Wednesday News

Some sad news today is the recent passing of Sister Della Reese. She was 86 years old and she was born in Detroit. Her life has been a life of not only acting. She was a pastor and a great spiritual woman too. She sang music as diverse from gospel to pop. She lived a long life and she stood up not only with confidence, but with a giving spirit to help others too. Della Reese was heavily involved in many movies and TV shows like Touched by an Angel from CBS. I remember that show when I was a kid and when I was a young adult. Her role in that show was definitely a reflection of her advocacy of compassion in real life. Mahalia Jackson helped her singing career. Della Reese had her own talk show back in 1969. Della Reese spoke out for advocacy of diabetes awareness. She transitioned on November 19, 2017 in her home in California. She was an amazing singer. Now, she continues to belong to the ages. Della Reese had many children and many grandchildren. She was an African American black woman whose legacy is always here and whose memories will never be forgotten.
Rest in Power Sister Della Reese.


Black is Beautiful is not only a glorious, true statement. It's a precept that advances an excellent way of life. For long years, racists and evil extremists have endorsed the degradation of the gorgeous black African phenotype via disgraceful minstrel shows, outright lying, racist films, lynchings, discrimination, racism, and other atrocities. That is why heroic black social activists stood up to defend the beauty of Blackness and to champion the human rights of black people in general. John Rock (he was an abolitionist, a teacher, a lawyer, a dentist, and a doctor), during the 19th century, proclaimed the truth that black is a glorious or pulchritudinous color. A lot of human beings have shown Afros, wrote about African history eloquently (John Hope Franklin, John Henrik Clarke, Bettye Collier-Thomas, Delilah L. Beasley, etc.), and wore African-style clothing as a means for them to show a great appreciation for their own Blackness. Not to mention that when we love our black melanin, we aren't promoting selfish arrogance or unfair hatred against other people. We reject unwarranted intolerance. Those, among every color, should be treated with dignity and with respect.

Instead, we are respecting our beautiful black identity. Subsequently, we are being inspired to continue in our greatness. That is the truth. Our melanin is our gift and we will continue to advance the creed that justice is meant for all indisputably. This journey for real freedom is not easy. Yet, we pursue these goals with earnest not because they are easy. We are in this journey for freedom, because it is quintessentially the right thing to do. When we treat our neighbors as our ourselves and when we honor our melanin, blessings thrive. For thousands of years, black people internationally have been inventors, scholars, teachers, lawyers, politicians, social activists, clergymen, clergywomen, judges, doctors, nurses, athletes, actors, actresses, hosts, artists, scientists, engineers, and other contributors to human civilization. Our glory is real and our Black is Always Beautiful.

Yesterday was the Birthday of Brother Ken Griffey Jr. He is now 48 years old. He is one of the greatest baseball players in history. He was born in Donora, Pennsylvania. As a young child, he moved into Cincinnati, Ohio. His father, Ken Griffey Sr., played for the Cincinnati Reds too. He attended Archbishop Moeller High School in Cincinnati (the same high school as his future teammate Barry Larkin), where he was the U.S high school baseball player of the year in 1987. He played Minor League Baseball and later Major League Baseball. He is well known to have played for the Seattle Mariners. From 1990 to 1999 (or 10 straight years), he won the Golden Gloves, which is an incredible record. In 1990 and 1991, Griffey and his father became the first son and father to play on the same team at the same time. In his father's first game as a Mariner, on August 31, 1990, the pair hit back-to-back singles in the first inning and both scored. In 1997, Griffey led the Mariners to the AL West crown and captured the American League Most Valuable Player Award, hitting .304, with 56 home runs and 147 RBIs. He payed tribute to another great baseball player Jackie Robinson. He has made a great impact in the great sport of baseball. Also, he has a great wife and great children. He loves his family. He was the one man who lifted the MLB into another level in appealing to the younger generation. He hit over 600 home runs. He's a legend. I wish Brother Ken Griffey Jr. more blessings.

Days ago was the Birthday of Sister Dominique Margaux Dawes-Thompson. She is 41 years old. Great excellence is a part of her life. She was a superb gymnast and she is a life long advocate of fitness too. Her great love of helping others and her personality are very wholesome plus charismatic. She was a 10 year member of the U.S. gymnastic team. She was born in Silver Spring, Maryland, which is next to Washington, D.C. Since she was six years old, she started to participate in the sport of gymnastics. Three times are how many times that she participated in the Olympics. She was in the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, and the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. She and her team won bronze back in 1992. She and Betty Okino were among the first African Americans to win a medal in the Olympics (involving gymnastics) back in 1992. In 1996, her team has won gold. Another first (in 1996), she became the first black woman of any nationality to win an Olympic gold medal in gymnastics (which is a sport that requires athleticism, improvisation, balance, speed, and focus). By 2002, she graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park. She also worked hard to promote self-esteem among girls and was in Broadway's "Grease." In June 2010, President Obama appointed Dawes to be co-chair of the newly renamed President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition, along with New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees. Human beings like Simone Biles and Gabby Douglas are inspired by her. Her pristine coordination, her talent, her overcoming many obstacles, and her insights have propelled the sport of gymnastics into new heights. Dominique Margaux Dawes-Thompson exemplifies excellence in her accomplishments and great passion for altruism prodigiously. She is a mother too.
I wish Sister Dominique Margaux Dawes-Thompson more blessings.

By Timothy