Kristin: Supreme Court agrees with New Haven 20

Posted on June 30, 2009 by Shawn Williams

The Supreme Court has decided to reverse a decision made by the U.S. Court of Appeals which included Judge Sonia Sotomayor. I have yet to read the entire ruling but I find myself wondering about the ramifications the ruling will have on the New Haven community. It is my understanding that New Haven is predominately a minority community and will now be served by few minorities in positions of authority. I know of many people who came from areas where authority figures did not look like them. I know first hand how feelings of mistrust will pervade the neighborhood and do very little to bridge a widening gulf.

After reading the original ruling I agreed with the ruling in which Judge Areterton arrived. I can say with all honesty I am happy the New Haven 20 will receive the promotions they deserve. I will also say I am very apprehensive about the future of affirmative action.

It is my personal belief that though we have come along way affirmative action is very much needed to ensure a diverse environment,especially on college campuses. For many minorities affirmative action is our Legacy admission. It will be interseting to see how this affects Sotomayor’s confirmation I am of the opinion that it will matter little. Judge Souter whom she would replace agreed with her ruling.

It is undeniable to me that Sotomayor is right in respects that the bench is were policy is made. The supreme court basically laid forth a new policy that will have far reaching effects for the future. Exactly what those outcomes are remains to be seen.

Paul Quinn’s accreditation loss is loss for the whole city

Posted on June 30, 2009 by Shawn Williams

Paul Quinn College is not dead, but the grim reaper is walking out the door and headed in that direction.

While most of us were following the developments in the death of Michael Jackson, a local story has gotten somewhat lost in the mix. Paul Quinn lost its accreditation from the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools after two years on probation. During those two years, President Michael Sorrell has instituted a number of fresh approaches to try to save the school, but the Southern Association says it’s not enough. Sorrell and Paul Quinn have appealed the decision.

Michael Davis of Dallas Progress makes a great point on why the accreditation is so important. “Because students at an unaccredited school can’t get financial aid” says Davis in a recent post about Paul Quinn.

I’ve got three questions for people reading this post.

#1 Do you care whether or not Paul Quinn is able to survive?

#2 If you answered yes, have you ever donated money (even $5) to Paul Quinn?

#3 If you answered yes, have you donated to P.Q. in the last year?

It all boils down to financial solvency. That goes for all of the black institutions that are struggling and in danger of fading away. I’m not suggesting throwing good money after bad. On the same hilltop in Southern Dallas, Bishop College was lost because they couldn’t pay the bills, and now the same thing could happen to Paul Quinn. But Sorrell has been a steadying force of the Purple and Gold, and the stability that’s been created is worth investing in.

The only overt sign of community support for Paul Quinn has been the Bishop 5 revival, which ran in the ’90s and made a brief comeback late last year. Without that type of support -from individuals and businesses- I fear that 3837 Simpson Stuart Road will become a black college memorial, a place dedicated to remembering the past instead of preparing students for the future. Paul Quinn will only go as far as the people of Dallas want it to.

James Rucker, Color of Change: The Jena 6 are Free, How we made it Possible

Posted on June 29, 2009 by Shawn Williams

I wanted to share the contents of an email sent out by Color of Change Director of Grassroots Mobilization, James Rucker, to their massive member list regarding the plea of “No Contest” by the defendants in the “Jena 6″ case late last week. Color of Change was at the forefront of the internet movement to secure justice for the young men back in 2007.

I’ve had a chance to correspond with James and meet some of the Color of Change staff. They are utilizing 21st century tools to combat injustices that have persisted for generations. It’s cool to see that they haven’t just rested on their involvement in Hurricane Katrina justice and with the Jena 6, but continue to stay engaged, even taking the fight to Fox News. They remain relevant and functional as many such organizations have the tendency to fall off into the abyss of irrelevancy. Kudos to C of C.

Dear Shawn,

Friday, nearly two years after more than 320,000 of you stood up to protect them from Jim Crow justice, the Jena 6–Jesse Ray Beard, Carwin Jones, Robert Bailey, Theo Shaw, Bryant Purvis and Mychal Bell–are all now free to move ahead with their lives. We should all be proud.

The five remaining Jena 6 cases were brought to conclusion on Friday¹ when Jesse Ray, Carwin, Robert, Theo, and Bryant pleaded “no contest” to misdemeanor simple battery charges.² They will spend no time in jail, serve seven days of probation, and pay relatively minor fines and court fees.

It’s an incredible outcome given that the young men were originally charged with attempted murder in small-town Louisiana and had neither the funds nor the connections to get high-quality representation or attention for their cases.

Luckily for the Jena 6, hundreds of thousands of you got involved, and the power of your participation changed the game. An amazing team of lawyers worked tirelessly to achieve Friday’s outcome. Our staff helped recruit them, and your financial contributions–over $275,000–provided the bulk of the funds for their work. Jim Boren, the coordinating attorney, said this about ColorOfChange members’ contribution: “None of this would have happened without you.”

But it wasn’t just lawyers and money. Over 300,000 of you wrote to Governor Blanco and District Attorney Reed Walters. On September 20th, 2007, more than 10,000 of you went to Jena. Members who couldn’t make it to Jena held more than 150 rallies and vigils across the country, and made more than 6,000 phone calls to elected officials in Louisiana. And a few weeks later, ColorOfChange members sent almost 4,000 complaints demanding an inquiry into the DA’s actions.

Your actions offline and online helped put Jena on the map and resulted in critical coverage in every mainstream news outlet. You started a movement that made it impossible for Louisiana officials to support the status quo.

Today we offer congratulations to these young men and their families, and we say thank you to the entire ColorOfChange.org community. We’re also so thankful to the attorneys who took these cases but chose to stay out of the limelight. They and several others³ are the unsung heroes of this story.

As the young men of the Jena 6 close this chapter of their lives, we wanted to give you an opportunity to wish them well. Click the link below to leave a personal statement for the young men of the Jena 6, or to listen to the voicemail from Jim Boren thanking the ColorOfChange community for our work:

While this is a great moment, it’s important to remember that if it were not for the extreme nature of this case, most of us wouldn’t have known about it or gotten involved. The reality is that there are countless Jena 6′s: young people–often Black and male–who are overcharged or unduly criminalized, and whose plight is unknown to most of the outside world.

Even in the case of the Jena 6, we need to take stock of what did not happen. While Judge JP Mauffray was taken off the case due to the appearance of bias (a pivotal moment for the cases), District Attorney Reed Walters–the person largely responsible for the problems in the first place–still has his job.

It’s the reason our work cannot just be about identifying and fighting for individuals railroaded by the system, but about creating systemic change in criminal justice in America. We are truly grateful to have the chance to do this work with you, and we’re hoping for your continued engagement and support.

Thanks and Peace,

– James, Gabriel, William, Dani and the rest of the ColorOfChange.org team
June 28, 2009

Help support our work. ColorOfChange.org is powered by YOU — your energy and dollars. We take no money from lobbyists or large corporations that don’t share our values, and our tiny staff ensures your contributions go a long way. You can contribute here:

References:

1. “Plea Bargain Wraps Up ‘Jena 6′ Case,” 9-26-09
2. The sixth teenager charged, Mychal Bell, pleaded guilty to battery in juvenile court on December 3rd, 2007.

3. Thanks are due to Alan Bean, Tory Pegram, and King Downing, who dedicated months to working with the families and getting the story out, and to our friends at the Southern Poverty Law Center who played a central role in putting together and supporting the legal teams. Without any one of them, our work would have been hampered, or in some cases not possible at all.

CONGRESSWOMAN EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON TO CO-HOST CBC SYMPOSIUM ON FEDERAL SENTENCING POLICY

Posted on June 24, 2009 by Shawn Williams

“Rethinking Federal Sentencing Policy: 25^th Anniversary of the Sentencing Reform Act” will feature Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and many others

Washington, DC – (June 23, 2009) Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson and Congressman Danny Davis will co-host a Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) symposium, “Rethinking Federal Sentencing Policy: 25^th Anniversary of the Sentencing Reform Act,” on Wednesday. Congresswoman Johnson will also give opening remarks at the symposium. The symposium will feature remarks from Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, as well as Craig Watkins, Dallas County’s District Attorney.

District Attorney Watkins has led efforts in Dallas to exonerate people who have been wrongfully convicted and imprisoned. He will speak about overturning wrongful convictions and about diversion and alternative sentencing programs.

Congresswoman Johnson and Congressman Danny Davis co-chair the CBC’s Community Reinvestment Taskforce

What: CBC Symposium: “Rethinking Federal Sentencing Policy: 25^th Anniversary of the Sentencing Reform Act”

Date: Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Time: 4:45 PM – 8:00 PM

Location: U.S. Capitol Visitors Center Orientation Theater South, Washington, DC

State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting and J.L. Turner Luncheon scheduled for this week

Posted on June 23, 2009 by Shawn Williams

Starting on Wednesday, Dallas lawyers will have a week of activities that feature a Supreme Court Justice (scheduled to appear), a Circuit Court Appeals Judge, and two award winning journalists

Judge Carl Stewart – 5th Circuit Court of Appeals

On Wednesday June 24, The J.L. Turner Legal Association -the African-American bar association in Dallas- will host their Thurgood Marshall Luncheon starting at noon the Belo Mansion. The Keynote Speaker will be Judge Carl Steward of the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. Those scheduled to receive awards at the luncheon include:

Al Ellis – C.B. Bunkley Community Service Award

Judge Phyllis Lister-Brown – L. A. Bedford Distinguished Jurist Award

Thelma Clardy – J. L. Turner Committed Mentor Award Recipient

For questions contact JLTLA President-Elect, Karen McCloud at 214-651-6700 or kmccloud@karenmccloud.com .

On Thursday and Friday (June 25 & 26), the State Bar of Texas will host their Annual Meeting at the Hilton Anatole. Sessions include a Diversity Forum on Thursday (9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.) discussing The Current State of Diversity and a 10:15 a.m. discussion titled How Are We Meeting the Challenge of Diversity In These Economic Times? David Brooks of the New York Times will be the luncheon speaker on Thursday.

Friday’s agenda is highlighted by a 9 AM session featuring Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. At Friday’s luncheon the keynote speaker will be Doris Kearns Goodwin, author of Team of Rivals: The Political
Genius of Abraham Lincoln.

For more information visit the State Bar website or click here for a full schedule of events for the annual meeting.

2009 Blogging While Brown Recap by Dallas South

Posted on June 22, 2009 by Shawn Williams

Everyone keeps asking me, “How was the Blogging While Brown Conference” and I either answer “great” or “excellent. I then think that this may sound vain in some way because I was responsible for helping to put the program together.

In actuality, I didn’t feel much different from last year when I enthusiastically sat on the front row of the inaugural conference (with Electronic Village, All About Race, and Pam’s House Blend). This year I set up shop at the very back of the room. The major difference was deciding to wear a jacket and slacks in Chicago rather than jeans and a T-Shirt in the ATL.

Shawn P. And Lola Adesioye of TheGrio.com

Even having spoken with all the presenters and panelists via email or on the phone, I wasn’t prepared for all of the wonderful information that was shared at this year’s conference. From Talkshoe to Justin.tv; MindMeister to Gravatars; Buddy Press to Outliers, there was just so much to learn.

John Davis and I interviewed by Carlos in D.C.

The presentation that gained the most attention (check Twitter #bwb) was Hajj Flemings’ session on Branding. Besides introducing up to the concept of Grustling (Grinding + Hustling = Grustling), he spit out a number of memorable one liners that have been making their way around the web today including:

“If you’re the smartest person in your group, then you’re in the wrong group.”

“Create quality content that is credible & creating quality contacts is paramount.”

“The best time to start something was a year ago. The next best time is right now.”

I appreciate the executive committee a.k.a. Gina McCauley for the small part that she allowed me to play, mostly trying to keep the schedule running on time. For some reason, I didn’t imagine myself saying much at the conference, but who wouldn’t want to have a few words in front of such a distinguished gruop. Other than that, I was able to kick back and allow these talented individuals to do their thing.

But I also want to thank Gina for her initiative. It’s easy to think that if Gina had not stepped up last year to create a blogging meet up for bloggers of color, then someone would have, but I don’t believe that’s the case. So many times in the African-American Community we can talk about a good idea or identify a need and then not act upon it.

Gina has created a venue that will always go on my calendar ahead of Netroots Nation, SXSW Interactive, NABJ, or an of the other wonderful conferences that are held each year. The benefits that I’ve gained in the last year from folks I met at the 2008 Conference are too many to count. I would expect to find the same thing to be true between now and next year.

I love this conference because it’s grassroots at it’s best, and we are trying to ensure that we are not left behind in the digital age. AT&T and other conference sponsors did their part towards that end, as AT&T sponsored scholarships paid the registration fee for a number of attendees.

And last but not least, next year my spades partner Deborah Smalls and I will be giving spades lessons since we won the first BWB Spades tournament hosted by the wonderful ladies of the 5 and a Possible blog. Picture us rollin’

BWB 2009 Attendees

Stephen Tyrone Johns, 39, killed in Holocaust Museum Shooting

Posted on June 10, 2009 by Shawn Williams

The Holocaust Memorial Museum announced that 39 year old Stephen Tyrone Johns died as a result of gunshot wounds suffered at the hands of Neo-Nazi James von Brunn. The Museum released the following statement.

There are no words to express our grief and shock over today’s events at the Museum, which took the life of Officer Stephen Tyrone Johns. Officer Johns, who died heroically in the line of duty, served on the Museum’s security staff for six years. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Officer Johns’s family. We have made the decision to close the Museum Thursday, June 11, in honor of Officer Johns and our flags will be flown at half mast in his memory.

DCist points us to a memorial Facebook group that has been created in his honor.

Save-A-Lot opens new Southern Dallas location at Crest Shopping Center

Posted on June 10, 2009 by Shawn Williams

On Tuesday, Save-A-Lot held a “Dollar Cutting” ceremony for their newest store at Crest Shopping Center in the Lancaster-Kiest Corridor. The store is completely new construction and replaces an abandoned theater, located at 2611 South Lancaster.

Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert and Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway were both on hand to participate in a “breakthrough shopping cart event” where they competed in a time race to grab groceries to benefit a family in need. Leppert was competitive as usual, racing around the store grabbing oatmeal and spaghetti, throwing them into the basket while Caraway pushed a neighborhood girl holding their item list.

View Map of Sava-A-Lot Location

Tenants at Crest Plaza are pleased with the progress. “This is of vital importanance,” says Vincent Hall, owner of Mickey’s Catfish.” We want business from all over the city and for people to feel comfortable spending their money in the area.” Hall also praised Caraway’s efforts working with the Crest Plaza owners to update the center.

Save-A-Lot donated 5,000 lbs. of food to the North Texas Food Bank on Tuesday, but Councilman Caraway challenged the community to do their part now that the new Save-A-Lot has come on board. “It is this community’s responsibility to make sure that this Lancaster-Kiest corridor continues to thrive.”

Crest Shopping Center is undergoing a face lift as the owners are putting a new facade on the entire plaza. “We want to be part of the revitalization of this area,” says shopping center owner Jonathan Shokrian. “It’s been kick started by Councilman Caraway,” he said. Cato Stores plans to enter the shopping center by the end of summer and Shokrian says other tenants are in the works.

Also on hand to help celebrate the store opening were State Representative Barbara Mallory-Caraway and City Plan Commissioner Michael Davis. Save-A-Lot has 19 stores in Texas with 11 of those being in Dallas-Ft. Worth.

This store is not a net gain for Southern Dallas because they already had a location in the plaza before, but does represent progress. Grocery stores are few and far between on the south side of town.

Caraway and Leppert see Lancaster-Kiest as a key area for Southern Dallas development due to its proximity to the DART Rail. There are plans to eventually construct a hotel in the area was well as other mixed-use developments.

Preservation Link’s “Through the Eyes of Our Children:Something Beautiful” opens at Dallas Museum of Art

Posted on June 9, 2009 by Shawn Williams

On Monday June 1st, Preservation Link’s Point of View photojournalism program held an awards program at the Dallas Museum of Art’s Horchow Auditorium. Preservatino Link is a nonprofit organization that looks to encourage an appreciation and an acknowledgment of community and culture through literacy, art, and technology education.

On the same night, the museum unveiled the exhibit Through the Eyes of Our Children: Something Beautiful, a collection of photos and videos from 5th graders who participate in the Preservation Link Program. Representatives of Preservation Link go to DISD schools throughout the year and help students to shoot photos and videos of their neighborhood. The result is Something Beautiful.

Yours truly served as M.C. for the evening, and awards were presented by David Herman, Destinee Lews, and teachers from schools who participated in the program. The exhibit will run until August 23rd. Below are pictures from the event as well as poems from some of the participants.

__________________________________________________________

“Why Communities Don’t Succeed”
by Isaiah Smith – Dunbar Elementary School

I don’t like the way my community looks because we don’t recycle.

We spend more time fighting than trying to build our community.

When people fight- someone can get hurt or sometimes killed.

Let’s help our community by working together, instead of against
each other.

”The Life of a House”
by Antwone Womack – Dunbar Elementary School

Houses are places that provide shelter, safety, and storage. But when people abuse them they start to look:

Distressed, Dilapidated, Damaged, Dangerous, Decomposed, Dirty.

“My mom and dad influence me the most.” Donisha Waters – J.J. Rhoads Elementary

“DREAMS”
By Myajia English – Dunbar Elementary School

When I look around my neighborhood
I see lots of ice cream, cemeteries,
churches, and dreams.

Dreams of children having
a safe place to live, play and
go to school.

Dreams of nice homes
for families
to thrive and live in harmony.

Charges dropped in Paris, Texas murder case

Posted on June 5, 2009 by Shawn Williams

When I received an email two days after Brandon McClelland was killed in Paris, and saw the details of this case and how it was handled from the beginning, I knew something was wrong. I knew “beyond a shadow of a doubt” would be difficult.

The longer the case drew out, the more I thought that Shanon Finley would again be let off easy. Well he and buddy Ryan Crostley are now out of jail after charges of murder against them were dropped after word of their release first circulated yesterday.

I can only shake my head, because from the beginning I knew this would be a very hard case to prosecute. When the only witness is dead, things get a little dicey.

I still say this; a speeding gravel truck could have hit a person walking on a dark highway, but I don’t know of anyone, drunk or sober, who walks those roads these days.

May God bless the family of Brandon McClelland.

Photo by George Strawn