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opinions
EDUCATIONAL EMERGENCY........
by Joy C. Springer
May 24, 2026
EDUCATIONAL EMERGENCY CONTINUES
May is Mental Health Awareness Month designed to recognize that mental health
is just as important as physical health! We must continue encouraging conversations
that reduce stigmas and connect people with support. Across the state of Arkansas, families, schools, healthcare providers, veterans, first responders, and community organizations see firsthand how mental health challenges can affect people of all
ages and backgrounds. Whether it is anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, or simply the stress of daily life, these struggles are real, and many Arkansans face them quietly every day. During the 2025 Regular Session, the Arkansas General Assembly passed several pieces of legislation aimed at improving access to care and supporting mental health services throughout the state. One measure, Act 794, allows public schools to excuse student absences related to mental health concerns.
The legislation recognizes that mental and emotional well-being can directly impact a student’s ability to learn and succeed. The law also provides excused absences for children of fallen service members or first responders attending events focused on grief
support, resiliency, or traumatic loss.
In addition, Act 1022 was passed creating a framework for the Department of Human Services to explore funding options for a Behavioral Health Loan Forgiveness Program. The goal is to help recruit and retain mental health professionals in behaviorally underserved communities across Arkansas through student loan forgiveness assistance. Finally, Act 389 prohibits health benefit plans from requiring prior authorization or precertification for healthcare services provided during a mental health crisis. The goal is to help individuals receive timely care during moments when immediate treatment may be critical. Mental Health Awareness Month serves as a reminder that seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness. Finally, it provides an opportunity to continue building communities where people feel supported, heard, and connected to the resources they need. While there is always more work to do, these efforts reflect a continued focus on improving mental health services and support systems for Arkansans across the state.
In addition, there was a presentation made to members of the Public Health committee from the Cicero Institute. The data show that Arkansas received over $4.6 million in federal funding during the fiscal year 2024. These funds are distributed to various Continuums of Care (CoC) centers across the state of Arkansas including Little Rock, Fayetteville, AR BOS, Southeast Arkansas and Forth Smith. These CoC’s serve more than 1300 individuals in Arkansas alone. More than half of these individuals suffer from mental health issues. Approximately 42 percent of these individuals have no shelter.
It was suggested by the Institute that Arkansas the “LEAD” by requesting additional funding from the federal government to establish additional CoC’s, collect data to determine the feasibility of programs, establish laws and processes to address the problems found as a result of the data collected, hold providers accountable for results and be “outcomes focused”.
State Representative Joy C. Springer represents District 76 in the Arkansas House of Representatives. Representative Springer previously served on the Little Rock School Board and is a long-time civil rights activist and supporter of equity in public education. She currently serves on the House Judiciary Committee and House Aging, Children and Youth, Legislative and Military Affairs committees. Additionally, she serves on the Joint Budget Committee (JBC) and the JBC Employee Benefits Division Oversight committee and as a 1st Alternate on the Legislative Joint Auditing committee.
opinions
The Battle Is Not Ours It’s The Lord’s
By Deborah Springer Suttlar
May 2, 2026
On Wednesday, April 29, 2026, the United States Supreme Court dealt a scathing blow to the Civil Rights Voting Rights Act by limiting a key provision. Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act was a provision which prevented race biased gerrymandering which has been utilized to limit voting access for Black and minority voting citizens. Once again, we must battle for voting access, privileges and rights which should be accessible to all citizens in this country.
I remembered just last year, some of the Millennium African American population were commenting, “the fight was for white folks now.” This conversation was accepted by many African Americans because of the protesting by majority white people against the Republican Administration shutting down departments, jobs, and services. This was said while African Americans were fired from Federal employment positions and as anti-DEI policies were implemented in employment, grants, and educational opportunities. I knew this was not a fight for only white people. Ongoing reductions in services and benefits would also affect the Black community. The fact is you cannot implement drastic changes without it affecting everyone. The depravity, the lack of humanity, the loss of funds for public education, reduction of funds for healthcare, would affect everyone, especially minorities and the poor. We have heard it said, “when white America gets a cold, we get pneumonia.” As a result of this latest ruling against voting rights, the African American community is now on life support.
We can never afford to sit back and allow anyone to fight for us. African Americans are being severely affected by lack of funding and denial of benefits. Being punitive and indifferent to the suffering of non-white people has become a badge of honor for this Trump Administration. Our Ancestors fought this battle for voting rights because they understood what was at stake, and to give us a better opportunity for the future. The Millennials or Generation Y seem to have no understanding of this. This is where we have failed. We failed to teach our history and the intrinsic origins of this racist evil that continue to haunt us. When you do not know how evil comes, you cannot fight it.
We must remember that this Battle is not ours, it’s the Lord’s. It is a battle between good and evil. This battle is against God. It is against the word of God and the manifestation of his Word. Our faith in God has always sustained us and has been the backbone of our strength. However, we have allowed riches, prestige, and power to distract us. We are dealing with people working against God. A president, Billionaires and big corporations are nothing to compared to the God we serve. We need to remember that those who fight/wrestle God will not win. The likes of what we have witnessed is not of God.
We must first get back to our God. This fight must begin with our faith and then we must work. As the African proverb says, after you pray, move your feet. We must fight like Spiritual soldiers. We have a God to glorify, and we want to be in God’s will to win the battle for truth Because lies are being believed and acted on as if they are truth. God has given us the power, and that power comes from God. Our work should be to fight for our rights as humans. We can do this!
Let us begin to work in our communities, churches and in the courts to show them that we are the children of the most high God. We are not the liars, schemers, cheaters, thieves, murderers, or people who do not know God’s word. Our fight must be a righteous fight because God will be the power and the strength to overcome the evil in this world. If we believe it, we can achieve it. The Battle is not ours it’s the Lord’s.
Ephesians 6:10 -13 Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
African Proverb – Do not try to fight a lion if you are not one yourself.
Deborah Springer Suttlar is a longtime supporter of Civil Rights and Public Schools.
opinions
EDUCATIONAL EMERGENCY CONTINUES …
by Joy Springer
May 15, 2026
After the Special session that was held last week, members of the Arkansas Legislature had a break this past week. All Arkansas Legislative Council (ALC) meetings were cancelled for the week. This provided members the opportunity to reflect on the work that took place during the Fiscal and Special sessions that were held over the last several weeks.
This week’s article will focus on mental health awareness. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to recognize that mental health is just as important as physical health. Again, we as Arkansans must continue
and encourage conversations regarding not only health in general, but also maternal health as well as conversations involving mental health. By doing so, this will help to reduce the stigma and connect people with support.
We know that across Arkansas, many families, schools, healthcare providers, veterans, first responders, and community organizations see firsthand how mental health challenges can affect people of all ages and backgrounds. Whether it is anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, or simply the stress of daily life, these struggles are real, and Arkansans face them quietly every day.
During the 2025 Regular Session, the Arkansas General Assembly passed several pieces of legislation aimed at improving access to care and supporting mental health services throughout the state. One measure, Act 794, allows public schools to excuse student absences related to mental health concerns. The law also provides excused absences for children of fallen service members or first responders attending events
focused on grief support, resiliency, or traumatic loss. The legislation recognizes that mental and emotional well-being can directly impact a student’s ability to learn and succeed.
The General Assembly also passed Act 1022, which creates a framework for the Department of Human Services to explore funding options for a Behavioral Health Loan Forgiveness Program. The goal is to help recruit and retain mental health professionals in behaviorally underserved communities across Arkansas through student loan forgiveness assistance.
In addition, Act 389 prohibits health benefit plans from requiring prior authorization or precertification for healthcare services provided during a mental health crisis. The goal is to help individuals receive timely care during moments when immediate treatment may be critical.
Mental Health Awareness Month serves as a reminder that seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness. It is also an opportunity to continue building communities where people feel supported, heard, and connected to the resources they need.
While there is always more work to do, these efforts reflect a continued focus on improving mental health services and support systems for Arkansans across the state.
THE EDUCATION EMERGENCY CONTINUES….
Representative Springer previously served on the Little Rock School Board and is a long-time civil rights activist and supporter of equity in public education. She currently serves on the House Judiciary Committee and House Aging, Children and Youth, Legislative and Military Affairs committees. Additionally, she serves on the Joint Budget Committee (JBC) and the JBC Employee Benefits Division Oversight committee and as a 1st Alternate on the Legislative Joint Auditing committee.
opinions
The Importance of Being First
by Dr. C.E. McAdoo
May 6, 2026
I have not written any articles for a while—not because I lacked ideas, but because I have been deeply immersed in a major project: my fourth book, In Defense of Being Black. The title of this article grows out of that work, because defending Blackness begins with understanding the importance of being first. There are many people in this country who carry a great deal of apprehension, confusion, or denial about who we are. Yet the truth remains unchanged: we are the first. I combed through the internet, consulted every credible source, engaged AI tools, and reviewed historical and anthropological research on the origins of humanity. Every path of inquiry led to the same conclusion—human life, in all its races, creeds, and colors, began in Africa. Anthropologists have long documented how the physical differences among the world’s people emerged from our African firstness. Historians have traced the depth of African contributions across every discipline, from the hard sciences to the social sciences.
So where am I going with this? I am calling us to adopt a positive, upward, political mentality. Because although we were first in human history, in America we have too often been placed last. I am reminded of a book I once taught in a course on religion and the Black church—From Slavery to Freedom: A History of Negro Americans. Even then, I felt the title needed reframing. I wanted to remove the word “slavery” and replace it with “Kings and Queens,” because all people of color stand on the shoulders of royalty, innovators, and originators. That truth alone should be enough to motivate us to exercise our right to vote. If we choose not to, then we leave ourselves vulnerable to whatever the racist culture of this nation decides to impose upon us.
Love,
Charlie Edward McAdoo
Rev. Dr. C.E. McAdoo is a retired District Superintendent with the United Methodist Church.
opinions
The Devil is in the Details
By Deborah Springer Suttlar
April 17, 2026
“Never ascribe to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence.” Nepoleon
We already knew Trump is incompetent and the incompetence has been confirmed. America and the world have witnessed not only incompetence but now we know this Trump Administration is ungodly and has no respect for the Word of God or God himself.
The issue is that the Devil is in the details. Although those words are an adage of old, we are witnessing what is “not of God.” We are experiencing the exact experience as the crowd who voted not to have Jesus crucified. The lack of respect for deity of God. We observed the disrespect of the messenger of God’s Word, who happened to be Pope Leo. Trump and his supporters found every excuse to mock God’s word. As Black people, we know where this comes from, it is not of God. It is of the Devil and as we say in the Hood “you better recognize.”
One thing that Black people do not do, and that is criticize the Words of God. Personally, I would be afraid to do that. Now, I know, none of us are free from sin, though we have been saved from sin by Jesus Christ. (those that believe) But, as a believer saved by grace and recognizing that I too fall short of being perfect. However, what I know is when the Word of God is spoken, many times I too am convicted. Do I chastise the Word or make an excuse of why it does not apply to me, ‘No.” I have the spiritual fortitude to ask for forgiveness and do better. Trump and his supporters doubled down. This shows you that the Devil is in the details.
I wrote this opinion because I focused this week about what God was going to do about it. Yes, I wondered because, it was not only so disrespectful, but it was also blasphemous. What does Blasphemous mean, it means showing extreme disrespect, irreverence or contempt toward God, sacred entities or religious beliefs through word or actions. Trump, his Administration and his supporters did that. They did what they always do, they maligned Pope Leo and then Trump depicted himself as a God. Maybe they should read what happened to Pharoah and Nebuchadnezzar. Because Pride is a sin.
Black people are aware of how the word of God can be distorted. Scripture has been misrepresented and distorted to imply that, Black skin is a curse, and we were created for slavery. Yes, this is the lie was promoted during slavery and even today in many White churches. We know better. God did not create humans to be mistreated and His Word proves that.
What I know is, evil comes from the Devil. Love is God. People are flawed and are given a chance to have the opportunity for Salvation and Eternal Life. We have been commanded to Love the Lord our God and love our neighbor as ourselves. There is no love coming from this Administration. In fact, everything they do represents the Devil. The word says it in Micah 6:8 What does the Lord require of us, to love mercy, to act justly and to walk humbly with our God. We are not witnessing any of that verse with the Administration.
We are in a Spiritual Battle. As it states in the Book of Joshua in last verse of Chapter 24:15 “but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” Because there are other gods to serve. But as we know there is only one true God. Trump is the god for his supporters.
The Trump Administration has committed many atrocious acts of evil, and they continue to treat Black, Brown, the poor, strangers in this land with hatred and disrespect. God will have the last word because God’s Word is true.
Psalm 118: 14 The Lord is my strength and my defense. He has become my Salvation.
Matthew 16:8-9 These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.
The truth has no defense against a fool determined to believe a lie. Mark Twain (truth)
All warfare is based on deception – Sun Tzu
Deborah Springer Suttlar is a community activist and longtime supporter of public schools.
opinions
If This Image were Barack Obama. When a Black Man Is Placed in a Holy Frame
by TalkBlackArkansas
April 17, 2026
If this were Barack Obama. When a Black Man Is Placed in a Holy Frame
As a Black man who grew up in the church, I know how sacred images shape our imagination. I know what it means to see Jesus on the wall, to hear His story preached, to feel His presence in the room. And I also know what it means to live in a country where Black men are rarely allowed to be seen as noble, righteous, or worthy of honor.
That’s why I often wonder what would happen if Barack Obama, or any prominent Black leader were ever depicted in a Christ‑like image, like Donald Trump— not claiming to be Jesus, but simply placed in the same symbolic posture that Western art has used for centuries to express sacrifice, leadership, or hope.
I can tell you what would happen: the world would lose its mind.
And the reason has nothing to do with theology.
It has everything to do with the discomfort America still has with Black men occupying sacred space.
The Church Understands What the World Refuses to See
In the Black church, we understand that Jesus was a man “despised and rejected,” a man who lived under an empire that feared His influence, a man who carried a cross not because He was weak but because He was chosen.
We know what it means to be misunderstood.
We know what it means to be feared for simply standing tall.
We know what it means to be punished for having a calling.
So when we see a Black man depicted with dignity, sacrifice, or holiness, we don’t see arrogance.
We see survival.
We see struggle.
We see a story that looks like ours.
Why the World Would React Differently
Outside the church, the reaction would be swift and loud:
“How dare he compare himself to Jesus? Who does he think he is? This is blasphemy.”
But the truth is simpler: America is still uncomfortable with Black men being seen as worthy of reverence.
A white leader can be painted in a Christ‑like pose and it’s called symbolism.
A Black leader in the same pose is called a threat.
That double standard is older than any of us.
The Real Issue Isn’t the Image — It’s the Fear
The question is not whether any man should be compared to Jesus.
The question is why Black men are the only ones punished for even being placed near the idea of holiness.
Because when a Black man is shown as sacred — even symbolically — it disrupts the narrative that has tried to keep us small, silent, and separated from our own God‑given dignity.
And maybe that’s why such an image would shake the room.
Not because it dishonors Christ.
But because it reminds the world that Black men, too, are made in His image.
Melvin Lowe is a contributor to Talk Black Arkansas
opinions
SEASONED
by Rev. Dr. C.E. McAdoo
March 30, 2026
What It Means to Be Seasoned
Seasoned.
As-salaam-alaikum. Shalom. Paz. Peace in the name of Jesus.
Early in my ministerial career, I remember hearing about a church here in Central Arkansas that was in need of a pastor. It was said that the church needed a seasoned pastor. At the time, I did not fully understand what that meant. That was more than 45 years ago.
Now, having matured through ministry, work, marriage, and raising children, I have come to understand that seasonedis a word we all ought to consider carefully. It is not simply about age. One can be seasoned in their 30s or 40s just as much as in later years. Rather, being seasoned is about experience, awareness, and intentional living.
I have come to think about being seasoned through four key ideas.
Documentation
A seasoned person understands the importance of documentation.
This does not only mean writing things down, but having lived through situations where context, decisions, and lessons have been recorded—either formally or through intentional reflection. Documentation gives us a framework for understanding truth in a world filled with misinformation.
In a time when truth is often challenged, a seasoned person develops the ability to discern what is real. This comes not only from experience, but from reading, learning, and engaging with reliable sources. A seasoned life is an informed life.
Procedures
A seasoned person understands procedures.
In the church, we have structured ways of doing things—whether through a Book of Worship, liturgies, or denominational disciplines. These guide how we baptize, bless, bury, and serve.
But procedures are not limited to the church. They exist in our workplaces, our communities, and even our homes.
In my own family, one of our procedures was not just what we did, but what we did not do. We did not use the word “hate.” We might dislike something, but we chose not to give language to hate. That was a value expressed through practice.
Simple daily rhythms—greeting one another, saying goodbye, showing respect—these are procedures too. A seasoned person recognizes and honors these patterns that shape healthy relationships.
Identification
A seasoned person develops the ability of identification.
This is the capacity to look beneath the surface.
There are people who may appear strong on the outside, but inwardly lack substance. Like trees in a storm, some stand tall until pressure reveals what is hollow within. A seasoned person learns to discern what is truly there, not just what is presented.
But identification is not only about how we see others—it is also about how others see us. It is a mirror. As we learn to discern, we must also be mindful that we ourselves are being discerned.
Seasoning deepens our awareness, both outward and inward.
Designation
Finally, a seasoned person understands designation.
To be seasoned is to have direction—to know where you are going, who you are becoming, and how you intend to get there. This may include goals related to vocation, finances, relationships, or purpose.
For some, designation is carefully planned. For others, like myself, it is something received. I did not always chart my own path, but I have been blessed to be led—to go where God has sent me.
Whether chosen or called, designation gives shape to a life of purpose.
To be seasoned, then, is not simply to have lived—it is to have learned.
It is to value documentation, to honor procedures, to practice identification, and to embrace designation.
May we all grow into a life that is truly seasoned.
Love,
Charlie Edward McAdoo
Rev. Dr. C.E. McAdoo is a retired District Superintendent with the United Methodist Church
opinions
HOLY WEEK BEGS US TO EMBRACE A SUBVERSIVE GOSPEL
by Wendell Griffen
March 31, 2026
This year Holy Week finds humanity suffering the evils of war in Ukraine, Gaza, the Israeli Occupied Territories, East Jerusalem, Sudan, Venezuela, and Iran.
This year Holy Week comes after ICE agents invaded Minnesota, murdered two people in broad daylight, kidnapped a five-year old boy and his father and hauled them to another state without due process, and have been given what amounts to a blank check to cause havoc and mayhem wherever and whenever the Trump administration wants it.
This year Holy Week comes as people who complained about affordability and voted for Donald Trump in 2024 are paying more for fuel, groceries, housing, healthcare, and other necessities. Meanwhile, Trump, his billionaire enablers and religious nationalists, and their followers believe the lie are that our society is safer, healthier, and freer as they plan to celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States.
The Holy Week Gospel of Jesus presents militarized and imperialistic evil to us in the Roman occupation of Palestine, Pontus Pilate, and crucifying Roman soldiers. However, only a few preachers will have the wisdom – let alone the courage – to help congregants see the same evil being perpetrated by Israel and United States in Palestine, Iran, Venezuela, and threatened against Mexico, Cuba, and Greenland.
The Holy Week Gospel of Jesus presents sacralized evil to us in the religious functionaries who schemed to grab, falsely accuse, and urge politicians to execute the innocent Jesus.
The Holy Week Gospel of Jesus presents opportunistic, treacherous, and greedy evil by religious people in Judas Iscariot. It presents self-serving evil to us in Peter.
The Holy Week Gospel of Jesus presents human gullibility concerning evil that is masked by political power, religious authority, and devotion to private gain.
The Holy Week Gospel of Jesus forces us to face these and other unpleasant constants in human affairs. Cruelty, violence, greed, dishonesty, betrayal, hypocrisy, and other aspects of evil are not peculiar to one era, one religion, one political system, and one place. They happen everywhere and across every period of history.
Against those realities, the Holy Week Gospel of Jesus presents God’s subversive courage, stubborn loyalty, and fierce prophetic love to us in Jesus. And through the women who refused to abandon Jesus and who were the first preachers of the resurrection power of God, the Holy Week Gospel of Jesus declares that we can choose to embrace, follow, and be instruments of that subversive courage, loyalty, and prophetic love.
The question for each of us is whether we will follow the subversive and liberating Holy Week Gospel of Jesus. Or will we be captives to the tomb-like realities of evil that are constantly tempting us to question if there is a Force at work raising people, calling people, and sending people to live with liberating courage, loyalty, and prophetic love?
Easter does not deny the reality of evil. Easter declares the supremacy of God’s love, life, and peace over evil. Yes, that is a subversive claim. It is also true. God’s sovereignty and supremacy over evil is true.
That is why we will never stop celebrating Easter.
Wendell Griffen is an ordained pastor, and published author. His latest work is The Fierce Urgency of Prophetic Hope (Judson Press, 2017)
opinions
We Did It — Now It’s Time to Take It to the Next Level
by Talk Black Arkansas
March 22, 2026
Black men across Arkansas stood shoulder to shoulder, fraternity to fraternity, and proved what unity looks like in action. Phi Beta Sigma, Omega Psi Phi, Kappa Alpha Psi, Alpha Phi Alpha, and Iota Phi Theta came together with one purpose: to push our brothers to the polls and make our voices heard. And we did exactly that. We showed up with discipline, dignity, and determination—and the impact was felt across our communities.
“Our presence was felt at the polls. Our impact will be felt in what we build next.”
But this moment is bigger than turnout. What we accomplished was a declaration. It said that when Black men organize, mobilize, and move with intention, the ground shifts. It said that our voices are not quiet, our presence is not optional, and our leadership is not waiting for permission. We reminded Arkansas—and ourselves—that when we stand together, we are a force.
Still, this is not the finish line. This is the proving ground.
The energy we created cannot be a one‑day surge. It must become a habit, a culture, a standard. Our communities are watching us. Our sons are watching us. The next generation of leaders is watching how we carry this moment forward. The unity we demonstrated is our leverage, and the consistency we build from here is our power.
So yes—we did it. We showed what’s possible when Black men link arms and move with purpose. But now it’s time to take it to the next level. Time to deepen our engagement. Time to expand our reach. Time to turn this spark into a sustained fire for civic participation, advocacy, and accountability.
We proved what we can do.
Now we prove what we can become.
opinions
UNDERSTANDING, THEN USING THE "POWER OF THE BLACK VOTE"
©TalkBlackArkansas.com
February 22, 2026
There is a truth we don’t say out loud nearly enough in Pulaski County:
Black voters decide elections here.
Not sometimes. Not occasionally. Consistently.
In a county where Black residents make up nearly half the population, our collective vote is not symbolic—it is determinative. When we show up, we shape the outcome of every major countywide race: County Judge, Prosecuting Attorney, Sheriff, County Clerk, and even statewide positions like Arkansas Supreme Court Justice. When we stay home, we surrender that power to others who do not share our lived experience, our priorities, or our vision for justice.
This is not theory. It is math.
Pulaski County is the largest and most diverse county in Arkansas. No candidate—Democrat, Republican, or Independent—can win a countywide race without meaningful support from Black voters. And yet, too often, we are treated as an afterthought until election season rolls around. Candidates suddenly rediscover our neighborhoods, our churches, our community leaders. They shake hands, take photos, and make promises that evaporate the moment the polls close.
But here is the part they don’t say out loud:
We are the margin of victory.
We are the difference between winning and losing.
We are the deciding voice in who holds power.
And that truth carries a deeper lesson—one we must name clearly:
Power unused becomes power unseen.
Power unseen becomes power unprotected.
Power unprotected becomes power lost.
Our political power is not hypothetical. It is proven. Every major countywide race in the last decade has been shaped by turnout patterns in precincts where Black voters are the majority. And the offices we influence are not ceremonial—they shape the daily realities of our lives.
- County Judge decisions shape infrastructure, public safety funding, and how resources reach Black neighborhoods.
- The Prosecuting Attorney determines how justice is applied—or withheld—in communities that have historically borne the brunt of inequity.
- Statewide judicial races, including the Arkansas Supreme Court, hinge on Pulaski County turnout because it is the largest and most diverse voting bloc in the state.
These are not small stakes. These are the levers of power that determine whether our communities are protected, respected, and resourced.
That is why voting is not a ritual. It is not a tradition. It is not something we do because our grandparents told us to.
Voting is a strategy.
It is the most powerful tool we possess to protect our families, our communities, and our future.
Every ballot cast by a Black voter in Pulaski County is a declaration:
We see what is happening.
We know what is at stake.
And we refuse to be silent.
The next election will once again come down to us. Not because we are a minority voice fighting to be heard, but because we are a decisive force that cannot be ignored. When we vote, we don’t just participate—we lead.
Our vote is our power.
And when we use it, everything changes.
©TalkBlackArkansas.com
opinions
Values, Values, Values
by Rev. Dr. C.E. McAdoo
February 21, 2026
Assamalakum. Shalom. Paz. Peace be with you.
I want to talk a little bit about values today, and I want to address this mainly to the younger generation. But when I say that’s where I want my emphasis to be, it’s really that that’s the generation that can help talk to folks younger than they are and also talk to those older than they are — and be in dialogue both ways.
If there’s nothing else, I’ve been blessed to do, it is to have, I feel, a good dialogue with my younger children, grandchildren, my children, and also have older people in my circle that I can talk to about values.
Attitude
The first set of values I want to talk about is Attitude.
I had a bad weekend. Sometimes when you have a bad weekend, you have a chipped tooth and also an eye infection, which I didn’t know. But I went to the doctor and got all that lined up. While I was there, a young lady in urgent care said, “You don’t look like you’re 79 years old.”
I said, “Well, I am.”
She said, “Well, what do you say helps you have that kind of look?”
I said, “Well, number one, I try to have a good attitude. I try to have a good attitude in the midst of all that goes on in my life.”
As my son in Georgia, Charlie McAdoo II, always told me: “Daddy, you’ve got to balance stuff. You just can’t have stuff a certain way or be on one extreme or another extreme. You’ve got to balance it.”
When Charlie told me that, I thought about my psychiatrist when I was in the military. He said life is like that line — sometimes we’re below that line, sometimes we’re above that line — but the main thing is to stay close to that line. That’s what I’ve tried to do in my life. And I did tell her I was blessed to look the way I did because I don’t put soap on my face. I wash it off with good, clean water every day. I don’t have many wrinkles in my face, and I look pretty good for an old man being 79 years old.
But attitude is part of the values we need to have. And as we have that attitude, it’s an attitude toward self and others.
I’ve got to have a good attitude toward me. I wake up in the morning and pray that this will be a day that — one thing I always ask — that I learn something. I try to learn something every day. I’ve been blessed: some days I don’t, some days I do. I really appreciate that.
I was trying to say it was something I learned just the other day — it slips my mind right now — but I think a good attitude is something we must have.
Expectations
The next thing in our values is expectations.
We ought to have expectations for our whole environment, and that starts with me. That means I’ve got to expect myself to be the best Charlie Edward McAdoo I can be.
Then when I get out in public, I expect people to act a certain way. But the blessing is, if they don’t meet my expectations and they’re meeting their expectations, that’s beautiful. That means you can work with folks.
Some folks’ tolerance level might be a five and yours might be a ten.
Some folks’ attitude level might be a twelve and yours might be a fifteen.
Some folks’ level of dealing with people might be a seven and yours may be a one.
Sometimes you just don’t know how people are.
When I think about expectations, I think about the rubber band example. The rubber band was put on a nail on a chart, and you went around the chart. Sometimes you had to pull that band so far to get to a certain part. Then sometimes you had to let the rubber band go back in — because that’s how people are.
So have expectations.
Priorities
The third thing in our values is priorities.
This is where you can really help yourself. If you notice — attitude, expectations, and priorities — I’m starting with self. Have some self-priorities.
The Lord blessed me as I grew up — I never was a big cusser. I don’t know if that’s even a priority we need to think about. I listen to some talk radio now — even Clay King is one of the radio personalities — and there’s a lot of cussing.
I’ve been in the military. I’ve been around a lot of folks that cuss. I’m not going to stay on this too long because my son helped me with that. He said,
“Daddy, sometimes that’s that person’s only way to express himself.”
So, my priority is just not to be a profane person. I try not to cuss. I don’t know if that’s a good priority to even put in this article, but that’s mine.
But you’ve got financial priorities, self-respect priorities, family priorities, and job priorities. I’ve been blessed to work all my life, and I’ve tried to be someone that when I’ve been given a task, I would do it. I’m known for that. So that’s a priority, I pray you will have an opportunity to be part of.
Job Benefits
Another value — now moving outside ourselves — is in a job situation: look at the benefits.
I’m not saying everybody reading this has a job, but I hope you do have one. I’ve talked to a lot of people who said:
“I didn’t know anything about the 401(k). I didn’t know about the 403(b). I didn’t know about this or that.”
One of your values ought to be: on your job, know what the job offers and what the job doesn’t offer.
What’s your sick leave policy?
What’s your short-term sick policy?
What’s the long-term policy?
What is the retirement piece?
Do I do it all myself or does someone contribute?
That’s a value to me — when you go on a job, you ought to find out what’s going on.
Team
Another thing in our values is the people around you. You really need a team.
My son says you need:
* a spiritual person in your team
* a financial person in your team
* a pusher in your team
* a mentor in your team
There are some others he knows. I really need to write an article on team building. Have folks around you that you can call, and they call you. They call me and say, “Mac, can you do so-and-so?” And sometimes I call someone and say this or that.
I’m getting ready today to send to the church I attend a piece for their announcement Sunday that says :
“It’s time to vote — vote, vote, vote.
Let us remember that early voting has started in Arkansas.
Please exercise your American right to vote and encourage all your family and friends to do the same.”
We need that kind of push.
Assets
Lastly, our values ought to be assets.
Remember, you’ve got something — and the something you’ve got, know what it is. It may be a home. It may be something you may not think is an asset but consider your assets.
You may have a car paid for.
You may live in a house that’s paid for or just live in the house.
You may have heirs’ property — that’s a booger bear there. I’ll just throw that out there and won’t jump into it. You and your siblings might have something. You and your cousins might have something.
All these things come under values.
---
Under your values have:
* attitude
* expectations
* priorities
* job benefits
* a team
* assets
I hope this article will help someone.
And lastly, I re-emphasize make sure you vote.
Grace and Peace,
Charlie Edward McAdoo
Dr. C.E. McAdoo is a retired district Superintendent in the United Methodist Church.
"The Election games begin"
“The Need for a Co‑Signer: How the Black Vote Is Brokered, Borrowed, and Exploited in the South”
©TalkBlackArkansas.com
February 7, 2026
Every election season in the American South — and nowhere more predictably than in Pulaski County, Arkansas — a familiar ritual unfolds. It is polished, practiced, and deeply political. It is the Southern tradition of pimping the Black vote: the calculated use of Black presence, Black credibility, and Black sacred spaces to legitimize candidates who have not earned the trust of the people they seek to influence.
The choreography is always the same.
A white political candidate, often with no sustained relationship to Black neighborhoods, suddenly appears on a Sunday morning. They do not come alone. They arrive with a Black escort — a pastor, a local official, or a recognizable figure whose name carries weight. This escort serves as the validator, the co‑signer, the one whose presence signals to the congregation that the visitor is a “friend.”
The candidate is ushered down the aisle, introduced warmly, and seated in a place of honor. The congregation is asked to applaud. The pastor offers a blessing. Smiles are exchanged. Photos are taken. And for a brief moment, the candidate is wrapped in the moral authority of the Black church — an authority earned through generations of struggle, sacrifice, and service.
But beneath the smiles and handshakes lies a harder truth:
This ritual is not about relationship. It is about access.
It is not about partnership. It is about proximity.
It is not about shared struggle. It is about borrowed legitimacy.
The Black church becomes a backdrop.
The congregation becomes a prop.
The pastor becomes a political accessory.
And the Black vote becomes a commodity to be traded, not a constituency to be respected.
This practice is not new. It is rooted in a long Southern tradition in which Black political power is acknowledged only when it is needed — and ignored once it has served its purpose. What makes it especially painful in Pulaski County is that it happens in communities where the needs are urgent, the disparities are real, and the stakes are high. Yet the engagement is shallow, episodic, and transactional.
And so the question that Black congregations whisper — but rarely ask aloud — must finally be spoken:
When will we see them again?
When will we see them after the election?
When will we see them when the schools are struggling?
When will we see them when the neighborhoods need investment?
When will we see them when violence rises, when families hurt, when policy decisions cut deep?
When will we see them when there are no cameras, no ballots, and no political advantage to be gained?
And to the clergy who open their pulpits for these ritualized visits, another question must be asked with equal clarity and courage:
As a Black preacher, what will you now tell your congregation?
Will you tell them that the visit was a covenant or a convenience?
Will you tell them that the candidate came to serve or simply to be seen?
Will you tell them that your endorsement was earned, or that your presence was used?
Will you tell them that the church was honored — or that the church was handled?
Because if the only time a candidate enters a Black church is during election season, escorted by a Black co‑signer who trades credibility for access, then the visit is not ministry — it is marketing.
The problem is not that candidates visit Black churches.
The problem is why they visit, when they visit, and what they fail to do once they leave.
A candidate who has not:
- walked the neighborhoods,
- listened to the elders,
- met with the youth,
- supported the schools,
- invested in the community,
- or shown up when there was no election on the line
…has not earned the right to stand in the pulpit and claim friendship.
And the Black leaders who escort these candidates into sacred spaces must confront a difficult truth:
When we lend our credibility to someone who has not earned it, we are not helping our people — we are helping them use our people.
The Black vote is powerful. It is strategic. It is decisive. But it is not for sale, and it should never be brokered by those who treat it as a bargaining chip.
The time has come for a new standard — one rooted in accountability, transparency, and genuine relationship. Candidates who want the support of Black communities must show up before they need us, not only when they need our votes. They must demonstrate commitment, not convenience. They must earn trust, not borrow it.
Because the Black vote is not a prop.
The Black church is not a backdrop.
And the people of Pulaski County are not a political accessory.
They deserve better. And we must demand better.
About Us
Why we must create our own narratives
Perception is reality. How we are viewed and what is said about us matters. It is abundantly clear that here in Arkansas, we as African-Americans don't control many, if any, statewide media groups. On any given day, COUNT the number of positive stories reported by print and television stations KATV, KARK/KLRT-FOX-TV, and KTHV, about African Americans in Arkansas.
In Arkansas, with the exception of KTHV, the media groups and their ownerships are conservative and often often distort people of color and specifically, BLACK families. As black consumers of the news, "that's the part we miss." How on the "regular" we are portrayed by white media groups and their local news stations and print media.
A study from the University of Illinois concluded that at best media outlets (a) promoted racially biased portrayals and myths that pathologize black families and idealize white families with respect to poverty and crime (b) play a dangerous role in spreading debunked stereotypes about black families and (c) at worst, amplify those inaccurate depictions for political and financial gain. We've all seen that type of behavior before.
When media outlets examined in the study reported stories about poor families, they chose to feature black families in their coverage 59 percent of the time, even though only 27 percent of families living below the poverty line are black.
Similarly, in coverage of welfare, 60 percent of families portrayed were black, even though only 42 percent of families receiving welfare are black.
Finally, the article addresses the real-life consequences of the continued distortion of black life by the media. "When the news media constantly associates black people with crime, it increases racial stereotypes among viewers, leading the public including liberal and conservative Arkansan's to disproportionately favor punitive criminal justice policies." As a collateral damage piece, when the poor are depicted as overwhelmingly black, it leads the public to support heavier restrictions on welfare because of a perception that undeserving black people benefit from it. Backers of corporate and right-wing policies gain when the news media blames black families for social conditions, while their own role in destabilizing society remains invisible.
This online publication exists to counter the narrative that constantly depicts African Americans as "less than." It exists to balance the negative view of African American life that is constantly depicted in the local news and information outlets in this state. We are so much more than the lip-service paid to us by those that control the news cycle. It's not about the reporting of the news, it's about the process of manufacturing the news. There is a saying that goes something like this. "If you control the messenger, then you control the message." Let's take some of that control back. As African Americans in Arkansas, let us create our own narratives. Most importantly, let us report and talk about the real issues.................. with our own voices,.... and our own opinions.
meet our contributors
opinion
opinion
opinion
Deborah Suttlar
Deborah is a longtime Community and Civil Rights Activist. Her column appears in the Opinion Section.
Click the link below to read read Deborah Suttlar's column.
https://talkblackarkansas.com/opinion
opinion
opinion
opinion
The Honorable Wendell Griffen
Judge Griffen will comment on the law and its impact on Black Arkansans. He will also discuss and legal and social issues on a state and national level impacting Black Arkansans and Black Americans.
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Finance
opinion
Religion
Gaining generational wealth is the key to Black economic family wealth and security. We will share strategies from the Association of African American Financial Advisors to help you and your family get there. We will inform you about managing your finances so that you can start your path to financial freedom.
Religion
Religion
Rev. C.E. McAdoo
Rev. McAdoo is a retired District Superintendent with the United Methodist Church. He will provide a weekly column on Religion and Black Arkansas.
Click the link below to read Rev. McAdoo's column.
https://talkblackarkansas.com/opinion .
At the State Capitol
State Representative Joy C. Springer
State Representative Joy Springer is a veteran school an civil rights advocate for African-American children and their families. She will provide a weekly column on state legislative and educational concerns affecting African -Americans .
Click the link below to read Representative Springer's column.
Medicine and health
This weekly column features a listing of top African-American doctors in Arkansas, and their areas of expertise. We will try to connect you with physicians who understand your physical, cultural and mental health needs. One study suggests that African American male patients who meet with black physicians often ask to receive more preventive services than patients who met with nonblack physicians. This study also suggested that black doctors are more likely to provide a comfortable settings to black patients, perhaps because of shared experiences or backgrounds. The study concluded that increasing the amount of black physicians could lead to a 19 percent reduction in the black-white male cardiovascular mortality gap and an 8 percent decline in the black-white male life expectancy gap.
Education
Who to call
Who to call
This weekly column will focus on educational happenings in the state including news from local school districts and the Arkansas Department of Education.
Who to call
Who to call
Who to call
People always have "who to contact questions." Whether it is a local city government office or a state government office, we will try to steer you in the right direction.