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COMMENTARY: My Truth — Celebrating Women

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Cheryl Wattley is the superstar, the person who scores high in all areas. Smart, intuitive, well-prepared, and fearless in her conviction and purpose. For those attorneys who have been in the courtroom with her, they know they have a more than formidable opponent.

Published

6 years ago

April 13, 2019

Oakland Post

By Cheryl Smith, Publisher, Texas Metro News

Have you ever met someone you thought was brilliant? This person’s brilliance is so alluring and fascinating that you can’t help but think that some of the brilliance is rubbing off on you the more you are in that person’s presence.

Over the years, I have met so many who I have said that I know their IQ is considerably higher than mine. And that’s okay. There are probably those who say it doesn’t take much to have a higher IQ than I, and that’s okay too.

There’s something to be said about those who have scored high on standardized tests, but also score high on life’s tests. There are the ones who have book sense, common sense and street sense, as opposed to those who have no damned sense! Which brings me to my truth: Cheryl Wattley is the superstar, the person who scores high in all areas. Smart, intuitive, well-prepared, and fearless in her conviction and purpose. For those attorneys who have been in the courtroom with her, they know they have a more than formidable opponent.

She is bad! I have sat in the courtroom and said a silent prayer that she was on my side because I really felt as though she would have annihilated me!

Cheryl also has a kind heart. There’s nothing phony or pretentious about her. She stands on her own truth and any decision she makes. She’s strong and bad enough to back it up.

Her unwavering support of the causes she champions is commendable. And she isn’t loud and boisterous about her brilliance, so if you think about stepping to her and you don’t think twice and back it up and reverse it. Well then, I feel for your jugular!

You know you are on a solid foundation when she backs you. And I think she’s rich too!

Currently, Cheryl is the Professor of Law and Director of Experiential Education at the University of North Texas at Dallas College of Law. Previously she taught at the University Of Oklahoma College Of Law. I hope UNT realizes what they have in Cheryl.

I have met several of her students and they love and respect her. They seem to realize that they have not only a great teacher, but a great legal mind right at their fingertips.

We have some great men and women sitting on judicial benches currently, but those with real insight know that Cheryl Wattley should have been sitting on a federal bench decades ago. Just reflecting on the shenanigans that deprived her and to think about some of the people getting lifetime appointments under the country’s current leadership makes me want to puke.

Cheryl is really proud of her students and seeks every opportunity to share resources to help them become better lawyers. She’s the type of professor who brings pride to the profession and passion, preparation and wisdom into the classrooms. Her students are the beneficiaries of a no-nonsense approach to understanding a system that has definitely had its challenges and has definitely been used to benefit the rich and privileged while causing irreparable damage to the downtrodden and unfortunate.

Having Cheryl in your corner, in your classroom, on your side, or in the courtroom, kinda balances the scales of justice because she knows justice is not blind and that just as there are people doing an exceptional job in the legal field, some are not. She knows there are also those who don’t know what they are doing which makes them just as bad, if not worse, than the ones who do illegal or unethical acts under the guise of justice.

Cheryl is actually a part of “Team Cheryl,” a group of ladies, all named Cheryl, living in Dallas and making things happen. The name “Cheryl” never made the top 10 list of names for girls, but I know some very special women named, Cheryl.

She’s also the author of “A Step Toward Brown v. Board of Education: Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher and Her Fight to End Segregation,” winner of the 2015 Oklahoma Book Award, Nonfiction category.

A cum laude graduate of Smith College, with high honors in Sociology, Cheryl received her Juris Doctorate degree from Boston University College of Law, where she was a Martin Luther King, Jr. fellow and recipient of the Community Service Award. She also served as a summer intern for the General Counsel’s Office of the NAACP.

I could go on and on about her numerous honors. This mother and grandmother has a rich legacy. She has done so much for so many and her life’s worth celebrating.

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Black Feminist Movement Mobilizes in Response to National Threats

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — More than 500 Black feminists will convene in New Orleans from June 5 through 7 for what organizers are calling the largest Black feminist gathering in the United States.

Published

1 week ago

May 30, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

More than 500 Black feminists will convene in New Orleans from June 5 through 7 for what organizers are calling the largest Black feminist gathering in the United States. The event, led by the organization Black Feminist Future, is headlined by activist and scholar Angela Y. Davis. Paris Hatcher, executive director of Black Feminist Future, joined Black Press USA’s Let It Be Known to outline the mission and urgency behind the gathering, titled “Get Free.” “This is not just a conference to dress up and have a good time,” Hatcher said. “We’re building power to address the conditions that are putting our lives at risk—whether that’s policing, reproductive injustice, or economic inequality.” Hatcher pointed to issues such as rising evictions among Black families, the rollback of bodily autonomy laws, and the high cost of living as key drivers of the event’s agenda. “Our communities are facing premature death,” she said.

Workshops and plenaries will focus on direct action, policy advocacy, and practical organizing skills. Attendees will participate in training sessions that include how to resist evictions, organize around immigration enforcement, and disrupt systemic policies contributing to poverty and incarceration. “This is about fighting back,” Hatcher said. “We’re not conceding anything.” Hatcher addressed the persistent misconceptions about Black feminism, including the idea that it is a movement against men or families. “Black feminism is not a rejection of men,” she said. “It’s a rejection of patriarchy. Black men must be part of this struggle because patriarchy harms them too.” She also responded to claims that organizing around Black women’s issues weakens broader coalitions. “We don’t live single-issue lives,” Hatcher said. “Our blueprint is one that lifts all Black people.”

The conference will not be streamed virtually, but recaps and updates will be posted daily on Black Feminist Future’s YouTube channel and Instagram account. The event includes performances by Tank and the Bangas and honors longtime activists including Billy Avery, Erica Huggins, and Alexis Pauline Gumbs. When asked how Black feminism helps families, Hatcher said the real threat to family stability is systemic oppression. “If we want to talk about strong Black families, we have to talk about mass incarceration, the income gap, and the systems that tear our families apart,” Hatcher said. “Black feminism gives us the tools to build and sustain healthy families—not just survive but thrive.”

Stacy M. Brown

Posts by Stacy M. Brown

#NNPA BlackPress

Hoover’s Commutation Divides Chicago as State Sentence Remains

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Hoover was convicted of murder and running a criminal enterprise. Although some supporters describe him as a political prisoner, the legal and public safety concerns associated with his name remain substantial.

Published

1 week ago

May 29, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

The federal sentence for Gangster Disciples founder Larry Hoover has been commuted, but he remains incarcerated under a 200-year state sentence in Illinois. The decision by Donald Trump to reduce Hoover’s federal time has reignited longstanding debates over his legacy and whether rehabilitation or continued punishment is warranted. The commutation drew immediate public attention after music executive Jay Prince and artist Chance the Rapper publicly praised Trump’s decision. “I’m glad that Larry Hoover is home,” said Chance the Rapper. “He was a political prisoner set up by the federal government. He created Chicago Votes, mobilized our people, and was targeted for that.”

But Hoover, the founder of the Gangster Disciples, is not home—not yet. Now in federal custody at the Florence Supermax in Colorado, Hoover was convicted of murder and running a criminal enterprise. Although some supporters describe him as a political prisoner, the legal and public safety concerns associated with his name remain substantial. “There is a divide in the Black community here,” said Chicago journalist Jason Palmer during an appearance on the Let It Be Known morning program. “Some view Hoover as someone who brought structure and leadership. Others remember the violence that came with his organization.” Palmer explained that while Hoover’s gang originally formed for protection, it grew into a criminal network responsible for extensive harm in Chicago. He also noted that Hoover continued to run his organization from state prison using coded messages passed through visitors, prompting his transfer to federal custody.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who is widely considered a potential 2028 presidential contender, has not issued a statement. Palmer suggested that silence is strategic. “Releasing Hoover would create enormous political consequences,” Palmer said. “The governor’s in a difficult spot—he either resists pressure from supporters or risks national backlash if he acts.” According to Palmer, Hoover’s federal commutation does not make him a free man. “The federal sentence may be commuted, but he still has a 200-year state sentence,” he said. “And Illinois officials have already made it clear they don’t want to house him in state facilities again. They prefer he remains in federal custody, just somewhere outside of Colorado.”

Palmer also raised concerns about what Hoover’s case could signal for others. “When R. Kelly was convicted federally, state prosecutors in Illinois and Minnesota dropped their charges. If a president can commute federal sentences based on public pressure or celebrity support, others like R. Kelly or Sean Combs could be next,” Palmer said. “Meanwhile, there are thousands of incarcerated people without fame or access to public platforms who will never get that consideration.” “There are people who are not here today because of the violence connected to these organizations,” Palmer said. “That has to be part of this conversation.”

Stacy M. Brown

Posts by Stacy M. Brown

#NNPA BlackPress

WATCH: Five Years After George Floyd: Full Panel Discussion | Tracey’s Keepin’ It Real | Live Podcast Event

Join us as we return to the city where it happened and speak with a voice from the heart of the community – Tracey Williams-Dillard, CEO/Publisher of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.

Published

1 week ago

May 28, 2025

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https://youtube.com/watch?v=OsNLWTz6jU0&feature=oembed

May 25, 2020. The world stopped and watched as a life was taken.

But what has happened since?

Join us as we return to the city where it happened and speak with a voice from the heart of the community – Tracey Williams-Dillard, CEO/Publisher of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.

She shares reflections, insights, and the story of a community forever changed. What has a year truly meant, and where do we go from here?

This is more than just a date; it’s a moment in history. See what one leader in the Black press has to say about it.

Recorded live at UROC in Minneapolis, this powerful discussion features:

Panelists: