Dealey Plaza News Conference, Press Release In Response To Presidential E.O. # 13878
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 18, 2025 — Dallas, Texas
See: Media Advisory
Contact: Minister Sammie Berry
Dallas West Church of Christ
Website: https://Justiceville.us/EXODUSii/
A News Conference in Response to President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order #13878
Dallas faith and community leaders present a humane, healing alternative to address homelessness and youth violence, grounded in cooperation with law enforcement and the military.
Dallas, TX — In the heart of Dallas, at historic Dealey Plaza, community leaders convened a news conference in response to President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order #13878, which expands police and military measures to confront youth violence and homelessness.
The gathering, hosted by Pastor Sammie Berry of Dallas West Church of Christ, emphasized that this was not a protest against the President, but rather a presentation of a humane, constructive alternative in his and the nation’s best interest.
“We come together not to oppose, but to build,” said Pastor Berry, who served as the event’s MC. “The wounds of violence, poverty, and homelessness cannot be healed by force alone. They require cooperation, repentance, and a spirit of brotherhood.”
Local Voices at the Forefront
The news conference featured Dallas-area youth, including high school students from Village Tech (VT) Schools in Duncanville, who shared their vision for safer communities. Also participating were Dominick R. Thomas and Alyssa Kumar, representing the next generation of leadership.
Their presence underscored the conference’s message: that young people are not merely the “problem” to be controlled, but partners in building solutions.
Ted Hayes: Architect of EXODUS II
While local leaders spoke from the front, civil rights activist Ted Hayes of Justiceville, Los Angeles, presented the framework of EXODUS II: 2028, LA Olympics Homeless Resolution Initiative — a comprehensive national plan offering an alternative to EO 13878.
Hayes emphasized that the initiative does not replace law enforcement or the military, but re-channels their role into cooperative, volunteer-based partnerships that strengthen communities rather than pit them against authority.
“This is not adversarial,” Hayes explained. “It’s about sitting together at the table of brotherhood Dr. King envisioned — where citizens, law enforcement, and even the military can work side by side, transforming division into friendship and mutual respect.”
From Dallas to the Nation
The Dallas news conference signals the beginning of a nationwide campaign to bring EXODUS II before the White House and Congress. By starting in Dealey Plaza, a place long marked by national sorrow, local leaders declared their intent to transform Dallas into the birthplace of renewal and healing.
Following the conference, participants gathered for a community luncheon at Dallas West Church of Christ, continuing the dialogue on practical next steps