T E X A S
MetroNews DELIVERING NEWS YOU NEED
• Vol. 10 • March 30 - April 5, 2023
MY TRUTH By Cheryl Smith PUBLISHER
Time for BLACKITY-BLACK I said I am Black, Black-ish, Blackity-Black. I hate to do this but it’s also been a long time coming, and I know that like change, nothing is going to happen if someone doesn’t speak up. First I will say that if you are not Black, you might think you need to move on, but if you have the sense that God gave you; you’ll keep reading, make the necessary edits and holler when hit! Now Black folks, get pissed if you will but if you’re feeling a certain way, that too shall pass. Here goes: STOP BEING CONVENIENTLY BLACK! Which brings me to my truth! Years ago, I belonged to an organization of Blacks, Asians, Hispanics and Native Americans and it was a very rewarding experience because I was there to learn and I did. To be authentic and accurate, there were also Anglos involved. During the entire time we learned about one another and grew together; sometimes having some very tough and revealing conversations. When it was time to choose menus, not once did we eat at a Soul Food or African Restaurant. Maybe Drs. Stacia Alexander, Brenda Wall or Greg Carr can analyze that; although I have my theories. We ate at Thai, Mexican, Italian, Indigenous restaurants, to name a few. And we experimented and at least seemed like we enjoyed the meals; even some delicacies! See MY TRUTH, page 11
WWW.TEXASMETRONEWS.COM
Remembering
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. January 15, 1929 - April 4, 1968
Innovative Podcast opens International Doors for Entertainers and Entrepreneurs
By Sylvia Dunnavant Hines
Texas Metro News Correspondent
Even though they might seem like an unlikely combination, paralegal, Bella Washington DuPlexis and hiphop artist John Bouka Baptiste are combing their efforts to create an innovative podcast targeting the entertainment industry. Baptiste, DuPlexis’ fiance, is a native of Congo-Brazzaville and resides in South Africa, and performs as a rapper under the name of Albooby. Although the two are over 9,000 miles apart, they have come together to produce their weekly podcast, Com-
ing Right at You with Albooby Show, which can be streamed on YouTube. “I decided to start the podcast when my friend, Mark Ayers Jr., who is a gospel artist released a new song. I thought the song was phenomenal, and I wanted the world to hear it. I made a clip and posted it on my personal Facebook page,,” said DuPlexis. “Then something miraculous happened. I continued to push the record with a Facebook live posting. After my postings, I began to get friend requests from around the world. In a few days my followers on Facebook See INNOVATIVE PODCAST, page 10
Hip-hop artist, John Bouka Baptiste (Albooby) and Bella DuPlexis are combing their efforts to give new artists international exposure on their Youtube podcast, Coming Right at You with Albooby.
More allegations of racist acts at Dubiski High By Ayesha Hana Shaji Texas Metro News Team
In a world where the power of words has never been more potent, a word that has been used to degrade, dehumanize and oppress an entire race of people seems like the norm. But it shouldn’t be. This is what the new version of the civil rights movement looks like for Black folks in this day and age, said Shavsha Davis, mother
of a John Dubiski Career High School student. The school has come under scrutiny recently for the lack of action taken against five students who recorded a video chanting racial slurs while holding posters with the word “hate,” in a classroom and posting it on social media. African American students of the school said this is a common See MORE ALLEGATIONS, page 7
Protesters hold banners outside Grand Prairie ISD building
Photo: Ayesha Hana Shaji
IABD Receives National Remembering Randall Robinson Medal of Arts Award By Ayesha Hana Shaji Texas Metro News Team
l-r: Lula Washington, Joan Myers Brown, Ann M. Williams, Cleo Parker Robinson, and Debbie Blunden-Diggs. See NATIONAL MEDAL OF ARTS AWARD, page 11
Celebrated American lawyer, author, journalist, activist and founder of TransAfrica died on March 24 at the age of 81. Born on July 6, 1941, in Virginia, Robinson spent his entire life dedicated to fighting for justice and equality for Black folks. He began working as a civil rights attorney before he founded TransAfrica Forum in 1977, which according to their website, is the oldest and largest African human rights and social justice advocacy
Randall Robinson
organization that serves to promote diversity and equity in the foreign policy arena and justice in Africa and within the African diaspora. Read more at www.texasmetronews.com