Randal Pinkett

Black Faces in White Faces is a work written and birthed from Dr. Randal Pinkett, of Donald Trump’s The Apprentice fame and colleague Dr. Jeffrey Robinson. The book’s subtitle is “10 Game Strategies to Achieve Success and Find Greatness.”  This bestseller is sure to incite even the most cynical and lackadaisical young professional to pursue a career of greater meaning, purpose and calling.

The main premise of the book is facing the undeniable reality of how the “game is governed by a collection of rules; some spoken and others unspoken” and what is needed to “redefine the game.”  Although critics have cited the book as “a throwback to days of segregation and racial tension” – I feel their criticism misses the mark.  So much of the work is devoted to knowledge, strength and empowerment of African-Americans in an effort to move towards a ‘post-racist’ or on0 discriminatory society.

As I read through the foreword, the words of Roland Martin immediately resonated with me, concerning the “arduous road” and inevitable plight of trailblazing African-Americans who are left “to their own devices.”  Martin vividly articulates how African-Americans are always subject to extra pressures to perform, conform, and be flawless.  It reminded me of yet another bestselling book by New York Times columnist Lena Williams, It’s The Little Things-Everyday Interactions That Anger, Annoy and Divide the Races, particularly the chapter on “Little Things in the Workplace.”

The introduction (Chapter One) further expounds upon Martin’s foreword regarding “the game” by delving deeply into Pinkett’s own “Black Faces in White Places” moment during the finale of The Apprentice. It promptly introduces the authors’ perceived ideology behind this phenomenon of “the game” and strategies on how to master it.

There is nothing revolutionary or groundbreaking about Black Faces – in fact, portions are similar to Earl Graves’ How to Succeed in Business Without Being White. There are practical solutions and strategies sprinkled throughout Black Faces reminiscent of Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.   Additionally, some of the principles point to the 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene, but from a less harsh and more Christian-based perspective.

One of the highlights includes Pinkett and Robinson’s very interesting analysis and cynical commentary on the idea of meritocracy in America — particularly the critique and judgment of President Obama’s administration during his first fifty days in Chapter 3.  At the very minimum, this chapter alone will prompt a deeper evaluation of how unlevel the playing field is for even the most educated, talented, and skillful professional across several arenas.

All-in-all, this is definitely a good read.  I highly recommend it, particularly for the young professionals who are recent college grads entering the workforce.  Many of the principles in the book mirror the very ideologies that President Obama has challenged each of us (across racial lines) to adopt to make a better America for tomorrow.

Michelle London-Bell started writing at Dallas South News in 2010 with experience as a freelance writer and also contributes to Examiner.com. She has a passion for fashion, the arts, and community and cultural affairs. She also covers music and entertainment. She can be reached at michelle@dallassouthnews.org.

Of course you know her as the no-nonsense yet caring judge on television.  But Judge Glenda Hatchett continues to broaden her platform and is in town to sign her new book Dare to Take Charge: How to Live Your Life on Purpose. Her stop at Barnes and Noble on Tuesday is part of an 18 city tour that includes New York, Chicago, Detroit, and Los Angeles.

The book shares some of the things Hatchett learned from her years on the bench:

• What it means to be daring and intentional when seeking your ultimate objectives

• How to bridge the dream gap and more closely align your daily activities with your goals

• Why pursuing hope is a powerful choice—and how to do it

• The dangers of a rigid life plan, and how to recalculate objectives when necessary

• The importance of guilt and the surprising way you can use it to your advantage

• How to intentionally incorporate your passion into your actions and decision-making

Judge Hatchett said she was inspired to write the book after people kept approaching her saying they were missing something in their lives.  When she reflected on her own experience she remembered what her life was like before it had purpose.  “My purpose and passion found me,” said Hatchett.

In the book she talks about being the top woman of color at Delta Airlines where she served as a senior attorney.  She needed a new direction and before she new it, she left a great job at Delta.  But when Hatchett found herself in the courtroom as host of her own show, she knew her purpose and passion had connected.  Judge Hatchett offered advice to those who are looking for direction.  “It’s important to plan while holding on to dreams,” said Hatchett, “and to be open to possibilities.”

While the publishers of the book figured that it would connect with women, men have also been inspired.  “Men have come up to me and said thank you,” Hatchett said while noting how one gentleman approached her to show her all the places he had marked helpful tips in his copy.

While promoting a book that she says she loves, Hatchett is busy with other projects as well.  She’s launched a new social media project called ParentPowerNow.com.  She says about 2,000 families are already on the site she referred to as Facebook for parents and influencers.  She’s also started a new production company which plans to make major programming announcements this spring.

The Judge will hold court and sign copies of her new book on October 12, 2010 at Barnes and Noble 7700 West Northeast Highway at 7pm.

Men and women, Mars and Venus, the battle of the sexes: however you refer to relationships, the topic is on the tip of practically everyone’s tongue these days.  It’s even more pronounced in the African-American community.

Whether you’re at the barber shop, in the produce aisle or the middle of the rush hour drive, it’s hard not to overhear debates on what it takes  to create and sustain a healthy, monogamous union. And since the talk usually puts an adversarial emphasis on what women need to do, it’s refreshing to learn of at least one man pointing the finger of blame in the opposite direction and revealing that, yes, the brothers have a lot to work to do as well.  The criticism of Black men comes with the blunt and brutal honesty in Men Don’t Heal, We Ho.

No, that wasn’t a typo: Steven James Dixon, a locally-based author and self-styled relationship expert, is now a happily married husband and father, but it took him years of painful trial and error to get there. In chapters that make Usher’s Confessions sound like nursery rhymes (“I Learned How to Cry,” “Stopped Ho-ing, Started Healing,” “Looks Like a Man, Feels Like a Man…Not a Man”), Mr. Dixon pulls back the curtain of his turbulent childhood and starts the pages in his rawest state until he evolves to the enlightened man of today. He demonstrates how those early warped ideals fed into his dysfunctional relationships and why most men move from one woman to another until they reach a crisis point that forces them to change.

Steven James Dixon, Author "Men Don't Heal, We Ho"

Men…., which is targeted at women but is chock full of knowledge for any man brave enough to ingest its searing contents, drops powerful truths about the “emotional instability” of men (the author’s words, not mine), unvarnished truths about what’s most important to them and yes, what men need to do to help other men get with the program (and no, it doesn’t involve a basketball court or sports bar).

If excerpts like the following pique your interest, then Men…. is a book for you:

“Women, flat out, have to stop using sex as a reward or as punishment. If you punish your man by not giving him sex, all you have done is made a horny man mad….Send a mad horny man out into the world, off to work or the club around single, lonely, horny women. That is a great idea.”

“The majority of marriage eligible single men are hos. That’s what we do best, that’s what we are bred to do. We lie to our women. We mislead them, mistreat them and take them for granted….What’s funny about men being hos is that I have found that the average man whore will not even consider the possibility of his woman cheating on him.”

“My homegirls told me stories….It put everything in perspective for me. All my life, I had been focused on the women and what they were doing wrong. When really, the problem in each of my relationships is that I was emotionally unstable. Honestly, it hurt to point the finger at me because I think so highly of me. I am the bomb…I think.”

If you want one of those books that keeps it safe, is sweet and superficial, this one will sorely disappoint you. But, if you’re ready for a funny, frank and entertaining glimpse into the often unglamorous work it takes to sustain healthy love and relationships, then Men…is a worthwhile place to start.   Find out more about Steven James Dixon’s Men Don’t Heal, We Ho at www. relationshipbeast.com.

Lorrie Irby Jackson is a freelance journalist based in Dallas and has covered entertainment professionally for several years, writing many articles for The Dallas Morning News. Her e-mail address is lorrie@dallassouthnews.org

Tracy Nicole author of “Who Said Peaches Were Perfect?” will visit Dallas’ Millennium 2000 Art Gallery Friday, May 21, 2010 from 5pm- 9pm for her official Dallas book signing.  The event will be hosted by: Dianna ‘Writerchic’ Davis; Jokae’s African American Books and A Fresh Approach Health & Wellness Consulting Services (LaShante Williams Nutritional Coach)..

Tracy Nicole Prather is a native of Atlanta, Georgia. The true Southern girl attended Florida A&M University where she received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Occupational Therapy. Tracy Nicole is the voice for the “real woman,” one who faces questions and doubts in the complex areas of love and men. The woman who makes mistakes yet falls forward rather than stumbling backwards.

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Her words are for and about young women who wonder what real love looks and feels like; how a man should treat them, how they should treat themselves, and how to make life better.

Tracy spent a few moments speaking about her new book:

Lashante Williamns: What inspired you to write “Who said Peaches Were Perfect”?
Tracy Nicole: I have been mentoring young girls for years and after having two girls of my own I wanted to write a story that could have an impact on their lives.  I thought about the mistakes I made growing up and some of the lessons I learned over the years that were so important.  Our teens are exposed to so much more now than years before.  I want them to be able to talk about their issues in order to make informed decisions.

LW: Why do you think domestic violence is becoming more prevalent among our youth?
TN: I think many of them are growing up in homes where they witness abuse and end up repeating a pattern. I also think another factor is growing up in a single parent home where there is no example of a how a man should treat a woman or that example of what love is supposed to look and feel like is not present.

LW: What is the most important lesson in the book?
TN: I would have to say to know your worth and never settle for less than you deserve in this life.  Always be true to yourself.  Know that your past does not define your future.

Q: What’s next for Tracy Nicole?
A: I’m in the middle of completing my second novel.  It’s about finding peace after an unexpected loss.

To meet the author and learn more please join TRACY NICOLE Friday, May 21, 2010 from 5pm- 9pm at Millennium 2000 Art Gallery 1409 S Lamar Suite 245 Dallas, Texas 75215.  Call (214) 485-3854 for questions.

LaShanté Williams is the owner of A Fresh Approach Health and Wellness Consulting Services where she serves as a Nutritional Coach and Personal Cook.  Find out how to receive menus, recipes, shopping lists and more by emailing her at lw@afreshapproachtowellness.com

In 2000, the literary world was shook by the novel Sugar, a tale of a woman with a past, a past that enabled her to be the hooker whom we meet between the pages of a book that renown author Terry McMillan called “compelling and thought-provoking.”

After countless awards and a Pulitzer Prize nomination, Sugar‘s author Bernice McFadden released her latest novel Glorious on May 1st. I was honored, floored, and giddy that she agreed to chat with me about the purpose of her writing, her amazing fans, and just how glorious of a tale we are in for with her new book.

Michael Counter: History has been at the forefront of most (if not all) of your novels. Not just a backstory, but lineage & ancestry link the reader to your characters by very real, very black/African-American events. Why is there a need to inform your audience of where they come from?

Bernice McFadden: I think about my ancestors profusely!  I wonder about what they looked like, how they lived and their hopes and dreams and so I imagine that comes though in my writing. But I also believe that if we have reverence for the past then we can not have any hope for the future. I also believe that African-American history has been white-washed in many forms of literature and so I’m very conscience of telling the “whole truth and nothing but the truth”- as they say.

MC: Black women are inundated with negative information in regard to your beauty, worth, & love life. Within the past three months media outlets such as Essence magazine and ABC network’s Nightline have discussed the plight of single black women. This effort to discourage black women from seeking, or feeling worthy, of love & relationships is not new. Do you feel that these public discussions about black womanhood is healthy? And is this why your heroines, though damaged, seek love in spite of there circumstances?

BM: It as absolutely healthy! We have to bring these issues out into the open and engage in a dialogue which will allow women to know that they are not alone in their insecurities. I believe that love is not a choice, it  is a condition that not one of us are immune to.  And so yes, my heroines, though damaged, still want to love and be loved.

MC: You have a daughter, R’yane. To prepare a story in which a young girl is raped and abused, how do you as a mother travel your imagination for such real scenes and emotions that expose the ongoing terrorism on black girls in the American South?

BM: The visuals are very clear for me when I’m writing. But what I believe saves me from trauma is the fact that I can separate myself from what is happening in the story. It is almost as if I am having an outer body experience and so I am not truly affected by the violence until I read the passages in a public forum and this coupled with the reaction of the audience usually leaves me a bit shaken.

MC: In Glorious, we are introduced to yet another important theme that is present in all of your works: sisterhood. From Pearl and Sugar in your novel Sugar to Sherry & Dumpling in Nowhere is a Place, the roles of mother, daughter, & sister are very fluid. Each of these women have lost a sister or friend either by murder, rape, or worse, they are forgotten. Why is it integral to our society that our black women be remembered & remembered in a glorious light?

BM: We know that life began on the great continent of Africa. And whether you refer to the mother of humanity as “Eve” or “Lucy” – it all boils down to a Black female. If for nothing else, that fact alone should make every Black woman walk with their backs straight and heads held high because no matter where they find themselves at this particular moment in time, their beginnings were nothing less than Glorious and they should strive to return to that level of honor.

MC: What is your favorite scene from Glorious?

BM: I have so many. But since I have to choose, I must say I am particularly in love with the passage about Ota Benga as well the passage about Easter’s love affair with Getty Wisdom.

MC: What was the toughest scene to write for this novel? Why?

BM: I would have to say the lynching of Mary Turner in Valdosta, Georgia. Since Glorious is a historical novel where I seamlessly weave fact and fiction – many readers may not realize that the lynching of Mary Turner was a factual event in US history, but it is. The year was 1918. I’m glad that you have given me this opportunity to clarify somethings. I just want to take a moment to stray a bit.

When my sister, who is thirteen years younger than I am, was in college, her history class went to see the Docufilm, Amistad. When they returned to class the professor was quick to point out that the scene where the African mothers chose to throw their children over the side of the boat to drown rather than bring them to America to suffer through slavery – or whatever it was they imagined they were being transported to – came from the imagination of Hollywood and so was not historically accurate.

Can you imagine that? This is just one example of how some white educators are skewing non-fiction, so imagine what is happening in fiction.

MC: Authors Alice Walker, Terry McMillan, and Toni Morrison’s works have all been criticized for their depiction of black men. How have you been able to temper your portrayals of black men to avoid this criticism?

BM: I have been called a man hater. But I love men and black men happen to be my favorite. I like to think that i portray people in their true and realistic lights, whether they are male or female, black or white. I think fragile black men focus on     literature that does not portray black men as God-like creatures.

MC: You have some of the most devoted fans (myself included). It’s refreshing that you are very engaged with your readers both on the page and in the living world.  We say Baldwin when referring to James Baldwin. We say Butler when referring to Octavia Butler. We work to say McFadden, but Bernice shows up and she’s our homegirl, our friend, our mother. Has it been a conscious choice to connect with us in more social forums (blogs, Twitter) in order to create this familial energy between you and your readers?

BM: I am and always will be, a little, black girl from Brooklyn who loves to read and write – and so that is who you meet!

MC: Mother’s Day is near. As a mother, what is your greatest joy?

BM: My grandmother, mother and daughter. I’m all about legacies and so to be apart of four living generations of strong, black women brings me as much joy as hitting the lottery!

MC: Fill in the blank: I love my mama because________.

BM: She stayed when she had every reason and opportunity to leave. She stayed because she loved her children more than she loved herself….

MC: Thanks again for this opportunity, Ms. McFadden!

At a time when our media says that the black community has no stories beyond Hip Hop, Ms. McFadden’s Glorious is a testament to history, memory, and the abundant strength of black women. Take a peek at an excerpt from Glorious.

And don’t forget about our give-away of Bernice McFadden’s Glorious. The winner will be announced on on Friday, May 7th. Details & guidelines are posted here.

Michael L. Counter, Jr. is a Dallas South News intern. He attends Midwestern State University and is completing his Bachelor’s degree in English with a focus in media studies.

Platinum GRITS is hosting a book signing for Dr. JoAnne Cornwell on February 27, 2010, 9:00am-12:00 noon at the Bishop Arts Theatre. The Platinum GRITS (Graceful, Respectable, Intelligent, Talented Sisters) is a local social club started in 2003 that hosts monthly events.  Next Saturday they will feature Dr. Cornwell’s book That Hair Thing.

The “Hair Bandit” will  share her story of MANE freedom, views on the controversial movie Good Hair, and stories of liberation found in her Platinum selling book.  Paid entry to the event includes continental breakfast, an autographed copy of That Hair Thing, a segment on Hair Management Systems with Dr. Cornwell, Question and Answer Dialogue, Vendors and door prizes.

Dr. Cornwell is an Associate Professor of Africana Studies and French at San Diego State University. She is also a third generation entrepreneur and beauty specialist. She has researched African descended cultures worldwide, and understands how deeply hair issues relate to cultural identity.

This understanding was the driving force behind her decision to found her trademark company, Sisterlocks. Today Dr. Cornwell is an active member of the American Hairbraiders and Natural Haircare Association. She lectures widely on topics related to cultural expression in Africa and in the African Diaspora.

Sisterlocks is a trademark company founded in 1993 by Dr. JoAnne Cornwell. The Home Office is in San Diego, California, and there are trained practitioners and Certified Training Associates in over 30 other states. The company has developed an innovative approach to marketing its natural hair care system to African American women.

The company motto says it all: “Sisterlocks is not about a hairstyle, it’s about a lifestyle.” Sisterlocks invites women who are interested in self-empowerment and cultural self expression, to embrace a natural hair care system that is self-affirming and truly gorgeous.

To RSVP for the book signing and purchase tickets for this event contact Shawna Ridley (972.979.1706) at shawna.ridley@sbcglobal.net, Gretchel Johnson (972.741.8723) at gretcheljohnson@aol.com or Diane Mowoe at 214.403.5892. Visit www.platinumgrits.eventbright.com for on-line payments

When: Saturday, February 27, 2010
Time: 9:30am-12:00 noon
Location: The Bishop Arts Theater
215 South Tyler Street
Dallas, Texas 75208

Comedian, actress and talk show host Sherri Shepherd knows all about playing the fool. Before the TV roles (Friends, 30 Rock, and the new self-titled sitcom Sherri), movies (Beauty Shop, Madagascar: Escape to Africa and Precious) and her cushy position as talk show host on The View, the Chicago native spent plenty of time fumbling through life, wasting time in unfulfilling  jobs, warped relationships and well, doing a lot of dumb things in general.

Sherri Shepherd talks about why she wrote Permission Slips

It’s the impetus fueling her homespun and hilarious memoir, Permission Slips—Every Woman’s Guide to Giving Herself a Break, and in telling on herself, Ms. Shepherd makes herself all the more real and relatable as she dispenses hard-earned advice on love and living.

Sherri Shepherd

The premise is surprisingly simple: we ladies take our failings way too seriously and need to allow ourselves to fall short minus all the guilt and the drama. So, throughout the book, Ms. Shepherd’s life lessons are punctuated with squared-off ‘permission slips’ to do just that,  whether its about marriage, motherhood, friendships, your spiritual growth   or getting along with family and friends. Feeling bad because you couldn’t get that marriage to work? “If you’re divorced, write yourself a permission slip to learn lessons from your ‘starter’ marriage and apply them to your next one.”

Have you missed so many Sundays’ at the Lord’s house that you’re embarrassed to even drive past the church? “…Write yourself a permission slip to come back to God at any time. In fact, if you kneel while you scribble, you’re halfway there.” Freaking out about not passing for 25 anymore? “Write yourself a permission slip to make the age you are right now the new forty.”

But in-between the anecdotes, Ms. Shepherd serves up a fair share of heartbreak and pain, detailing what broke up her marriage:

I married a man who told me he couldn’t be monogamous…And what did I do? Thank him for dinner and leave the restaurant? No. I decided to make him monogamous

her struggle to become the last in her family to be plagued with diabetes:

So basically, if I live long enough, I will lose some of my limbs. In fact, the only way I can dodge an amputation is to get hit by a bus on the way to the surgery. And with my luck, the bus would probably run over my good foot

how Eddie Griffin assisted her career:

I approached Eddie after the show. ‘I want to try this, Can you give me any advice?’ …he encouraged me to give it a shot. ‘But what if I’m scared?’ I asked him. ‘If you’re scared, do it scared’

the life-and-death drama that faced her now 4-year-old son:

From the moment he was born, it was clear he could die at any time. There was a hole in his heart, and in his intestine. His lungs were underdeveloped. Heck, everything was underdeveloped because he was supposed to cook in my oven for four more months.

and finally, why a good-and-grown woman actually told an audience of millions that she didn’t know whether or not the earth was flat: that explanation (which is pretty plausible, considering her upbringing) starts on page 159 and ends with yes, another permission slip:

So write yourself a permission slip to say the dumbest thing in the world. ‘Cause, thanks to me, no matter what you say, it will be the second dumbest thing in the world.

Insightful and inspiring, Permission Slips is a PG-13-rated girlfriend hug in book form, would make a great stocking stuffer for the holidays and reminds the reader that the immortal Smokey Robinson “Tears of a Clown” truism plays out all too often in show biz: “Now if there’s a smile on my face, it’s only there trying to fool the public.”

Lorrie Irby Jackson is a freelance journalist who’s based in Dallas and has covered entertainment professionally for several years, writing many for The Dallas Morning News. Her e-mail address is lorrie.irby@gmail.com.

Hill Harper

DALLAS, TX – Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway and VisitBlackDallas.com are bringing author and CSI:NY actor, Hill Harper to Dallas to do several book signings for his new book, The Conversation: How Black Men and Women Can Build Loving, Trusting Relationships this October.

The Conversation hit bookshelves nationwide on September 8 and grabbed the #2 spot on the New York Times bestsellers list the first week on shelves. In his first book for adults, the NAACP award-winning, New York Times bestselling Hill Harper sparks honest dialogues about the crisis in African American relationships. (www.theconversationonline.com)

“Simply put, Black women and Black men are not communicating. And perhaps the saddest part of our lack of communication is that in many ways we are not even friends anymore, says Hill. “Get this: 70% of Black professional women are single. Smart, successful women with no suitors! What’s going on? If we don’t start addressing the issues between Black men and Black women, we will bear witness to the destruction of the Black family. I won’t stand by and be silent.”

Hill Harper is the author of the bestsellers Letters to a Young Brother which won two NAACP awards and was named a Best Book for Young Adults by the American Library Association in 2007, and New York Times bestseller Letters to a Young Sister. Hill was named Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series in 2008 and 2009 by the NAACP Image Awards for his role on CSI:NY. His numerous other credits include The Skulls, He Got Game, Lackawanna Blues and The Sopranos. He graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. from Brown University and cum laude with a J.D. from Harvard Law School. He also holds a master’s degree from Kennedy School of Government. Named one of People Magazine’s sexiest men alive, he lives in Los Angeles.

Hill Harper will make appearances for Conversations and book signings as follows:
Friday, October 9, 2009 from 8am – 9am
St. Philip’s School, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Dallas TX 75215, 214.421.5221

Friday, October 9, 2009 from 4pm – 5pm
State Fair of Texas, Chevy Live Stage, Dallas Fair Park

Saturday, October 10, 2009 from 9am – 9:45am
Henry Wade Juvenile Justice Center – Dallas County Juvenile Dept.
2600 Lone Star Drive, Dallas TX 75202, 469.693.8980

Saturday, October 10, 2009 from 10am – 11:30am
Mayor Pro Tem Caraway’s Teen Summit
Booker T. Washington HSPVA, 2501 Flora Street, Dallas TX 75201, 972.925.1200

Saturday, October 10, 2009 from 12pm – 1pm
Dallas Black Dance Theater 4th Annual DanceAfrica & African Marketplace
Dallas Arts District on Flora Street between Pearl and Harwood, 214.704.3099

Saturday, October 10, 2009 from 2p – 4pm
Dicho’s Books & More
The Shops of Willow Bend, 6121 W Park Blvd D208, Plano TX 75093 , 972.202.8581

Saturday, October 10, 2009 at 7pm
The Conversation with Hill Harper presented by VisitBlackDallas.com
Aloft Dallas Downtown, 1033 Young Street, Dallas TX 75202, 214.796.9544

Sunday, October 11, 2009 from 8am – 9am
The Reporter’s Roundtable with Cheryl Smith for breakfast
Harwood 609, 609 Harwood, Dallas TX 75201, 469.867.6004

Sunday, October 11, 2009 from 9:30am – 10:45am
Concord Church, 6808 Pastor Bailey Drive, Dallas TX 75237, 214.331.8522

Sunday, October 11, 2009 from 11am – 1:30pm
Friendship-West Baptist Church , 2020 W Wheatland Road, Dallas TX 75232, 972.228.5200

Hill Harper will be made available to all media for interviews during his visit to Dallas. For more information, please contact Winsor Barbee of The Marketing Collaborative at 214.944.5864 or by email at wbarbee@themarketingcollaborative.com.

BY:  John S. (JT) Lockett II

Photo Courtesy or EveryStockPhoto

On this day we celebrate
Each and every one of us must participate

On this day typically known for hate
So, why celebrate?

Rejoice, Praise and Elevate
We see… no man controls his on fate
If so, 2, 752 would stand on this day

Seven years and counting, still we debate
So many questions:  Who, how, for what, but…
The soul reason, we may never achieve it.

A purpose, we must believe, God knows best!

We know He puts us through tests, so,
How will we pass it to the rest?

A generation of new flesh, too young to remember
A story that needs to be finished.
Questions, never diminished…. So how will they receive it?
It depends on how you leave it, memories we must face.

But, on this day, we will embrace it
A tribute to those who did not make it
Remember, where we want to go,
They have already made it.  Life’s burdens,
They no longer face

So try not so much to understand, instead
Trust in God’s plan, because in him we can
On this day.

The 7th Annual Tulisoma South Dallas Book Fair and Arts Festival will take place Friday, August 28, through, Sunday, August 30, 2009. This family event will include panel discussions with authors from the Dallas-Fort Worth and surrounding areas.

Workshops will be held covering creative writing techniques, insight into the writing industry, as well as how to encourage children to read and enjoy learning. Poet Sonia Sanchez will host the community breakfast beginning at 8am on Saturday morning. Spiritual leaders and writers will also host workshops on personal development and healthier spirits.

Children will enjoy the Children’s Breakfast hosted by author Carole Boston Weatherford at the African American Museum. Lela Bell’s Hip Hop Dance workshop is sure to bridge the gap between yesterday’s bookworms and today’s entertainment-savvy youth. Admission is free and adequate parking is available. However, advance reservations and fees apply to special events and each such event is listed on the program.

Be warned that special events have limited seating.  That includes “Porkchops and Politics” at noon on Saturday with Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins.  Seating for this event will be limited to 50 participants, and $10 will get attendees a meal from South Dallas Cafe (event location) along with Mr. Watkins lecture.

Click here for more on Porkchops and Politics.

The Tulisoma South Dallas Book Fair and Arts Festival starts at 2pm on Friday afternoon, and will be held at the African American Museum at 3536 Grand Ave. at Fair Park, Dallas, Texas 75210.

Michael L. Counter, Jr. is a Dallas South News intern and attends Midwestern State University.  He is completing his Bachelor’s degree in English with a focus in media studies.

Edited by Shawn Williams