By John Wildman

The Deep in the Heart Film Festival makes a virtual return to Waco, and Texas, and for some of their offerings – the rest of the country, for its 4^th edition, to be held on consecutive weekends September 25-27 and October 2-4. The film festival has built a reputation as an entertaining “home for filmmakers” and established itself as a taste making film event for the city in a remarkably short time and you can look no further that the Opening Night screening of local filmmaker Chris Hansen’s festival-favorite SEVEN SHORT FILMS ABOUT (OUR) MARRIAGE for proof. Following that you can binge on the fest’s ambitious lineup of themed short film programs, featuring multiple first-time team ups with local Waco arts organizations, and more innovations within the virtual space as well as filmmaker hospitality from afar. You’ll have plenty of opportunity to catch something funny, dramatic, weird, enlightening, and surprising, as the film festival will be screening 123 films (7 features, 116 shorts and music videos) over the course of the two weekends.

Led by co-founders and directors Samuel Thomas and Louis Hunter, Deep in the Heart FF was forced to go to an all-virtual presentation due to the limitations and safety concerns set by COVID-19. However, rather than taking a step back due to the pandemic, they have continued the growth of the film festival, innovating, expanding their footprint in the city, and taking advantage of the virtual space to “introduce” those in other areas of Texas and the country to the charms and personality of Waco.

In addition to Hansen’s romantic drama, SEVEN SHORT FILMS ABOUT (OUR) MARRIAGE, Michael Erger’s PESCADOR, a serio-comic film which follows a recently divorced biochemistry professor’s efforts to obtain her pot smoking boyfriend’s “lazy sperm” during a fraught evening will make its world premiere. O. Corbin Saleken’s THE DUMMY FACTOR is an entertaining Canadian thriller about a 12-year-old who recruits his friends to help him solve the mystery of a couple missing children with a host of suspects in their town to choose from, and Jonathan Seaborn’s documentary DREAM WITH ME focuses on a “Dreamer” who took advantage of DACA, the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. When the Trump administration rescinded the program, her life is immediately thrown into a state of limbo. The screening of the film will mark Deep in the Heart FF’s first film presentation partnership with Waco Immigrants Alliance. 

Other films featuring first-time partnerships with Waco-based organizations include; Jordan Bunch’s LOVES GOD, LIKES GIRLS. Co-presented with Waco Pride Network along with a LGBTQIA+ shorts program entitled “Hearts and Minds,” the film tells the story of a gay woman growing up in a small town in West Texas in the 60-70s in a conservative local church. The Waco Cultural Arts Festival will partner with the film festival for the first time for two screenings; Aaron and Amanda Kopp’s animated film LIYANA, looks at the imaginations of five children in Swaziland as they create an original African tale about a girl on a dangerous quest. The film also features the executive producing debut by actor Thandie Newton. Jude Fokwang’s documentary SOMETHING NEW IN OLD TOWN looks the lives and activities of young people in Cameroon, who strive to change their community, notably as “searchers” of locally adapted solutions.

Those are the features, but you would be wise to check out a few of Deep in the Heart FF’s themed short film programs. It’s a specialty of this film festival and not something that you would ever find on Netflix or Amazon Prime. These cinematic “mix tapes” go far beyond basic “drama” or “comedy” programs, led by a horror and oddity-themed block of shorts entitled “Friday Night Frights,” which includes a mini-shorts combo from women directors entitled FATALE COLLECTIVE: BLEED, which launches the second weekend of programming on October 2. Other programs include the appropriately themed “2020 in a Nutshell,” a Texas film and filmmaker focused “5 Star, Lone Star,” a family-friendly program entitled, “Saturday Family Matinee,” and another disturbing collection of short film curiosities entitled, “wtf?!?” Seriously, you want to carve out time to watch these.

Adding to the film festival experience beyond the screenings and Q&As for film fans, the Deep in the Heart Film Festival will feature access to a virtual Red Carpet on Opening Night, script readings, filmmaker panels, and an interactive scavenger hunt.

 
The scavenger hunt will challenge audience members to pay attention and find “easter eggs” in the background of film scenes or recurring themes and items. Wacoans and Texans who find the items and targeted themes will be entered into a drawing for a Waco-based prize pack (including restaurant gift cards, Dr. Pepper Museum passes, and a Magnolia Market T-Shirt). For aspiring filmmakers, there will be two filmmaker panels, including Inclusivity and diversity in Screenwriting – “Write What You Don’t Know”. As opposed to the adage, “Write what you know,” this panel will discuss creating well rounded, authentic characters that do not share the same live experience as their authors. The second panel, Filmmaking and COVIDwill address how filmmakers go forward making their films working within a new pandemic reality. The panel will examine the protocols and best practices on set, and discuss how the filmmaking world has changed from story concepts all the way to playing the festival circuit. Whether you want to try to make a film or sit back and watch a bunch of them, Deep in the Heart Film Festival will be offering more than enough to keep you engrossed for a couple weekends. For passes, tickets and more information on the Deep in the Heart Film festival, please go to: https://www.deepintheheartff.com/.

John Wildman, Filmmaker, Film Journalist, and Film Festival veteran

Press release – Grassroots Community Development is proud to announce a new phase of its highly successful roof repair program to help low income families with repairing their roofs.  In the rainy months we receive calls from families with terrible roof problems.  This phase of our program hopes to address some of that need.  Grassroots Community Development is finishing up the completion of 142 roof repairs for families and is starting a Phase V of these efforts.  The services provided by Grassroots Community Development Corporation are made possible in part through a grant from the City of Waco.  The program is free to low-income families that live in the City of Waco.  We opened up enrollment for the program August 15^th with a deadline to accept applications of October 23rd.  We will begin evaluating homes in October/November, then we will be hiring roofing contractors to complete the roofing projects.

Applications are available at our office or via our Website:  https://grassrootswaco.org/roof-repair-program/ or we can email you an application. Here is the direct link to the application:

For more information about the Roof Repair Program or about Grassroots Community Development call Mike Stone 254-235-7358 Ext 206

By Lucas Land

Any given day in McLennan County around 700 children are in foster care. Out of those, CASA has an advocate working with around 240 of them. CASA stands for “Court Appointed Special Advocate.” CASAs are volunteers assigned by the court to advocate for the best interest of the child or children in CPS cases.

Take a step back for a moment and remember what it was like to be a kid. What did you feel like in Middle School? What were your High School years like? Growing up can be difficult and awkward under the best circumstances. Now try to imagine being taken from your family after experiencing abuse or neglect. No matter the situation, this is traumatic. You are placed with relatives, a foster family, or a residential facility. Now add to that the time you have to spend in court, in meetings with lawyers, in interviews with CPS, medical visits, and so many other things that you probably never imagined having to do. Picture what it might be like going to school and trying to pretend like everything is fine, trying to get through a normal day weighed down by all that is happening in your life that often times no one knows about. You might not have anyone you can talk to or feel comfortable with. Trust is a scarce resource when your life is in upheaval.

These kids feel scared, alone, angry, nervous, and so many more emotions that come with the territory of dealing with family trauma and crisis. They need the things that all kids need, stability, supportive relationships, encouragement, and someone to listen. In these situations, these things are often in short supply. This is where CASA comes in.

Our volunteer advocates are empowered by the court and assigned to a case where they spend time getting to know the child or children involved. Their purpose is to gather information about the child/ children and the stakeholders in their life such as family of origin, foster placement, doctors, teachers, CPS workers, etc. All of this information is then compiled into a report for the court.

In order to do this well advocates have to build relationships with the child/children, their parents, and family in order to understand their needs. Part of this process includes just spending time with the child or children. Jose Muñiz describes his favorite part of being a CASA like this:

“Working with the kids and spending time with them is my favorite part of being a CASA. They speak to all of these authority figures and they don’t have time to be a kid. So, taking them out for ice cream or to the museum gives them time to just be a kid.”

CASA volunteers provide a consistent presence in a child’s life and work to ensure they are safe during their time in foster care. CASA volunteers also identify and address risks, work with supportive people in the child’s life, and ensure appropriate physical and mental health assessments are completed to ensure the child’s safety and well-being. They also make sure that educational assessments are completed and educational supports are in place. During a chaotic and difficult time in a family’s life while the child or children are in foster care these things can slip through the cracks and be forgotten. CASA advocates focus on the best interest of the child and help prevent that from happening throughout the process of their case.

Jose also shared this success from his first case, “My first case was with 9- and 6-year-old siblings. This was pre-COVID and I was able to spend time in-person with the kids. The 9-year-old was very active. One of the things we did that was fun was running a race together. We signed up for a Donut Dash. We ran a mile and then ate donuts. The success was them knowing that there was someone in their life that cared for them.”

There is a gap between those 700 children in foster care any given day and the volunteers we have who can be CASAs for them. Our goal is that every child who needs a CASA in McLennan County has one. In order to reach that goal, we need YOUR help. Please consider becoming a CASA volunteer and making a difference for children in our community who are going through a really difficult time. For more information you can send an email to [email protected], call (254) 304-7982, or visit our website, http://casaforeverychild.org.

Lucas Land is the Director of Communication and Development for CASA of McLennan County. He loves living in Waco and finding ways to connect, get to know, and give back to this community. Lucas lives in the Sanger Heights neighborhood with his spouse, three kids, and their dog, Jayber.

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected]for more information.

By Jillian Jones

Communities In Schools of the Heart of Texas (CISHOT) has been known for over 30 years for providing wraparound services to thousands of students and families in the many school districts across our Heart of Texas region. However, many people may not know that Communities In Schools serves youth beyond their school years and into adulthood as well. The Workforce Development Program at CISHOT provides case management, career advancement services, and real-life work experience to young adults to help them work towards post-secondary education and careers that provide stability and opportunity.  

One of the more tangible ways young adults break into the job market is through internships. Internships provide the participant with valuable insight into a career field they may be interested in, as well as access to mentorship and guidance from more experienced workers. Employers can also use internships as vital training time that is needed before an intern can receive a full-time job offer.

While internships have tangible benefits for both the participant and the employer, we understand internships can be costly for an employer and unpaid internships are not as attractive to young people or as common as they used to be.

This is where the Workforce Development Program at Communities In Schools of the Heart of Texas plays a role. With funding and support from the Heart of Texas Workforce Development Board, Communities In Schools is able to provide internships on a year-round, rolling basis at dozens of local businesses across all sectors and industries. These short-term internships are completely free for an employer who volunteers to host an interested participant, as CISHOT acts as the employer of record and covers all wages paid to the intern for the duration of the internship.

The job market is changing rapidly as we navigate through the pandemic. While some employers are downsizing or shifting to permanent virtual work, others may be having trouble finding enough qualified applicants to return to normal operations. If you’re an employer who is looking to hire or fill open positions amidst the uncertainty, please consider hosting an intern (or two!) through the Workforce Development Program at CISHOT. All interns participate in a four-hour New Hire Training course covering workplace basics and safety guidelines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Our 2020 Fall cohort will start on October 12 and will work through December 11. We are looking to expand our employer base and would love to work with YOU on a partnership that can benefit young adults in our community and help your business grow through this season of change!

Jillian Jones is the Director of the Workforce Development Program at Communities In Schools of the Heart of Texas. Jillian is a Waco native and a graduate of Baylor University and the University of North Carolina. She enjoys reading, cooking, spending time with family, doing anything outdoors, and worrisome amounts of online shopping. She has a husband, Jenner, and a dog, Buddy.

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected]for more information.

Press release, City of Waco. Additional Notes, Ashley Bean Thornton

The City of Waco is holding a Virtual Ribbon Cutting to mark the completion of the renovation of the Greenwood Cemetery.  The edited virtual ribbon cutting celebration ceremony will air on WCCC-TV (available on Spectrum and Grande cable channel 10 and on the web at www.wccc.tv) at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, September 15.

Greenwood Cemetery is Waco’s second oldest cemetery, dating back to 1875.  While Greenwood is the final resting place for many of Waco’s famous and widely celebrated citizens, it has struggled with the legacy of a segregated past. 

The $435,000 improvement project was a collaborative effort to remove the boundaries that separated the “White section” from the “Black section” and place the entire cemetery within the City of Waco’s care.  Working together were families, citizens and former cemetery association members along with the Texas Historical Commission, Texas Department of Transportation, People’s Cemetery Association, McLennan County, Methodist Children’s Home and the City of Waco.

Here are some brief notes about just a few of the notable people who are buried at Greenwood.

Robert Bevis (1889 – 1972)

Robert Bevis was born in Austin. He attended Tillotson College there.  He later received a Master of Arts from Denver University in Colorado.  He organized South Waco Colored Elementary School (later named Oakwood School) in 1914.  He was the first principal and served in that role for for 44 years (1914 – 1959), minus one year for serving in WWI.  In November of 1915 South Waco Colored School moved into the first brick school for Negroes to be erected in Waco.  

Jules Bledsoe (1899 – 1943)

Even as a young child, Jules Bledose loved to sing.  He gave his first performance, age five, at New Hope Baptist Church. In 1918 he Graduated Magna Cum Laude from Bishop College.  In 1920 he began studying medicine at Columbia University.  After taking voice lessons, career plans shifted. In 1924 he made his professional music debut at the Aeolian Hall in mid-town Manhattan.  In 1927 his portrayal of Joe in Jerome Kern’s Showboat launched him into the spotlight. His version of  “Ol’ Man River” became a classic.  Known internationally, he performed across the United States and in Europe.  Despite racial discrimination his immense talent and skill earned him the right to perform with BBC Symphony in London, the Royal-Dutch Italian Opera Company, and the Cosmopolitan Opera Association in New York.  He was also a composer. He composed several songs and an opera titled “Bondage” based upon Harriet Beecher Stowe’s novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin.

Andrew “Lefty” Cooper (1896 – 1941)

Born in Waco in 1896/1898, Andrew Cooper attended A. J. Moore High School and Paul Quinn College.  Prior to the 1940s, Black people could not play baseball in the American Major Leagues.  Cooper had successful careers in both the The Negro National League, and the Negro American League. He played for both Detroit and Kansas City. Cooper was known as one of the best pitchers in baseball.  He became player/manager of the Monarchs in 1937. By 1940 he had led Kansas City to three championships. Cooper died in 1941 only a few years before Jackie Robinson integrated the major leagues 1946.  In 2006 Andrew Cooper was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Estella Maxey – (1904-1948)

Estella Maxey was an orphan.  She was adopted by Gussie Moore and raised on South Second Street near Baylor.  Even as a child she was fascinated with music and would slip away to pick out tunes on the piano.  She had perfect pitch. During the depression she organized an orchestra to accompany her on the piano and began to play and sing to make a living.  Gradually she began playing dance music.  Soon she was “all the rage” playing at private parties for all the rich people in town. A generation of young people in Waco learned to dance to the sound of Stella singing “My Blue Heaven,” “Lover, Come back to Me,” “You’re my Everything” and other hits of the time.  When she died in 1948, the Waco Tribune-Herald ran her obituary on the front page.

Dr. Vivienne Malone-Mayes (1932 – 1995)

Vivienne Lucille Malone grew up in Waco and graduated at age 16 from A.J. Moore High School, not far from the Baylor campus. She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mathematics from Fisk University. She chaired the math departments at Bishop College in Dallas and then Paul Quinn College, which was in Waco at the time. Because she wanted to take more graduate-level classes courses, she applied to Baylor in 1961, but she was rejected because of her race. In 1962 she enrolled at the University of Texas at Austin, which had been required by federal law to integrate. She persevered to become the second African-American and the first black female to earn a PhD in mathematics from the University of Texas.  After earning her PhD, she returned to Waco where she was eventually hired as the first African-American faculty member at Baylor University in 1966.  By 1971, Baylor Student Congress named her as an Outstanding Faculty Member of the Year. 

By Keshia Miller

Beginning September 22nd, WIBO Waco will launch their 5th year of workshops teaching new and existing entrepreneurs how to build profitable, successful businesses.

Many people struggle with starting or growing a business. This entrepreneurial workshop helps individuals overcome various obstacles and guides them to a successful path in starting or growing a business. 

Nationally, “Workshop in Business Opportunities” also referred to as WIBO, was started in 1966 by Walter Geier and Mal Woolfolk to enable small business owners and budding entrepreneurs from underserved communities to obtain financial success by starting, operating, and building successful businesses that develop economic power, provide jobs and improve communities. Since the 1^st workshop, WIBO has graduated more than 18,000 entrepreneurs, where 75% of WIBO grad’s businesses were up and running within a year of taking the program, and 42% of companies saw an increase in revenue after taking the WIBO program. 

The workshop is a success in Waco.  “Fluff Wash & Fold is off to a great start due to Workshop in Business Opportunities!” say co-owners Stephanie & Lana. “WIBO taught us to develop our pitch, so that when an opportunity happens, we can be ready to spread the word about our service at a moment’s notice. There was so much more that we’ve taken away and developed on our own with the support of our WIBO community!”

The upcoming workshop will be taught online due to COVID-19.  This makes it even more readily available to entrepreneurs in the area.  

Some of the business building topics that entrepreneurs will experience during this 16-week course include how to conduct market research to identify your ideal customers, promoting your business, making a profit, creating your pricing strategy, and other actionable and detailed steps that are excellent for a new or budding business. 

There is a cost associated with the workshops. However, WIBO offers scholarships to people who are earning less than $40,000, veterans, and individuals who have been recently incarcerated. 

For more information, visit wibowaco.org. Join us for a ZOOM info session on Thu Sep 10, 2020 7pm – 8pm (CDT). Click here to register.

Registration is open now for the workshop. Register online at https://www.wibowaco.org to register or by calling (254.292.2423).

Space is limited for the workshops. If you’ve found your life’s passion and want to create a thriving business doing what you love, then the WIBO 10-week workshop is for you. Be sure to act fast.

 Rocky and Keshia Miller are the owners of Prosperity Tax Service and Prosperity Travel Group The Cruise Specialists are just two of their roles. They also founded East Waco Empowerment Project and put on the annual  Feast in The East which provides a hot holiday meal and warm clothing for neighbors in Waco. They also organize the Workshop in Business Opportunities (WIBO).  Rocky and Keshia have four children: Kameren, Rashaad, ReElle & Xjiani. They also have three grandchildren: Ava, Mattix & McKinley

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.