Around the State

The Dallas Examiner

DALLAS

The inaugural Juneteenth Economic Forum and Marketplace Expo, presented by the Zan Wesley Holmes Jr. Community Outreach Center, will be held June 16 and June 17. The faith-based collaborative was developed to focus on entrepreneurship, specifically in the food/food service and beauty products/services industries. It will be held at Billy Earl Dade Middle School, located at 2727 Al Lipscomb Way.

“Our goal is to engage emerging community developers who will recreate their neighborhoods, and to educate collaborates on how to leverage economic resources,” said Frances Smith-Dean, executive director of ZWHJCOC.

Presenters include representatives from BOK Financial, Bonton Farms, Cafe Momentum, Comerica Bank, Cornerstone Baptist Church, Dallas Area Interfaith, Harmony CDC Counseling Center, Highland Hills UMC, Innercity CDC, Oasis Center, State Fair of Texas and UNT – Dallas.

For more information or registration, visit http://www.zwhjcoc.org.

DALLAS

Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson hosted the Annual Youth Crime Prevention Summit at the Juanita J. Craft Recreation Center. The summit brought together students from vulnerable and underserved populations in Dallas and local members of law enforcement, county judges and community/business leaders.

Youth-related crimes increase during the summer. This spike is often attributed to a lack of constructive outlets summer activities or programs for vulnerable youth. Theme, “R.E.S.P.E.C.T. to Stay Safe, Survive, and Thrive” the summit’s discussion focused on crime deterrents, dispute resolution tactics, community programs and constructive activities students can participate in throughout the summer months.

Due to legislative obligations, Johnson’s greeting was viewed on a prerecorded video. In her remarks, she emphasized the importance of making positive choices.

“Today is all about cultivating your leadership skills, surrounding you with the right people, and helping you to avoid situations that might lead you down the wrong path,” she said. “And believe me, there are many situations you will find yourselves in life where the opportunity to make the wrong choice is easy.

“Opportunity is constantly knocking at our door. It is up to you whether to open that door and walk through the threshold to achieve your full potential. That means making the right decisions and it all begins with your choice. My hope is that you will leave here today with a better understanding of how to surround yourselves with the right people, how to equip yourselves with the right tools to make sound decisions, and how to channel your energy to do good for your community.”

The program concluded with a Q&A session from students to the panelists.