FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | February 5, 2025 | A Historic Black
History Month Special
Contact: Rev. Arthur L. Hunt, Jr., The College
of Aspiring Artists | 870.623.8179
February is Leadership
Accountability Month –
City of Dumas and Desha
Elected Officials Must Respond Regarding Rejection and Disrespect: ‘WE’VE COME TOO FAR TO
GO BACK — WHO’S REDI?”
(I pause to give tribute
to the memory of the late Dumas Clarion Publisher, Rev. Rick Wright who has
gone on to be with the Lord. Mr. Wright covered the work of the REDI grant
award and was great strength in uplifting coverage of the work. We shall never
forget our Dear Brother and Friend, Rev. Rick Wright)
February
5, 2025, Dumas Arkansas— Tonight the first strategy session begins as Black
History Month opens and it is also being coined as the ‘Month for Leadership
Accountability’. The first session is from 5pm to 6:30pm at the Dumas Public
Library. Seating is limited. Anyone who feels that their program, business or
enterprise has been unfairly rejected by the City of Dumas or Desha County is
welcome to bring their concerns to these sessions. A major forum with statewide
media is being scheduled for the end of the month. The objective is to stop the
city and its lead operatives from continuing such hostile, abusive tactics, and
actions. It has been happening for well over 10 years. We began with the
strategic and productive work from REDI, (Rural Economic Development
Innovation). Anyone can join the conversation on Facebook at:
DumasOneCityOneTeamRedi.
On
June 6, 2019—THE LEGACY CENTER in West Dumas, Arkansas was awarded the USDA
REDI Grant. The award was for the entire state of
Arkansas. The College of Aspiring Artists and Backbone Partners are overseeing
it. This statewide grant awarded funding to conduct a survey and then follow up
with a 15-month strategic planning period. This would be followed with a
Strategic Plan for Dumas and Arkansas. It happened, thousands of persons from
Dumas and across the Delta were provided with great services, programs and
products. REDI continues advancing amid the City of Dumas’ efforts to ignore
and disregard.
This
release comes to oppose and reject the City of Dumas for bringing in a very
similar plan that aims to cancel the proven work of REDI as outlined in this article.
A statement at the end will address the plans to reject these offensive works
and to advance the REDI program. The record reflects one specific new program
known as DRIVE. This article documents the proven REDI record in Dumas while
the city of Dumas aims to bring in DRIVE, which is on record of being unwilling
to collaborate and has been very misleading, disrespectful, and discriminating.
DRIVE has no record of performance in Dumas or Desha.
Most
troubling is a statement in a handout from the city that states in its Header:
‘Economic Development Strategic Planning Grant Project Summary’; “The City of
Dumas currently lacks the expertise and resources to complete a plan of this
magnitude.” The falsehood here is overridden by the fact that all of this has
been achieved through the REDI grant program. It’s rude and badgering and not a
good depiction for a city that genuinely wants progress for all and not for a
select few.
At a
Press Conference on July 2, 2019, leaders from across the nation including
elected officials, multiple counties, and communities gathered at the Dumas
Community Center and heard the official announcement on the vision for REDI.
Over 75 newspaper articles are on record in the Dumas Clarion documenting the
REDI performances in Dumas and communities across the state of Arkansas. Where
is one record of DRIVE with such performances?
The
vision and plans focus on a new campus for Digital Arts Technology from The
College of Aspiring Artists and other member colleges and statewide departments
including the Arkansas Department of Workforce Services and the Department of
Education along with other partners. The College of Aspiring Artists was the
institution of record for the new edutainment college in the 2006—2009 Arkansas
Creative Economy Study. All reports are online under this same name.
In 2020, the nation was hit by the pandemic. The REDI program was paused. But Dumas pivoted and REDI was permitted to shift and apply for grants to bring food distribution and was awarded $750,000 in food distribution to cover a 150-mile radius with weekly distribution from Desha to Crittendon County. Under the Farm to Family program with GoFresh Food Distribution, in addition to food distribution, REDI brought in medical professionals, testing units for COVID-19 and educational workshops under the oversight of The College of Aspiring Artists and backbone partners.
Outcomes
by Dumas REDI 2019, 2020, and 2021, included 1-3 Monthly Food
Distributions for 18 months. This averaged $41,600/month. In addition, over
$100,000 in operations was incurred which included, transportation cost to
travel to different cities for meetings to get companies and programs informed
and interested in Dumas in hope of gaining support and resources. Costs
included salaries/stipends for workers and volunteers. Additional costs
included supplies for PPE and materials to work indoors and outdoors for
workers. Many requests were made to the City of Dumas and Desha County for support,
but the REDI program have received zero dollars to date.
The
2025 REDI—Rural Economic Development Innovation Report Reveals: From Dumas to
DC… A
Federal Grant Award, A Strategic Plan and Proven Works Which Can No Longer
Be Denied.
“We
are the ones who are determined and who will settle for nothing short of the
expanded college campus destination for Dumas. A higher education model with
digital, arts, bi-vocational career pathways with innovation at the top is vital,” stated Rev. Arthur L. Hunt, Jr.,
CEO of The College of Aspiring Artists.
Dumas
is set to have the state’s only creative, digital, arts, technology and arts,
and edutainment college campus for traditional and innovative careers, retail,
housing, and much more. This report provides historical insights and
progressive results on how this work is advancing.
For
10 years (2007—2018) the City of Dumas, Arkansas was out front with Delta
Technology Education Center, more commonly known as DTEC. Millions of dollars
went into the program operations and strategies to bring hope and demonstrative
outcomes for a new education model. The model worked in some measures and
benefits came forth. But like other technology programs, the work and
innovation required to remain relevant and productive is no easy work. DTEC
closed its doors in 2018. But this was not to be the end of innovation and
creative advancement for Dumas, Desha, and the Delta.
Ahead
of, and especially during the time of the closing, leaders from Dumas and other
industry strategists who were seeking to place programs in DTEC were delayed
and denied, time after time. And when the program was closed by the DTEC
directors, The College of Aspiring Artists determined not to let the vision die
but rather look positively at how to upgrade the model with new innovations and
strategies. ‘Intro’ to what many refer to as ‘new franchise models’ in many
industry settings. Meetings beyond the closure with founding members of the
DTEC board and the city officials to discuss new development opportunities were
unsuccessful or not granted. But the need to bring the campus and amenities was
too great to deflate the work. The arrival of REDI brought hope and new
development opportunities. To see the City of Dumas dismiss the work and refuse
to collaborate is a true sign that this misguided leadership must go and now is
the time.
Hunt
went on to say, “Currently, Dumas has money (millions in the Peterson
Trust). The elected officials and leaders (who for multiple years) campaigned and
when questioned on how proposals would be requested, they talk about how the
money would be used for ‘rainy days,’ etc. Well, we’ve seen the rain/flood and
the pandemic. We’ve already brought to Dumas a credible program, a proposal and
a contract. Why the new requests for more proposals and strategic
reviews/advancements? We know the answers and we are not deterred or dismayed.
No need to get ready. REDI has arrived and has a new statewide development program
coming in March. And when we see one another be sure you have
watched Shawshank Redemption.”
