WE ALWAYS CELEBRATE
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- EVERY DAY!
Targeted Community Events Aim to Increase Vaccine Outreach to Communities of Color 

Photo and Story By Ashley M. Moss
Texas Metro News

A soggy day didn’t keep scores of Dallas residents from lining up to get registered Saturday for the COVID-19 vaccine at Town East Mall in Mesquite. 

At 91 and 86 years of age, respectively, Clinton and Ruby Worthy were determined to get the vaccine.

“We’ve tried to get an appointment (for the vaccine) a few times before but it hasn’t happened yet,” said Mrs. Worthy.  “We’ve been putting this off but we know of others who have passed away and at our age we know we are at risk.” 

Black Americans have been contracting and dying from the coronavirus at rates higher than other racial or ethnic groups in the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

The long-time area residents made the short trip to the mall from their home in East Dallas. Dallas County and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have partnered to prioritize vaccinating residents in hard-to-reach ZIP codes, including the one where the Worthys live, in 75228. 

While recent state-level data from the Kaiser Family Foundation showed that vaccine enthusiasm is growing, access still presents an issue, and Black Texans are getting vaccinated at consistently lower rates than whites - just seven percent of the state's vaccinations through February. 

Zip code specific outreach is just one of many strategies being employed to educate the community designed to address both vaccine hesitancy and lack of access. 

“Of equal importance is to register for the vaccine in as many places as you are willing to drive and to get your vaccine as soon as you are eligible,” said Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins. “If we do these things, we will defeat COVID and we will reach herd immunity in 2021.”

The Worthys had early reservations about taking the vaccine but knew their race and their age put them at high risk for contracting the virus. 
With no email or internet they’d had difficulty getting an appointment before, but with help from family members and volunteers at Saturday’s event, they hoped this fresh effort would pay off. 

“Our niece is going to help make sure we don’t miss the email or the appointment,” said Mrs. Worthy. “Whenever we can get it we will be there.” 
Dallas ISD COVID-19 Update
 
— For those interested in supporting Dallas ISD’s families and schools impacted by the recent winter storm, the district is accepting gift card donations via U.S. mail or by appointment. Upon receipt, the district will identify families most in need of assistance and ensure that the donations reach them in a timely manner.

Virtual groundbreaking ceremony for the new Jill Stone Elementary School 
At 10 a.m. on Monday, March 1, Dallas ISD will host a virtual groundbreaking ceremony for the new Jill Stone Elementary School at Vickery Meadows. 
The ceremony will premiere online at www.dallasisd.org/bond2015 and will also be simulcast on the district's Facebook page. 

Dallas ISD principal receives national recognition
Israel Rivera, principal of the School of Business and Management at Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Center, was recognized as the William Pulte Innovative Leader of the Year by the national organization Bilingual VIDA Bilingüe. 
The award recognizes individuals who demonstrate leadership and serve as champions at instilling bilingualism among native English-speakers and English Language Learners.

New podcast shares lessons from the Partnerships for SEL Initiative
A new podcast series from The Wallace Foundation shares findings and early lessons from a study of the Partnership for Social and Emotional Learning Initiative, which included Dallas ISD.
The five-episode series features in-depth conversations with participant districts, afterschool and out-of-school-time leaders about their experiences working together to help children develop social and emotional skills.

Dallas ISD’s elementary and middle schools to hold parent conferences next week
On Monday, March 1, and Tuesday, March 2, Dallas ISD’s elementary and middle schools, respectively, will hold their parent conferences. Parents should contact their campuses for details on the schedules. 
The Chair's Corner
News and Updates from Chair Carol Donovan

Upcoming Events:

March 14, 2021: Roast of Senator Royce West (virtual)

March 2021 (TBA): DCDP Tillotson Speaker Series (virtual)

April 2021 (TBA): Randy Rainbow Concert (virtual)

May 2021 (TBA): First Annual DCDP Golf Tournament

June 2021 (TBA): 2021 Johnson-Jordan Event

What a Difference a President Makes

Donald J. Trump had four years to mess things up. It will take awhile for President Joe Biden to clean up the mess. To Biden’s credit, he has jumped in with both feet and is restoring sanity to America. At the same time, he is pursuing the priorities his promised, including making Americans safe from COVID-19.
 
Vaccinations:
During the ten months of the pandemic during the Trump administration, 32 million Americans were vaccinated. In the one month since Biden was inaugurated, 50 million Americans have already been vaccinated. Biden’s goal is to administer 100 million shots in his first 100 days. Medical experts believe, at the current rate, this goal will be met or even surpassed.

Executive Orders:
In Biden’s first month as president, he executed 34 executive orders. Almost all of these orders reversed policies of Trump and headed the country in the direction Biden had promised Americans. Biden explained that he was simply returning things to a pre-Trump status quo to undo "the damage [that] has been done by so many executive orders of the previous administration."

read more at www.dallasdemocrats.org
​Terrence G. Hunt Scholarship
Terrance Hunt was a former president of the DFW FAMU Alumni Association. He loved FAMU and worked tirelessly for tomorrow's FAMUans by dedicating his time, talents, and finances. Terrance always went above and beyond what was ever expected. We honor his memory and service through the Terrance G. Hunt Scholarship. The purpose of the scholarship is to assist current and incoming students from the DFW area with their financial obligations during their matriculation at Florida A&M.
Scholarship Eligibility Criteria
  • Metro Dallas-Fort Worth high school senior (enrolling at FAMU for the fall semester) OR ​current FAMU student who is a resident of the Dallas-Fort Worth area 
  • Minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale 
  • Completed scholarship application packet
Scholarship applications must be received by 11:59 pm CT on Friday, April 2, 2021.
FAMU Scholarships
To be considered for a scholarship from the University for the 2021-2022 scholarship year, all candidates must be fully admitted to Florida A&M University by November 1, 2021.
Join the Prairie View Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. for its Virtual Founders Day Observance, Saturday, March 6, 2021 at 1:00 PM. Guest speaker will be Dr. Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, Founder & CEO of Global Policy Solutions. This year's theme is "The Limitless Woman...Unbound, Unbroken & Unbothered since 1913"
BIG MAMA KNEW BEST:
KEEP YOUR FRIENDS CLOSE and YOUR ENEMIES CLOSER

 

By Terry Allen
The Black Card

Big Mama said, “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.” Raise your hand if you have heard of “Big Mama-ism!”
I have said this before in my youth and it was hard to embrace because my rites of passage had not progressed enough for that to make sense. It did make sense to keep your enemies close, so you did not have to go very far to take them down! 
My grandmother grew up in a time when cultural self-hatred saturated her community at a very high level. She had a reason to practice this wisdom.
I finally learned that Big Mama did not want me to use that lesson as an act of payback but as an act of prevention. I came to discover that she meant something altogether different.
It is standard practice for everyone to be aware of what their friends are up to but almost everybody tends to ignore what their enemies are doing. 
This wisdom is an advisory for people, especially who have different views: stay alert of the views of those who oppose them to ensure that they are not doing anything to stop your path. This practice helps everyone overcome any strategy (weapon) planned (formed) against them. 
You get this now?
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PLEASE DONATE!

The American Red Cross and other blood banks advise that the pandemic “continues to cause disruptions in blood collections and unprecedented fluctuations in the supply and demand for blood products.” It is especially dire for blood from African American donors – which is best match opportunity for Sickle Cell patients.
If you are able to – please donate blood. Anyone can find the nearest Red Cross blood drive by visiting:www.redcrossblood.org . Special incentives for all donors – everyone receives a free COVID-19 antibodies test and, those who give in February, will also receive a free $5 Amazon.com gift card.
6 Ways to Prepare for the COVID-19 Vaccine
by Providertech | 

The United States faces an unprecedented and complex challenge in its effort to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine to millions of Americans. Although the initial distribution of the vaccine will be completed in phases to ensure frontline healthcare professionals and high-risk patients receive it before the general population, the planning, resources and logistics necessary for such an extensive operation will be challenging.
Hospitals, health systems, physician practices and pharmacies are eagerly anticipating the arrival of the COVID-19 vaccines and will likely have little advance notice before they receive it. Proactively planning for detailed efforts surrounding storing, tracking and administering doses is essential. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of six ways you can be properly prepared to ensure distribution, education and safety to patients.
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PARKLAND Advisory
How do I apply for Parkland Health Insurance?
Where do I apply?
  1. Online at www.healthcare.gov.
  2. By mail.
  3. By phone: 1-800-318-2596 | TTY: 1-855-889-4325.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
TO YOU!
February 28




BLACK HISTORY FACT: Michael Jackson' wins eight Grammy Award on 2/28/84 for his album, Thriller

Stay tuned for an update on this case!

JEFFERY "POOKIE" WHEAT
He's behind bars. They have linked his DNA to rapes in Texas. Over 10 years ago, a deviant terrorized members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Police believe this is the rapist.
WE KNOW YOU have questions about COVID AND YOU SHOULD!
Texas Metro News will get the answers!
Email us at [email protected]


FEMA is in Dallas for the next few weeks to vaccinate up to 21,000 residents a day.
FEMA is making it a priority to vaccinate persons at least 55-years-old with or without underlying health conditions as well as those in the 1A and 1B populations. Zip codes listed above have priority vaccination over anyone else and citizenship is not required.
To receive the vaccine you have to be registered, meet the criteria listed above and you will be prioritized and called within three days.
To register call 1-855-466-8639 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. any day of the week or visit dallascountycovid.org anytime if you have access to internet.

Hospital capacity in Dallas on Feb. 25, 2021
DALLAS — Twenty-five hospitals on Thursday reported ventilator and bed capacity numbers to Mayor Eric Johnson's office.
Dallas hospitals are required to report the information pursuant to the City of Dallas emergency regulations enacted by Mayor Johnson during the local state of disaster. The reporting requirements are meant to provide data to decision-makers and information to the public regarding the medical community's capacity to handle COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.
Here are the aggregate capacity totals for Thursday, as reported by the 25 hospitals:
  • Total beds: 6,008
  • Beds occupied: 4,861
  • Total ICU beds: 931
  • ICU beds occupied: 754
  • Total ventilators: 1,065
  • Ventilators in use: 415
Please note that the numbers represent a point-in-time snapshot and might fluctuate throughout the day. Hospitals also may be able to expand bed capacity if necessary.
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