#BuyBackTheBlock Texarkana has teamed up with The Texas High Tiger Football team and members of the community to hold its 3rd Annual Rose Hill Community Cleanup. According to the #BuyBackTheBlock team, the summer months were extremely hot and the temperatures were too high to host the cleanup during the usual late June or early July timeframe. So, after the #BuyBackTheBlock founder, Armani Valentino spoke with Coach Justin Coats, one of the original supporters of the initiative, the decision was made to do it at the same time as last year's back to school joint cleanup.
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Valentino says, "We are very thankful that the Athletic Director and Coaches at Texas High see the importance of the cleanup. It brings a certain level of pride and responsibility to the young men, many of whom may live or have family in the area. Tiger Stadium is in the heart of Rose Hill. So, for the efforts of myself, Coaches Justin Coats, Shantikwa Smith, Shawn Dangerfield, and Robbie Junior to be supported at large is priceless."


Multiple mini-cleanups have taken place since Valentino moved back to Texarkana in 2016. Often, many of the cleanups were self-funded and totally done alone. After reaching out and asking for assistance from the community in 2020, it was decided that it would become an annual event. "While we didn't have time to solicit donations this and help from business and other organizations this year because we needed to get a date that worked, individuals have donated water, rakes, gloves, masks, etc. to help." The last two years were big cleanups and supported by Lowe's, ChicFilA, Langford Roofing, The Scholars, Omega Psi Phi, VRALIAM TECH, and other members of the community, with trash bins provided by Waste Management. This Saturday's cleanup will be trash and debris pickup only.


"We plan to help beautify the community as children go back to school and fans get ready to attend games. Cleaning up trash is not the "attractive give back" that most people look forward to doing. However, the community looks much better when there's no trash on the streets! That's the least we can do to instill a sense of pride to the children and youth," says Valentino. "Rose Hill is the heart of the city. This is Texarkana. We're all in this together! Let's keep Rose Hill clean. Let's keep Texarkana clean."

The meetup for the cleanup will be in the parking lot at Tiger Stadium at Grim Park near Summerhill Rd. & West 13th St. @ 10:30am, Saturday, August 13th, 2022.

Supplies are still needed. If you'd like to volunteer or donate supplies for Saturdays event, or donate funds to help continue the community efforts of #BuyBackTheBlock Texarkana, contact Mr. Armani Valentino at 972-591-3739 or email him at info@armanivalentino.com

"Don't be so concerned about the snow that's forecasted later this week, that you forget to IN-JOY the 70° sunny weather today." Armani Valentino

Just a few moments ago my mother came in and said, "You know it's supposed to snow Thursday, right?" I replied, "Yes ma'am. And, it's supposed to melt the same day." Often in life we're focused so far ahead that WE MISS THE BEAUTY and therefore the BENEFIT OF NOW! By living too far into the FUTURE or remaining focused on the past, we OFTEN miss​ the GIFT of the PRESENT. The only way to receive the gift of the present is to be PRESENT!

​When I was in grade school through graduation, when the teachers would call the roll before class started, everyone else would say, "Here!" when their name was called. I would say, "Present!" Why would I do that? I overstood that I was there to be contribute and receive! To learn and to teach. I knew that IN ORDER FOR MY PRESENCE to MATTER in that MOMENT, I had to be present, and not just "here."


In conclusion, ALL OF YOUR POWER TO MAKE THURSDAY, TOMORROW, NEXT WEEK, MONTH, YEAR, ETC. better is in YOUR NOW moment! Do all you can to be present, and not just here!


Until next time... Claim the INCREASE!
#staypositive #keepthefaith #ArmaniValentino

Rose Hill, "The Heart" of The City
Thursday, July 15, 2021 - Texarkana, TX
#BuyBackTheBlock Texarkana Initiative


There are very few families from Texarkana, no matter race, who do not have some sort of history that doesn't include Rose Hill or its sister communities Beverly and New Town. In the early nineties, Rose Hill was the place to be. It was a diverse community that seemed to paint the best picture of Texarkana's future. It was a vibrant community of individuals from all ages, races, and backgrounds, thriving and living together peacefully. Half of the middle school students within Rose Hill attended Pine Street, and the other half attended Westlawn at the time. A couple of notable athletes like Craig Monroe(MLB) and Nathan Vasher(NFL) have roots in Rose Hill. They could surely attribute the love and support from friends and others in the community as part of their professional and personal success.


National best-selling author & publisher, Armani Valentino, attributes much of what he learned in Rose Hill as preparation for life. Therefore, upon arriving back in Texarkana full-time in 2016, he decided to contribute to the community that nurtured him and helped him become a man. The easiest way he felt he could contribute was by regularly cleaning up the trash near W. 18th and Bowie street. In the early nineties, before Summerhill Road connected to Lake Drive, the main roads that ran through Rose Hill were Milam and Bowie Street. According to Valentino, residents regularly mowed their yards, alleyways were clean, and trash was not the regular decorative accessory often seen along the streets. There was a certain level of pride taken by the diverse demographic of residents in Rose Hill. "We truly enjoyed living in Rose Hill and took pride in being from Rose Hill," says Valentino.


A lot has changed since then. Many of the businesses, churches, schools & community centers, and hundreds of homes filled with love and direction are memories of the past. Some are still there, but many have been torn down or burned down, leaving hundreds of empty lots, overgrown brush, and trash. For the past 15+ years, the revitalization efforts have been a challenge for all who have attempted to do so. This has caused many businesses to leave and many natives to Rose Hill to sell their homes and leave.

In recent years, the most successful efforts have been led by Antonio Williams of the Texarkana Texas Housing Authority. Under his leadership, they have preserved and improved many of its current housing to ensure residents most in need of housing are not left without adequate accommodations. An independent effort from Valentino has also made some headway and inspired others to come back and invest in the Rose Hill area. Valentino, founder of the #BuyBackTheBlock Texarkana initiative, started by doing mini cleanups in a four-block radius. He stated, "The amount of trash that somehow accumulates on the streets of Rose Hill is absurd. We have to do better, and the businesses around the area have to do better in making sure Rose Hill is clean.


Last year, during the pandemic, Armani Valentino and others with roots from the Rose Hill area - coaches Justin Coats, Robbie Junior, Shawn Dangerfield, and Shantikwa Smith - planned and executed the first large community cleanup, specifically for Rose Hill, in many years. The event was supported by individuals and a few organizations like Believe in Beverly & The Scholars, as well as businesses in the community like Langford Roofing.


This year's event will be held on Saturday, July 17, 2021, from 9:00am - 1:00pm. Meetup will be held at Tiger Stadium at Grim Park on W. 13th and Summerhill Rd. Volunteers will meet at the parking lot, pray, have words of encouragement, and commence to clean throughout the Rose Hill community. It is sponsored in part by Majestic Living, Inc. and VRALIAM Tech, LLC.


It is advised that you wear comfortable shoes and clothing that covers your legs. Gloves, rakes, and trash pickers are still needed. Lowe's will provide the commercial cleanup bags, and Waste Management will provide the trash containers. Men with trucks are being asked to show up to pick up the bags and heavy items.


Valentino believes, "Rose Hill is truly "The Heart" of the city. Therefore, we have to take care of it. Help us keep Rose Hill clean by coming out and serving the community this Sunday."


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If you would like to donate towards the lunch to feed the volunteers, we are still taking monetary donations to provide lunch for volunteers.


Please feel free to contact the organization's community liaison, Armani Valentino, for more info at info@armanivalentino.com or 972-591-3739

Often, people want to get information, but when they get it they never do anything with it, or they have an issue paying for the knowledge. While knowledge is important, it does nothing for you or anyone else if it is not put to use. Much like MONEY, knowledge is USELESS UNTIL IT'S USED. Having knowledge without understanding is also useless. THEREFORE, it may actually be worse because knowledge without understanding can have serious repercussions if not used correctly.  Incorrect use of knowledge happens when there's a lack of understanding.

At some point, knowledge should become WISDOM or MAKE YOUR DOME WISE. WISDOM is the CORRECT use of KNOWLEDGE. It's the reason why King Solomon wrote, "WISDOM is the principal thing, therefore GET WISDOM. And... In all thy getting, GET UNDERSTANDING!" Understanding means HAVING GOOD INSIGHT or JUDGEMENT. Gaining the ability to have good insight or JUDGEMENT especially in a particular field comes through INTIMATE relationship with that particular field. Intimate relationship in a particular field or area ONLY happens with THE INVESTMENT of FOCUSED TIME!

In closing, as the 8th century prophet Hosea stated, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." Why do people lack knowledge? People lack knowledge because they usually REJECT it when it comes to them. If you get KNOWLEDGE make sure you also GET UNDERSTANDING because without the understanding you'll NEVER be able to STAND OVER your KNOWLEDGE with the principal key, WISDOM. ~Armani Valentino

Until next time...

My new course, MINDSET MAKEOVER IS NOW AVAILABLE GO HERE to get it today as well as other trainings to help you achieve more success! GET THE COURSE ---> https://bit.ly/3at7c3r

Texarkana, TX, July 11, 2020
11:11pm

This Sunday, July 12, 2020, Armani Valentino, founder of #BuyBackTheBlock Texarkana, plans to continue to bring hope to the neighborhood that shaped him and many others. He has led numerous small independent cleanups in the Rose Hill area since his return to the city in late 2016. Sunday's cleanup will be the largest community led cleanup in Rose Hill in many years.

Valentino says, "When I grew up in Rose Hill, it was clean, and people kept their yards mowed. They picked up the little trash that the wind would blow from time to time, but they never purposely trashed the community. They took pride in being from Rose Hill. It was a great place to be and I hope this cleanup will inspire others to want to make Rose Hill clean again and keep it that way."

Lowe's, Waste Management, Langford Roofing, Believe in Beverly, The Rose Hill Neighborhood Association, The Scholars, Faith Love & Hope, and individuals in the community contributed in some way to help make the cleanup successful.

The cleanup will start @9:30am and volunteers will meet up at Tiger Stadium formerly known as Grim Stadium. If you'd like to participate, show up ready to work and have a great time.

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Texarkana, TX--- 2:09am, Tuesday, 12/17/2019 --- Armani Valentino, 39, of Texarkana, TX, decided on Monday, December 9, 2019, to run for County Judge of Bowie County, TX. In 1991, he moved to Texarkana with his mother and two sisters. He holds a Bachelor's in Finance from the historical University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.

As CEOE, Publisher/Director of Marketing at College Boy Publishing, LLC, and a national bestselling author, he's written 12 books and published over 40 titles for other authors. He's also the owner of ArmaniValentino.com, The College Boy Company, and CBC General Contracting Services. In 2018, he was recognized by Four States Living Magazine as one of Fabulous 40 & Under during their 25th anniversary year. Most recently he received the 2019 NAACP Business & Economics Award by the Greater Texarkana Chapter.

Despite the challenges and opposition he's received at times, Mr. Valentino says he's most proud of the work in the Rose Hill community he's done over the past 3 years. He conducts regular independent mini-cleanups, and has helped reduce crime, drug abuse, and the sale of illicit drugs by purchasing and revitalizing properties that were once used for those purposes. He believes that the best way to lead is by example. Armani's goal is to continue to inspire other young people to take a more active role in their community through revitalization and entrepreneurial efforts.

POLITICAL

Why did you decide to run for office?
When I voted in 2016, I noticed that numerous positions were unopposed. To me, that was a sign that at some point mediocrity became acceptable in the minds of the people in Bowie County or as if their vote and voice didn't matter.

A voting community is an informed community, and an informed community is vibrant, problem conscious yet solution focused, and growth centered in a positive way for all citizens regardless of party, race, gender, religion, or socio-economic status. After living in other states and other counties in Texas, I believe I have some fresh ideas to attract businesses and much needed jobs to make Bowie County a more prosperous county for all residents.
What better way to make a difference in my city and throughout Bowie County than becoming the County Judge?

What do you plan to focus on if elected as County Judge?

1.) Being fiscally responsible, and finding creative ways to bring more revenue into the county without costing taxpayers exuberant increases in taxes.

2.) Attracting new businesses, industry, and good paying jobs.

3.) Making sure all citizens feel safe, especially the elderly, disabled, women, and children.

4.) Improving the health of the citizens, and access to quality health care to all individuals in the county. A healthier county is a happier county.

5.) Improve the county roads.

6.) Housing and homelessness in the county.

If you'd like to support Armani Valentino's campaign, please visit bowiecountyjudge2020.com and make your campaign contribution. You can also send donations through CASH APP at $bowiecountyjudge2020
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On Monday, January 21, 2019, I was invited by the Greater Texarkana Branch of the NAACP to deliver the Keynote Address for MLK DAY 2019. When I was initially asked to give the address, I was kind of concerned because in the past the speech had been given by preachers & pastors. I am neither a preacher or a pastor.

I knew if I was going to deliver a message, it had to be one that resonated with me and who I was at the core. Being the change agent and natural solution focused teacher that I am, I decided to focus on the issues that directly affect my city. I was unsure how I was going to be received, but once I wrote what the MOST HIGH put on my heart to deliver, I was at peace with delivering it.

Below are three videos that make up all but the last 10 minutes of my presentation. Enjoy and PLEASE donate to my community campaign and purchase products and serviceson my site. 

"People want connection without communication." Armani Valentino That's not how it works! There's an epidemic when it comes to relationships of all kinds. This is due to the lack of true communication taking place, first. When you're trying to connect your device to WiFi, your modem starts to search and obtain the address/location to COMMUNICATE with the device. If it's A WEAK signal or the device is too far away, the ERROR message will read something along the lines of "DEVICE CAN'T BE FOUND or DEVICE NOT REACHABLE!" Meaning the line of communication is not open. When this happens, some ADJUSTMENTS have to be made on one or both ends in order for there to be a CONNECTION! The devices can only communicate with one another if they're both in an OPEN position to SEND and RECEIVE a message. The lines of COMMUNICATION must be open in order for them to CONNECT and to stay CONNECTED!

​Relationship Advice of the Day: One of the quickest ways to start looking old, gain unhealthy amounts of weight, and develop high blood pressure and other issues...
STAY IN AN UNHEALTHY RELATIONSHIP, of any kind!

Relationships bring you into close proximity with people. Energy is contagious, and therefore, negative mindsets, thought processes, and habits are as well. There is nothing worse than being IN a relationship but still being alone and feeling unloved by the individual(s) with whom you're involved. This causes depression, self-esteem issues, and often feelings of not being good enough.

These thoughts have to be expressed outwardly, and often show up in the form of worry, sadness, and broken-heartedness. All of which show up in multiple forms of DIS-ease. Your overall health is most important. So, make the needed adjustments that create a healthy relationship, and be committed to learning the tools needed to be the best version of yourself in a relationship(s).

Depression, and lack of love primarily expressed through the lack physical touch and words of affirmation, are closely related. So, when you're in a relationship where you are not included and not affirmed, unless that relationship grows, the both of you will continue to slowly kill one another's goals, dreams, and desires. And what is life without faith, love, & hope that your goals, dreams, and desires are not only possible but probable? 

Until next time...

#healthiswealth #relationshipadviceoftheday #dontletnobodykillyourdreams

Life Advice of the Day: CHANGE YOUR STORY...CHANGE YOUR LIFE! Too often we have identified ourselves based on what others have said about us, our past, and things that do not define the essence of our being.

I challenge you to NOT "keep it real" (being negative) for 30 days and DON'T tell your struggle story for 90 Days. Literally write a new story for your life and your life will change to reflect the new story! One thing I've learned about life that's extremely accurate is, I AM THE WRITER of MY LIFE STORY.

I have to change the script or I'll continue to speak the words that will produce the same outcome that I do not desire. I also have to change the script of those who are in my LIFE. All roles in a play or movie are scripted by a writer and then directed by a director. In your LIFE, that's done by YOU. Remind yourself, I AM the writer, director, and star of MY LIFE! So, if you don't like the way your life is going, REWRITE THE SCRIPT and STAY IN CHARACTER!

Until next time... #ChangeYourStory #ChangeYourLife