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My Truth By Cheryl Smith Publisher
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 2, 2023
Red Cross Volunteer Willie Cowart Nichols Begged for Retiring After Life of Service Mercy, But Beatings
Didn’t Stop
I am traumatized Oftentimes when I see or read of people who say they can’t watch certain movies about the peculiar institution of slavery I have usually responded, “at least you didn’t have to live through it.” For me, everyone needs to see what slavery was about. Unfortunately, however, there are legislators who don’t want those stories shown or told. I totally understand because I wouldn’t want anyone to know if my people were part of some of the most savage and inhumane acts ever. I believe everyone needs to see the atrocities of an era in this country’s history and hopefully they will say, “never again.” I say never again when I think about how brutal society has been to women, especially women of color. It saddens me. Actually it pisses me off. Which brings me to my truth. See MY TRUTH, page 7
Tyre Nichols
By Joseph Green-Bishop
Texas Metro News Correspondent
ment to his community. He started off his journey with the Red Cross as a member of a Disaster Action Team, helping people after emergencies. He later joined SAF, where he’s been volunteering at a local military entrance processing station (MEPS) for the past seven years. “One thing about the MEPS center I enjoyed was talking to the troops, giving them the advice when they got ready to leave [for active duty],” Cowart says.
A frightening silence fell over the city of Memphis, as others staged demonstrations across the country, including in Dallas on Botham Jean Blvd., after the release on Friday of police videos that showed the brutally fatal beating of 29-year-old Tyre Nichols. Videos show the African American man beaten, kicked, pepper sprayed and tased by five African American police officers, who have since been fired and charged with second degree murder. “I am just trying to go home,” you could hear Mr. Nichols saying on the video. He had just finished skating on the evening of January 7 at a nearby park when his car was stopped by officers who snatched him from the vehicle, threw him to the ground
See WILLIE COWART, page 7
See TYRE NICHOLS, page 6
Other volunteers at work with new retiree, Willie Cowart.
Special to the Garland Journal After 14 years of service with the American Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces in North Texas, volunteer Willie Cowart is retiring. The 20-year Air Force veteran from Panama City, Florida, who now calls Garland, Texas home, amassed an impactful legacy of service that touched the lives of many. “I do quite a few things, but I don’t like to brag about what I do,” Cowart says. “I do quite a few things and work
Willie Cowart
out. That’s about it. I’m turning 80 this year, so that’s one of the reasons I’m retiring.” Cowart’s modesty doesn’t accurately reflect his commit-
Credit: courtesy
Superb Women Our Superb Women!
ALVA BAKER
By Cheryl Smith Texas Metro News
2021 was the "Year of the Woman," especially the Black Woman! For 10 months we dedicated this space to uplifting Black women and spreading a message that we need to show love and empower people with love instead of destroying them with hate and disrespect. We celebrate Black Women and call them SUPERB! AND WE ARE KEEPING THE CELEBRATION GOING IN 2022! CHRISTIE K. MOORE
College. Danielle received a BA Degree in Communications from Prairie View A&M and an MBA in Business Administration and Management for Texas Woman’s University. A consummate professional, Danielle is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.
Alva Baker attended Jamaica High School in New York. She studied mathematics at Boston University and received her MBA at Univ. of Southern California. Currently she is the Chief Financial Officer at Housing Crisis Center and President and CEO of Baker Consulting Associates, LLC. She was the founding director of the Nonprofit Loan Center, Controller for Center for Nonprofit Management and Vice President at Citi. Alva has served as Vice President, Finance for the Dallas Women’s Foundation; and board member of United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and Dallas Repertoire Ballet. A 1987 graduate of Leadership Dallas and member of St. Luke “Community” United Methodist Church, she has an extensive portfolio of community service.
A public servant and Division Leader at the City of Dallas, Danielle McClelland is a senior-level manager with extensive project development, operations, and communications experience. Focused and committed, she has also enjoyed stints as Marketing Manager at Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP, Public Information Manager at the City of Dallas, Announcer at North Texas Public Broadcasting — KERA 90.1FM and Public Relations Coordinator at Paul Quinn
January 2023 you want for any occasion. Ingrid Wilburn is smart, classy and well prepared. Hailing from DeSoto, she knows fashion, food, style. Ingrid is about excellence and that experience. Check her out at www.uniquevisionsenterprises.com ASHLEY M. SLAYTON
GABRIELLE “GABE” MADISON
DANIELLE MCCLELLAND
Christie K. Moore is owner, CEO and Funeral Director In Charge of Mansfield Funeral Home. A former Chemistry, Arts and Embalming teacher at the Dallas Institute of Funeral Service, she has worked in the funeral service industry for more than 25 years. A native of Dallas, she graduated from the Talented and Gifted Magnet High School, received her BS in Molecular Biology at Hampton University and accepted a full scholarship to Tennessee State University as a member of their Masters/ PhD. Bridge program and received her MS in (Endocrinology). She attended Dallas Institute of Funeral Service Christie serves as the District President of the Independent Funeral Director Association of Dallas, Education Commissioner for National Funeral Director and Morticians Association, member of the Board for Epsilon Nu Delta Embalming Fraternity and member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.
VOLUME X
at Stanford University Graduate School of Business. TEMECKIA DERROUGH
As president of Bonton Farms, Gabrielle “Gabe” Madison provides strategic oversight and direction to the organizations’ rapidly expanding operations, development, human resources, community partnerships, and programming. She has served as Director of Community Relations and HR Manager at Thomson Reuters, as an HR Manager at Mohawk Industries, a client relations manager at Accountants at Accountants Inc and sales consultant at Sprint. She received her BBA Degree in Marketing and International business from Baylor Univ. Gabrielle has an extensive portfolio in community service. She has served on the Southwest Regional Board of Directors for the American Heart Association, is a former board chair of the Metrocrest Chamber of Commerce and board member of Trusted World. RANA LASHONN CASH Rana LaShonn Cash is the Executive Editor of The Charlotte Observer. Previously she was editor and reporter at Savannah Morning News @SavannahNow.com, Star Tribune, The Sporting News, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Dallas Morning News and Miami Herald. Rana is a graduate of Florida A&M University where she was sports editor for the FAMUAN, a Track & Field team star and joined Zeta Phi Beta Sorority. She is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists and participated in the Black Leadership Program
Temeckia Derrough is a community leader, committed to service. You see Temeckia out and about trying to make things better, because she believes in lifting as she climbs and supports her community. Temeckia is the Dallas District 7 Environmental Commissioner. A Sales Associate at Amazon Web Services and she’s been a community volunteer at Joppa Freedman’s Town Association.
Ashley M. Slayton is the Audience Development Editor for The Dallas Morning News where she manages a team of awardwinning journalists dedicated to engaging with and developing stronger relationships with the News’ audience. Previously she served as Digital Content Manager and Producer for KLTV 7/KTRE-TV, and Page Designer and Reporter for Longview NewsJournal. She also gained valuable experience D. Magazine, BET, Daily American, Houston Magazine and Freedom Forum Diversity Institute. A graduate of Prairie View A&M University where she was in Sigma Tau Theta Mass Communications Fraternity and worked on The Panther student newspaper. SONIA WILLIAMS BABERS
INGRID WILBURN
Just call her the “Event Slayer!” CEO of Unique Visions By Ingrid and owner of Unique Visions Upscale Events, she is the event planner
Sonia Williams Babers made so many people happy as the owner/CEO Emeritus at the Black Bookworm. An instructional Aide for Generation Hope at Tarrant County College and an advocate for Alzheimer’s Association, she was also a former analyst, Reference Systems Marketing at American Airlines and a See SUPERB WOMEN page 8