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Ben Hall
Volume 82 | Number 18
Ben Hall Up close & personal
NATIONAL MICHELLE OBAMA launches fitness program
P6 FEATURE OPINION
CHRISTOPHER DORNER Subject of L.A. meeting
H Page 8 P7 STATE MILTON CARROLL honored at Legislative Summit
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Terrence Howard analyzes acting
Kassandra Rivera outplays opponents
Terrence Howard has conquered stage, screen and TV on the way to becoming one of Hollywood’s busiest stars. Hear his surprising comments about preparing for his latest role. Discover his straightforward advice for aspiring actors. Learn what he sees when he looks in the mirror.
Texas Southern University sophomore Kassandra Rivera is receiving nationwide attention for her golf game. See where she ranks among NCAA players. Find out why she’s making history beyond TSU. Read about her start in the sport, her competitive streak and the secret of her success.
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CHAG’S PLACE
Dr. Albert Lemons, Nancy Grier and Dr. Terry Grier at HAABSE ceremony
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f the Alzheimer’s Association, takes place on Tuesday, March 12, at the State Capitol in Austin. The event gives constituents an opportunity to meet with lawmakers to discuss the disease and how it affects individuals and families across Texas. Charter bus transportation will be available for Houston-area advocates who would like to attend. For information visit alztex.org/advocacy.
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Experts say healthcare reform needed the Center for Public Policy Priorities in Austin, said many legislators fear that Texas would get stuck paying for the program well after the initial free years. “It doesn’t make sense to refuse to do a good thing now because 10 years down the road it might present a challenge,” she said. “At least for 10 years we had something good happening for our chil-
By TIFFANY L. WILLIAMS Defender
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any of the state’s elected officials – including Gov. Rick Perry and a number of state legislators – refuse to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), despite Texas having the largest proportion of uninsured citizens in the nation. Charhonda Cox According to experts who spoke during a New America Media-sponsored ethnic media roundtable discussion in Houston, fully implementing the ACA is the right thing to do. “Expanding Medicaid will save lives,” said Charhonda Cox, executive director for Texans Together. “Everybody pays less when more people have insurance. Costs go down and quality of care goes up.” The expansion, which is one component of the larger ACA, is set to take effect in January 2014 and would guarantee coverage for families earning at or below 133 percent of the federal poverty level. Currently, there are about 24 percent (6.2 million) of people in Texas who are uninsured. With the expansion in place that number is projected to drop down to just under 12 percent. In addition to more healthcare coverage for adults and children, the expansion would also bring in billions of dollars in federal funds to the state. For the first three years, the federal government would cover 100 percent of the costs. By the fourth year, states that choose to keep the expansion would pay a percentage of it out of their own budgets. “This is a great financial deal,” said Laura
Laura Guerra-Cardua
Eva DeLuna Castro
Guerra-Cardua, Texas associate director for the Children’s Defense Fund. “Over the next 10 years, we would have to put in $15 billion to get $90 billion back. This is money infused back into our communities, creates tens of thousands of jobs and could really benefit everyone.” Still, there are opponents who argue that expanding coverage would cost the state too much, especially long term. Eva DeLuna Castro, senior budget analyst for
dren and our adults.” Moreover, Guerra-Cardua said taxpayers would end up paying for Medicaid costs regardless of whether Texas accepts the expansion. “People who are uninsured still get sick,” she said. “But the difference is, they usually wait to go to the doctor and when they show up, they are much more sick…and they go to the emergency room, which is far more expensive than a doctor’s visit. “When costs are not covered by these families, they are passed on to local taxes,” she said. “And we pay for them without the opportunity to get federal tax dollars back to help pay for that care.” Cox said with the legislative session ending in May, there is not much time left to change the minds of legislators who refuse to accept the expansion. “We want to make sure the folks we put in office have pressure to vote yes,” she said. “The only way they’ll do that is if they know that the people who can vote for them again want this to happen.” For more on the Affordable Care Act visit defendernetwork.com. ..
localbriefs GAYNELLE GRIFFIN JONES, appointed by President Bill Clinton as the first Black woman to be United States attorney for the Southern District of Texas, died March 1 after a battle with cancer. She was 64. She was also the first Black woman to serve on the First Court of Appeals in Texas. Jones, a Dallas native and graduate of Boston College Law School, most recently served as litigation counsel for Hewlett-Packard and was an adjunct faculty member at the University of Houston Law Center. She is survived by her husband, Robert Jones and her daughter, Athena Jones, a CNN correspondent. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday,
March 9, at Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church, where she served as a deaconess……..SYLVIA GARCIA, the former Harris County commissioner and city controller, defeated State Rep. Carol Alvarado in the runoff to fill the seat previously held by the late State Sen. Mario Gallegos. Garcia earned 53 percent of the vote. “We’re just so happy. The supporters and friends here are just besides themselves,” Garcia said on election night. Gallegos represented the predominantly Hispanic district from 1994 until last October when he died from complications related to a liver transplant……..MARCH ON CRIME kicked off its 29th annual campaign to educate Houstonians
during the month of March. Sponsored by the Houston Police Department, the campaign is focusing on gun safety, robbery offenses and child safety. For information visit houstonpolice.org……..ALZHEIMER’S ADVOCACY DAY, sponsored by the Texas Chapters of the Alzheimer’s Association, takes place on Tuesday, March 12, at the State Capitol in Austin. The event gives constituents an opportunity to meet with lawmakers to discuss the disease and how it affects individuals and families across Texas. Charter bus transportation will be available for Houston-area advocates who would like to attend. For information visit alztex.org/advocacy.
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MARCH 7 | 2013 | DEFENDER
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national
U.S.briefs TWELVE FORMER BAND MEMBERS are now charged with manslaughter in the death of Florida A&M University drum major Robert Champion after a football game in 2011. Ten of the former band members had previously been charged with felony hazing, which carries a maximum of five years in prison. The new charge of felony manslaughter can carry up to 15 years. Two more defendants have been added. Champion died after injuries inflicted during a ritual where fellow band members attacked him with fists, drumsticks and other objects. The hazing controversy resulted in the university president and band leader leaving their positions and the suspension of the band…….. THE INCARCERATION RATE for Black women fell 30.7 percent between 2000 and 2009 according to a new study by the Sentencing Project, a non-profit group that advocates for criminal justice reform. “If we look at the numbers, it seems like the most significant part of the decline for Black women comes through fewer drug offenders,” said Marc Mauer, executive director of the Sentencing Project. The decline is attributed to increased access to drug treatment and changes in drug policies…….. THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR announced the availability of approximately $32 million through two grant competitions that will offer job training, education and support services to formerly incarcerated youths and women. The department will award $20 million to four organizations to operate programs that work with juvenile offenders. Each organization may submit only one application for a grant of up to $5 million. Additionally, the department will award a total of $12 million to eight organizations to provide job training for formerly incarcerated individuals. Each organization may submit only one application for a grant of up to $1.5 million. Any nonprofit organization with 501 (3)(c) status that meets the requirements of the solicitation can apply at grants.gov.
VOLUME 82 • NUMBER 19 - MARCH 7, 2013 Publisher Sonceria Messiah-Jiles Advertising/Client Relations Selma Dodson Tyler Strategic Alliance Manager Clyde Jiles Multimedia Manager Tiffany Williams Online Editor ReShonda Billingsley
Print Editor Marilyn Marshall Art Director Tony Fernandez-Davila People Editor Yvette Chargois Sports Editors Max Edison Darrell K. Ardison Contributing Writer Aswad Walker
The Defender newspaper is published by the Houston Defender Inc. Company (713-663-6996.. The Defender is audited by Certified Audited Circulation. (CAC). For subscription, send $60-1 year to: Defender, P.O. Box 8005, Houston TX 77288. Payment must accompany subscription request. All material covered by 2013 copyright. (No material herein may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher).
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In observance of the fight for voting rights, Vice President Joe Biden, Congressman John Lewis and others march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma’s annual Bridge Crossing Jubilee. The event commemorates the beating of voting rights marchers – including Lewis – by state troopers in 1965.
Supreme Court hears voting rights challenge
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By George E. Curry NNPA Editor-in-Chief
n the recent oral arguments before the Supreme Court to determine whether a key section of the Voting Rights Act should be upheld, Justice Antonin Scalia referred to the provision as a “perpetuation of racial entitlement.” It was the kind of comment that could easily spark a demonstration in front of the court. But when Scalia made his comment about the pre-clearance provision of the 1965 law, there were already protesters in front of the U.S. Supreme Court marching in support of the Voting Rights Act. Inside the court, Scalia addressed the various extensions of the Voting Rights Act since its passage. Scalia then said, “Now, I don’t think that’s attributable to the fact that it is so much clearer now that we need this. I think it is attributable, very likely attributable, to a phenomenon that is called perpetuation of racial entitlement. It’s been written about. Whenever a society adopts racial entitlements, it is very difficult to get out of them through the normal political process.” Justice Sonia Sotomayor did not let Scalia’s entitlement comment go unchallenged. She pressed Bert W. Rein, the lawyer representing Shelby County, Ala., four times on the issue. She asked, “Do you think that the right to vote is a racial entitlement
Voting Rights Act facts • The Voting Rights Act was signed into law in 1965 by President Lyndon B. Johnson to outlaw discriminatory voting practices. • Under Section 5, jurisdictions with a history of racial discrimination must receive pre-clearance from the Justice Department or a federal court before they are allowed to make any changes in their voting procedures. • When Section 5 was scheduled to expire, it was extended by Congress in 1970, 1975, 1982 and for another 25 years in 2006. • It was approved the last time with broad bipartisan support. It passed the House by a 390-33 margin and the Senate 98-0. in Section 5?” Rein finally answered, “…May I say Congress was reacting in 1964 to a problem of race discrimination which it thought was prevalent in certain jurisdictions. So to that extent, as the intervener said, yes, it was intended to protect those who had been discriminated against.” Justice Stephen G. Breyer said the case should be
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entertainment
Terrence Howard
opens up about acting
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By KAM WILLIAMS Special to the Defender
n 2006, Terrence Howard received an Academy Award nomination for his lead role in John Singleton’s “Hustle & Flow,” and the song which he performed in the film became the first rap song ever to receive an Academy Award. That same year, Howard was also a member of the all-star cast of “Crash,” the Oscar-winning Best Picture. His other film credits include “The Best Man,” “Dead Presidents,” “Four Brothers,” “Iron Man” and “Red Tails.” Maintaining a powerful presence on the small screen as well, Howard won one of his three NAACP Image Awards in 2006 for the HBO film “Lackawanna Blues.” In 2008, he made his Broadway debut in a revival of “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” co-starring Phylicia Rashad and James Earl Jones. Howard was born in Chicago. His love of acting came through summers spent with his grandmother, New York stage actress Minnie Gentry. Here, he talks about his latest film, “Dead Man Down,” where he plays crime boss Alphonse Hoyt opposite Colin Farrell and F. Murray Abraham. KW: What interested you in “Dead Man Down?” TH: Being able to work with [director Niels Arden Oplev], given the work he’s done. He has an interesting style that mixes traditions of old with the allure of mystery. I just like his Shakespearean approach to storytelling. It’s always about these relationships which become unwound. I was also interested in working with Colin again. We made “Hart’s War” together back in 2002, and I’ve always ap-
preciated his artistry. So, I jumped at the chance to continue our friendship. KW: How did you prepare to play crime boss Alphonse Hoyt? TH: I got a process, a perm in my hair. That was my preparation. KW: What type of character do you enjoy playing the most? TH: I like the conflicted soul, the complicated human being. I’ve never been a perfect man. There’s always been a choice between right and wrong, and no one does a single thing for a single motive. There are many motives behind what we do… I like to search for balance in an unbalanced system. KW: What advice do you have for an aspiring actor or actress? TH: Stop aspiring and just do it! Stop thinking and just follow your instincts the same way a half-billion sperm leaves our father and travels down the maze of opportunity inside our mother. No one tells them how to get there…You already know where to go, you just have to trust that you know, and stop asking people for advice. KW: When you look in the mirror, what do you see? TH: I see someone made in the image of God. Unfortunately, I also see too much of man scattered about my face with the insecurities and inadequacies and lack of understanding. And I see the source of humanity’s purpose in my eyes, and that’s the desire and attributes of trying to be closer to God with love and morality.
Terrence Howard portrays crime boss Alphonse Hoyt in “Dead Man Down.”
what’sup KEVIN HART’S popularity continues to soar. The actor and comedian recently hosted “Saturday Night Live.” His stand-up comedy movie “Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain,” hits theaters in July. Though another movie starring Hart – “About Last Night” – won’t be released until Feb. 14 of next year, the trailer can already been seen in theaters. Hart is also back for another season on BET’s “Real Husbands of Hollywood.” His co-stars include NICK CANNON, BORIS KODJOE, DUANE MARTIN and ROBIN THICKE. Hart describes the show as “fake drama” in which men act like women. “It’s good, it’s original, it’s something different and it’s fresh,” he said……..Motown’s Temptations family suffered two losses in less than 10 days. While Baltimore was mourning the Feb. 18 passing of OTIS “DAMON” HARRIS
at 62 from prostate cancer, RICHARD STREET, another member of the iconic singing group, died Feb. 27 in Las Vegas of a pulmonary embolism. He was 70. Harris performed with the celebrated act from 1971 to 1975. Street joined the group in the early 1970s and was a member for 25 years…….. BOBBY ROGERS, a founding member of another Motown group, the Miracles, and a songwriting collaborator with SMOKEY ROBINSON, died March 3 in Detroit after a lengthy illness. He was 73. Robinson said Rogers was like a brother to him. “He and I were born on the exact same day in the same hospital in Detroit. I am really going to miss him. I loved him very much,” Robinson said……..Comedian D.L. HUGHLEY is putting on his dancing shoes as one of the new contestants on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars.” In the coming
weeks, Hughley will attempt to dazzle audience members with renditions of dances such as the mambo, tango, samba and rumba. “I guess I’ll see if I can learn to dance with my foot in my mouth,” Hughley said. “I’m excited.” Other stars in this season’s cast include Baltimore Ravens Super Bowl champ JACOBY JONES. The competition kicks off on March 18…….. OPRAH WINFREY will deliver the graduation address at Harvard University on May 30. “Oprah’s journey from her grandmother’s Mississippi farm to becoming one of the world’s most admired women is one of the great American success stories,” Harvard President Drew Faust said in announcing her selection. Through the years, Winfrey has delivered the commencement address at such institutions as Spelman College, Stanford University and Duke University.
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Supreme Court..Continued from page 3 looked up through a historical context. “So in 1965, well, we have history,” he said. “We have 200 years or perhaps of slavery. We have 80 years or so of legal segregation. We have had 41 years of this statue. And this statue has helped a lot. So, therefore Con-
Cody Neal has been chose for the Disney Dreamers Academy.
gress in 2005 looks back and says don’t change horses in the middle of the stream, because we still have a ways to go.” If Section 5 is upheld on this conservative-leaning court, it would probably be on the vote of Justice Anthony M. Kennedy. The right-leaning justice hinted that the Voting Rights Act may have run its course. After Solicitor General Donald B. Verrilli Jr. praised the effectiveness of the Voting Rights Act, Kennedy said, “Well, the Marshall Plan was very good, too, the Morale Act, the Northwest Ordinance, but times change.” Sotomayor said Shelby County has not changed enough. “Assuming I accept your premise, and there’s some question about that, that some portions of the South have changed, your country pretty much hasn’t.” she said. “In the period we’re talking about, it has many more discriminatory voting laws that were blocked by Section 5 objections.” Shelby County went to court after the Justice Department rejected a redistricting plan that evidently played a role in the defeat of Ernest Montgomery, the only Black member of the five-member city council in Calera, Ala., a bedroom community of 12,000 people near Birmingham. Montgomery was elected to the council in 2004 from a district that was nearly 71 percent Black. The district was redrawn two years later, reducing the Black presence to 23 percent. Montgomery narrowly lost his 2008 re-election bid to a white challenger. But the Justice Department invalidated the election because district changes had not been pre-cleared. Shelby County went to court to overturn the decision. In meantime, Montgomery won a newly-called
election. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote an opinion in 2009 that might signal how he will vote in this case. He said at the time, “Things have changed in the South. The evil that Section 5 is meant to address may no longer be concentrated in the jurisdictions singled out for preclearance. The statute’s coverage formula is based on data that is now more than 35 years old, and there is considerable
evidence that it fails to account for current political conditions.” Justice Elena Kagan, an Obama appointee, referred to Senate support of the Voting Rights Act. “Well, that sounds like a good argument to me, Justice Scalia,” she said. “It was clear to 98 Senators, including every Senator from a covered state, who decided that there was a continuing need for this piece of legislation.”
Justice Antonin Scalia
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DEFENDER | MARCH 7 | 2013 defendernetwork.com
Rosa Parks honored with D.C. statue NNPA News Service As Black History Month came to a close, a civil rights icon made history again in the halls of the U.S. Capitol. In a ceremony hosted by President Obama and members of Congress, Rosa Parks became the first Black woman to have her full-length likeness depicted in the National Statuary Hall. The statue of Parks, which stands 9-feet tall, depicts her seated and clutching her purse to commemorate her refusal to move to the back of a Montgomery, Ala. bus, sparking the Montgomery bus boycott of 1955. Parks’ activism extended far beyond the bus incident. She was an eternal activist who served in her local NAACP, and worked with Congressman John Conyers of Michigan from 1965-1988. At 74, she opened the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self-Development, an organization that educates and trains disadvantaged youth. Twelve years later President Clinton honored her with a Congressional Gold Medal. “Rosa Parks held no elected office,” Obama said. “She possessed no fortune; lived her life far from the formal seats of power. And yet today, she takes her rightful place among those who’ve shaped this nation’s course.” Parks, whose casket became the first of an African-American to lie in the Capitol Rotunda when she died in 2005 at age 92, now stands among 100 of the most notable leaders in the nation’s history.
Michelle Obama launches program Defender News Services First Lady Michelle Obama recently launched Let’s Move! Active Schools, an unprecedented collaboration to bring physical activity back to America’s schools. The program provides simple steps and tools to help schools create active environments where students get 60 minutes of physical activity before, during and after the school day. The goal is to engage 50,000 schools over the next five years. The President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition is among the organizations guiding the development of the program. Funders include Nike and the General Mills Foundation. In addition, the U.S. Department of Education will realign its $80 million Carol M. White Physical Education Program to assist with the program. “With each passing year, schools feel like it’s just getting harder to find the time, the money, and the will to help our kids be active,” Mrs. Obama said. “But just because it’s hard doesn’t mean we should stop trying; it means we should try harder.”
President Obama applauds during the unveiling of Rosa Parks’ statue.
classified NOTICE AND INFORMATION FOR BIDDERS The Houston Independent School District will receive lump sum bids, including all forms, schedules and statements, from Contractors until 2 p.m., Wednesday, April 3, 2013, at the Board Services Office, 4400 West 18th Street, 1C, Houston, Texas 77092 for the McReynolds Middle School SPARK Park – Phase II. The work includes constructing a walking trail around the existing soccer fields. Pre-bid conference attendance is MANDATORY. The Pre-bid conference will be held on Monday, March 18 at 1:30 p.m. at McReynolds Middle School, 5910 Market St. Houston, Texas 77020-6627. Bid documents will be available on Monday, March 4, 2013, on the HISD web-site at http://www.houstonisd.org/page/68148. For additional information contact Earl Finley at (713) 556-9306.
REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES OF A DESIGN AND ENGINEERING CONSULTANT
FOR MAIN STREET IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE DOWNTOWN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY The Downtown Redevelopment Authority (the “Authority”) will receive the submittal of qualifications from design and engineering consultants for certain streetscape improvements on Main Street in downtown Houston, Texas. Statements of Qualifications will be received until 11:00 AM, local time on Tuesday, March 26, 2013, by TataLease Derby, Director, Downtown Redevelopment Authority, 2 Houston Center, 909 Fannin, Suite 1650, Houston, Texas 77010. Submittals received after this time will not be accepted. Beginning Monday, March 4, 2013, this project’s Request for Qualifications (RFQ) may be reviewed and downloaded as an electronic file from the Authority’s website: http://www.downtowntirz.com. No pre-submittal conference is scheduled for this RFQ. Based on the submittals received, an evaluation and selection committee will identify qualifying consultants for a second-stage interview to be held on Friday, April 12, 2013. On Tuesday, May 14, 2013, the Board of Directors for the Authority will award the contract for the preferred and most qualified consultant to provide design and engineering services related to general improvements for the 1001900 blocks of Main Street. Improvements include but are not limited to street lighting, pedestrian lighting, landscape and sidewalk enhancements. In particular, design and construction improvements for the general areas of Main Street Square (Main between Dallas and Walker Streets) and the future light rail intersection at Main between Capitol and Rusk Streets will be a primary focus of the project. Relative to this advertisement, telephone, mail, email queries or requests for information will not be addressed by the Authority without the submission of an “Acknowledgement Form,” as provided within the Request for Qualifications.
NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS Sealed bids, in duplicate, addressed to OST /Almeda Corridors Redevelopment Authority will be received at 5445 Almeda Rd, #545, Houston, TX 77004, until 2:00 pm on Wednesday, March 20, 2013. Bids will be publicly opened and read at 2:05 PM on Wednesday, March 20, 2013 for furnishing all labor, materials, equipment, and incidentals, as required, for the construction of Parking Lot and Landscape Improvements at 5216 Almeda Road in Houston, TX. CONTRACT DOCUMENTS may be examined at the following locations: (1) Amtek Plan Rm, 4001 Sherwood Ln, Houston, TX.; (2) ABC/ Virtual Builders Exchange, 3910 Kirby, #131, Houston, TX; and (3) AGC, 3825 Dacoma, Houston, TX. The right is reserved, as the interest of the Owner may require, to reject any and all bids, and to waive any informality in bids received. Plans, specifications and bidding documents may be obtained at the offices of ESPA CORP, 7120 Grand Blvd, Suite #100, Houston, TX 77054 (713-680-0080) for a nonrefundable fee of $25.00 per set. Make checks payable to OST/ Almeda Corridors Redevelopment Authority. A prebid conference will be held at OST/Almeda Corridors Redevelopment Authority offices, 5445 Almeda Rd, #502, Houston, TX on Thursday, March 14, 2013 at 2:00 pm. It is requested, but not mandatory, that each bidder be represented at the pre-bid conference.
NOTICE AND INFORMATION FOR BIDDERS The Houston Independent School District will receive lump sum bids, including all forms, schedules and statements, from Contractors until 2 p.m., Wednesday, April 3, 2013, at the Board Services Office, 4400 West 18th Street, 1C, Houston, Texas 77092 for the Moreno Elementary School SPARK Park. The work will consist of a nature playground. The playground will include a 5’ concrete walkway which weaves through play structures such as stepping stumps, a crawling tunnel, tree cookies, wooden and balance log bridges, a rope bridge and a concrete seat wall. Pre-bid conference attendance is MANDATORY. The Pre-bid conference will be held on Thursday, March 21 at 10:30 a.m. at Moreno Elementary School, 620 East Canino, Houston, Texas 77037-4619. Bid documents will be available on Monday, March 4, 2013, on the HISD web-site at http:// www.houstonisd.org/page/68148. For additional information contact Earl Finley at (713) 556-9306.
NOTICE AND INFORMATION FOR BIDDERS The Houston Independent School District will receive lump sum bids, including all forms, schedules and statements, from Contractors until 2 p.m., Wednesday, April 3, 2013, at the Board Services Office, 4400 West 18th Street, 1C, Houston, Texas 77092 for the Almeda Elementary School SPARK Park. The work will consist of adding an outdoor classroom with a connecting paver plaza which will butt up against a new 6’ wide concrete sidewalk. A shallow detention pond will be constructed north of the new outdoor classroom. Pre-bid conference attendance is MANDATORY. The Pre-bid conference will be held on Thursday, March 21 at 1:30 p.m. at Almeda Elementary School, 14226 Almeda School Road Houston, Texas 770475061. Bid documents will be available on Monday, March 4, 2013, on the HISD web-site at http://www.houstonisd.org/page/68148. For additional information contact Earl Finley at (713) 556-9306.
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Police chief talks about Dorner tragedy NNPA News Service
For the first time since the now infamous Christopher Dorner manifesto in which Dorner castigated the Los Angeles Police Department and threatened to kill colleagues before going on a shooting spree, LAPD Chief Charlie Beck spoke with the city’s Black leaders. The meeting was held at the office of the Los Angeles Sentinel. Publisher Danny Bakewell Sr. organized the meeting to quell community concern surrounding the circumstances of Dorner’s termination, alleged murders and his fiery demise in a burnt cabin in Big Bear. Beck, who has been with the LAPD for nearly 35 years, was charged with comforting a city, his colleagues and friends, some of whom were impacted by Dorner’s rage. Dorner became a probationary police officer under former Chief William Bratton’s watch, but it was Beck who inherited the horror. “We know what our relationship is with the Black community,” Beck
The late Christopher Dorner
L.A. Police Chief Charlie Beck
public trust,” he said. said. “There has been progress and Beck was asked about the concluI know that it hasn’t been perfect, sion of the Dorner manhunt. but I am committed to do more to “…I can tell you that the LAPD improve it. There’s nothing more had no tactical involvement in that,” important to me and that’s why I am he said. “We are here.” TXU2013_BW_Free_TA_H2 receiving information about it, but I will make the Beck discussed the personal imUpdated 1 2-‐13-‐12 details available to the public as soon pact the tragedy had on him and his as they become available.” entire department. He added that the conclusion was “We will do anything to uncover the responsibility of the San Berwhat happened and why it happened. nardino County Sheriff’s Department, We cannot do our job without the
and while he had LAPD SWAT on the ground, they were not involved. Beck was also asked about the process in which Dorner’s appeal of his termination was denied. Beck explained that the process is not necessarily a fact-finding procedure, but designed to ensure that Dorner received adequate representation and that the hearing was fair. He suggested that Dorner could have pursued his case with the Civil Service Commission, but did not. Bakewell also addressed the tragedy. “First and foremost I want to adamantly state that I find the actions of Christopher Dorner following his termination from the LAPD reprehensible, irresponsible and senseless,” Bakewell said in a statement. “However, the LAPD has endured a history of bias toward African-Americans in and out of uniform and therefore I feel there is no bad time to examine a tragedy with hopes of preventing it from occurring again.”
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cover
About Ben Hall
Ben
Education: J.D., Harvard Law School Ph.D., Duke University M. Div., Duke Divinity School B.A., University of South Carolina Experience: Founder, the Hall Law Firm Houston city attorney, Lanier administration Special counsel, Port of Houston Adjunct professor of law Family:
Up cl persona
Married to Saundra Turner Hall with two sons
By RESHOND D
The walls of Houston attorney Be taments to his monumental achievem social service, impressive legal accom to his community. Hall, a native of South Carolina, i mayor against incumbent Annise Park vision.” The Defender gets up close a tick.
His cases
Defender: Can you share with us some the cases that are most meaningful to you a have had the biggest impact on your life and the community in general. Hall: I think that there can be a disconne between the lawyer and the community. But there have been fights we’ve been involved i for which we may not have even gotten paid. Just recently the SHAPE Community Center. That was a pro bono representation to save SHAPE’s property, which we did. We were n looking to get paid but that was an issue of f ness. I thought that was heavy handiness on t part of the debt collector. Then there was the cross-burning in Kat few years ago. That’s a case, no one was goin to get any meaningful money, but we wanted to send a statement that we were not going to tolerate cross-burning in Houston, Texas, or anywhere and luckily, the jury endorsed that gave a 24 million dollar judgment against tho cross burners. That’s a case where we didn’t the fee that we would’ve normally gotten but we wanted to make a point that Black, Hispa whatever, we’re not going to tolerate that kin discrimination.
Attorney Ben Hall wants to be the next mayor of Houston.
His agenda
Defender: How would the Black community benefit from Ben Hall leadership politically, socially and economically? Hall: Quite honestly, I think that’s the question that should’ve been asked for so many prior administrations that has been ignored. It’s the principle question that drives me into this race. When I see neighborhoods that have been neglected, that have been allowed to deteriorate for whatever reason – gentrification, economic reduction in values – that ought not be. I’ll be honest with you – our leaders have not spoken out enough to correct that problem. So, the Black community, the minority community, the majority community, I’m going to aggressively seek to correct those blighted areas that have been ignored for too long. Streets that have not been repaired, weeded lots that have not been attended to, houses that are dilapidated and used as wastelands for crime. That will be addressed under my administration. We literally have played in the shallow pool of economic opportunity and it’s time to get out and get into the deep water. That is the principle thing that called my attention to what I wanted to do with the city. It’s not to the exclusion of anyone else; it’s just the inclusion of everyone.
Hall and his wife Saundra are the parents of two sons.
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His people skills Defender: What is your overall philosophy when it comes to how you deal with and approach people? Hall: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. It may sound corny, but it underpins my concept of justice, fairness and community. If we can all act neighborly with one another and do onto others as we wish to be done to, this would be a more compatible and aggressive society. Getting to that point is a matter of maturity. I encounter someone I wonder at what station in the maturation process is this person. Is this person still struggling with fundamental truths, beyond kindergarten, or is this a really sophisticated and mature soul and able to understand that we are all in this same soup called life and the flavor of all of us makes it even more wonderful? I try to answer that, then deal with the person at that level. I don’t think we can be judgmental of a person because they have not matured enough. We can only help them mature more so that we can get to racial, gender, social or economic divides. I get beyond the individual differences and get back to the fundamentals of how we see ourselves and how we interact with one another.
DA TATE BILLINGSLEY Defender
en Hall’s Midtown office are adorned with tesments. They detail a life dedicated to civic and mplishments, and an resounding commitment
is also an ordained minister. He is running for ker, and says he will provide “leadership with and personal with Hall to see what makes him
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In the last four to five years, on the ship channel, there was a company that was actually allowing its captains to exclude Black people from getting on the boats to cross over to Baytown or down the ship channel unless the captain allowed a Black person to get on. We accepted that case, proved that policy was discriminatory and got it stopped. The CES case on Griggs Road, where we alleged an environmental company was poisoning that neighborhood. We accepted that case on behalf of nearly 200 people. We were able to assist in getting that environmental company shut down, and the properties are no longer operating in that manner and we obtained financial recovery for that predominantly Black community. Kennedy Heights is another case. There, we alleged that Chevron had left behind contaminated soil. Moderate-income homes were built on top of that soil, which just happened to be Black folks. We represented over 300 families and we were able to get them financial recovery. These are cases that the community may not typically know because I’m not a television lawyer. But I think now, the community should know some of what we have done.
you don’t know about Ben Hall ndernetwork.com
he Houston area for over 80 years
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Hall attends a rally in support of SHAPE Community Center, which survived a recent threat to its property. Hall successfully represented the center in the pro bono case. Photo by Vicky Pink
His strength, weakness, etc. Defender: What would you say is your greatest strength? Your biggest weakness?
Hall: Let me start with the weaknesses. I’m impatient with foolishness. That would be my principle weakness.
Defender: What would you say is your greatest strength? Your biggest weakness? Hall: Let me start with the weaknesses. I’m impatient with foolishness. That would be my principle weakness. My greatest strength is the ability to listen and distill complicated ideas to a simple truth. What I’ve learned is, I’m not tolerant of a lot of language, when there’s really a fundamental idea behind the language, but I do like to hear strident voices on an idea and try to distill what are the fundamental truths in the argument. People around me will often say, “Why isn’t Ben following my advice?” Once they work with me, they’ll see that I like contrary advice because I think in that conflict you get the best solution to a problem. Similar to President Obama’s team of rivals. You don’t want everyone thinking the same way. Defender: You have worked for Democratic leadership, yet you make no secret that you are an independent thinker. How would you describe yourself politically? Hall: As a thinker. I don’t think that you can cage good ideas under one label so I choose not to do that. Because society forces you to choose one of the cages to live under, I would be in the Democratic cage, but quite honestly, I’m just a thinker and I’m always looking for an opportunity to mature us, mature myself, and come up with an idea where everybody or more than just a few people benefit. My greatest strength is the ability to listen and distill complicated ideas to a simple truth. What I’ve learned is, I’m not tolerant of a lot of language, when there’s really a fundamental idea behind the language, but I do like to hear strident voices on an idea and try to distill what are the fundamental truths in the argument.
People around me will often say, “Why isn’t Ben following my advice?” Once they work with me, they’ll see that I like contrary advice because I think in that conflict you get the best solution to a problem. Similar to President Obama’s team of rivals. You don’t want everyone thinking the same way.
Defender: You have worked for Democratic leadership, yet you make no secret that you are an independent thinker. How would you describe yourself politically?
Hall: As a thinker. I don’t think that you can cage good ideas under one label so I choose not to do that. Because society forces you to choose one of the cages to live under, I would be in the Democratic cage, but quite honestly, I’m just a thinker and I’m always looking for an opportunity to mature us, mature myself, and come up with an idea where everybody or more than just a few people benefit.
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health
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A Defender & Texas Children’s Hospital Alliance
Talking to kids about performance enhancing drugs
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veryone (including our kids) has heard about the champion cyclist who finally admits to using performance enhancing drugs (PEDs), allegations of professional football players using PEDs to speed their recovery from injury, and professional baseball players who “juice-up” in order to throw and hit better. Two things are certain, as long as there are championships to be won or millions of dollars to be made, some athletes will be tempted to use PEDs, and “cheaters” will always be one step ahead of the “testers.” “It is important that we give our children factual information about PEDs, but also state very clearly how we as parents stand on the use of illegal substances to improve performance,” said Dr. Jorge Gomez, sports medicine specialist at Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus. Below, Gomez addresses questions families have about PEDs:
.
What makes a PED illegal? The substance has been shown in scientific studies to actually en hance performance, giving the user an unfair advantage over his or her competitors. Use of the drug is illegal for other than approved medical uses. The drug is known to cause serious side effects or is considered dangerous.
. .
What makes a PED not illegal?
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The substance really isn’t a PED, that is, it doesn’t enhance performance. Most substances in this category are dietary supplements, like protein powders, yohimbine and deer antler spray. Other substances, like creatine and andro, might enhance performance a little but their effect is inconsistent. The substance is not considered hazardous. The exception being some supplements that contain ingredients that cause drug tests to be positive, like caffeine or ephedra. Youngsters need to know that just because a supplement is not banned doesn’t mean it can’t harm them. Unfortunately, because supplements are not FDA regulated, the label might not always tell you everything that’s in it.
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What are the problems associated with using PEDs?
. . . .
Physical injury or illness as side effects of these drugs Loss of playing status (eligibility), loss of medals, awards, if you’re caught Police record of unlawful behavior Loss of scholarship opportunities
Use of PEDs by young athletes is as much an ethical issue as it is a medical issue. Like most high-risk behaviors in youth, prevention can be achieved by: Talking to your youngster regularly about PEDs – answer questions, offer facts. Stating clearly and plainly how you as a parent feel about PEDs – if you think it’s cheating, say so. If you don’t want them using these substances, make that very clear. Being ambivalent about PEDs as a parent often sends a signal to a youngster that it’s OK to use them. Giving the young athlete healthy alternatives to PEDs. Emphasize the basic: sound training, good nutrition and plenty of rest.
. . .
healthnotes Plastic surgery for children? It may surprise people to know that the Texas Children’s Hospital plastic surgery team treats more than 1,500 new patients and performs more than 1,000 operative procedures a year, making the team the most active children’s plastic surgery center in Houston and one of the largest in the United States. There are a number of conditions that children can unfortunately face that makes plastic surgery necessary. The surgeons at Texas Children’s have vast experience with the full spectrum of plastic surgical problems, from the routine to the rare including birth deformity, trauma/burns and tumors. Pediatric plastic surgery is an extremely specialized field. “The major issue we face as pediatric plastic surgeons is the fact that our patients are still growing,” said Dr. Edward Buchanan, pediatric plastics surgeon at Texas Children’s Hospital. “Any procedure we perform has to not only help the child at that time, but the procedure must be done without compromising future growth or potential issues down the road.” The Houston community benefits from the multidisciplinary approach to treating children. Take, for instance, the craniofacial team. Even a seemingly minor abnormality can throw new parents for a loop. So what about when an abnormality involves the shape of their new baby’s head? When the skull bones fuse too early, an abnormal head shape occurs. This is called craniosynostosis. The treatment for this condition is aimed at restoring the normal shape and relationship of the forehead, orbital rims and skull. Without surgical intervention, the skull deformities caused by craniosynostosis persist throughout the patient’s life.
Medicaid: A stepping stone, not a stigma A lot is said about Medicaid in the media. It is oftentimes classified as a free program for those disinterested in working and not paying their fair share… making it one of the most misunderstood and misperceived programs on the books. As President and CEO of Texas Children’s Hospital – the largest and most comprehensive children’s health system in the nation – Mark A. Wallace is in a unique position to explain why Medicaid should be viewed as a stepping stone, not a
stigma. Texas Children’s Hospital serves more Medicaid patients than any other pediatric hospital in Texas, and we know the importance of this program first hand. Each state operates a Medicaid program that provides health coverage for those in need, including children, the elderly and people with disabilities. The majority of the children covered by Medicaid come from working families whose income cannot keep pace with normal living expenses. It is not for people simply
looking for a handout. Rather it is a stepping stone for people when the unexpected occurs – it is for the middle class, for the financially stable. If you have worked during your life, Medicaid is a program you helped fund and one that is available to you and your children when you need it the most. We urge everyone to visit Texas Children’s Hospital’s YouTube channel to watch a video about Why Medicaid Matters. This short five minutes may change your perceptions.
Mark A. Wallace Mark A. Wallace
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Texas Children’s Health Plan covers children from newborns to teenagers. We even cover adults and pregnant moms through STAR Medicaid. Families with children who qualify for CHIP pay $50 or less a year. Those who qualify for Medicaid pay nothing. CHIP and STAR Medicaid offer a wide range of benefits including checkups and shots, dental services, medications, and more. With Texas Children’s Health Plan you also get: ■
Over 2,100 doctors.
■
A 24-hour nurse hotline.
■
Free transportation to doctor visits.
■
Pregnancy support program and classes.
■
Help losing weight through the Keep Fit Program.
■
Learn how to play soccer from the Houston Dynamo coaches.
■
Fun, free member events!
For more information, to receive an application, or to
MK-1208-007
find an event in your area, visit us online or call today.
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sports
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Kassandra Rivera
TSU golfer makes history
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By MAX EDISON Defender
or longtime fans of Texas Southern University athletics, there has been no shortage of All-American caliber athletes in the school’s history. From Olympic gold medalists to Super Bowl champions, TSU has had its share. Now, sophomore golfer Kassandra Rivera has emerged as one of the most dominant collegiate players in the nation. The Donna native (Rio Grande Valley area) is currently ranked sixth in the nation, heading into the spring season among NCAA Division I players with a 71.63 average. She is the highestRivera attributes her ranked college player success on the course to hard work and practice. in the entire state of Texas and among student-athletes from an HBCU. “Never in the history of Texas Southern golf has a player ranked that high nationally,” said TSU head coach Hank Stewart. “In my years as a player at TSU, an assistant coach and a head coach, I cannot recall any HBCU player ranking in the top 10.” How did a young woman from the heart of the Valley with limited financial resources develop into one of the nation’s top college golfers? “My dad introduced me to golf when I was probably around 4 years old,” Rivera recalled. “He would take my older brother and I to the local par three golf course. We had those wooden clubs and top flight golf balls. We would go out there and hit a round. My dad just wanted us to get a feel for the game.” Rivera had the feel of the game but not the passion until a middle school event questioned
her integrity and ignited her competitive juices. “I never really liked [golf] until I was in eighth grade. I won a tournament and they accused me of cheating,” she said. “That brought out the competitor in me and I was like you know what, I don’t need to cheat. I’m going to prove you wrong. So I started practicing more and more and got the golf bug. “Every since I was young I’ve been a natural competitor,” she continued. “I never considered myself good at golf. I’m just a hard worker, practicing a lot. I just wanted to prove people wrong. Some people say golf isn’t a sport or it’s for guys not for girls, so I worked extra hard to prove them wrong. I wanted to show that as a girl, I could be just as good as the guys or as a Hispanic, I could be as good as any other girl from any other race.” Rivera continued to work hard throughout high school and the accolades started to come her way. She was rated as one of the 10 players in the Rio Grande region. She was good enough to realize that golf could be a ticket to a college education. “My junior year is when I was kind of pushed into looking at golf as a way to get into college,” Rivera said. “A lot of the coaches from other high schools would come up to me and say, ‘You’re pretty good. Have you started thinking about what school you want to play for?’ “My senior year I played in one big tournament and my present coach, Hank Stewart, was there and saw my potential. He offered me a full ride to attend Texas Southern University. Nobody else but Texas Southern offered me a full scholarship.” The key to Rivera’s game is hard work and a great short game.
TSU golf sensation Kassandra Rivera is ranked sixth in the nation.
“I’ve never been a long hitter, but I am very precise and accurate. My short game has always been the thing that’s saved me.” Rivera has a bright future, but the LPGA is not necessarily the end game. “I’m majoring in biology and my minor is in chemistry,” she said. “I’ve never been one to put all my eggs in one basket. I like to have options. I love golf and have a real passion for it, but in the end, academics is always going to be first. “If an opportunity comes and knocks on my door then why not take it. Right now, my focus is on graduating with honors and getting into medical school and pursuing a career in endocrinology.” Rivera takes her accomplishments in stride, happy to dispel misconceptions along the way. “You don’t have to go to a big school to achieve your dreams or be ranked. I represent an amazing university, Texas Southern, and I’m very proud of that,” she said.
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h.s.zone Travis defeats Bush for trip to state By DARRELL K. ARDISON Defender
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oing into the 2013 Region III-5A boys high school championship basketball game at the Aldine Campbell Center, Craig Brownson had an ambivalent feeling toward the number four. The Fort Bend Travis High School head coach and counterpart Ronnie Courtney of Fort Bend Bush High School knew that the winner would represent Fort Bend ISD at the state tournament for the fourth consecutive year. Fort Bend Travis boys win the 2013 Region III-5A basketball title. Brownson also of purpose and now that we’re University of Kentucky next fall. realized that a fourth finally healthy, we hope to play our Aaron Harrison had 13 points, six consecutive loss to Bush this season best basketball in Austin.” rebounds and four blocked shots would deny the defending regional The key was turning the tables before fouling out in the fourth champs a return trip to Austin. on a team that had won all three quarter. Travis point guard Andrew previous encounters this sea“My team told me that I had Harrison scored 17 of his gameson. Two games came during the to attack the basket and I was just high 32 points in the fourth quarter District 23-5A schedule and one concerned about finishing,” said and converted 21-of-23 attempts at during a tournament. the 6-foot-6 Andrew Harrison, the foul line to hold off rival Bush “Bush is a great team, but we rated the top senior point guard in 61-53 and face South Grand Prairie didn’t feel like we were greatly the country by ESPN. “Some teams in a state semifinal game Friday at outplayed in any of those three would lie down after losing three the Erwin Center. games,” Brownson said. “They times to one team but my brother Cibolo Steele draws Richardmade a few more plays than we and I wouldn’t let our team do that. son Berkner in the other Class 5A did and that’s what happens when Bush (32-5) crept within three semifinal. The 5A title game is two really good teams face each points of Travis three times in the Saturday at 8:30 p.m. other. fourth quarter but never could take The 31-5 Tigers are the only “This time we wanted to be the lead. Harrison continually split returning 5A school from the 2012 more aggressive against their zone the Broncos’ 1-2-2 zone defense state tournament field. Travis lost defense and not settle for so many until Courtney switched to man-to56-52 to Flower Mound Marcus in jump shots,” Brownson said. “We man in the fourth quarter. the 2012 5A title game. Fort Bend attacked from the beginning of Yet Travis controlled this ISD schools have won the boys Rethe game and Andrew set the tone. game from start to finish. gion III-5A basketball title for five But we also got big-time contribu“Every great player wants to of the past six years. Yet only Bush tions down the stretch from John win a state championship and I returned with a state title in 2010. Burnett, Daniel Chika and Tyronne want to fall in that category,” Har“Coming so close to that Jordan.” rison said. “We’ve got to play with ultimate goal and not getting it has Andrew and his twin brother toughness and know that we can been driving this team all year,” Aaron have signed to play for the beat anybody we play.” Brownson said. “It gave us a sense Fort Bend Travis boys win the 2013 Region III-5A basketball title.
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sportsbriefs Clear Springs girls fall The “Cinderella” season of the Clear Springs girls’ basketball team was ended in the state semifinals by the state’s top-ranked Class 5A school. Duncanville utilized a 19-0 run in the third quarter after Clear Springs had rallied from a 15-point deficit to close within 27-26 just after intermission. Following a timeout, Duncanville (41-0) made a layup to ignite the surge while the Chargers missed 11 consecutive shots and suffered six turnovers in a six-minute span. The Pantherettes finished with 11 blocked shots, including seven from 6-foot-2 center Antonia Robinson. Ariel Atkins scored a gamehigh 29 points to lead Duncanville. Courtnie Latham led the 38-3 Chargers with 16 points. Brooke McCarty added 14. “We just couldn’t get into our rhythm in the game,” said Clear Springs coach Pamela Crawford. “Things just didn’t fall in our direction.” Duncanville beat Cibolo Steele 59-36 the next day to claim the 5A state title.
Area schools going to Austin Fort Bend Travis (5A), Rosenberg Terry (4A), Houston Yates (3A) and Brookshire Royal (3A) have advanced to the 2013 boys’ state high school basketball tournament at the Frank Erwin Center on the campus of the University of Texas. Yates will take on Brookshire Royal in a Class 3A state semifinal game. Travis faces Richardson Berkner in a 5A state semifinal. Terry draws Arlington Heights in a Class 4A state semifinal while Abilene Wylie will battle Dallas Madison in the other 3A semifinal. The Class 3A final will take place on Saturday at 10 a.m. The Class 4A final is set for 3 p.m. and the 5A title games will tip off at 8:30 p.m.
Ambassador Dennis Rodman? All-American weirdo Dennis Rodman recently had the opportunity to visit North Korea. It seems youthful North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un is a huge basketball fan. Rodman and several Harlem Globetrotters were among a group that accepted an invitation to visit the Communist nation. Undoubtedly Rodman was sufficiently impressed and now has turned into a one man PR machine for the young dictator. “He loves basketball. ... I said Obama loves basketball. Let’s start there” as a way to warm up relations between U.S. and North Korea, Rodman told ABC’s “This Week.” Rodman said Kim Jong Un expressed a desire for peace and told him, “I don’t want to do war.” Rodman seemed impressed, calling the North Korean leader an “awesome guy.” Unfortunately, he overlooked the fact that North Korea conducted an underground nuclear test two weeks ago, which was viewed as a provocative act against the United States. Also, the State Department rates North Korea’s human rights record as the worst in the world, but Rodman apparently wasn’t aware of that tidbit. Since the U.S. does not maintain diplomatic relations with North Korea, perhaps we can make Rodman the unofficial ambassador to North Korea. Editorial note: He can teach them basketball, tattoos, piercings, alcohol abuse, excessive partying and the art of not paying child support, skills that Rodman has successfully mastered in this country.
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14 DEFENDER | MARCH 7 | 2013
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20138 African American Legislative Summit DEFENDER | MARCH 7 | 2013
coverp
Photos by Tiffany L. Williams
about Ben Hall
Texas Legislative Black Caucus Chairman and State Rep. Sylvester Turner (Houston)
Ben H
Education: J.D., Harvard Law School Ph.D., Duke University M. Div., Duke Divinity School B.A., University of South Carolina Experience: Founder, the Hall Law Firm U.S. Rep. Al Green, U.S. Rep. Shelia Jackson Lee, honoree Milton Carroll and Gospel singer Yolanda Adams entertains the audience Houston city attorney, Lanier administrationU.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson Special counsel, Port of Houston Chairman’s Award Adjunct professor of law Dinner Family: Kicking off the 2013 African Chairman’s Award Dinner (labeled with “1”)
Up clo perso
Kicking off the 2013 African American Legislative Summit was the Chairman’s Award Dinner at the Hilton Hotel in downtown Austin. Legislators and community leaders gathered to honor Houston business leader Milton Carroll.
Married to Saundra Turner Hall with two sons
Milton Carroll receives the Chairman’s Award
Houston business leader and Chairman’s Award Honoree Milton Carroll
Workshop sessions
Criminal justice, education, guns, mental health, South Africa and financial planning were some of the hot topics of discussion.
Houston City Controller Ron Green and businessman Dwight Boykins
American Legislative Summit was By RESHONDA TATE the Chairman’s Award Dinner at Defend the Hilton Hotel in downtown Austin. Legislators and community The walls of Houston attorney Ben Hall’ leaders gathered to honor Houston taments to his monumental achievements. Th business leader Milton Carroll.
social service, impressive legal accomplishm to his community. Hall, a native of South Carolina, is also a mayor against incumbent Annise Parker, and vision.” The Defender gets up close and pers tick.
His cases
Defender: Can you share with us some of the cases that are most meaningful to you and University of Texas at Austin Professor the biggest impact on your life and The Black Media panel includes reps have from had the Forward Times, Defender Media State Sen. Rodney Ellis on criminal Kevin Cokley on gun violence and mental the community in general. Group, Austin Statesman, Prairie View A&M, Austin NAACP and TV One. justice system health research Hall: I think that there can be a disconnect between the lawyer and the community. But Stateinvolved Rep. there have been fights we’ve been in, Dawnna for which we may not have even gotten paid. Attorney Ben Hall wants to be Dukes the next mayor of Houston. Just recently the SHAPE Community Center. (Austin), HEB That was a pro bono representation to executivesave SHAPE’s property, which we Winell did. WeHerron were not looking to get paid but that was andanSt.issue Rep.of fairness. I thought that was heavySenfronia handiness on the Thompson part of the debt collector. (Houston)in Katy a Then there was the cross-burning few years ago. That’s a case, no one was going Defender: How would the Black community benefit from Ben Hall leadership politito get any meaningful money, but we wanted cally, socially and economically? to send a statement that we were not going to Hall: Quite honestly, I think that’s the question that should’ve been asked for so many Buffalo Soldiers serve as honor guards Members of the Texas Legislative Black Caucus pledge allegiance to the Texas flag tolerate cross-burning in Houston, Texas, or prior administrations that has been ignored. It’s the principle question that drives me into this anywhere and luckily, the jury endorsed that and race. When I see neighborhoods that have been neglected, that have been allowed to deteriorate gave a 24 million dollar judgment against those for whatever reason – gentrification, economic reduction in values – that ought not be. cross burners. That’s a case where we didn’t get I’ll be honest with you – our leaders have not spoken out enough to correct that problem. fee that wepay would’ve gotten but So, the Black community, the minority community, the majority community, I’m going to agSummitthe attendees tributenormally to we wanted to make a point that Black, Hispanic, gressively seek to correct those blighted areas that have been ignored for too long. Streets that “Outstanding Texans” who are making a whatever, we’re not going to tolerate that kind of have not been repaired, weeded lots that have not been attended to, houses that are dilapidated difference in the lives of others. discrimination. and used as wastelands for crime. That will be addressed under my administration.
His agenda
Community Awards Breakfast
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We literally have played in the shallow pool of economic opportunity and it’s time to get out and get into the deep water. That is the principle thing that called my attention to what For more photos Online Morevisitof what you do Hall and his wife Saundra are the parents I wanted to do with the city. It’s not to the exclusion of anyone else; it’s just the inclusion of DN defendernetwork.com of two sons. everyone. www.defendern Turner awards Delesa O’dell-Thomas, Young Fox 26 VP and GM D’Artagnan Bebel, State Rep. Alma State Rep. Borris Miles honors community Women’s College Preparatory Academy principal defendernetwork.com • Serving the Hou Allen and City Councilman Larry Green leader Ada Edwards
.
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Ellis, Rev. William Lawson of Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church and businessman Howard Jefferson
Clyde Jiles, former Congressman Craig Washington and State Rep. Ron Reynolds (Missouri City)
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Dr. Albert Lemons, Nancy Grier and honoree Dr. Terry Grier
Eagle Scout Jarrett Villery, Cheryl Rivers and Bruce Austin
Karen Williams, Joe Palmieri and Judi Quesonova
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chag’splace
Darryl King and Sonya and Dr. Christopher Pichon Sr.
Eagle Scout Sharif Stallworth and Pretta VanDible Stallworth
Doug Guthrie, Judson Robinson, Cary Yates, Marc Morial and Greg Ortale
wish them continued success!.....EAGLE COURT HONORING OUTSTANDING TEACHERS…… The Houston Area Alliance of Black School Educators OF HONOR…..The Sam Houston Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 740, Golden Arrow (HAABSE) hosted their 26th Annual Outstanding District recently honored Jarrett Villery and Sharif Teacher Awards and Recognition Ceremony. The Stallworth with scouting’s highest organization paid homage to Join Yvette Chargois rank of Eagle Scout. To obtain this 100 elementary and secondary honor, each young man obtained educators from HISD, Alief, Events of the Week several scouting ranks, received Spring, Sheldon, Fort Bend and More photos on defendernetwork.com numerous merit badges and awards, North Forest ISDs and Arrow See Events on KTRK Ch.13’s Crossroads completed special training and Academy. The Elementary Teacher with Melanie Lawson Sunday Morning @ 11 a.m. held several leadership positions. of the Year award was presented to Leslie Hobley-Dever, Anderson Jarrett’s mother, Cheryl Rivers and Sharif’s mother, Pretta VanDible Stallworth, Academy, Alief ISD, and the Secondary Teacher of proudly pinned their sons with the Eagle Scout the Year award was presented to Valencia Dutton, North Forest High School, NFISD. Dr. Christopher Medal of Honor. Scouting teaches self-reliance, strength of purpose and conviction of character. Both Pichon, HAABSE president, presented the Presidential Award to Terry B. Grier, superintendent young men are examples of these qualities and are to be commended for their achievements. Program of schools, Houston ISD. The HAABSE Living participants included Rev. Myron Cloyd and Adam Legend award was presented to Georgia D. Provost, Dougherty, assistant scoutmasters, master of community activist. We salute all educators and
Yulanda Criner and Kellie Clay
Assistant scoutmasters Rev. Myron Cloyd and Adam Dougherty
Board members Crystal Ashby, Harry Johnson and Tracey Faulkner
ceremony Jackson Cloyd, Miller Walsh and guest speaker, Bruce Austin, Eagle Scout and chairman of the board, Houston Community College System. Congratulations and keep up the good work!..... HAUL KICK-OFF……The Houston Area Urban League hosted a kick-off reception for their 45th Equal Opportunity Day gala celebration which will be held June 22. The theme for this milestone event is “0045 Uplifting the Community is Our Agency’s Mission.” Attendees at this reception included funders, board members, supporters and National Urban League trustees who reside in Houston. The event was an opportunity to meet and greet Marc Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League and it also gave the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau an opportunity to put the national office on notice that HAUL will be putting in a bid to host a national conference in Houston in the near future. Good luck!.....From Chag’s Place to your place, have a blessed week!
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