, he became a
constable and served in that position until his passing. Prior to his career with Dallas County, he was the first AfricanAmerican graduate of the SMU Law School, an associate municipal judge, and an attorney for the Dallas Legal Services Project. He was at the forefront of the group of African-American activists that emerged in Dallas in the early 1970s. Later, he became a mentor to many of the next generation of AfricanAmericans that today hold elected office. “Judge Steele,” said Commissioner Price, “strove to make a difference in the trajectory of his community and for all of Dallas County. His life speaks for itself.”
Mandela’s birthday more than enough reason to celebrate
Rep. Helen Giddings Honorary Consul for South Africa
Representative Helen Giddings (D-Dallas) will host Nelson Mandela International Day at St. Luke “Community” United Methodist Church located at 5710 East R.L. Thornton Freeway, Dallas, Texas 75223 on Sunday, July 19, 2015 at both the 8:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. services, which is open to the public. This event commemorates one of history’s most revered human rights activists, South Africa’s Nelson Mandela. Mr. Mandela was imprisoned for
27 years for his efforts to end South African apartheid. Prisoner 46664 (Nelson Mandela) spent much of that time in the Robben Island facility. Following his 1990 release, he was elected President of the new democratic South Africa in the country’s first free election. In 2009, the General Assembly of the United Nations declared July 18th as Nelson Mandela International Day. As Honorary Consul for South Africa to Texas, Ms. Giddings is proud to lead the effort in Texas this year. The day is called, “It’s in Your Hands,” and will encourage a call to service for all Texans. Everyone is asked to volunteer 67 minutes of their day on July 18, to volunteer and to help others. For 67 years, the Nobel Peace prize winner, Mr. Mandela devoted his life to humanitarian service as a human rights lawyer, a prisoner of conscience, an international peacemaker, and the first democratically elected president of a free South Africa. Here in the Dallas-Fort Worth
Metroplex, the day will be filled with public service on Nelson Mandela’s actual birthday, July 18. On Sunday, July 19, there will be a celebration to salute organizations and volunteers at St. Luke “Community” United Methodist Church in Dallas. The celebration will inspire all people to embrace the values of humanity and peace shared by Nelson Mandela. There will also be a screening of the film “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom,” which chronicles the life of Nelson Mandela. The screening will be held Wednesday, July 15, 2015, at 6:00 p.m., at St. Luke “Community” United Methodist Church. This screening is open to the public and we ask that you please RSVP to the screening at 1-888-3595742. For more information contact Elaine Taylor at 972-224-6795 or email elaine.taylor@house.state. tx.us, or Morgan Constantino at 512-463-0953 or email morgan. constantino@house.state.tx.us.
JULY 15, 2015
Let’s catch this serial rapist!
POLICE have not apprehended Pookie the serial rapist. We know he has attacked members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and there is a $5,000 reward offered by Crime Stoppers. If you have ANY information, PLEASE call Crime Stoppers
877.373.8477
Come on PEOPLE! Don’t you CARE?
Will it matter when it is your sister, mother, aunt or grandmother-
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METRO NEWS
Formerly Kuumba Heritage News Founded by Theresa Thrash in 1994 to the Glory & Honor of Jesus Christ
An I Messenger Enterprises Publication
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CURRY: Neutralizing the Right Wing Political Agenda
ďżźThere’s a lesson to be learned from the Confederate flag quickly MAILING ADDRESS and unexpectedly falling into 320 S. R.L. Thornton Freeway disfavor following the murder of nine Suite 220 Bible-studying African Americans, Dallas, TX 75203 including the pastor, at Emanuel WWW.TEXASMETRONEWS.COM A.M.E. Church in Charleston, S.C. The lesson is that the economic Cheryl Smith clout of African Americans and Publisher - Editor their progressive allies can be used to pressure publisher@texasmetronews.com businesses to do the right thing, which in turn Kasandra Davis can keep the far right wing in check. General Manager With every Southern governor’s mansion, BJ Fullylove Senate seat and 12 of the 13 Southern Marketing Director Statehouses controlled by Republicans (the Kentucky House is the lone exception), a Becky Lewis Executive Assistant corrosive sense of helplessness had begun to set in among some Blacks. EDITORIAL TEAM After all, the majority of Blacks live in the Yvette Brooks South and once powerful Black Democratic Eva Coleman state legislators have been politically neutered Tonya English Amanda Fitzpatrick now that they are in the minority. Vincent Hall The tragedy in Charleston may have Richard Alexander Moore provided us with a blueprint for improving our Yodit Tewolde predicament. First, it’s necessary to understand Andrew Whigham the role businesses played before and after DESIGN/LAYOUT Nikki Haley, the Republican governor of South RG By Design Carolina, reversed her long-held position and www.rgbydesign.com advocated for the removal of the Confederate PHOTOGRAPHERS flag from the grounds of the state Capitol in Kevin Griffith Columbia. Richard Manson dgdaphotographer.com According to the New York Times, “The chairman of the South Carolina Chamber of CIRCULATION/DISTRIBUTION Commerce, an old friend of Ms. Haley’s named MB Distribution Mikee Johnson, polled his 56 board members Advertising about the future of the flag. sales@texasmetronews.com Everyone who responded was of the same Editorial submissions opinion. He called Ms. Haley and told her: If !VAILABLE AT .EWSSTANDS IN editorial@texasmetronews.com she was ready to bring down the Confederate Garland,Rowlett Calendar Mesquite banner, they were behind her. calendar@texasmetronews.com Richardson “So was the South Carolina Manufacturers & E.Dallas Alliance, the muscular association that represents giant international companies like TEXAS METRO NEWS is published by I Messenger BMW and Bridgestone Tire. Over the weekend LLC., 320 S. R.L. Thornton Frwy, Dallas,$45.00 TX ear(972) 926-8503Enterprises, Fax (903) 450-1397 1 Year Subscription Subscription $45.00 after the shootings, its president, 75203. TEXAS METRO NEWS reserves all rights and privileges to accept or refuse any submissions to be Mr. Gossett, urged members to draw up a printed in any issue of the publication. Views and opinions expressed by writers are not necessarily strategy for finally ridding the State House of those of the publisher or our advertisers. TEXAS
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CREDO OF THE BLACK PRESS The Black Press believes that America can best lead the world away from racial and nationalantagonismswhenitaccordstoevery person,regardlessofrace,colororcreed,full human and legal rights. Hating no person, fearing no person, the Black Press strives to helpeverypersoninthefirmbeliefthatallare hurt as long as anyone is held back.
Within hours, a stampede of businesses, led by Walmart and Sears, announced they would no longer sell Confederate memorabilia. Other retailers fell in line, including By George E. Curry Amazon, eBay, Target and Etsy.com. George E. Curry, former editor-in-chief of Emerge This was old-fashioned capitalism magazine, is editor-in-chief of the National Newspaper Publishers Association News Service (NNPA.) He is a at work. Why risk alienating a large keynote speaker, moderator, and media coach. base of consumers for the sake of a small segment of lunatics who not the flag.� only wanted to turn back the clock, but wanted There were business reasons that motivated to turn back the calendar? this change. Leaders throughout the South got the “They were tired of explaining why a massage. symbol of the American Confederacy lingered Virginia Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe at the capitol of a state that wanted to lure workers from all over the world,� the Times decided Virginia will no longer sell license explained. “To many of them, it was a source plates that honor the Old Confederacy. Alabama of embarrassment that the N.C.A.A. would Republican Gov. Robert Bentley ordered four not pick South Carolina to host championship different Confederate flags at the state Capitol events because of the flag, and in the college- be promptly removed. In Mississippi, House sports-crazy state, coaches said it was an Speaker Philip Gunn, a Republican, called for changing the state flag, which incorporates the obstacle to recruiting.� To be clear, African Americans were at Confederate insignia.
TRUTH TO POWER
the forefront of this movement long before the business community belatedly flexed its muscles. On July 15, 1999, the NAACP announced a boycott of South Carolina because it refused to remove the racially offensive flag from the Capitol. Five days later, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s old organization, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), voted to move its 2000 national convention from Charleston. The group “Black Lives Matter,â€? which grew out of the movement to protest the death of African Americans who died at the hands of police, organized an online petition at Moveon. org, collecting signatures at a rate of 5,000 signatures per hour. And social media, especially Black Twitter, was ablaze. ďżź The floodgates were opened when Gov. Haley pronounced on June 22: “Today, we are here in a moment of unity in our state without ill will, to say it’s time to move the flag from the Capitol grounds. A hundred and fifty years after the end of the Civil War, the time has come.â€?
With the business community weighing in along with the LBGT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) advocates, we saw a similar retreat over religious freedom legislation in two states. Indiana Gov. Mike Pence asked state legislators to “clarify� the Religious Freedom Restoration Act that he had already signed into law. In Arkansas, Gov. Asa Hutchinson threatened to veto similar legislation unless it, too, was “clarified� to say that it could not be used to discriminate against gays and lesbians. In both the Confederate flag and religious freedom controversies, we have seen the clout of business leaders. Black spending power reached $1.1 trillion in 2014,according to the Selig Center for Economic Growth at the University of Georgia Terry College of Business. It’s time to exercise that clout by putting pressure on businesses, compelling them to apply pressure on Republican lawmakers who work against our interests.
Have a safe and happy summer
from the TEXAS METRO NEWS Family
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HALL: Justice or Else…10.10.15 First and foremost is the failing education system in America. The school-to-prison pipeline is real and all of the data supports the realities of its existence.
Quit Playin’ Vincent Hall Vincent L. Hall is an author and award-winning columnist. 45.3 million people live in poverty in the United States
excursions in unfettered racism must stop now. If it sounds like a threat; Well…
Unemployment rates for Black America is twice what it is for Whites
The Local Dallas Organizing Committee held an informative and inciting press conference and rally last week at the Friendship West Baptist Church.
60% of people in prison are Black or Latino 32.4% of Native American youth live in poverty 28 hours from now the police will kill another black man Facts. But on 10.10.15 1 million brothers and sisters will commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the historic 1995 Million Man March in person. Millions of others will remember that earth shaking event remotely. Student Minister and Chief Spokesperson for the Nation of Islam’s Dallas Mosque No. 48, Jeffery Muhammad put a stake in the ground. It was the same stake and sentiment that has been transmitted from the desk on the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan. The time for America’s excuses for and
The continuation of faltering public schools only ensures that our children continue in this wrongheaded path toward private prisons. Private prisons that have become a staple and strategy of Wall Street investors. Secondly and most timely, is the ugly history in this country of unjust killings. From the early slaughter of the Native Americans who were indigenous to this country through the lynching of Blacks during slavery and up through Jim Crowe;
That congregation’s Pastor, Dr. Frederick Haynes III The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan brought together millions 20 years ago in Washington, DC. was just one of an all star list of activists that shared the podium. Former City the trend continues. Councilwoman Diane Ragsdale and quite a few other notables took turns supporting the That horror has made names like Mike call for Black/Brown Unity that is a central Brown, Trayvon Martin, Oscar Grant, and theme is this 20th anniversary observance to Tamir Rice infamous. This trend is as much be held in Washington D.C on October 10th. local as it is national. There has not been one law enforcement officer indicted in the Although the lists of priorities for social killing of a Black man in Dallas in the last justice and Black Liberation are not at all 42 years. slack in America these days, this effort has pin-pointed some prevailing issues that it Finally, “Justice or Else” as it is slated for wants to highlight and underscore.
10.10.15, beckons all of us to look at the rise in poverty, hunger and nakedness inside and outside America’s Shores. The increasing surge in the number of people who live in sub-human conditions is a stain on America and the world. Our international political systems as well as our storied religious institutions have utterly failed us in securing justice. Student minister Robert S. Muhammad of Houston Texas, who was the special guest speaker, made a very realistic point during his summation of the need for Justice or Else. He has served almost 30 years and has the longest tenure within Minister Farrakhan’s official cabinet. After asking all of the audience participants under the age of 20 to convene in one area of the church, he addressed them intimately as he spoke honestly to both crowds. Muhammad mused that this generation, unlike any other in Black history, have not been taught or encouraged to fear white people or anybody else. Unlike so many of our former generations who had to be obedient and docile, these young people expect and will demand justice in a way that America has never seen before. The key to Muhammad’s message was that unifying Blacks, Brown, Indigenous Americans and other mishandled minorities, coupled with the engagement of our youth, will force America to make a change for Justice...or else!
WEST: What part of this history needs to be preserved?
DALLAS -- Texas made national headlines, ironically on of all days - June 19, when the United States Supreme Court upheld the unanimous, 2011 vote of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles to Sen. Royce West deny an application TX- Dallas by the Texas Division - Sons of Confederate Veterans to have issued, a license plate that depicted the Confederate battle flag. However, it is the Sons of Confederate Veterans who bemoan that their First Amendment freedoms have been abridged. In its decision, the Court ruled that the state can in fact prohibit the creation of plates that carry messages that it does not promote. I agree with the decision of the high court and
so do most all who have had comment since the decision was announced. It is hard for most African Americans, particularly those who have Southern roots, to look at images tied to the Confederacy and not associate them with slavery, subjugation, murder and racial hatred. The Sons of Confederate Veterans consistently say now, as they have since 2009, that the plates have nothing to do with slavery or race. Their claimed purpose is to preserve the memories of the valor of their Civil War ancestors. But how can you separate one from the other? Especially when one supremacist group after the other has co-opted the battle flag as the symbol of their cause? Unfortunately, a hate-filled reminder arrived just two days earlier in Charleston, South Carolina when yet another disturbed shooter, rose from a Wednesday night bible study at his chosen target, a historical Black church, and purposefully murdered nine, innocent victims, including the pastor, a
South Carolina state senator. The day after his capture, police investigators released photos from the killer's social media entries showing him holding the Confederate battle flag and noted more than 50 other photos of his visits to Confederate-theme locations. The 21 year-old killer also had Confederate plates on his car. While the Confederate heritage group's website says "the preservation of liberty and freedom was the motivating factor in the South's decision to fight the Second American Revolution," history will bear out that the cause of liberty and freedom was not intended for Black slaves. In its Declaration of Secession signed February 2, 1861, the writer declared the Union's, "doctrine of equality of all men," to be "a doctrine at war with nature, in opposition to the experience of mankind and in violation of the plainest revelations of Divine Law." Writing for the majority, Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer said to issue the Confederate plates would be consistent with
"government speech" which is not protected by First Amendment free speech rights. "As a general matter," wrote Breyer, "when the government speaks, it is to espouse a policy or take a position." Breyer also wrote, "A person who displays a message on a Texas license plate likely intends to convey to the public that the State has endorsed that message." In 2011, I joined other elected officials including members of Congress, Rep. Shelia Jackson Lee and Rep. Al Green, Texas House member Rep. Senfronia Thompson and my Senate colleague Rodney Ellis and others to testify against the issuance of the Confederate plates at a Department of Motor Vehicles hearing. "Why should we as Texans, want to be reminded of a state-sanctioned system of segregation and repression?" I asked the panel. The high court's 5-4 decision provided value-added in another regard. It is one of the rare times I have agreed with a vote cast by Justice Clarence Thomas.
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Friend won’t let go of ex Ask Alma
Alma Gill’s newsroom experience spans over 25 years, including various roles at USA Today, Newsday and the Washington Post. Email questions to: alwaysaskalma@ yahoo.com. Follow her on Facebook at “Ask Alma” and twitter @almaaskalma.
Dear Alma,
fault of our kids. Bottom line, we must love them, our children, more than we hate our ex
partners. Adults adhere a horrible resistance to correction, me included, and I don’t know why, especially when I’m pissed. This will take time and can translate into a meaningful support system between friends. Be patient and kind, she’s hurting. There’s no need to fly a flag of her faults, we all have them and are sometimes blinded by our own unfiltered light. She has been delivered a traumatic blow to her very core. Find out if she’ll consider therapy. Yes, she needs to reroute her anger and be strong for her children, but
she can’t give what she doesn’t have and right now she’s not right with herself. She needs professional intervention and a good friend to hold her accountable. Take her to church. Give her a number to reach out to social services. She has a big step to take and she needs your help like yesterday. Don’t waste another day trying to change her. She doesn’t need changing, she needs healing and healing the right way, takes time. Alma
My friend is a single mother. Her husband left her and their three children to be with a younger woman he had been working with. He said the new woman was his soul mate. My friend was devastated and I understand. It’s been almost a year now and she still continues to spiral into a deep depression. Now I can hardly recognize her. She had kinda let herself go before he left but now she’s just gone downhill. What’s worst is she constantly talks about her ex-husband in the worst of ways in front of her children. She tells them that their father left because he doesn’t love them and she calls him names and lashes her anger out towards them. She will even post nasty things about him on her Facebook page, and I’m sure her teen daughter can see it. I feel sorry for her kids and I’m not sure what to do. How do I get her to understand she has got to get a grip and start taking care of her children? Sheila, Waldorf, Md. Hi Sheila, I hear you and yes, I have a horizon full of advice for her bright as the morning sun. But, TBT, it doesn’t matter ‘cause she wouldn’t entertain this dance at dawn even if it knocked on the front door with a box of chocolates and a dozen long-stemmed roses. I mean no judgment, no shade, truly I understand ~ it’s because her heart is broken. While drowning in the pain of rejection, negativity is all she has to offer. The assassination of her marriage has overwhelmed her and she’s not sure where to go or what to do. When living with a broken heart, unwanted criticism isn’t welcomed. You’ll need to tread lightly and be creative when replacing her sour lemon juice with real cane sugar, sweet tea. Let’s start with casual conversations about parenting. Discuss the pain experienced by children seated in between an emotional tug of war. One parent’s critical comments about another are extremely hurtful for a child to endure. We’d all agree, kids deserve limitless love and affection from both parents, married, separated or divorced. Down the road, if a mate turns out to be a rubbish receptacle, it’s not the
CALLING ALL LINCOLN TIGERS Lincoln High School Class of 1970 Who: The Lincoln High School Class of 1970 What: 45th School Reunion Where: Hilton Garden Inn, 800 N. Main St. Duncanville, TX 75116 When: Saturday, September 19, 2015 at 7p.m. Contact: Wana Alwalee at 469-563-4574 Planning committee meetings are held on Saturdays at the MLK Library from 1:30-3:00. Please call Wana for specific
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YOUNG, GIFTED AND BLACK
LIFESTYLE
Successful innovator impacts others through entrepreneurship camp continued from front page major brands, including serving as an information technology consultant for Jordin Sparks’ non-profit organization The MAD Girls Inc., as a lead consultant on all of Steve Harvey’s companies and as a spokesperson for Walgreens. Bledsoe has engaged corporate audiences worldwide, including FaceBook, Twitter, Google, Walt Disney World and K-Swiss. Once again, he’s 17. When both his parents were a year younger than his current age, they brought him into this world. This St. Louis, Missouri native was raised in a single-parent household. His story of determination and success serves as a source of motivation for all who encounter his presence. His goal is to change lives, which he attributes as his net worth and true measurement of success. “As long as I focus on that mission, God will put things in place for me to grow. It happens. Its been happening,” Bledsoe said. A spark ignited a flame, leading to the growth of his Young Entrepreneur University. “It’s a camp to help inspire and motivate young individuals who aren’t exposed to entrepreneurship as a route to change their future,” Bledsoe said. The source of burning desire for this camp was a young man Bledsoe met while working as a spokesperson for Walgreens. When asked about his plans in life, this teen gave an answer Bledsoe describes as heartbreaking and unfathomable. “He told me he wanted to be a drug dealer,” Bledsoe said. “Most kids want to be a basketball player or football player or actor, but for him it was drugs.” Bledsoe learned that the young man’s mom left him and that he had been from home to home. From the conversation, Bledsoe says he determined the only support, stability and success this teenager saw was from the drug community.
Bledsoe feels the need to de-program that train of thought. “With these camps, it’s a matter of taking a young man or young woman
St. Louis, motivating 20 students. The camp boots up in Frisco, Texas July 20-25, 2015 and is scheduled to serve double the amount of students than
Jaylen D. Bledsoe outside of the normal environment and giving them an opportunity to succeed,” Bledsoe said. Bledsoe also sees it as an opportunity to put students on the right track. “It’s being able to say ‘I believe in you’ and giving them the pathway to do it,” he added. The first Jaylen D. Bledsoe Young Entrepreneur University was held June of this year in Bledsoe’s hometown of
the initial camp. Why Frisco? “It’s pretty much the City of Innovation; putting this camp in a city that’s going to support an effort of this nature,” Bledsoe said. Forty high school students from identified organizations including the Boys & Girls Club of Collin County, Pat & Emmitt Smith Charities’ Team 22 and various area youth ministries have been
pre-selected to attend the weeklong camp at the Frisco ISD Career and Technical Education Center. The camp is free and will offer awards for top results during its Final Pitch day. “We’ll give away a scholarship at the end and an investment to help the idea go,” Bledsoe said. Sponsors include Pat & Emmitt Smith Charities, Del and Ann Harris Foundation, Educational Presenters Network, PDQ, The Acts Foundation, Chick-fil-A, K-Swiss, The Fashion Club of Texas and Frisco ISD. With his first camp complete, Bledsoe is logged into awareness of classroom dynamics. “I can write an awesome curriculum but it comes down to the kids in the room,” he said. Bledsoe shared stories of the excitement and quick learning styles of campers in St. Louis. He looks forward to experiencing the energy of students in Frisco. At 5’5”, Bledsoe’s digital strategy empire stands tall. This technology guru has done a lot in his 17 years. He’s traveled the country and abroad, sharing his story. In addition, he serves on many executive boards for various companies and organizations beyond his own. Being technologically savvy isn’t just for nerds anymore. It appeals to a generation of digital natives as the norm. In a world of followers, favorites and likes, Bledsoe reaches his peers in a way that is unmatched by many. He speaks their language and brings value. Most importantly, his determination is not driven by dollars. “I have to make it clear that I don’t care about the money,” Bledsoe said. “I love the money, but I’m not doing it for the money. For me, it’s impacting someone’s life.” For more information, visit jaylenbledsoe.com and bledsoeglobal. com
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A Taste of Dallas Photos by Lisa Davis
Tickets Start at $15! Restrictions, exclusions and additional charges may apply. Subject to availability.
JULY 29 – AUG. 9 AMERICAN AIRLINES CENTER
AUG. 12 – 16
FT. WORTH CONVENTION CENTER
320966
Buy Tickets: Ticketmaster.com • 800-745-3000 • Venue Box Office
#RinglingBros
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Trust Me. Trust Me not? Your Call. Spiritually Speaking
by James A. Washington Sometimes words alone cannot convey meaning and feelings the way we’d like them to. Trust for example. The reference point for my meaning is “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all things acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6. Trust is such a complex thing. Have you ever been betrayed by someone in whom you had total trust? Have you been able to totally trust another person since? See how easy
allow themselves to be misused again. Therein lies my question about trust and what it means to you. Can you deal with this concept everyday? How much of a struggle are you having trying to trust people who have taught you not to give them the time of day? Do you treat all people this way or just the one(s) who betrayed you? Can you forgive? Can you ever forget? Do you really want to? And what does all of this have to do with God? Well, how are you treating Him in the trust area? “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.” 1 Corinthians 4:2. Now exactly, who’s proving what to whom? Are you requiring God to prove something to you before you trust Him? Are you demanding from God those same things you demand from someone, anyone before you would even consider giving him or her your love? You see it is so easy to succumb to
Have you ever been betrayed by someone in whom you
had total trust? Have you been able to totally trust another person since? See how easy misplaced trust takes you to a terribly vulnerable place. It’s uncomfortable. It’s abnormal. It ain’t fun. Yet, in this passage we are instructed to put our trust in the Lord. The question is can you do it? misplaced trust takes you to a terribly vulnerable place. It’s uncomfortable. It’s abnormal. It ain’t fun. Yet, in this passage we are instructed to put our trust in the Lord. The question is can you do it? Are you able to put trust in your heart after you experience devastating betrayal? And we’ve all been betrayed in one way or another; either by having our beliefs proven false or maybe your heart has been broken. Every one knows someone who has been crippled by a lover or spouse gone crazy, or, watched someone stumble up on the truth about a situation that everybody but them knew the real deal. In the real world that kind of stuff hurts. In a real sense, once destroyed, trust ‘don’t’ come here anymore. Now wait a minute. Go out and trust in the Lord implicitly. You get my meaning? Extreme caution usually follows crippling betrayal. New relationships are founded largely on mistrust and ‘prove it to me;’ not, blind faith and unconditional trust. Life teaches us that only a fool would
a lifestyle which requires proof before love is given. It’s so easy to demand the impossible from people who are incapable of giving it to you. But how can you base your relationship with God on worldly principles grounded in betrayal and disappointment? Are you requiring God to prove His love to you before you give Him yours? The key to this trust thing lies deep within each and every one of us. We first have to confront those demons which have plagued us for years. And yes, that means all the pain that goes with them. Then and only then can we begin to even accept the concept of trust and loyalty, total and without equivocation. Because then trust means knowing. Trust means truth. Trust means no matter what, I know that regardless of conditions and circumstances, I am God’s child, made in His image and the recipient of His love. It’s a always got your back thing. May God bless and keep you always.
James
Spiritual High Points of Wisdom for Daily Living
Written through the Inspiration of God By: Prayer/Warrior Mission /Worker-Sis. Cm Carter
Most of us can agree that there is a void in each of our lives that only God can fill. We cannot be any more satisfied without God than flowers without rain and grass without the sunshine. God’s Word is a storehouse of wisdom and instructions. It has the necessary message for all problems that face us. We can be greatly help when we open God’s Word and prayerfully heed to it and fulfill its demands. Confession is the super key that opens the door to forgiveness. A helpful method to use when praying and studying God’s Word is to listen with your heart. The highest form of prayer comes from the depths of a humble heart. Naturally, we would not go out without clothes, we would be naked and indecently exposed. Spiritually, if we go out without praying, we are naked and indecently exposed. Prayer is our covering. If we spent more time praying on our knees, we would have less trouble standing on our feet. It is very hard to stumble when you are on your knees praying. There is unlimited power in prayer. “More prayer, more power, little prayer little power, no prayer no power”. People who follow God, lead others in the right direction. (Proverbs3: 5-6) “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy path.” Don’t be idle. If the devil catches a person idle, he will put him to work. God calls people when they are busy, Satan calls when we are idle. The busier you stay for God, the less time you will have for the devil.
God’s creed is to do good. We all need to live God’s creed. For to see good put in action is what we all need (Acts 10: 38. How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and power who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil: for God was with him. The best way to approach any problem is to use the Try-angle. (TRY JESUS ANGLE). When we give ourselves to God, we place ourselves in a position to receive extra strength. Always yield the right of way to Jesus. We should always pray that our flesh be crucified and that the Spirit be glorified. “For the Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” Growing up we were taught to eat healthy, drink our milk, so that we can be healthy and not malnourish. Spiritually we can become malnourish when we don’t eat the Word of God. We are what we eat. The more we feast on God’s Word, the healthier we will become. (Jeremiah 15:16) “Thy Words I found and I did eat them.” The quality of our thoughts will ultimately determine the quality of our deeds: Take on the mind of Christ. Never give anyone a piece of your mind. You don’t have it to spare. God’s Word teaches us that as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. In life we find rain, mud and stars. It’s up to us to go through the rain, don’t get stuck in the mud and look to the stars. Remember that when you are having problems that tough times never last. Only, through the power of God, tough people do. Our character is measured by what we do when no one is looking. We fulfill our purpose when we serve, love, and obey God. One of our greatest strength is to stand still, trust and obey God. (Psalm 46:10) “Be still and know that I am God”. Always remember: Jesus it the way to walk in. Jesus said, “I am the way the truth and the life...” (St. John 14:6 ). Jesus is the method to seek in- “Seek ye first the kingdom of God…” (St. Matthew 6:33). Jesus is the bread to eat from, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedth out of the mouth of God.” (St Matthew 4:4) Jesus is the foundation to be established upon. (II Thessalonians 5:2) Prove all things. Hold fast to that which is good. Always remember to hate the sin but
See Spiritual, page 12
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Spiritual Highpoints, continued from page 10
love the sinner. Remember to focus on heaven goal. II Corinthians 4:18: “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” If we confess Jesus, we must possess him and show it in our daily living. (James 1:22) Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” God’s Word teaches us that as a man thinketh in his heart so is he. God’s people never say goodbye for the last time. John 11:25-26. “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.” Judge not according to appearance. Things are not always the way they look. St. John 7:24: “Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” All of our hope should be built on Jesus Christ and nothing less than his unconditional love and righteousness. God is to always to be given the highest praise. God is the source of all power, God of every nation, God of all creation. He is the hero, we are but zero. Praise God and to God be the Glory, for all the things he has done and will do. God gave us his best and he deserves our very best. Remember only what you do for God will last! Embrace God’s Wisdom, blessed is the man that gets wisdom.
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Mavericks Look to Save Season By Dorothy Gentry Staffwriter It was anything but Christmas in July as the Dallas Mavericks survived a roller-coaster month to come out a little scarred but hopeful of saving the upcoming 2015-16 season. In a stunning turn of events, Big Fish DeAndre Jordan belly flopped in the NBA Free Agency waters, turned around and bit Owner/Shark Mark Cuban, and the Mavericks’ future was officially up in the air. The team found itself catapulting from the top of this summer’s Free Agency Mountain to the valley and scrambling to save their season. In the midst of playing will-he-won’t-he with DeAndre Jordan, fan favorite and star center Tyson Chandler, Energizer Bunny off the bench Al-Farouq Aminu, scoring machine Monta Ellis and every-man Amar’e Stoudemire all left the Mavericks in free agency. Big losses in light of Jordan’s flip-flop. As they turned away from Jordan, the Mavs began to reassemble their team and attempt to pull together a winning roster. They signed Wesley Matthews, former Portland Trailblazer to a four-year contract. He’s coming off an Achilles injury but is expected to make a full recovery.
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