Dallas, TX

Dallas high schoolers question gubernatorial candidates on immigration, economy and more

Published

2 years ago

May 17, 2022

Dallas high schoolers question gubernatorial candidates on immigration, economy and more

Dallas excessive schoolers Aaron Thompson and Rosa Gutierrez needed the work they have been doing with the Pupil Voter Empowerment Coalition at Yvonne Ewell Townview Middle to be extra significant to the broader scholar physique.

Whereas the membership was centered on exploring coverage factors, its leaders needed to do one thing with a broader scope that may have interaction coming-of-age voters to take motion and head to the poll.

“I really feel prefer it’s actually vital in our society, particularly as youth since we’re the upcoming technology,” Thompson stated.

On Tuesday, that brainstorming got here to fruition.

With the assistance of fellow voter empowerment golf equipment, the student-led, nonpartisan group held a gubernatorial discussion board in Skyline’s auditorium, that includes two of the candidates on November’s poll: Libertarian Mark Tippetts and Democrat Beto O’Rourke.

Gubernatorial candidate Mark Tippetts speaks throughout a student-led gubernatorial discussion board at Skyline Excessive Faculty in Dallas, on Tuesday, Could 17, 2022. The scholars at proper behind candidate Tippetts are Skyline Excessive Faculty juniors Aaron Thompson, left, and Rosa Gutierrez. (Ben Torres / Particular Contributor)

Gov. Greg Abbott didn’t take part, as an alternative holding a enterprise roundtable in Richland Hills.

The candidates every took half in a 45-minute Q&A session in entrance of 500 highschool upperclassmen, answering student-created questions on a variety of points together with: reproductive rights, gender pay gaps, carbon emissions, ERCOT, sanctuary cities, DACA, educating race and racism in colleges, trainer pay, workforce coaching and gerrymandering.

“The truth that they’re prepared to guide is spectacular, but additionally vital,” O’Rourke stated after the occasion. “I can’t consider a serious second in American historical past the place younger individuals weren’t on the vanguard.”

The occasion got here almost a yr after lawmakers in Texas handed laws that restricted how educators might focus on present occasions on campuses and civics classes.

However SVEC is a student-led program that shaped from a wider initiative began by the Dallas-based nonprofit March to the Polls, whose mission is to extend voter participation, notably in traditionally underrepresented teams, like individuals of shade, those that are low-income and the younger.

“These are student-led golf equipment,” pressured Richard Marcus, March to the Polls founder. “They decide their very own actions. They decide every part that’s there. They usually’re completely nonpartisan. They could every have their very own views on numerous political occasions or actions, however the golf equipment themselves are nonpartisan.”

March to the Polls leaders say that their push to get younger voters concerned is a key cog in turning round Dallas’ sometimes woeful voter turnout, ranked as one of many nation’s worst amongst massive cities because it pertains to municipal elections.

The group can be the official voting registrar for a handful of North Texas college districts, together with Dallas, Garland and Richardson.

“Every time the scholars truly understand that they’ve the ability to make these big paradigm shifts, they turn into energized and engaged,” stated Desiree Rios, March to the Polls’ SVEC director.

Thompson — the membership’s president — stated that voting, politics and civics have been at all times pressured in his household. However he needed to be extra energetic after studying about gerrymandering and the way some communities have their voices minimized by means of that course of.

“I’ve to make use of my voice with a view to assist different individuals, with a view to make a change, with a view to empower and encourage others that your vote issues, your voice counts,” he stated. “As an African American male, I really feel prefer it’s vital for my voice to be heard — as a result of in so many different situations and circumstances, we might really feel like we’re being silenced.”

Thompson and Gutierrez served as moderators for the gubernatorial discussion board. Each stated the push for voter engagement is rooted in one thing private.

Coming from a household of immigrants, Gutierrez — the membership’s outreach coordinator — stated “politics has at all times impacted my life, very closely and really immediately.” And as a younger lady, the looming battle over reproductive rights within the state “drove me to turn into extra concerned,” she added.

Sometimes, SVEC golf equipment democratically determine what areas of curiosity to dive into; for Townview, college students chosen local weather change and gender equality. Over the course of the yr, college students developed coverage briefs on these points.

However the membership’s management needed one thing for a broader viewers. For inspiration, they checked out a mayoral discussion board held by a sister SVEC membership in Fort Price.

Whereas securing the candidates for Texas governor was the preliminary concern, essentially the most nerve-racking course of, Thompson admitted, was drafting the dozen or so questions used for the discussion board.

Townview’s membership reached out to SVEC teams throughout the district, asking fellow college students for options. From there, the membership labored with sponsors and lecturers to hone them.

“We needed to discover a option to form of pull out a deeper reply,” Thompson stated. “So we did plenty of analysis, [looked at] plenty of statistics, plenty of fact-based, data-driven questions.”

Johnetta Taylor, the Townview membership’s sponsor, stated the monthslong means of drafting questions was revelatory for the scholars. As a historical past trainer, she needed them to deal with the bigger context of what’s taking place in Texas and across the candidates.

“Watching them undergo the questions, and watching them must construct them up, they’re extra conscious of what’s occurring on the earth,” Taylor stated. “Not simply ‘Oh, I’m frightened in regards to the surroundings,’ however particularly why they’ve considerations.”

Earlier than he left to take selfies with college students within the lobby, O’Rourke stated backstage that typical knowledge tells politicians to avoid wasting their time and sources; don’t participate in occasions just like the discussion board as a result of younger individuals don’t vote.

“However I do know younger individuals will vote,” he stated. “You’ve bought to indicate up and hear and study from them.”

The DMN Schooling Lab deepens the protection and dialog about pressing training points vital to the way forward for North Texas.

The DMN Schooling Lab is a community-funded journalism initiative, with help from The Beck Group, Bobby and Lottye Lyle, Communities Basis of Texas, The Dallas Basis, Dallas Regional Chamber, Deedie Rose, Garrett and Cecilia Boone, The Meadows Basis, Options Journalism Community, Southern Methodist College, Todd A. Williams Household Basis and the College of Texas at Dallas. The Dallas Morning Information retains full editorial management of the Schooling Lab’s journalism.

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Dallas, TX

Dallas Mavericks Exploring Ways To Sign Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson

Published

7 hours ago

June 28, 2024

Press Room

Dallas Mavericks Exploring Ways To Sign Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson

The Dallas Mavericks are looking to make a splash to their starting lineup after making a run to the NBA Finals. They may have lost in five games to the Boston Celtics but they’re still one of the NBA’s best teams and need to make some changes around Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving to get over the hump.

One option the Mavericks are looking into is Klay Thompson, who has spent his entire career with the Golden State Warriors up to this point. Per Marc Stein “League sources tell The Stein Line that the Dallas Mavericks, with some newfound financial flexibility after securing the Tim Hardaway Jr.-to-Detroit trade that I wrote about Tuesday, are another team intent on exploring the feasibility of signing Thompson once he makes it to free agency.”

READ MORE: Mavericks Trade Tim Hardaway Jr. to Pistons in Exchange for Quentin Grimes

Thompson does not have an offer on the table to return to Golden State as of Friday morning and will explore his options in the open market. He’s not the same player he was in the prime of Golden State’s dynasty at the end of the 2010s after an ACL and Achilles tear, but he still averaged 17.9 PPG while shooting 38.7% from 3 this season. For a Mavericks team looking for a third scoring option and an elite shooter, Thompson could fit alongside Doncic and Irving seamlessly. He’s still a positive defensively, even if he’s not as quick laterally as he used to be.

The Warriors may be more willing to facilitate a sign-and-trade as well, as they’re still looking to get back into contention as long as they have Stephen Curry playing at an elite level. Dallas sits just under $15 million below the first tax apron, but they’re likely to use the majority of that to re-sign Derrick Jones Jr. Thompson is likely looking for a 2 or 3-year contract as he enters the latter stages of his career.

Dallas could dangle Josh Green, Maxi Kleber, and trade exceptions to equal around $32.6 million in salary if the option opens up for a quality trade. The remaining trade exception from the Richaun Holmes trade at last year’s draft expires July 8th and it’d be best for a contending team to not let any asset expire.

Other reports have shown that the Mavericks are interested in Denver’s Kentavious Caldwell-Pope but that Denver would be unlikely to help facilitate a sign-and-trade with another contending Western Conference team. Thompson, at 34 years old, is a better player than Caldwell-Pope but his value may be similar given his age.

Teams can start openly negotiating with free agents on June 30th, which is just two days away. There is a good chance the Mavericks reach an extension with Derrick Jones Jr. before then so they know exactly how much they can operate with in this year’s free agency.

READ MORE: NBA Free Agency Rumors: Dallas Mavericks Interested In Two-Time Champion Guard

Stick with MavericksGameday for more FREE coverage of the Dallas Mavericks throughout the NBA Offseason

Follow MavericksGameday on Twitter and Austin Veazey on Twitter

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Dallas, TX

Afiya Center to host 11th annual HIV testing event in Dallas

Published

14 hours ago

June 28, 2024

Press Room

Afiya Center to host 11th annual HIV testing event in Dallas

The Afiya Center, Texas’s only Black-led and Black women-centered reproductive justice organization, is hosting its 11th annual Get Tested, Grab A Bite! HIV testing event in Dallas this weekend.

The Afiya Center works to advocate, educate, and provide resources to empower Black women in Texas living with AIDS.

In 2021, the Dallas County saw a 30% increase in HIV cases among men and a 6.5% increase among women. In its newly released State of Black Womxn in Texas Report, the Afiya Center found that in 2021, young Black women accounted for 51% of new diagnoses among women under the age of 25, but sex education and disease prevention programs in the state rarely address community needs.

“Texas is known to be like a resource rich kind of state, right?” Afiya Center founder Marsha Jones said. “But those resources don’t meet the people who need them the most.”

Jones started the free testing event to bring attention to the lack of resources, as well as normalize HIV testing for women.

“We wanted to make this a day that wouldn’t just be focused on HIV testing, but it would really have a sense of community,” Jones said.

Attendees who want to get tested will be able to get a full STI screening free of charge. Dallas County Health and Human Services will provide[NF1] mobile testing sites to help the organization collect data and build more resources in areas that need them.

“It helps us to build out our program,” Jones said. “It helps us to shape narratives around the importance of getting tested.”

People who choose not to get tested can still enjoy the free event filled with free food and live DJs. Jones has urged vendors not to sell anything to avoid discouraging people from attending an event that is based around finding a safe space.

“This is literally a day to enjoy life and have a good time and get some updated information about your sexual health,” Jones said.

The Get Tested, Grab a Bite! event is on Saturday, June 29, from 3-7 p.m. in Glendale Park.

Zara Amaechi is KERA’s Marjorie Welch Fitts Louis fellow covering race and social justice. Got a tip? Email Zara at zamaechi@kera.org. You can follow her on X @amaechizara.

KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, consider making a tax-deductible gift today. Thank you.

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Dallas, TX

BY THE NUMBERS | FC Cincinnati at FC Dallas | FC Cincinnati

Published

21 hours ago

June 27, 2024

Press Room

BY THE NUMBERS | FC Cincinnati at FC Dallas | FC Cincinnati

After a prolonged absence from match play, FC Cincinnati will return to action Saturday night in a cross-conference visit with FC Dallas at Toyota Field. Kickoff is set for 8:30 p.m. ET. Fans can watch the game on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV and listen locally on ESPN 1530.

With The Orange and Blue deep in the heart of Texas, let’s break down this matchup with some key numbers to consider, presented by CTI.

Luciano Acosta has been the most impactful player in MLS dating back to the start of the 2023 season without a doubt. Since the start of the 2023 season, a year in which he won the MLS MVP, Acosta has had the most games with 2 or more goals+assists with 16 this season. Acosta, who also has 15 assists this season which leads MLS, also leads the league in games with 1+ goals and 1+ assists with 12, five more than the second place Lionel Messi of Inter Miami CF.

Pavel Bucha leads all midfielders with 17 balls won this season, which also stands fourth most in the league when factoring in all positions. Two of the three players above him on the full rankings, though, are his teammates, Miles Robinson and Matt Miazga, with 25 and 24, respectively. Right behind the Czech midfielder as well is teammate Obinna Nwobodow with 16 balls won in a tie for fifth place.

The newcomer to Cincinnati has been a force in the midfield as, on top of his importance in the midfield, Bucha is second on the roster behind only Luciano Acosta with 5 assists this season.

No active FC Cincinnati players have scored a goal against FC Dallas, but not for good reason. The last time FCC played Dallas was in 2019 on a trip to Toyota Stadium, where The Orange and Blue fell 3-1, with Emmanuel Ladesma scoring the lone goal.

With Yamil Asad’s headed goal last Saturday night, FC Cincinnati has now had 10 first-time goal scorers for the club this season, the second most since the club joined MLS in 2019 and the 13 debut goal scorers that season. Asad joins Malik Pinto, Alvas Powell, Isaiah Foster, Dado Valenzuela, Miles Robinson, Luca Orellano, Corey Baird, Kevin Kelsy and Pavel Bucha.

FC Cincinnati has been one of the best road teams this season in MLS, providing dominant performances on offense and defense when playing away from TQL Stadium. With 15.32 xG, third most in the league and 19 goals, also the most road goals in the league, the offense has clicked when it’s needed to to secure a 7-1-1 record on the road. On defense FCC has conceded just 12 times away from home and allowed 14.98 opponent xG, fifth most in the league on both fronts.

What matters most, though, is FCC has tallied a league-high 22 points away from home, putting The Orange and Blue already on pace for one of the best seasons away from home in MLS history. With the record road pace being set by LA Galaxy in 1998 (pre-draw era) at 35 road points, eight more road points would give FCC a tie for the top ten with 30.

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