African American News & Issues 5/21

FREE • May 21 - May 27, 2018

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Vol. 23, Issue 18

Mixed Martial Artist UglyManJoe

Joe “Uglyman” Holmes, professional MMA fighter in the welterweight category, is currently undefeated, 4-0.

By Arielle Johnson

For the past 10 years, the SFSMMA gym located at 1220 N. Town East Blvd. has made the Town East Mall area of Mesquite, TX on Town Hall Blvd its home. It is possible to miss it if you don’t pay close attention because it sits in a huge complex facing the Boulevard and another set of businesses,

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with their backs turned to the Boulevard. The first person we met when we came inside in search of the mixed martial arts fighter from Dallas, Texas, was Mr. Anthony Salangsang a.k.a. Professor.

Professor is Joseph “UglymanJoe” Holmes’ coach.

On Saturday, May 19, 2018, Uglyman Joe will be participating in Xtreme Knockout Volume 41 held at Gas Monkey Live. UglymanJoe is at

the top of his game as an undefeated professional MMA fighter who is 4-0. This will be his 5th championship fight and he will be competing in the welterweight category against another professional MMA fighter, Alex Aguilar.

When we interviewed UglymanJoe, we asked him where the name “UglyManJoe” came from. We had already seen the flyers and promotional pics of him around

African-American News&Issues Newspaper

town: 6’4”, toned body, 6-8 pack going on, caramel colored skin; so coming up with a reason behind the name was confusing.

However, when he reminded us of what competition is all about, we definitely had an Ah-ha moment, which left us shaking our heads and saying, “Wow...that makes a lot of sense.” It’s definitely a fight when he gets in the ring, and there’s nothing pretty about it. Things can get ugly, and he has no problem taking an opponent there, especially when his title is on the line.

One of the biggest things for fighters preparing for a big fight is when they are not within the weight limits for their weight category, which can eliminate them from the fight.

Knowing the fight is just 10 days away, we had to ask what his weight was at interview time. Right now, UglymanJoe is 15 pounds overweight. Instead of weighing in at a perfect 170 pounds, he is right at about 185.

It seemed we were a little more concerned about how he was going to drop the weight than he was, because as UglymanJoe put it, he knows what to do to get the weight off. “I am super huge at 185; you see my mom AND lady cook all the time. My team is very experienced and they know this is a critical time. I will do a lot of low injury risk cardio like bike riding and Continued on Page 4

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Did You Know? Read the story of the first American to receive France’s highest military honor, pg. 8

Martha Stancil named one of Houston’s top 150 nurses, pg. 7

Dr. Nghia Le speaks at BTWHS 42nd Annual Engineering Awards Banquet, pg. 6

James W. Lewis, Class of 1968, spoke at George Washington Carver High School, pg. 7

2 • African-American News&Issues WE ENCOURAGE YOUR OPINION

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Trump Isolation

he latest decision by President Donald Trump to drop America from the Iran nuclear deal is another of his misguided attempts toward isolating America from the world. Once again he is tactilely seeking to control and destabilize our nation through erratic, irresponsible actions.

I’ve often written and pointed out Trump’s disrespect shown toward African Americans, Hispanics, Muslims, women, immigrants and anyone else he doesn’t like.

His controversial views are a reflection of his goal to isolate America; and then follow-up by placing those he considers loyal in positions of power without much resistance.

Throughout history every leader who has isolated his nation from the world has eventually led to its destruction. Trump is dysfunctional and everyone knows it, even his comrades. In spite of the fact they know he is very dangerous and live in fear of not knowing if he will attack them, they are still like faithful members of a criminal organization, content with their fate in their boss’s hands.

I am convinced Trump’s ultimate goal is to bring another reality to America: the isolation of Us from Them in other words, the isolation of the United States from the rest of the world.

In my mind the incompetent Electoral College System put this unstable person wrongly into the White House. We have been known as the number one leader nation because we have been the most involved. Trump’s isolation policies destabilizes us on the global stage and puts the U.S. in a very difficult position. His divide, conquer and isolation strategy is always in place in major decisions. This can be seen in the way he operates as a dictator and continues to treat the me-

Texas • May 21 - May 27, 2018

The Standard View

By Billy “Hollywood” Groves

dia he doesn’t agree with like lower class powerless idiots.

It’s very clear Trump does not respect the office of Presidency. If he did, then we would not be seeing this confusion about America’s status under Trump’s Administration. Despite all of Trump’s work toward pulling America in the wrong direction, there is still hope, because we still have media outlets who will not let a lie stand over the truth. If you know history, you know crooked, evil people like to operate in the dark.

They don’t want anyone to see their true goals of evil.

They know when “the people” are informed they will react against anything or anyone who is trying to destroy them. Many of Trump’s Republican Party people realize that the media is watching and reporting to “the people” what they are doing.

U.S. Senator John McCain is one of those Republican powerful people who has openly opposed Trump’s political madness. At the end of the day, all Americans must put aside their political party separateness, and deal with this imminent threat to our American democracy and the future of the people who live in the United States of America.

I will end this by saying, we have had some Presidents who were not that good during their time in the White House; however, we have never had a president as bad as Donald Trump. The future is in the hands of American citizens.

We must remove this man from the White House!

God Bless America. - AANI

E

What are We Breeding For?

very other day someone is either pregnant or I hear talks of a baby. Either or I’m not here for none of it. The Black community is so dysfunctional and I blame all these damn parents, leaders, and everybody who claim they over some ish.

If you think about it, which many of you won’t, but Jim Crow Era has messed us all up. Black people breed for vanity. To hell with the days of a man being able to protect, chop down wood for energy, or even having a woman who is nurturing and motherly. If you’re not having sex for the purpose of breeding a pro baller, model, entertainer, or a bright eyed light skinned child with the molecular propensity to establish a long flowing ponytail, then what’s the purpose of even keeping the baby these days?

I was born in the early nineties and dealt with racism in the form of colorism every day of my life. Try having the lights cut off in a room full of niggas and hearing somebody ask out loud where you disappeared, or even worse, have a young sista speak of desiring your company but refusing out of fear of having a dark chocolate nappy haired baby.

What are yall having babies for?? After spending a lifetime investing in my own higher education, transportation for work, and the occasional date to ensure a beautiful Black woman knows I am a driven man, I find myself in debt the size of a mortgage and I’ve yet to hear of a nigga paying of a house. How I am supposed to have a baby and properly care for it and my family? Furthermore, if I marry a smart sista, we both now need to have a realistic conversation about risqué sex. Niggas really can’t afford to have unprotected sex

Speaking to Dysfunction

By Sir Christopher Wayne

let alone an entire baby!

All my life in the hood I’ve witnessed in my own family and all around me, Black people lost and having sex to pass time. But then I began to subtly see behind the subconscious nature of what was really going on; Jim Crow taking full effect in real time while we all still dealing with the lasting effects of slavery on our families.

No one knows what it is to be a true Black family.

Massa stripped that from us completely, along with our language and more. We are all living in America under the King’s rules, aka an urban caste system, as pretend mini noble communities. Imagine peasants with faux gold imitating the white masters and kings before the Moors came into town. Hence why Beyonce and Bonquisha both desire to title themselves Queens in a nation that’s governed by a man who is governed by other men. See the dysfunction? How can one be of nobility whilst still living under the rule of your former oppressor?

This is not a foreign family concept in other racial communities at all. But for Black people its a conversation that isn’t even had. We just either have the babies and put burdens of responsibility on others. What is wrong with teaching the youth and some adults in our community to make wiser decisions when they aren’t just affecting you personally but cataclysmically affecting all individuals around you? There is a difference between being a help to your community and family and being a crutch. - AANI

African-American News&Issues • 3

Texas • May 21 - May 27, 2018

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Passing

acial pedigree for many white Americans is extremely problematic. In the 1990s, when I was appointed by the court in Hampton, Va. to take depositions in divorce proceedings and recommend to the court whether a divorce should be granted, racial pedigree was a sticky problem for some white people who had to give sworn testimony before me.

Even though in 1967, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the case of Loving v. Virginia that laws against interracial marriages were unconstitutional, many jurisdictions allowed parties to a divorce proceeding to swear that they were of the same race.

This required under the old law to establish that the marriage had been legal in the first place. The logic was that if you had not been legally married, you could not be legally divorced and entitled to the rights that came with that.

Keeping the assertion about race in the deposition testimony in the 1990s was legal nonsense because inter-racial marriages had been taking place legally in Virginia for more than three decades, but some die-hard white supremacist lawyers enjoyed having that language entered into the record for their white clients.

My way of quashing this foolishness was to ask the person stating that both parties were members of the white race to prove that assertion. I would explain to the person claiming to be white that they had 32 great-greatgreat-grandparents, and I would require them to identify all 32 and provide proof of the racial identity of all each of them. I would also explain to them that they were required to swear that their testimony was true to the best of their knowledge. And if they could not prove that they had knowledge as to the truth of

Attorney At Law

By Oscar H. Blayton

their testimony, they would be swearing falsely.

Given the “one drop rule,” no white person in America can prove he or she is not Black, or that he or she is white.

Whiteness is a state of mind (and it could be argued that it is a mental disorder).

But it has been used to justify the unjust enrichment of one self-identified group of people over others.

Race is ever present in the minds of Americans, whether in the minds of Black folks trying to survive in a racist society, or in the minds of white folk who self-identify as being normative in our culture. But racial classifications have no function as an element of physical science.

Humans have intermingled too thoroughly and for too long.

Throughout our history in America, there have been great efforts by some whites to ensure that Black folk are identified as the “other,” meaning not like white folk.

But the truth of the matter is that there is no “other.” We are all connected by our humanity and a common ancestry that confounds notions of racial purity.

And because there are no “others,” contrary to what white supremacists would have us believe, we must push back against the notion that whiteness and race are anything other than social constructs, engineered to enrich one group of self-identified individuals at the expense of those who are excluded from that group. Simply put, most, if not all, white folks are just - AANI passing.

We Have to Train Our Children Early

J

ames Baldwin once said, “These are all of our children, we will benefit by or pay for what they become.”

This thought is a very relevant sentiment as it relates to the shaping of our future.

We all share a part in the final product of our children. It is the children of today, who are the leaders of tomorrow. The way our children develop, act and lead over the next generations will write our story in the history books for us. The world will know the type of leaders and parents we are, based off of the production of the generations which will follow us.

I am reminded of my closing remarks at the most recent Monthly Networking Luncheon, at the Acres Home Chamber for Business and Economic Development.

After Lone Star Community College System’s (LSCS) Vice Chancellor, Dr. Linda Head concluded her informative delivery, there were a few things I felt the need to address on behalf of our education system. With representatives from LSCS, Houston Community College and educators and administrators from local area school districts the time was right to speak out about what I have been witnessing.

It was brought to my attention that behavioral science is a part of the coursework at community colleges.

We MUST Understand the college system should be a ground to establish higher educational methods and teachings. Therefore, fundamental sciences, values and learning experiences have no business being taught at that level of education. By the time a student reaches college age, it is virtually impossible to teach them behavior skills they should have been taught as

a child. The school system should be teaching behavioral science in kindergarten in the public-school setting. At that age, children are more apt to accept the behavioral patterns established by administrators and educators, even if it is not being taught or demonstrated in the home; the idea of having exposure to the proper way to conduct themselves will go a long way.

We MUST Understand in a lot of instances, many of our parents do not know how they are to conduct and present themselves. Therefore, it is difficult for a parent to teach a child something that they don’t know. That’s why I feel it should be required for parents to sit right there with their children, while they are being taught and trained on how to act. As far as I’m concerned teaching behavior science to college-aged students is just like teaching critical thinking in college; it’s too late at that point.

Realistically, we don’t need to teach no 20-year-old kid behavior science, if his ass don’t know how to act at that age then he needs to be locked up. College students are responsible for paying their way in college. It ought to be a shame for a student to get to college and pay to learn how to act.

At Houston Community College they have created classes and coursework to help students complete their high school diploma or GED. This means that some of our children have to go to college to graduate from high school.

So, we need help from those who we elect and pay to work for us. I have been challenging our education commissioners, superintendents, administrators and other officers to do something for the benefit of our children.

I have said it once and I will say it again… If I was a lawyer, I would sue every

We MUST Understand

By Roy Douglas Malonson, Publisher

school district in the country for failure to teach our kids how to make a living. Nowadays, by the time our children graduate high school, they barely know how to make it without technology and their parent’s income. Something is seriously wrong with this picture. When we came out of school, we didn’t need a degree because we were taught how to make a living in school. I remember taking up woodshop around the seventh and eighth grade in school. I was successful in it and was able to utilize the skills I retained from those classes when I became an adult to make a living for myself. These classes need to be placed back in school and made a requirement for our children. In closing, I would like to share a quote a saw online by an anonymous author. “Education makes a people easy to lead, but difficult to drive; easy to govern but impossible to enslave.”

- AANI

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Continued from Page 1

swimming, continue to fast everyday like I’m doing now, and cut all carbs. Also, going

into the sauna will help. This is gonna be very easy for me.

And I’m gonna win, because there’s no way my opponent

“Professor,” UglyManJoe’s Coach, preps him for the Indominus I - MMA fight at the Humble Civic Center, which was held on Sat., April 21, 2018.

Joe “Uglyman” Holmes demonstrates a move he uses in his competitions.

Texas • May 21 - May 27, 2018

can beat me.”

The owner of SFSMMA gym, Anthony “Professor” Salangsang says UglymanJoe is going to win too. “I love this kid. He’s just special.

He is always the first one to come into the gym and the last one to leave. By the way, he is also one of my coaches here at SFSMMA.” Love????

Well...according to UglyManJoe, his relationship with Professor did not start out with a whole lot of love; instead, there was constant criticism of his technique. He went into Professor’s studio confident he’d done the right thing, but was beginning to have second thoughts.

After about a year and a half, something clicked between them, and the studio became a second home. He realized his instructor, who started training in martial arts with his father at the age of 3, only wanted to see him reach the level of True Champion.

UglymanJoe is already a champion, but he is literally on the verge of reaching Champion level on a UFC worldwide level. All it takes is one to three more fights, and he will make Dallas, Texas very proud.

Compared to other fighters, UglyManJoe has a better chance of winning his upcoming fight and making it all the way to the top, because he practices holistic living.

His days begin with focusing on ‘nothing’ through meditation, which helps clear his mind and resolves his own issues from within. “When you learn how to meditate, when problems arise, you don’t have to run to someone to discuss them.

You simply focus on the issue needing resolution, to alleviate any stress the matter may be causing you.”

But according to him, meditation is just one aspect of healthy living. Joe is the

Joe “Uglyman” Holmes, with his hands held high by the referee as his victory against his opponent, middleweight fighter Donald Hernandez is announced.

proud father of a healthy, one and a half year old son, delivered at home via natural water birth. There weren’t any drugs used whatsoever to ease the mother’s pain, and since his son’s birth, no vaccinations have ever been given to him. And although his son is not old enough to go to school, Joe has already made up his mind that homeschooling is the only option.

UglymanJoe literally eats, sleeps and lives MMA. Even his closest friends practice MMA, and have children who are in his son’s age group. They get together every weekend to practice and go on family outings.

This lifestyle transformation and careful selection of friends with similar lifestyles seems a bit surreal when you realize UglyManJoe has only had an interest in MMA since 2014. Something just clicked within him as he watched a UFC fight on television. He was attracted to the “anything goes” type of refereeing. Also, he loved how the fighters were able to concentrate unimaginable amounts of energy in different areas of their bodies, to be able to defeat their opponent.

Like his coach the Professor says, “You can literally go from 0-100 real fast by focusing. MMA is one of the few sports which does not require one to be extremely athletic to be successful.”

Let’s keep Joseph “UglyManJoe” Holmes and his family in our prayers; especially with his title fight right around the corner. He has already expressed to us in so many words, “If I have to deliver a few butt whuppings and take a few (of course with me being the victor in the end), so be it. I just want to make sure my son NEVER wants for anything.” Remember the name: UglyManJoe, and look for him online by - AANI the same.

African-American News&Issues • 5

Texas • May 21 - May 27, 2018

Are Americans Crazy?

By Dr. Glenn Mollette

Has America simply gone crazy? We never want to think that we are a bit crazy or that people we love are experiencing craziness but it is reality. America has an overwhelming problem with craziness or I should say mental health issues.

Over a 12-month period, 27% of adults in the U.S. will experience some sort of mental health disorder, making the U.S. the country with the highest prevalence. Mental health disorders include mood disorders, anxiety disorders, attention deďŹ cit/ hyperactivity disorder, and substance abuse. Over one’s entire lifetime, the average American has a 47.4% chance of having some kind of mental health disorder. Yes, that’s almost one in two. The projected lifetime prevalence is even higher: for people who reach age 75 it is 55%. World Health Organization data does not take into account eating disorders, personality disorders, and schizophrenia; the incidence of these disorders together is about 15% in the U.S., according to the National Institute of Mental Health.

The incidence of mental health disorders varies widely across the globe, and determining the patterns is tricky.

After the U.S., Ukraine, Colombia, New Zealand, Lebanon, and France have the next highest rates of mental health disorders of any kind, all falling between 18.9% and 21.4% in a 12-month period.

Japan, the People’s Republic of China, Nigeria, and Israel have the lowest rates (between 6.0% and 7.4%), especially for depression. For substance abuse, the U.S. is up there, but not the highest: We are topped by South Afri-

ca and Ukraine. As with the U.S., when you look at lifetime prevalence in any country, the risk for any disorder goes way up.

Despite ongoing research, the predictors of mental health disorders are still evasive, even for the most common, like depression. While a nation’s wealth factor would seem to have an impact, it’s clear from the data that the relationship is complex. Ron Kessler, Ph.D., the Harvard researcher who headed much of the WHO’s mental health research, says that by and large people in less-developed countries are less depressed: After all, he says, when you’re literally trying to survive, who has time for depression? Americans, on the other hand, many of whom lead relatively comfortable lives; blow other nations away in the depression factor, leading some to suggest that depression is a “luxury disorder�.

There is a zero cure for mental health issues. How-

ever, here are some suggestions for improvement. Have a daily schedule. Get up and go to bed routinely. Get adequate sleep but you don’t need more than seven to eight hours. Engage in meaningful activity daily. Work a job. Work in a garden. Clean your house. Mow grass. Pull weeds. Go to school. Have some type of daily exercise.

Breaking a little sweat every day is healthy. Engage in meaningful relationships at church, a club, work or with friends and family. We all need real people in our lives.

Limit your technology, television and social media time.

Too much can drain and depress you.

If you have mental illness or family members suffering from mental illness get it out on the table and start talking about coping, a strategic plan, counseling and working together to make life manageable. Ignoring it only results in everybody going crazy.

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Credits: World Health Organization and The Atlantic.

- AANI

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There is a zero cure for mental health issues. However, there are some suggestions for improvement.

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6 • African-American News&Issues

Texas • May 21 - May 27, 2018

BTWHS 42nd Annual Engineering Awards Banquet

By Sonya D. Mills

Photos by Maya Imani Watson

Taylor Bartholomew, Juanita Bartholomew, Erica Bartholomew Dr. Le

Father of Angel Lewis, Angel Lewis

Aprill Nelson

Nicholas Newton, Sonya Mills

Dr. Le, Mr. Sandifer, Elnora Talbert, Mikhaila Ward, Rebekah Hodge, Angel Lewis, Nicholas Newton, Taylor Bartholomew, Cathryn Hall, Katheryn Harrell, Kenya Davis, Dr. Carlos Phillips II, (Back left to right) 2 boys David Hodge, Christian Breaux

The Booker T. Washington High School and the High School for Engineering Professions hosted its 42nd annual Engineering awards banquet on Thursday, May 10, capping off a very busy, yet productive year.

Washington graduates Alex Wyatt (2013) and Aprill Nelson (2004) were the featured speakers. Both brought a very profound and timely message about the importance of hard work and persistence.

Several students were recognized for their achievements. Paul Washington and Serena Eldridge received “Outstanding Work” and “Phenomenal Growth” recognition awards. In addition, Josephine Stafford, Cleveland Shepard, Rebekah Hodge, Kenadii King, Michael Bess, and Elias Will received “Excellence in Mathematics” recognition.

Kenya Davis, Angel Lewis, Kamran Day, Aaron Lawrence, and Brenae Clark received the “American Petroleum Institute for Academic Achievement” API award and received 500 dollars each in scholarships to Lamar University, Prairie View A&M, Texas A&M, UH Downtown, and Wiley College.

Christian Breaux was the 2018 “Spiral Award Winner for Continuous Improvement” and received 250 dollars for this scholarship.

Dr. Carlos Phillips II, Dr. Nghia Le, Mr. Newton, and the Washington High school family would like to give special thanks to all of our community sponsors, parents, teachers and community stakeholders who have helped to make this such a - AANI successful year.

Texas • May 21 - May 27, 2018

African-American News&Issues • 7

Drew Academy’s Martha Stancil Named One of the Top 150 Nurses in Houston

Martha Stancil

Drew Academy nurse Martha Stancil was named one of the Houston area’s top 150 nurses by the Houston Chronicle in their annual salute to nurses. She and her other honorees were honored recently with a luncheon to salute their service to nursing. Joining Stancil at the luncheon was Maisha Guillory, Aldine ISD’s program director of health services.

Stancil knew at an early age that she wanted to enter the nursing profession.

“When I was 10, my grandmother moved in with our family. She was ill and required

100% assistance,” Stancil said. “Both my father and mother worked, so the day that school was out for the summer I became her caretaker. Caring for my grandmother that summer cemented my desire to become a nurse.”

Stancil has been a registered nurse for 34 years. She earned her bachelor’s of science in nursing from Prairie View A&M University and a BA in Administration from Our Lady of the Lake University. She completed the Nurse Leadership Program at the prestigious University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business and has served as a Fellow for the National Association of Public Hospitals.

Prior to joining Aldine ISD, Stancil worked at Jefferson Davis Hospital as a critical care nurse and OB emergency care nurse and at LBJ Hospital as an emergency care/am-

bulatory care manager.

She’s also served as director of Ambulatory Care Specialty Clinics at Ben Taub and at St. Joseph’s Hospital as the medical surgical director.

During her 34-year career, Stancil has earned many honors.

She received the Nursing Excellence Award for Innovation and Creativity, the Administrative Excellence Award from the American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing, and was a member of the Ambulatory Care Service Best Nursing Team in 2004 for Texas and Louisiana.

She was elected chairperson of the Hospital District Foundation Steering Committee, which was charged to assess the readiness and implementation of an electronic medical record and business system that would serve the entire Harris County Hospital District.- AANI

Class of 1968 Meets Class of 2018

James W. Lewis, center, Class of 1968, spoke with the graduating class of 2018. Here he is pictured with George Washington Carver High School salutatorian Ahreaile Holly, left and valedictorian Bobbie Villaloboz, right.

GET INTO A CAREER YOU’LL LOVE. NOT DEBT.

Classes begin August 27.

LoneStar.edu/Registration

Alex Wyatt, Mr. Sandifer, Mrs. Le at the BTWHS 42nd Engineering Awards Banquet.

AANI_fall2018.indd 1

5/10/18 2:37 PM

8 • African-American News&Issues

Silver Coin-Shaped Medal Honors African American WWI Hero Sgt. Henry Johnson

One of the nation’s oldest coin shops is minting 500 silver coin-shaped medals honoring African American World War I hero Sgt. Henry Johnson. Tomorrow, May 15 is the 100th anniversary of Johnson’s act of valor in the Forest of Argonne, France for which he was posthumously awarded the Medal Flowers for All Occasions

of Honor in 2015.

William Henry Johnson was born circa 1892 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

On June 5, 1917, Albany resident Henry Johnson enlisted in the ďŹ rst African American unit in the U . S .

Army to engage in combat in Wo r l d War I, the 15th New York Infantry Regiment and 369th

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Texas • May 21 - May 27, 2018

U.S. Infantry Regiment.

On May 14, 1918, then-Private Johnson heroically fought off a German raid in hand-to-hand combat, saving the life of a fellow soldier. He was wounded 21 times. For his bravery, Johnson received France’s highest award for valor, the Croix de Guerre avec Palme, becoming the ďŹ rst American to receive this distinction. He received no military medals from his home country during his lifetime.

Sgt. Johnson returned to Albany in 1919 and struggled to reajust to civilian life and hold down steady work. He died in his mid-30s, destitute, July 1, 1929 in Washington, D.C. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Sgt. Henry Johnson was ďŹ nally recognized by the United States government for his service when he was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart in 1996 and the Distinguished Service Cross in 2002. In 2015 he was awarded the National Medal of Honor -- the nation’s highest military honor -- by President Barack Obama. “The story of Sgt. Henry Johnson is both inspiring and devastating,â€? said Jim Naughter, co-owner of Ferris Coin Co. “He was a highly-decorated hero abroad, but he died destitute in his own country without receiving the full honors and support he was due in his lifetime. Some of his misfortune was the result of his speaking out about the poor treatment of his fellow African Americans in the military and at home, which makes him even more heroic in my opinion.â€?

On June 5, 2018, the City of Albany will celebrate its second annual Henry Johnson Day, marked by a ceremony that includes the bestowing of the Henry Johnson Award for Distinguished Community Service.

- AANI

Fake History Hurts Our Kids

By Eric Johnson

On April 19, an 8th grade American history assignment was shared with the public that required students at a public charter school in San Antonio to list the “positive aspects� of slavery. The assignment was an activity found in one of the history textbooks that is used in classrooms throughout the State of Texas. This means that young people across the state are being taught that the institution of slavery was something other than reprehensible.

Another outcry over the contents of public school textbooks occurred when a parent discovered that one of their children’s textbooks described the Transatlantic Slave Trade as a period during which “millions of workers� were brought to America.

Texas schools bought nearly 140,000 copies of that textbook. Another textbook titled “Texas United States History� discusses how some slaves were treated “kindly� and provided “adequate food and clothing.�

These descriptions found in textbooks used by children all over Texas serve only to whitewash history by giving children a false idea that slavery wasn’t as horriďŹ c of an institution as it really was.

Slaves were tortured, beaten, raped, and brutalized. They were stripped of all personal freedoms and forced to serve a system that branded them as property and nothing more. It is detrimental to the future of our state to teach children an incorrect version of history.

Curriculum standards and all instructional materials, including textbooks, for public and public charter school

classrooms in Texas are vetted and approved by the Texas State Board of Education.

Although a law passed in 2011 allows schools to use instructional materials that are not recommended by the Board, majority of schools still use textbooks on the Board’s endorsed list. There are no educational requirements a person has to meet in order to serve on the Board.

This means that the individuals who are determining the contents of textbooks are not required to have a college degree.

In 2015, the Board rejected a proposal that would have required university experts to fact check public school textbooks. It is not surprising that the Board refused to put instructional materials in the hands of experts. A current member of the State Board of Education was once quoted saying that slavery was an “after issue� and “not the reason� for the Civil War. As a member of the Board, she has the power to determine the content studied in Texas’ U.S. History classrooms.

Politicians who want you to believe that slavery has “positive aspects� and was not the cause of the Civil War should not be writing or dictating the contents of textbooks. It is a disservice to Texas children to continue allowing counterfactual information to be placed in their instructional materials.

Texas’ American history curriculum should be in the hands of academics and subject matter experts who are distinguished in their ďŹ elds.

The 86th Texas Legislature needs to take a hard look at how the state determines what instructional content is acceptable in public school - AANI classrooms.

Texas • May 21 - May 27, 2018

African-American News&Issues • 9

Texas Legislative Black Caucus Releases Statement on the Quota System at Ramsey Prison Unit The Texas Legislative Black Caucus (TLBC) condemns the alleged actions on the part of a Captain of the Ramsey Prison Unit, who according to the Houston Chronicle, allegedly issued an unconstitutional ultimatum to his subordinates requiring them to “report at least two (2) cases daily…for a Level 2 Code 35 [excessive property violation]”.

Due to the Captain’s alleged illegal actions, officers began writing charges against inmates to fulfill this quota.

The TLBC has asked the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) to thoroughly investigate this matter and pursue any appropriate disciplinary actions.

“Instead of focusing on the further criminalization of inmates to fulfill an unnecessary quota, our criminal justice system must focus on their rehabilitation back into society” says TLBC Chair Helen Giddings. She continues, “Instances such as this further hamper the goals of inmate rehabilitation and unjustly impair their prison terms. This type of irreprehensible behavior begs the question as to whether this practice is being employed at other units. Moreover, we have about 40,000 men and women who honorably serve as prison guards. Behavior, such

as this, unfortunately tends to tarnish their image.”

Chair Giddings has called upon the House Corrections Committee Chair James White and Vice Chair Alma Allen to call for an investigation by the Office of the Inspector General into this matter. A request has been made that all Level 2 violations, which occurred during this period, be thrown out Chair Giddings has spoken with TDCJ Executive Director Bryan Collier about this issue.

According to Director

Collier, the department is taking appropriate disciplinary actions, while also meeting with each unit warden and conducting an audit to ensure this type of behavior is not happening at other facilities.

The department has reversed the unwarranted charges placed on inmates’ records during this time period.

The TLBC will continue to monitor this situation and work with TDCJ and the Legislature on legislative and department policy fixes to ensure this never happens again. - AANI

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas (METRO) Notice is hereby given that the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, TX (METRO), will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, May 30, 2018, at 12 noon to receive public comment regarding proposed August 2018 changes. The proposed service changes include: Route realignments to routes; 29, 36, 54, 65, 80, 82, 246, and 248; schedule changes to routes 8, 11, 29, 36, 40, 48, 54, 65, 80, 82, 85, 99, 161, 209, 219, 222, 229, 246, 249, 259 and 269; and possible discontinuation of route 417.

Copies of proposed route maps and timetables will be available Wednesday, May 23, 2018, for public review online and at the following location: METRO Administration Building - 1900 Main Street, Houston, TX, 77002 from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM weekdays.

The public hearing will be held in the 2nd floor boardroom at 1900 Main Street, Houston, TX (served by METRO routes 6, 11, 32, 44, 51, 52, 54, 82, 85, 102, 137, 160, 161, 162, 249, and METRORail).

HOW TO COMMENT ABOUT THE SERVICE CHANGES •

Attend the public hearing on May 30, 2018.

•

Write us at METRO, ATTN: August 2018 Service Change, 1900 Main Street, Houston, TX 77002.

•

Fax comments with a subject line referencing “August 2018 Service Change” to (713) 652-7956.

•

Call METRO’s Customer Care Line at (713) 635-4000.

•

Submit comments at METRO’s website - RideMETRO.org.

Comments should be received by METRO no later than the date and time of the public hearing.

HELP FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES For individuals with disabilities, assistive services or copies of public documents in an alternate format can be provided. Please call (713) 750-4271 (for persons with a hearing impairment) a minimum of five (5) working days prior to the public hearing.

LANGUAGE INTERPRETATION Any person who requires language interpretation or special communication accommodations is encouraged to contact METRO Public Affairs at (713) 739-4018, or via email at METROPublicAffairs@RideMETRO.org. Every reasonable effort will be made to accommodate your needs.

1. This Public Hearing conforms to requirements described in the Federal Transit Administration’s Circular 9030.1D, published May 1, 2010, page IV13.

2. METRO does not discriminate on the basis of disability in the admission or access to, or in treatment or employment in, its services, programs, and activities.

3. METRO is committed to ensuring that no person is excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of, its transit services on the basis of race, color, or national origin, as protected by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

According to alleged illegal actions, officers began writing charges against inmates to fulfill this quota.

RideMETRO.org • 713.635.4000 All METRO vehicles are 100% accessible.

Texas • May 21 - May 27, 2018

10 • African-American News&Issues

The Secret of Their Success?

Finding a Unique Niche, Antique Barber Chairs

By Curtis Bunn, Urban News Service

Not many were on board when Jon McDaniel decided to honor his late father-inlaw by…. having his 1950s barber chair restored. Who

and started cutting hair in his basement. (His day job?

County Sheriff.)

With a life story like that, McDaniel knew his fatherin-law, who passed away 29 years ago, needed a unique memorial. He weighed many

Custom Barber Chairs co-owner Sid Tutani poses with two of the chairs he refurbished.

does that? was the common refrain. And, then, they saw the finished product.

“Amazing,” Jon McDaniel, said with a hint of satisfaction. His friends quickly agreed. McDaniel admired his wife’s father, Dan Stringer—a World War II navy veteran, who enlisted the day after the Pearl Harbor attacks.

A patriot at heart, he joined when the navy had few African-Americans, on shore or at sea. He just knew he would be needed. Stringer learned to be a barber while serving overseas. When he returned to his native Cherokee County, some 40 miles north of Atlanta, he bought a Kohler Presidential barber chair

different ideas. Eventually, he thought of discarded, dusty hunk of metal in the basement—Stringer’s old barber chair. To McDaniel’s surprise, there is a mini-industry devoted to restoring barber chairs. He found Custom Barber Chairs, a three-man company that specialized in resurrecting barber chairs that are older than Sidney Poitier. A few weeks later after CBC picked up his rusting relic, McDaniel visited their Atlanta-area shop. “The chair was laid out in a million pieces,” he said. “I thought, ‘Oh, my god.’”

By the time Sid Tutani, one of CBC’s owners, had worked his magic, McDaniel uttered the same expression,

only in a different context.

The restored throne boasted McDaniel’s beloved Georgia Tech logo in the center of the back, chrome and porcelain details, and hydraulics that worked like new. “It was the best thing I could have done,” McDaniel said. “He [his father in law] meant so much to me and did so much for the country. His chair is probably better now than it ever was. When people come to my ‘man cave’ downstairs, it is a showstopper.”

McDaniel paid $5,200 to restore his father-in-law’s legacy. “Worth every penny,” he said. “When (Stringer’s son), who didn’t want the chair, saw it, he almost had a fit. It’s beautiful.”

McDaniel’s is just one of many, as Custom Barber Chairs has flourished in its unique business niche. The business began eight years ago, when Kwame Innis noticed a photo of an antique chair in an obscure magazine. Impulsively, he bought a 1930s model for his home, but found it difficult to find someone to refurbish it.

Exasperated, he called friends Tutani in Atlanta and Rohan Balgobin in Houston, fellow photographers and website designers. He hoped they would see his vision and be willing to learn how to teach themselves— through trial and error—to restore vintage barber chairs.

“Friends I could really trust because I knew this could take off,” Innis said.

Tutani and Balgobin quickly came onboard. “I was open to the idea because at the time, I had moved from New York to Texas and things had slowed down,” Balgobin - AANI said.

H-E-B To Add More Than 900 Store Jobs Across Greater Houston Area H-E-B, one of the nation’s leading independent food retailers and the largest private employer in Texas, is adding more than 900 jobs in the Greater Houston area. Eligible employees receive benefits, employee discounts, paid time off, 401K and Partner Stock Plans, scholarship opportunities and more.

“We’re excited to continue our growth in the Houston area and expand our team,” said Mayerland Harris, Group Vice President of Human Resources, H-E-B Houston, Joe V’s, Central Market and Mi Tienda. “A job at H-E-B is an opportunity for a rewarding career where employees can utilize their talents and strengths to innovate and make a difference. Our unique company culture has helped rank us among the ‘Best Places to Work’ offering meaningful careers and opportunities for growth.”

Current openings include store leadership and management positions, as well as part-time and entry-level jobs. In addition, H-E-B recently increased minimum starting pay for Customer Service Assistants (Baggers) - $9.50/hour and Checkers $11.50/hour.

“With the recent acquisition of Favor delivery, expansion of curbside pickup and omnichannel growth, H-E-B is a forward-thinking, community-focused retailer with much to offer,” said Armando Peres, Senior Vice President of H-E-B Houston.

H-E-B is known for innovative quality products, services and fresh food, as well as giving back to the communities it serves. Each year

the company proudly donates over five percent of its pretax earnings to charitable organizations who are committed to making a positive difference in their local communities. In addition to financial support, each year H-E-B Partners volunteer more than 100,000 hours of service in Texas communities.

This “spirit of giving” is an integral part of everyday business at H-E-B and a tradition that the company proudly continues with signature programs across Texas, including the H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards, H-E-B Feast of Sharing Dinners, H-E-B Operation Appreciation and the H-E-B Food Bank Assistance Program.

H-E-B currently operates more than 80 stores in the Houston area and is continuously increasing its store count. To view H-E-B’s job openings, please visit careers. heb.com.

About H-E-B

H-E-B, with sales of $25 billion, operates 400 stores in Texas and Mexico. Known for its innovation and community service, H-E-B celebrates its 113th anniversary this year. Recognized for its fresh food, quality products, convenient services, and a commitment to environmental responsibility and sustainability, H-E-B strives to provide the best customer experience at everyday low prices. Based in San Antonio, H-E-B employs over 106,000 Partners in Texas and Mexico and serves millions of customers in more than 300 communities. For more information, visit heb.com.

- AANI

Texas • May 21 - May 27, 2018

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African-American News&Issues • 11

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PUBLIC NOTICES THE GEORGIA PORTS AUTHORITY P. O. BOX 2406 SAVANNAH, GEORGIA 31402 The Georgia Ports Authority will receive sealed bids for the ďŹ nal phase of infrastructure to support the Port of Savannah International Multi-Modal Connector project at the Garden City Terminal in Garden City, Georgia. For detailed information, please visit the Georgia Ports Authority website at www.gaports.com/ departments/ engineering/projects.

Lone Star College Bid Requests: • RFP #580 Moving Services for Lone Star College. Due: 6/12/2018 @ 11 AM. WebEx pre-proposal meeting will be held on Thursday, May 31, 2018, at 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM; call–in number 832-8136703. Contact christina.m.thibodaux@ lonestar.edu 832-8136575. Must register to bid: http://wwwappsdstc.lonestar.edu/istar/ supplier.htm.

Notice to Proposers Sealed electronic proposals will be received by Lone Star College for: • RFP #589 – Internet Services. Electronic bids due by 1:00 p.m., Wednesday, 6/13/2018. WebEx pre-proposal meeting will be held Tuesday, 5/29/18 @ 10:00 a.m., Contact: sharon.k.ognowski@ lonestar.edu or 832813-6211. Must Register to Bid: http:// wwwappsdstc.lonestar.edu/istar/supplier.htm . If registered, please ensure your registration is up to date. For assistance with the on-line registration process, contact donna.e.cottrell@lonestar.edu or 832-813-6275.

Notice to Proposers Sealed electronic proposals will be received by Lone Star College for: • RFP #588 Audio/Visual Systems for LSC-Kingwood Campus Trailers.

Electronic bids due by 11:00 a.m., June 13, 2018. WebEx Pre Proposal Meeting May 30, 2018 at 10:00 a.m.

Contact: sharon.k.ognowski@lonestar.edu Must Register to Bid: http://wwwappsdstc. lonestar.edu/istar/ supplier.htm . If registered, please ensure your registration is up to date. For assistance with the on-line registration process, contact donna.e.cottrell@lonestar.edu or 832-813-6275.

FRIDAY, MAY 25

The Church Without Walls Armed Forces Ministry Job Fair 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

The Church Without Walls 5725 Queenston Blvd., Houston, TX 77084 281-649-6800

WEDNESDAY, MAY 23 The DBCC Business Development Corporation presents A Conversation With Dr. Michael Sorrell, President of Paul Quinn College Noon – 1 p.m.

Dallas Black Dance Theater Community Room, 2700 Ann Williams Way, Dallas, TX 75201 RSVP by May 17th to info@dbcc.org or call 214-421-5200

SATURDAY, MAY 26 “The Last Dance�

The last event ever held at this campus!

7:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.

Booker T. Washington High School Cafeteria & Gym Tickets Online: btw125. ticketleap.com/btw125-block-party Pre-Sale: $25.00 At the Door : $30.00

BUY THIS SPACE

for your • Valentiine’s Day • Mother’s Day • Father’s Day • Anniversaries • In Memory Of • Birthdays • Graduations sales@aframnews. com

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THURSDAY, JUNE 3 Acres Home Chamber for Business and Economic Development, Inc. Cordially invites you to attend the May Monthly Business Networking Luncheon 11:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.

Acres Home Chamber 6112 Wheatley Street (Beulah Ann Shepard Building) Houston, Texas 77091

Guest Speaker Dr. LaTonya Goffney Superintendent Aldine Independent School District UPDATED TICKET PRICES Member Price $30.00 Non Member Price $45.00 For more information contact 713-692-7161