Welcome to Stay Woke! Your Dallas Weekly Newsletter for Monday, June 30, 2025!
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No rhyme for today, because SCOTUS is seriously jumping off the deep end for ideology and it needs to be said plainly. Ruling that parents can “opt out” their kids from classes that use books with gay characters is a hop, skip and a jump from parents opting kids out of classes that use books with Black characters. After all, how is SCOTUS going to tell racists no when they let homophobes have their way? Meanwhile, the Constitution covers the entire country. So how is this supposed to work if federal judges can’t impose injunctions nationwide? Just let red states get away with Jim Crowing the nation again because no other federal district can say no? Oh yeah, fam, I’m definitely going to have more to say about this. Because the brilliant Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson deserves to have her scathing opinions about these recent rulings noted.
Editor’s Top Pick
“The South Got Something to Say” – A Sold-Out Celebration of Southern Hip-Hop and Black Music Culture
On a warm summer night in South Dallas, DW and Cimajie Best hosted “The South Got Something to Say,” a sold-out event celebrating Southern hip-hop and its impact on Black music, featuring performances, a tribute to Vicki Meek, and a conversation between hip-hop pioneers The D.O.C. and LilJu, emphasizing the need for more conversations like this and a call to action to water the seeds of Dallas’ talent pool.
Community
Prism Health North Texas: Bridging the Gap in Community Care
Prism Health North Texas is a community health center in South Dallas that offers a range of services, including primary care, women’s health, behavioral health, and HIV/STI testing, to empower families to prioritize their health and well-being.
Culture
From Middle-School Teacher to Gullah ‘Culture Keeper’
Anita Singleton Prather, a former middle school teacher, has been called by God to share the stories of God’s people, particularly those who look and live like her, through the Gullah Traveling Theater, Inc., in order to preserve the values of resilience, optimism, tenacity, and faith that have carried her ancestors through generations.
Education
Chronically Absent: Why Black Kids Are Still Missing From Classrooms
Chronic absenteeism among Black students has risen to 40% compared to 24% of white students, exacerbating the Black-white education gap and potentially worsening Black high school graduation rates and future opportunities.
Spiritual
Gay by the Grace of God: A Black Pastor’s Journey
Bishop Joseph Tolton is working to revitalize Pan Africanism and promote intersectional justice for LGBTQIA+ individuals, while countering the efforts of “family values” activists who are promoting oppressive restrictions on queer identity on the African continent.
Men’s Health
Kevin Byrd Advocates for Prostate Cancer Awareness
Kevin Byrd, an actor and advocate, has been promoting prostate cancer awareness for over 30 years through his one-man show and the Brown Byrd Foundation, which has grown to include over 100 cities and states.
Women’s Health
Black Women Face Earlier Menopause Onset and Inadequate Care
Black women experience earlier onset, more severe symptoms, and different levels of care during menopause compared to white women, due to systemic racism, socioeconomic conditions, and lack of culturally competent providers.
Everyone’s Health
Surviving Summer’s First Heat Wave
The current heat wave, caused by a high-pressure system that traps hot air, is causing record-breaking temperatures and is expected to worsen this summer, with urban, predominantly Black neighborhoods suffering the most.
IKYMI
TXU Energy and The Senior Source Partner to Keep Seniors “Cool” During the Brutal Texas Summer
TXU Energy and The Senior Source are partnering to distribute 600 window air conditioning units and 200 box fans to Dallas seniors who lack access to reliable sources of air conditioning. Protection from extreme heat is vital; at least 334 people in Texas died from heat in 2023.
Newsletter for Monday June 30, 2025