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My Truth By Cheryl Smith Publisher
SERVING NORTH EAST TEXAS
THURSDAY MAY 18, 2023
CELEBRATING HOPE
Garland’s Hope Clinic provides aid for many
Mama, oh Mama I have heard men talk about when their attitudes about women changed and usually this revealing moment comes when they found themselves looking into the eyes of their firstborn daughter. It’s like the moment the Grinch has in the Christmas movie, How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The Grinch was a “mean one!” He was miserable and he wanted everyone else to be miserable also. You know, “misery loves company.” Well, I believe happiness loves company too and while I want to spread love and happiness; in the midst of the societal ills we are dealing with, I also want to spread justice, equality, consequences and repercussions. It would help if the Grinches of this world would have an attitude adjustment, a change of heart. All I can say is,”WOW!” Which brings me to my truth. Parenting is hard. There’s no play book or guide. When you’re in school there are so many things that you can’t be taught and so you spend a significant portion of your life in a trial and error mode. Fortunately for me, my mother lived long enough for me to “get it,” to have an understanding of many of the “whys” we lived through and that I questioned. The Fresh Prince rapped, “Parents Just Don’t Understand.” I submit that children don’t understand either! Entertainer, activist Harry Belafonte was interviewed by journalist Roland Martin and talked about his mom’s journey, which was challenging. He said he came to understand her better and elaborated about the significance of counseling. It is important and I highly recommend it. I am also grateful that l had that “Grinch moment” because it cemented my relationship with my mother, woman to woman. Later that year, when she transitioned, her celebration was scheduled for my birthday. I remained close-mouthed because I didn’t want anyone saying I was trying to run things. Then a lightbulb went off and someone said, “That’s Cheryl’s birthday, we need to change it.” When I protested a change, I was told that every birthday I was going to remember “Mother.” My response was that everyday I was going to remember her, so it didn’t matter. As I spoke at her service, I said, “It was a Friday, June 20 when she looked at my face for the first time and here it is Friday, June 20, 2014 and I am looking at her for the last time. My message to everyone reading these words is to reach an understanding before it is too late. Have that Grinch moment. It is a two-way street, true; but you can’t make the decision for anyone but yourself and it’s a great way to move toward healing and living a more rewarding life. So, if your mom is alive, consider, if you haven’t already, finding out her “why.” It could be a healing experience! “And tell her “Happy Mother’s Day,” everyday!”
VOLUME X
Hope Clinic Executive Director Tanya Downing welcomes community to annual Celebration of Hope Breakfast. Photos: Delores Elder-Jones
The annual Hope Clinic of Garland, Inc. breakfast affords clients, sponsors, patients, and the community an opportunity to hear firsthand about the great work that occurs on a daily basis; serving some who at one time had no place to go for medical attention. To hear the testimonies from patients and community partners is enough to let anyone know how successful and necessary Hope Clinic is to citizens of Garland, TX. An informative panel and heartwarming stories were the order of the day as patients and caregivers shared their testimonies. Chaired by Lance and Jody Luna, the packed breakfast was an overwhelming success. Beginning in 2002 as a ministry of First Baptist Garland when two church members recognized the need to provide primary healthcare to indigent and uninsured residents in Garland one night a week in borrowed space with an all volunteer staff; is a tribute to visionary leadership. Over the years the need for primary healthcare in the community increased, and in 2007 the clinic moved to a larger facility and acquired its 501 (C) (3) non-profit status. In 2009, Hope Clinic became a partner with Baylor Scott-White Health sysSee CELEBRATING HOPE, Page 7
The Breakfast Panel
Students take a stand against gun violence By Ayesha Hana Shaji Texas Metro News Team
Bishop Dunne Catholic High School students staged a walkout on Thursday, May 11, in protest against gun violence, following the recent mass shooting at Allen Premium Outlets on Saturday, May 6, which resulted in the loss of eight lives and seven injuries. Among the individuals injured in the incident, was six-year-old William Cho, who tragically became the sole survivor within his immediate family after losing his mother, father, and baby brother to the atrocities of the shooter,
Mauricio Garcia, 33. The lives of Daniela and Sofia Mendoza, two sisters who attended elementary school in the Wylie Independent School District; Aishwarya Thatikonda, an engineer employed in Dallas; security guard Christian LaCour; Elio Cumana-Rivas, a Venezuelan delivery man in Texas; and the three members of the Cho family were also tragically cut short in the incident. Due to the event taking place on the school’s private property, the media was prohibited from interviewing the students or documenting the walkout.
The student-led walkout serves as a powerful message against gun violence. Despite the media’s restriction from interacting with the students or capturing the event, their collective action spoke volumes. By taking a stand against the recent mass shooting, these students demonstrated their unwavering determination to address the pressing issue of gun violence in society. The Allen mall shooting incident marked Texas’s 17th recorded mass shooting of the year, placing the state as the second highest in such incidents, following California. Over the past 130
days, the United States has witnessed a total of 208 mass shootings, according to a report by Gun Violence Archive, an online database that collects and maintains data on gun violence occurrences across the country. Their organized protest not only showcased their empathy and concern for the victims but also highlighted their commitment to advocating for change. This bold and impactful gesture sends a resounding message that the younger generation refuses to remain silent in the face of such tragedies, demanding a safer and more peaceful future for all.
In Commencement Address, Biden Recognizes Howard U. as ‘The Soul of the Nation’ Some Graduates Stage Protest While President Speaks
By Sam P.K. Collins In his commencement address to Howard University’s (HU) Class of 2023, President Joe Biden sparked excitement among the graduates and their families when he recognized HU’s legacy of excellence and called the historically Black university “the soul of the nation.” His charge to graduates on Saturday was to follow in the footsteps of their fellow alumni to advance the cause of racial equity and tackle the issues that, several decades after HU’s founding, continue to affect Black people’s quality of life in the United States. “What is the soul of the nation? The essence of who we are. The soul makes us us. The soul of America, which makes us unique among all nations. The only nation founded on an idea, not geography, religion or ethnicity,”
President Joe Biden speaks to Howard University’s Class of 2023 during the commencement ceremony at Capital One Arena in D.C. on May 13. Photo: Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer
Biden said in his commencement address on Saturday. “The single prophecy in the Declaration of Independence that we’re all created equal. We never totally lived up to that promise but never walked away from it,” Biden continued. “America hasn’t been a fairy tale. It’s
been a constant push and pull for more than 240 years. It’s a battle that’s never really over. To stand up to white supremacy, the domestic terrorist threat to our homeland.” Not all students embraced Biden’s message. As Biden spoke, some graduates stood up and
turned their back to the president. Some of them held up signs that said “Black people stand up, fight back.” Students who mentioned the protest on social media expressed skepticism about Biden’s intentions to address white settler colonialism. They also incited calls to challenge what they described as the U.S. government’s collusion with HU to oppress Black people aboard. Read more at www.GarlandJournal.com