By Shakira Pierce, who is a co-owner of Palm Beach Reggae Club

To whom it may concern,

I was browseing through my google alerts and stumbled on your article on the town hall meeting with the mayor and the DE Association and other participants.

I am a the daughter of a club and restaurant owner in Deep Ellum and we've survived the pessimistic and misconception of DE's reputatation for close to nine years and we hope that our venue will get through nine more.

We are located in the heart of DE and I have bared witness to several venues come and go, their unfortunate demise would have been a great asset to DE but there was not enough support base to make their efforts successful.

On the other hand for a surviving reggae club that tries to add cultural diversity for people all over the world has had a hand in attracting a multi-ethnic clientele but has been stigmatized as another black club.The purpose of a Carribean club is to expose those who have an intrest in different experience that puts you in mind of the islands. We as any other club or venue in DE has had our share of uninvited experiences as well as great for the upliftment of perserving what DE has to offer.We are hoping to get a form transportation for customers to get back and forth to beat the constant elevation of parking prices that hurt all businesses in DE.We have also been an contributing factor to hiring a security force that patrols DE outside of our own security staff.We have been proactive in advising our customers as they leave to go straight to their vehicles and not hang out in parking lots or in front of the club,once it closes.We have not had very many complaints in our venue but clubs are getting a bad rap for the events that happen outside of these clubs which is unfair to blame a club and tarnish it's reputation because an idiot decides to break into someones vehicle within the vicinty or decide to shoot at the police when they we're in a previous altercations at another venue that has an after hours license prior to the the night that the incident took place.

Don't get me wrong I am for the presence of the DPD, free parking and the clubs efforts to control loitering and senseless violence,as well as uninvited crimes against the innocent.

The crime in DE is and can be a major deterant for a more mature crowd of people to frequent DE and its hot spots,but there has also been an over emphasis on targeting a younger crowd of people most of them minorities whether they are male or female and I have witnessed both sides to the spectrum while frequenting DE and working alongside with family members to meet club's goals. Several incidents have taking place before 12:00 a.m.in DE with the presence of DPD on one street harrassing club goers and a murder taking place on the next street over close to another club that has an after hours permit that allows 18 and over in their venue and wants nothing to do with the politics that is going on in DE. I am for perserving this place and seeing it revive in a healthy manner that doesn't create bad blood between the city and DE's venue owners.

I would like to invite the writers down to 2816 Main St. on a Friday or Saturday night to enjoy food and music carribean inspired cocktails as well as goodhearted suggestions for us and our clientele.This is a laid back environment that pumps Roots rock,reggae all genres as well as soca and calypso,chutney soca,Spanish reggae as well as reggaeton and the American favorite- some(very little hip-hop)possible, but we have to please everyone because this is a muti-ethic and diverse crowd of people.I hope to meet you soon or read your response.

Thanks for your time and interest in the politics surrounding DE's many never-ending issues, Shakira Pierce daughter to Augustine Ekukpe and Mounlette Miller-owner and co-owner,manager of Palm Beach Reggae Club.

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