United MegaCare’s Ministry In Civics (MIC) launch includes voter education and media
By Eva D. Coleman
Lifestyle & Culture Editor
It’s a first for a longstanding commitment to dissemination of voter information. The Potter’s House of Dallas held a kickoff event for its United MegaCare Ministry In Civics (MIC) that included education on the legislative process and a panel discussion featuring journalists and community advocates on Saturday, March 25, 2023 at The Place, a fairly-new event space, on its Dallas campus.
The room was filled with leaders from a variety of ministry groups within The Potter’s House megachurch.
The event began with an overview of the legislative process provided by Matthew Hall, Senior Regional Advocacy Director for Raise Your Hand Texas, a non-partisan, nonprofit organization founded in 2006 by Charles Butt, Chairman and CEO of H-E-B stores.
Hall’s presentation was followed by an interactive panel discussion, “Fake News or Not?” that included panelists: Leona Allen, Deputy Publisher of The Dallas Morning News, Eva D. Coleman, National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Region III Director and Lifestyle & Culture Editor of Texas Metro News, Jazmyn Ferguson, Director of Organizing Strategy at Leadership for Educational Equity and Dallas CORE, and Denita Jones, Texas Regional Organizer of Black Voters Matter.
According to media invitation correspondence, the panel was to “kick off a series of community events co-hosted by The Potter’s House, All Things Edunia, PEN America, Black Voters Matter, and Raise Your Hand Texas with a focus on civic responsibility, healthy news habits that fight mis/disinformation, and having good faith interactions with family, friends, and neighbors.”
Martina Van Norden, President & CEO of All Things Edunia, shared how her vision for the event came together to combine forces of media and voting information.
“We will not drop the mic,” Van Norden told the audience.
Tiffany Brinkley, Director of United MegaCare shared the purpose and reasoning behind incorporating Ministry In Civics (MIC) into existing offerings of The Potter’s House United MegaCare brand.
PEN America’s U.S. Free Expression Programs Manager, Hannah Waltz, shared how all of the elements were a great fit for her organization’s goal of combatting disinformation/misinformation in civic engagement.
The audience was pleased to see and hear The Potter’s House Chief Operating Officer, Frank Dyer, who is currently battling blood cancer, share remarks with the audience as well.
At the conclusion of the event, many attendees shared how they were pleased with the information and encouragement received; with plans to incorporate ideas into their ministry work, and looking forward to future events.
