By: Cheryl Smith
The first year was 1995 and as 2025 approached there was talk about a huge celebration. But COVID hit and wiped out a few years.
Looking back on 1995, we did a lot with a little. The Don’t Believe the Hype Celebrity Bowl-a-thon was the latest party with a purpose. With the help of friends, supporters elected officials, entertainers, athletes, students, entrepreneurs, and anyone else who wanted to participate, we were doing something for our own – raising money for scholarships!
We also helped pay for a child to get reconstructive surgery on her face, bought a graduation outfit for a South Dallas scholar, and provided educational programming for area youth.
Sounds like we’re still needed in 2025.
A highlight of that first year of course was having my friends: Dick Gregory, Chuck D and Malik Farrakhan to kickoff the bowl-a thon.
And if that wasn’t enough, we hosted Mamie Till Mobley Bradley.
Does the name sound familiar?
Dear Mamie, was the mother of Emmett Till.
That’s right. The same Emmett Till who at 14 was brutally beaten and murdered by Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam, acting on the lies of Roy’s wife, Carolyn Bryant, who said among other things, young Emmett whistled at her.
Now in 1955, what Emmett was accused of was a definite no-no.
If you’ve never heard or read of the story, or seen recent movies, I urge you to do so.
We even have Mrs Bradley talking on KKDA-AM about her experience, shedding light on mistruths and dispelling falsehoods.
In a program at the Hall of State in Fair Park, she, veteran journalist Bob Ray Sanders, Atty. L.A. Bedford and others talked about 1955 through 1995. She also visited St. Luke “Community” United Methodist Church where she received a warm reception from Rev. Zan Holmes and the St. Luke family.
There were other programs supported by funds from the bowl-a-thon that went into the Don’t Believe the Hype Foundation to fund scholarships for area youth in the name of Dr. Betty Shabazz, students in the State Sen. Royce West’s Dr. Emmett J. Conrad Leadership Program and D/FW Association of Black Journalists scholarship fund.
Whether it was a discussion on the media’s treatment of Tupac Shakur or a deep dive into the teachings of Dr. Ivan Van Sertima; we remained on assignment, educating our youth.
We want to continue serving, teaching, mentoring, and lifting as we climb.
I am so grateful for those who walked through the doors, even if to say hello or drop in a donation.
We need you today, just as we did in 1995. We must keep the fire burning because just like there will never be a time when Black people are not needed, there will never be a time when we don’t need to step up and take care of our communities.
If anyone tells you otherwise, you tell them, DON’T BELIEVE THE HYPE!
Note: Join us at Plano Super Bowl, Saturday, June 21, 2025 at 6:00 p.m.
