By Cheryl Smith
Texas Metro News
Three Dallas women, Miss Willie Mae Coleman, Pia Surgent, and Dr. Candace Wicks, were united in their purpose for attending the Wednesday night town hall meeting in Paul Quinn College’s Chapel.
In an audience that featured several generations, the three represented millennials, baby boomers, and the silent generation.
Several speakers made the meeting’s purpose clear before the main attractions—former U.S. Congresswoman Beto O’Rourke, U.S. Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, and congressional candidate Rev. Dr. Frederick D. Haynes III—addressed the already energized audience.
Surgent, a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. and an employee of UT Southwestern, said she is registered and a regular voter who wants to ensure that everyone who can has the opportunity to exercise that “fundamental right.”
“I am here tonight to hear what Pastor Haynes and Jasmine Crockett have to say about increasing the influence in our community,” said Surgent, adding that her sorority members are active participants in efforts to educate and organize voters. “We are involved in social action. This is one of many events that we are attending, just trying to explain to the public the importance of being a registered voter, regardless of what your political affiliation is, just to have your voice heard so you can make an impact in our society.”
Wicks is also involved with the social action committee of her sorority, Delta Sigma Theta.
A retired educator, she said she wanted to hear “about the voter mobilization and voter information that will be going out into our community.”
“At this time it is very important that we reengage and come up with strategies that will make our people come out and vote with clarity and purpose,” said Wicks.
As members of two of the nine Black Greek Letter Organizations, both ladies stressed they are not telling voters who to vote for, but they are telling them to vote.
We are nonpartisan, and our activities are for voter mobilization, voter registration, voter education, and of course we are going to be talking about those things related to voter suppression that are related,” explained Wicks, who added that all nine organizations are nonprofit and nonpartisan.
On the other hand, Miss Coleman, who is 92 years old and was on the program to introduce Crockett, expressed her support for the two-term congresswoman and told of a time when she was unable to vote or participate in programs such as the town hall.
Speakers included Rabbi Nancy Kasten, Rev. Dr. Danielle Ayers, Rev. Dr. Silvia Wang, Imam Abdullah Muhammed, Rev. Dr. Michael Waters, Precinct Chair Jasmine Forbes, and Rev. Dr. Bryant Phelps.
Quoting bible scriptures, theologians, authors, and members of the Hip Hop community, speakers addressed everything from environmental, healthcare, and education to maternal health, housing insecurities, joblessness, and voter suppression; speakers called for citizens to unite
“At a time when elected officials divide, we have the ability to choose to come together,” said Kasten. “We can speak up for the common good. We the people can insist that our elected officials act with respect.”
Although he wasn’t named, a few speakers addressed President Donald Trump, who was scheduled to arrive in Dallas for the Republican Party’s midterm convention.
Both Haynes and Crockett blasted his actions, calling him a felon and citing numerous acts that benefited him and his friends. She also decried what she called the “bootleg redistricting” measures that began in Texas and aimed to diminish the number of Democratic seats in Congress.
In a short but passionate address, Crockett said she would not be silent. “I never believed in shutting up, and you shouldn’t either.”
She stressed the obligation she feels toward Miss Coleman, who fought and is still fighting. She also focused on the Paul Quinn students and future generations who need to see the fighting today.
“We owe it to them to show what it looks like to fight back. Do not let people make you feel powerless,” Crockett said, listing other voter suppression efforts orchestrated by the Republican Party. “I need them to regret the day they decided they wanted to show up and play in our faces.”
Taking to the stage to rousing applause, Haynes did not disappoint. Applause interrupted him numerous times as he called attention to the issues affecting the country. Acknowledging that
there was a Republican Convention in Dallas this week, while Democrats were busy working to secure victories.
Referring to it as a “spitshow led by the spitter-in-chief,” he said the Republican Party is about to lose and that they are holding a pep rally in Dallas because he (Trump) is desperate. “No president in the history of this nation has made more money off of the Oval Office than the current president of the United States of America.”
Closing out the evening, Dr. Haynes asked, “What are we doing?”
For him, organizing and mobilizing appear to be the buzzwords for November 3, 2026, as he urged voters to go to the polls early and bring home the victories for the record number of candidates on the ballot in the state.
O’Rourke summed up the importance of protecting “this democracy.”
“55 days away from the rest of our lives and the life of this country, the future, the fortune, the fate of Texas, Dallas, the country is in our hands at this moment of truth,” said the former presidential candidate, who is going across the state registering voters. “We’re going to overcome their fear, their panic, their hatred, their smallness and replace it with our ambition, our aspirations, and our kindness that we’re known for as Texans, as human beings first and as Americans.
“Do what you can with what you have, where you are, every single minute of every day, and that’s how we will win.”
