UAPB professor joins equity fellowship
Gelinda Machell Dailey, clinical professor and Master of Arts in Teaching program coordinator at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, has been accepted to the third cohort for Teaching in an Inequitable Society: An Equity and Social Justice Fellowship.
The Black Caucus of the National Association for the Education of Young Children and the Research Center for Parity, Justice and Equity at Tougaloo College in Mississippi announced the 2025 fellowship in January. The cohort includes 14 fellows from HBCUs, according to a news release.
According to the announcement, fellows will hear from and ask questions of several distinguished experts in equity, social justice, and early care and education. Each fellow will pursue an individual project and collaborate with fellows on similar projects.
“Each fellow is required to do a culminating project and complete a posterboard project for the annual conference held in November 2025,” Dailey said. “My primary focus is to bring resources back to the UAPB that can be integrated into the TEACH P.R.I.D.E. Academy that the UAPB School of Education hosts every semester for our pre-service teachers. We are still planning the project’s specifics; however, I desire to host a small symposium for Justice in Education.”
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Virtual sessions will be held each month through May with an anticipated in-person retreat held at Tougaloo College in June and the annual NAEYC Conference in November.
Since joining the university in 2021, Dailey has helped prepare future educators for success in diverse learning environments.
“Her leadership and expertise in teacher preparation, equity in education, and strategies to support Black students and educators have been instrumental in shaping the future of education. Her innovative initiative, the TEACH P.R.I.D.E. Academy, is a testament to her commitment to equipping pre-service teachers with the skills and confidence needed to excel in the classroom from day one,” according to the release.
She is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., National Association of University Women, and the president of her all-female motorcycle club, Southern Desire MC.
The philosophy that guided her career is: “Be the teacher you needed someone to be for you.” This principle drives her work as an educator, leader, and mentor.
Caregivers Alzheimer’s group to meet
Area Agency on Aging of Southeast Arkansas, 709 E. Eighth Ave., will host its Caregivers Alzheimer’s Support Group meeting from 11 a.m. to noon Monday.
The speaker will be Lynette Finley of Archwell Health, a primary care center for people 60 and older, according to a news release.
To join the meeting virtually via Microsoft Teams, use Meeting ID: 228 776 918 029 and Passcode: D3nY9BB6 or call in at +1 615-369-9470,,583672209#. The phone conference ID is 583 672 209#.
Details: Carolyn Ferguson of Area Agency, (870) 543-6300.
100 Families event set
The 100 Families Alliance Jefferson County Launch will be held at 11 a.m. Feb. 26 at Southeast Arkansas College’s Welcome Center, 1900 S. Hazel St.
100 Families is a community-led initiative, according to a news release.
The project aims to help families move from crisis to career using community resources by engaging community partners in an alliance, training agencies on a collaborative case management system, and recruiting case managers to respond when a family is in crisis.
The community is invited to attend the launch and to hear speakers: Judge Earnest Brown, Mayor Vivian Flowers, state Rep. Kenneth Ferguson, SEARK President Tyrone Jackson, and Paul Chapman, director of Restore Hope.
Entergy offers bill management tips
Entergy Arkansas is reminding customers about available bill management and assistance resources after the company’s service area saw historic winter and record-breaking energy demand in January.
Entergy urges customers to take proactive steps to weatherize their homes and improve energy efficiency. Measures such as caulking, sealing windows and doors or using programmable thermostats, can help reduce energy usage and costs.
TRACK USAGE, MANAGE BILLS
Entergy’s Bill Toolkit is a one-stop resource connecting customers to tools and information to better manage their energy bills. The toolkit offers guidance on tracking energy usage, understanding bill projections, and accessing payment assistance options. Key resources include:
myAdvisor dashboard: Gives customers an estimate of what projected energy usage costs could be by the end of the billing cycle.
Bill analyzer tools: Help customers understand changes in their energy consumption and plan accordingly.
Payment options: Programs like Level Billing, AutoPay and Pick-A-Date can provide a more consistent monthly bill and offer control over payment schedules.
Customers in need of assistance or interested in bill management resources should visit BillToolkit.entergy.com or call 1-800-ENTERGY (1-800-368-3749).
Bill management resources include:
Deferred payment arrangements: Customers may be able to spread payments over time by putting in a request through myEntergy or the mobile app or by calling over the phone.
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP): Federally funded assistance for eligible households.
The Power to Care: Provides emergency bill payment assistance for seniors and disabled individuals through local nonprofit partners.
Single Stop partnership: Entergy has partnered with Single Stop, a free resource that helps customers check eligibility for federal, state and local benefits.