Vol 28 Issue 36

CoMMISSIoneR ellIS UnveIlS ‘FReeDoM’ MaRkeR

By: David Ellison

When philanthropist William O. Perkins III embarked on a massive project to analyze thousands of run-away slave advertisements, one of the main angles he wanted to relay to the public is the human experience and desire to be free.

“As I look at these ads and courageous acts, it’s hard to get me to walk around Memorial Park for 3 miles,” Perkins said at a ceremony hosted by Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis to unveil a Freedom Marker to honor “Ben,” who escaped slavery on Sept. 13, 1864. “So, these people were running hundreds of thousands miles – no compass, no Google Maps, nothing. Just the desire to be free or the desire to reunite with a loved one.”

Perkins initiated a project that resulted in a searchable database of more than 10,000 enslaved people who sought their freedom by running away. The Ben marker, which was donated to Har-

ris County, was the first monument presented to the public at a ceremony held at the University of Houston-Downtown on Wednesday, Sept. 13. The event took place during International Underground Railroad Month, which is recognized in September because well-known freedom seekers and Underground Railroad operatives, Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman, escaped from slavery in that month.

“These projects give us space to reflect on our past but also to imagine a future where George Floyd, Sandra Bland, Ahmad Aubery, Breonna Taylor, and all the others would still be alive,” Commissioner Ellis said. “Ben’s marker will serve that exact purpose.”

Commissioner Ellis and his staff will determine where to place the bronze marker, which resembles a manhole-styled plate.

By: Daniel Barrera

Today’s sham acquittal of Ken Paxton is an affront to the rule of law and a betrayal of every democratic principle we hold dear. Paxton has proven himself unfit for office, throughout his tenure he used his role to service wealthy donors and a far-right extremist agenda. A Trump and MAGA acolyte, who participated at the January 6th rally ahead of the insurrection at the Capitol and wasted at least $45,000 of taxpayer dollars trying to overturn the 2020 election, Paxton is still also under indictment for securities fraud which has been an ongoing investigation since 2015.

The following is a joint statement from Texas Organizing Project (TOP) Co-Executive Directors Brianna Brown and Michelle Tremillo, on Paxton not being convicted on any of the 16 article of impeachment: Michelle Tremillo stated, “From Trump, to Clarence Thomas, and now Paxton, we are witnessing a grand display of the normalization of corruption and far-right extremism. This must stop.” Brianna Brown added, “Paxton isn’t just a singular corrupt individual; he’s part of a larger corrupt ecosystem that has

“Addressing Current & Historical Realities Affecting Our Community”

If you have a strong ego and a mental disorder, there’s a strong chance you can become president of the United States.

- Roy Douglas Malonson

Freedom maker unveiling: harris county commissioner rodney ellis, left, observes as william o. Perkins III explains images on the “Ben” Freedom marker while artists angelbert metoyer and dawolu jabari anderson look on.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, EMAIL TO

InsIde look at the hIstorIc ImPeachment trIal

By: Senator Bob Hall

The 2023 attempt to impeach Attorney General Warren Kenneth Paxton was doomed from the start for multiple reasons; not the least of which was the failure of the House to follow the wellestablished and time-tested principle of “due process.” Specifically; Investigation goal: instead of seeking TRUTH and JUSTICE they sought IMPEACHMENT. No testimony was required or allowed to be given under oath.

No cross exam was allowed for any witness Second-, third- and fourth-hand hearsay was accepted without question.

No House member was allowed to hear direct testimony.

Full house required to vote after hearing only hearsay summaries by House Managers.

Had the House simple required all testimony be given under oath as required by law and witnesses allowed to be cross examined by the defense the House would most likely have reached the same conclusion as the Senate because they would have seen that there was insufficient evidence to convict on “probable cause” much less “beyond a reasonable doubt”.

Clearly, the House goal was IMPEACHMENT. Their goal should have been TRUTH and JUSTICE. Thus, the House failed in their job of requiring EVIDENCE to guide them to the right goal.

After reviewing thousands of pages of documents and over 40 hours of testimony, it is clear that the prosecution could not produce any meaningful evident worthy of an impeachment conviction.

The failure to cross examine under oath, led the House to rely on half truths, misleading information, and hearsay. Even if the House had been interested in seeking TRUTH and JUSTICE, they would not have been able to do so. As in the words of Representative John Smithee when he spoke in opposition to the impeachment motion in the House, “You’ve heard this compared to a grand jury proceeding, and in some ways it’s like a grand jury proceeding, and in other ways it is not. But I can tell you this, no grand jury can legitimately indict any individual or any potential criminal defendant without evidence. You can’t indict without evidence, PERIOD. What you’re being asked to do today is to impeach without evidence. It is all rumor, it is all innuendo, it is all speculation, and is all things we may speculate to be true, but we don’t have what is defined or what qualifies as evidence in any court at law, not only in Texas, not only in the United States, but in most developed countries in the world.

By senator BorrIs

statement

l. mIles regardIng the VerdIct In the ImPeachment oF attorney general ken Paxton

By: Borris L. Miles

“I took my responsibility as a member of the Court of Impeachment very seriously. I believe in law and order, and no one individual is above the law, regardless of how powerful or minimal the elected office may be perceived. The House Managers presented a compelling case beyond a reasonable doubt, showing Attorney General Ken Paxton misused his official power on behalf of Nate Paul.

It was clear that multiple divisions of the Attorney General’s Office were pressured to take action and make decisions to benefit Mr. Paul’s businesses and his litigation. The defense would have us believe General Paxton’s actions were not related to the subsequent acts by Mr. Paul, but as was said often during the trial, ‘There are no coincidences in Austin.’ As a result, I voted to impeach General Paxton.”

sen. west on Paxton acquIttal

By: Sen. Royce West

“This verdict unfortunately sanctioned a new standard of conduct for elected officials in Texas. These decisions will impact the standards by which elected officials may conduct themselves for the next 100 years.

There will be those who say that the House Managers did not meet their burden of proof, and that may be true on some articles. However, in my opinion, on Article IX involving bribery, the House proved beyond all doubt that Nate Paul employed Ken Paxton’s mistress, paid for a secret Uber account for Paxton’s personal use, and allowed the Attorney General of Texas to participate in an illicit affair; this, while he

had almost unfettered access to the attorney general. In fact, the evidence was so strong that it showed the Uber account was connected to one of Paul’s credit cards and was used by Paxton to visit the residences of his mistress Laura Olsen and Nate Paul. This arrangement and payment benefiting Paxton may never have been reported to the proper state authority, the Texas Ethics Commission.

The majority has set a poor example for future generations of elected officials by exonerating Paxton on this count.

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EDUCATION

secretarIes oF educatIon call on goVernors to equItaBly Fund land

U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture

Thomas Vilsack today sent letters to 16 governors emphasizing the over $12 billion disparity in funding between land-grant Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and their non-HBCU land-grant peers in their states.

The 16 governors receiving the letter are:

Alabama – Gov. Kay

Ivey

Arkansas – Gov. Sarah

Huckabee Sanders

Florida – Gov. Ron

DeSantis

Georgia – Gov. Brian Kemp

Kentucky – Gov. Andy

Beshear

Louisiana – Gov. John

Bel Edwards

Maryland – Gov. Wes Moore

Mississippi – Gov. Tate Reeves

Missouri – Gov.

Michael Parson

North Carolina – Gov.

Roy Cooper

Youngkin

West Virginia – Gov. James C. Justice, II

There are HBCU land-grant institutions in 18 states; however, Delaware and Ohio have equitably funded their respective universities.

“I want to have it where people can walk by and interact with history,” Perkins said of the markers. “We can’t put up 70,000 vertical markers in a city. But we can put something they can walk over and be like, ‘Oh, what is this?’ and spark that curiosity.”

County Attorney Christian Menefee said the words written in the run-away slave ad

almost make Ben look like a coward or deviant.

“He’s supposed to be ‘lurking’ around the city,” Menefee said of the ad language. “And it just reminded me of the importance of not accepting the oppressors’ words and descriptions about our actions when we are doing them. Ben was not a coward. He was a fighter. He did what was necessary to have the defiance that would save his life.”

Commissioner Ellis said he’s grateful for Perkins donation.

“Today, we move forward by looking back,” Commissioner Ellis said. “We acknowledge violent acts, from slavery to the recent murders of Black people, in a restorative way through art. Public art can inspire, make change, remind us of our history, and unite people in a common cause.”

Oklahoma – Gov. J.

Kevin Stitt

South Carolina – Gov.

Henry McMaster

Tennessee – Gov. Bill Lee

Texas – Gov. Greg Abbott

Virginia – Gov. Glenn

“Unacceptable funding inequities have forced many of our nation’s distinguished Historically Black Colleges and Universities to operate with inadequate resources and delay critical investments in everything from campus infrastructure to research and development to student support services,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona.

Fund cont. Pg. 5

compromised healthcare for millions, endangered the basic rights of millions, and eroded the very foundations of democracy. We’re sick of Texas being the GOP’s lab for antidemocratic policies while their party leaders erase decades of progress.”

With this trial outcome, TOP calls on the Texas State Bar to revoke Ken Paxton’s license to practice law. While the Attorney General of Texas does not need to be a licensed attorney, the revocation of his

Trial Cont. Fund Cont.

“I am continually inspired by all that HBCUs have achieved despite having to punch above their weight. Our HBCUs graduate a huge share of our nation’s Black educators, doctors, engineers, judges, and lawyers. These institutions and the talented, diverse students they serve must have equitable funding in order to reach their full potential and continue driving innovation. The Biden-Harris Administration is proud to have made record investments in our HBCUs, but to compete in the 21st century we need state leaders to step up and live up to their legally required obligations to our historically Black land-grant institutions.”

license would force Paxton to delegate critical responsibilities, further highlighting his unfitness for office. Additionally, because of this acquittal verdict, we’re forced to place our hope in federal

institutions to do what our state elected officials lacked the courage to do in rooting out political corruption. The FBI’s ongoing investigation into Paxton is a small

“Some of the brightest minds and most impactful advancements in food and agriculture have taken root in our country’s 1890 landgrant universities, and I’m incredibly proud of the partnership USDA maintains with these invaluable institutions. We need governors to help us invest in their states’ HBCU’s at the equitable level their students deserve, and reflective of all they contribute to our society and economy,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

“The documented discrepancies are a clarion call for governors to act without delay to provide significant support for the 1890 landgrant institutions in their respective states.

beacon of hope that justice may yet prevail. This acquittal is also a wake-up call. TOP will continue to do what we do best: organize and mobilize Black and Latino communities across Texas. Come November 2026, we’ll defeat Paxton at the ballot box, if he isn’t already found guilty in his securities fraud trial, of course. We demand better, and we will continue the fight to elect officials who represent the democratic principles and human decency that Texas and the U.S. deserve.

Failing to do so will have severe and lasting consequences to the agriculture and food industry at a time when it must remain resilient and competitive.”

Under the Second Morrill Act of 1890, states choosing to open a second land-grant university to serve Black students were required to provide an equitable distribution of state funds between their 1862 and 1890 landgrant institutions. 1862 land-grant universities were founded through the First Morrill Act of 1862 which provided states with federal land that could be sold to support the colleges.

For nearly sixty years we’ve provided essential care for the place we call home.

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PuBlic NOTice PuBlic NOTice

Notice to Proposers

Request for Proposal will be received by Lone Star College for:

• RFP #902 – Employee Engagement Polling Services. Electronic submittals due by 5:00PM, Friday, October 6, 2023.

• WebEx pre-proposal meeting: Wednesday, September 27, 2023 10:00AM; call-in number 1-408-7926300, Meeting #2624 274 5614

• Contact: pamela.johnson@lonestar. edu or (832)813-6782.

• 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 MC-vendors@ lonestar.edu.

Notice to Proposers

The Houston Independent School District is soliciting Requests for Proposal (RFP) via the district’s electronic bidding portal. Proposers may login to view specifications and submit their responses at the following link https://houstonisd. ionwave.net/Login.aspx until 10:00

a.m. (CST) Thursday, October 19, 2023, for the following solicitation(s):  RFP 24-09-03 Stadium Concessions

Food and Supplies

Pre-proposal conferences via Microsoft Teams will be held in conjunction with these RFP’s. Information regarding dates, times, and a link to join the meeting is located within the electronic bidding portal under the “Event Details” tab specific to the solicitation.

TOurS

Notice of Destruction of Special

Education Records

The Records and Information Management Department of the Houston Independent School District is preparing to destroy personally identifiable information which was maintained to provide educational services for qualifying students. This information includes referral data, notice/consent documents, assessment reports with supporting data, ARD committee deliberations and IEP documents. Records are destroyed 5 years after cessation of services. Cessation of services results when a student graduates, is dismissed from Special Education Services, moves out of district, or drops out of school. Records currently being destroyed are for Special Education students whose services ceased in the 2017- 2018 school year. Parents/Guardians of these students or the adult student (aged 18 or over), may contact the Records and Information Management Department at 713-556-6055 before December 1, 2023 should they wish to obtain the record being destroyed. These records may be needed in the future for Social Security benefits or other purposes.

Houston ISD Records & Information Management Department

4400 W. 18th Street Building B Houston, Texas 77092

Email: recordsmanagement@houstonisd.org

Notice to Proposers Request for Proposal will be received by Lone Star College for:

• RFP #898 – Learning Management System Accessibility Checker. Electronic submittals due by 2:00PM, Wednesday, October 11, 2023.

• WebEx pre-proposal meeting: Wednesday, September 27th, 4:30PM; call-in number 1-408-7926300, Meeting #2620 361 1249

• Contact: janet.bradley@lonestar. edu or (832)813-6299.

• 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 MC-vendors@ lonestar.edu

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