Dallas Morning News

Community Rallies After Vandals Strike Oak Cliff Store

On a Saturday when the temperature outside reached 100 degrees, there was little relief inside the Pan-African Connection bookstore in Oak Cliff where owner Akwete Tyehimba has now served her customers without air conditioning for a full week.

Tyehimba said it was a group headed in for a storytelling workshop last Saturday that first found the malfunction.

"It was like a sauna. It was hot. You know, it was a 101 degree day," said Tyehimba.

That’s when they learned one of the building’s four AC units had been tampered with. It was the second time it’s happened in just two months.

"Someone has gone in with pliers and punctured some coils,” said Tyehimba.

As far as she knows, no other nearby businesses have had similar damage. She also said nothing was stolen from the unit like copper.

“There was nothing taken, so it had to be an intentional act to disrupt our business,” said Tyehimba.

A repair would cost Tyehimba anywhere from $20,000 to $32,000 out of pocket. And while she has a rainy day fund, she doesn’t keep enough to cover a cost like that. So for the full week, she worked through the heat, and her customers continued to come.

"I really couldn't imagine it at all… why anyone would damage a business like this,” said Elizabeth Armstrong.

Armstrong was among those who stopped in just to show support after learning about the vandalism.

Others donated money or dropped off fans. Several came by with bottled water and ice. But the real relief came Saturday morning, when Tyehimba got a call that a local HVAC company would donate the new units needed free of charge.

“We were just in tears because we just did not expect that,” said Tyehimba.

Still she can’t help but wonder who was behind the attack, saying she feels that not only was she personally threatened but her customers were to. But as customers continued to pour into her store to shop on the hottest of days, Tyehimba was resolute that Pan-African Connection is in Oak Cliff to stay.

“We have a collective community who’s been there with us thick and thin. They’re our bloodline. They have helped us to survive. As long as they want us here, we will be here. And they are letting us know that they want us here," said Tyehimba. 

Dallas Police told our partners at the Dallas Morning News that detectives are following the case, but that there are no updates related to their search for those responsible.

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