Houston Defender: March 18, 2021

HOUSTON SHINES AT THE

GRAMMYS FEATURE

NEWS

DESHAUN WATSON

KENNETH HUEWITT

Exclusive Interview: The Interim president of Texas Southern University talks about his accomplishments and triumphs.

The Texans quarterback responds to a lawsuit from Tony Buzbee alleging inappropriate behavior with a woman.

Volume 90, issue 20 March 18, 2021

facebook.com/defendernetwork twitter.com/defendernetwork

instagram.com/defendernetwork defendernetwork.com

FREE

2 | March 18, 2021 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN On Point

FIT & FINE It’s Hollywood Al Occupation: Public Figure Education: The University of Houston Major: Business Management Motto: Wake up every morning and think about what you wanna do and do it!

“My daughter is my motivation, leaving a legacy behind for her.”

IG: @itshollywoodal, Facebook:@itshollywoodal, TikTok:@itshollywoodal Read more on Friday about Lorem at defendernetwork.com If you are Fit & Fine email: fitnfine@defendernetwork.com

Cardi B. and Candace Owens have been having a war of words over her Twitter performance.

Message from the Managing Editor an argument with his son (because gasp, When I first saw the comments from church folks aren’t supposed to cuss). Look, Wisconsin GOP Sen. Ron Johnson, I was as the mother of three, including two young floored. During a recent interview, Johnson women that every now and then, get to feelclaimed that he was not worried about his ing themselves, sometimes you have to go safety during the insurrection on the Capitol from holy to hood in 2.3 seconds. You might on Jan. 6 because those who were storming not agree with either’s action, you might not the building, beating cops with the Amerihave ever experienced any family dysfunccan flag, and looking to hurt his co-workers tion, but try to empathize with those who were largely “people that love this country, have, and those who continue to live with it that truly respect law enforcement.” Johnson daily. Laugh if you must, but understand the ReShonda added that he would have been “concerned if truth is, what that family is going through is Tate Billingsley they had been Black Lives Matter or Antifa relatable to a whole lot of folks. protesters.” Then he doubled down, saying there was “nothing racial about my comments.” (The lie BEFORE WE GO… detector determined….that’s a lie). Now, the “I-don’t-mindI know a lot of our readers are highly intelligent, so maybe white-thugs-but-Blacks-scare-me” Johnson is whining that one of you can help me with this….The United Negro College he’s being attacked and criticized. Good thing there’s no Fund, which has long been one of the premier organizalonger a shortage of toilet paper so Johnson can stock up tions aimed at providing financial support for Black students to dry his white tears. attending Black colleges, has announced that it has elected its first-ever….wait for it…..Black board chairman. Congrats CARDI VS. CANDACE to Atlanta business leader and civic activist Milton H. Jones In ‘what’s got the GOP riled up this week,’ we present the Jr., a co-founding member of Peachtree Providence Partners ongoing Twitter beef of Cardi B. vs. Candace O. Thanks to the Holding Company. But I’m really trying to understand how recent Grammys telecast, conservatives have diverted their the 77-year-old United NEGRO College Fund has never been energy to Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s “WAP!” The led by um…a Negro. This bothered my spirit so I did some two award-winning rappers gave a memorable performance research trying to find the answer to this, to no avail. Maybe at the 2021 Grammy Awards, which was the perfect excuse one of you can help because I got nothing…. for conservatives to display their fake-concern about the children and how Cardi and Megan are single-hand- IN THIS WEEK’S PAPER edly ruining our youth. Conservative Correspondent • Make sure you check out our exclusive interview with Texas Candace Owens appeared on Fox News, blasting Southern University Interim President, Kenneth Huewitt, the performance. As the clip made the rounds on then check out the in-depth article from Aswad Walker on Twitter, Cardi quickly posted, “Yaaaayyyyyyy WE discrepancies in funding between TSU and UT. MADE FOX NEWS GUYS!!! Of course, that led • Deshaun Watson is fighting to clear his name. to a back-and-forth Twitter beef that ended with • Sports reporters Terrance Harris takes a look as TSU makes Candace threatening to sue and Cardi continuing to history in the NCAA tournament. hit her with petty clapbacks. And yes, I’m here for it all.

WHITE-SPLAINING RACISM

CANCEL KIRK? I DON’T THINK SO

What I’m not here for is the drama with Kirk Franklin and his son. If you’ve been following this story, the gospel star made news after his adult son released a recorded exchange where Kirk used some expletives in

ON THE WEB

• Once you read the centerfold on Kenneth Huewitt, head over to DefenderNetwork.com to view our video series.

• The mother of a one-year-old shot by police is speaking out.

• Black legislative wrap-up: 3 takeaways from TX state legislature.

March 18, 2021 |

| 3

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN News Texas GOP introduces slew of voting restriction bills Defender News Service

Mayor Sylvester Turner and County Judge Lina Hidalgo at a press conference.

Houston Police Chief search underway

Does Art Acevedo’s departure open the door for a Black chief?

Defender News Service

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner is expected to soon announce a replacement for current police chief, Art Acevedo, who shocked many with the announcement that he was leaving to head the Miami, FL Police Department.

Acevedo, who said the opportunity to take the top job, came quickly, was tearful during a recent press conference as he recounted his time in Houston. Acevedo said he expected one his two current executive assistant chiefs — Troy Finner and Matt Slinkard — to replace him. Mayor Turner said he would make an announcement about future HPD leadership this week.

Acevedo leaves behind a department coming off a year with near-record violent crime numbers. The city saw 400 people murdered last year, a 42% jump from 2019. There were nearly 5,000 more aggravated assaults in 2020 than the prior year.

Mayor Turner praised the chief ’s policing style and ability to build trust across the city’s diverse neighborhoods. The mayor also complemented the chief ’s leadership during major disasters and social unrest.

Mayor Turner said he had no idea Chief Acevedo was looking for a job.

“When those opportunities come, take advantage of them. I won’t try to hold anyone back,” Chief Art Acevedo Turner said.

“With the end of Mayor [Sylvester] Turner’s final term in office fast approaching and my strong desire to continue serving as a police officer, we decided that the timing for this move was good,” Acevedo said in an email to officers. The police chief is appointed by the mayor. Turner, who was reelected in 2019, is term limited.

Acevedo will be the third major police chief in Texas to depart after a year marked by protests against police violence. Last month, Austin police Chief Brian Manley said he is retiring after 30 years with the department.

Manley faced harsh criticism, largely spurred by the police killing of an unarmed man last year and how the department handled summer protests over police brutality.

Dallas police Chief Reneé Hall resigned in September after scrutiny over the Dallas Police Department’s response to protests against police brutality following George Floyd’s killing in 2020.

Acevedo was one of the first big-city police

chiefs in Texas to speak out against the killing of Floyd.

He marched with protesters in Houston, saying, “We will march as a department with everybody in this Asst. Chief Troy community.” HowFinner ever, Acevedo also received local backlash for refusing to release body camera footage from several deadly shootings in Houston.

Miami Mayor Francis Suarez told the Miami Herald that “this is like getting the Tom Brady or the Michael Jordan of police chiefs.”

Acevedo will lead a force of nearly 1,400 officers in Miami, compared with Houston’s force of over 5,200 officers. He will replace former Miami police Chief Jorge Colina, who retired in February.

“We have been through so much as an extended family,” Acevedo said in the email.

“Hurricane Harvey, two World Series, a Super Bowl, (Imelda), the summer of protest, and most recently, an ice storm of epic proportion.

On top of all this, we have sadly buried six of our fallen heroes.”

“There is no question in my mind Art was the right person at the right time for the circumstances that we had to deal with,” added Turner.

Republican lawmakers in Texas have moved to introduce laws to tighten ID requirements, limit early voting and enhance consequences for errors.

More than two dozen GOP-sponsored elections bills are under consideration in the Legislature. The changes could likely occur this year as the moves have seen support from Texas Governor Greg Abbott.

“We must pass laws to prevent election officials from jeopardizing the election process,” Gov. Abbott said. He continued to urge lawmakers to move the bills quickly “to my desk so I can sign it.”

Abbot and TX voter fraud ot he r G OP investigation leaders say discovered the laws are to prevent voting fraud.

“Doesn’t Cases of false matter what addresses party you’re in, it doesn’t matter your party affiliation, what matters is our collective efforts to agree and to achieve the goal of ensuring we promote integrity in the election process,” Abbott said in reference to the Harris County mail-in ballot process.

The governor accused county elections offices of attempting to send unsolicited applications to millions of voters who would not be eligible to vote by mail.

Republican State Sen. Bryan Hughes introduced the 27-page bill with several new restrictions and penalties. The laws have been empowered by the 2020 election.

“This was already in process, but then the 2020 election was so in the national spotlight, and so many people have questions, so many people have concerns,” he said. “I would say that has raised the profile of the issue. It’s important that the system be fair, but it’s equally important that people know it’s fair, so they’ll participate, so they’ll vote.”

Changes proposed by the bills include: • Limiting early voting to certain hours or to standardize hours across the state, 6 a.m. and 9 p.m.

• Banning tents and garages for early voting • Taking aim at where and when voters cast their ballots before Election Day.

16

4 | March 18, 2021 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN News GEORGE FLOYD MURDER TRIAL

WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF RACIALLY DIVERSE JURIES?

Associated Press

Questions around race have been central to the murder case against the former Minneapolis police officer who leaned on George Floyd’s neck while the Black man pleaded for air.

Scholars, courts and legal groups have increasingly advocated for greater jury diversity — not just of race, but of gender and socioeconomic backgrounds — as a way to make trials fairer.

DEREK CHAUVIN JURY MAKE-UP

6 3

WHY ARE DIVERSE JURIES MORE LIKELY TO DELIVER FAIRER VERDICTS?

Alan Tuerkheimer, a Chicago-based jury consultant who advises lawyers nationwide, said when a jury shares the same ethnic background, gender and overall outlook, the panel’s members are less likely to question their own biases and preconceptions heading into deliberations.

“With diverse juries, there are more vantage points,” he said. “They are not all going to have the same assumptions. That makes for a richer deliberation.”

Diversity can serve jurors well during deliberations as they sort through evidence and assess trial testimony.

“Jurors from different cultures may have different BS meters,” Tuerkheimer said. “That is a stepping stone to getting a verdict right.”

white

multiracial

Black

Hispanic

2

DOES DATA SUPPORT THE IDEA THAT SINGLE-RACE JURIES ACT DIFFERENTLY?

Research on the subject is notoriously difficult, in part because each criminal case is unique.

A leading researcher on the subject, Samuel R. Sommers, found in a 2006 study based on mock trials that all-white juries are more prone to convict Black defendants. But the study also found whites on a jury readily became more thorough and more conscientious when nonwhites were added.

“Being in a diverse setting has a motivational influence on the white jurors; it gets them scrutinizing information more carefully knowing that they’re going to have to discuss it with a diverse group,” Sommers told Science magazine at the time about his findings.

His study did not look at whether the same phenomenon occurred in panels made up entirely of Black jurors, but he suspected the results would be similar.

Whites also appeared more willing to discuss the relevance of race to a case when there were non-whites on the panel,

weren’t shielded from private garnishment or child support, as well, according to Yahoo! News. The more recent $600 payments were protected.

The American Bankers Association wrote a letter to congressional leaders last week asking lawmakers to close the loophole, Fortune first reported.

“It is simple to code the payments as exempt, and we believe it is imperative that Congress ensure that these next stimulus payments are treated as ‘benefits’ subject to the federal exemption

from garnishment,” the letter reads, in part. “Otherwise, the families that most need this money—those struggling with debt and whose entire bank accounts may be frozen by garnishment orders—will not be able to access their funds.”

People who make $75,000 or less a year are eligible for the full $1,400 payment. Couples earning $150,000 or less will receive a $2,800 check, with $1,400 incoming for each dependent child.

1 1

Age ranges -

George Floyd Mural in Houston.

Debt collectors can cash in on your $1,400 stimulus check With the first batch of $1,400 stimulus payments hitting Americans’ bank accounts this weekend, some might soon learn their check is heading to a debt collector instead.

The $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill, called the American Rescue Plan, was passed through a process known as budget reconciliation -- not like a typical bill, making the stimulus payments vulnerable to debt collectors, Fortune Magazine reports.

Last spring’s $1,200 stimulus checks

women

5

DOES THE U.S. CONSTITUTION REQUIRE DIVERSE JURIES?

Not directly. But the Constitution does guarantee a trial “by an impartial jury,” widely interpreted to mean juries that reflect the community where the alleged crimes occurred rather than just a narrow segment of it.

The U.S. Supreme Court has recognized the value of jury diversity for decades, even if the ideal in practice has often been elusive. In the 1940 decision Smith vs. Texas, the high court ruled unanimously that the Constitution prohibits racial discrimination in the selection of grand juries, finding it “at war with our basic concepts of a democratic society and a representative government.”

men

This photo provided by the Ramsey County, Minn., Sheriff’s Office shows former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin, who was arrested Friday, May 29, 2020.

20s to 50s Sommers found. Other studies have found similarly positive effects on juries, even if just one or two non-white jurors are included with a mostly white jury.

WHAT ARE THE OTHER PITFALLS OF LARGELY HOMOGENEOUS JURIES?

A significant one is a loss of public faith in the system of justice, often a perception that the deck is stacked against minority groups.

One example was a mostly white jury’s acquittal in 1992 of the white police officers charged with beating Black motorist Rodney King. The verdict angered members the city’s African American community, prompting street protests and undercutting trust in the jury system.

VOLUME 90 - NUMBER 20 - MARCH 18, 2021 Publisher | CEO Sonceria Messiah-Jiles

Managing Editor ReShonda Tate Billingsley

Strategic Alllance Clyde Jiles

Associate Editor Aswad Walker

Creative Director Michael Grant

Sports Terrance Harris Jodie B. Jiles

Photographers Ray Carrington III Jimmie Aggison

The Defender newspaper is published by the Houston Defender Newspaper Inc. and audited by Alliance for Audited Media (AAM). Only digital subscriptions are available at: www.defendernetwork.com/subscribe No paper subscriptions available. All materials covered by 2020 copyright.

No materials herein may be reproduced without the written permission of the Publisher. 713-663-6996 | P.O. Box 8005, Houston, Tx 77288

March 18, 2021 |

| 5

DEFENDER NETWORK

WE STAND BEHIND THE VACCINE Here’s why our experts support the COVID-19 vaccine:

TESTED

TRUSTED

EFFECTIVE

There has been thorough testing and rigorous external review. Previous research and new technology allowed the vaccine to be developed faster, yet still follow the standard FDA process for emergency review before approval.

Most side effects are minimal, like other vaccines — including sore arms, muscle aches and fever. These flu-like symptoms indicate that the vaccine is doing its job — helping your body develop immunity to the virus. Other side effects are rare.

Current evidence indicates the vaccine is safe and up to 95% effective. COVID-19 can be fatal or debilitating. The risks of experiencing serious symptoms or being hospitalized from the disease are far greater than the risks associated with getting the vaccine.

Many different organizations across Greater Houston are providing vaccines as quickly as they can get them. We encourage you to get the first vaccine available to you when it is your turn according to the state’s prioritization plan. Visit houstonmethodist.org/vaccine for the latest information on COVID-19 vaccines. #ProtectedTogether

6 | March 18, 2021 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN News

Watson fights inappropriate behavior allegations Defender News Service

Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson is making it clear that he intends to vigorously fight allegations being waged by a well-known attorney that he has been inappropriate with a woman.

The suit, filed by Houston attorney and one-time mayoral candidate Tony Buzbee, claims Watson assaulted a massage therapist during a session at her home in March 2020. “Prior to the scheduled session, Watson described what he was looking for,” the suit states. “He told Plaintiff that he wanted a massage for relaxation and that he was not seeking the typical sports massage.”

The filing went on to claim that it became apparent that Watson wanted a massage for sex around 25 minutes into the session.

“As she was trying to figure out how to extricate herself from the situation, Watson continued to aggressively attempt to steer the conversation to how Plaintiff was not rubbing him the way he wanted. Several times he specifically kept trying to direct her to his penis,” the lawsuit claims. “At one point, he purposely exposed the tip of his penis from under the towel.” The therapist’s identity was concealed in court documents.The suit goes on to claim the therapist ended the session and believed comments made by Watson were threatening.

“I know you have a career and a reputation, and I know you would hate for someone to mess with yours, just like I don’t want anyone messing with mine,” the suit claims Watson said.

Deshaun Watson denies any inappropriate behavior and vows to clear his name.

The massage therapist said Watson later sent her a text message apologizing for the incident.

Watson responded on Twitter, stating that he had rejected a six-figure settlement demand and this is now about him clearing his name.

“I have not yet seen the complaint, but I know this: I have never treated any woman with anything other than the utmost respect,” Watson wrote on his Twitter post. “The plaintiff ’s lawyer claims this isn’t about money, but before filing suit he made a baseless six-figure settlement demand, which I quickly rejected. Unlike him, this isn’t about money for me – it’s about clearing my name, and I look forward

to doing that.”

Watson is currently estranged from the Texans and is seeking a trade from the team after team president and CEO Cal McNair went back on his word that he would allow the quarterback to have input into the hiring of the team’s general manager and head coach. The Texans’ front office has been steadfast in public that the team has no interest in trading the franchise quarterback who was just given a four-year, $156 million contract extension in September.

These allegations, baseless or not, could likely hold up any chance of Watson being traded.

Read the lawsuit in its entirety at DefenderNetwork.com.

MEMBER FDIC

Priceless business advice shouldn’t come at a price.

Straightforward financial guidance. Personal attention. And local help whenever you need it. Because you don’t just need a bank. You need a partner.

Visit us at frostbank.com or call (800) 51-FROST.

March 18, 2021 |

| 7

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN In Focus EXCLUSIVE

TSU Interim President Kenneth Huewitt speaks

By ReShonda Tate Billingsley

When Kenneth Huewitt came to Texas Southern University in 2017 to serve as Vice President of Finance & Administration and Chief Financial Officer, he was poised to use his decades of financial experience to oversee all fiscal matters at the school. Now, Interim President of the Third Ward institution, Huewitt is using that experience to position the university in an unprecedented financial standing, all while navigating a pandemic.

Huewitt, who served 14 years with the Houston Independent School District as Controller, then Chief Financial Officer prior to joining TSU, sat down with the Defender to talk about his triumphs, accomplishments and what lies ahead.

Defender: How is the university adjusting during the pandemic?

Kenneth Huewitt: We’re doing well.

We’re looking forward to more face-toface as we move forward. This spring semester, we’ve been able to socially distance and meet with students and student leaders. There is a buildup of excitement about us getting back to some new normalcy. We do have a plan in place for that, but it’s written in pencil. However, we are looking forward to the fall semester. We’re planning right now and hope to return at least 70% of our classes face-to-face.

Huewitt discusses his long-term goals, keeping alumni engaged and other accomplishments at www.DefenderNetwork.com

Defender: TSU is in partnership with Baylor-St. Luke to provide vaccines to the community. How did that partnership come to be?

Huewitt: They were looking for anoth-

er site to be able to administer the vaccines and we heard about it. They toured the campus and liked what they saw. It’s a great partnership because we’re located in a vulnerable, underrepresented population. We felt like this would be great to just bring it right here and make it accessible for our population. And also, making it available to our own faculty and staff was a huge win for Texas Southern, as well as the community that we serve. Baylor-St. Luke’s has been an extremely cooperative partner with us. They’ve rolled up their sleeves and they’re here until seven in the evening every day.

Defender: What would you say are your three biggest accomplishments?

Huewitt: Our SACS (Southern As-

sociation of Colleges and Schools) reaccreditation was huge. That process really

got underway the first week of March with their onsite reviews. We were able to get that accreditation for another 10 years taken care of. So that license to operate is important. Then we entered into this pandemic, where we had to flip the university from a face-to-face environment to 100% remote was difficult. Now, we’re gradually returning to campus, getting back engaged with our students and our faculty, and continuing the business of teaching and learning. We’ve really been focused on doing things in a way as to not deter people from wanting to get their education. And then the third thing is fundraising. We’ve had our best year ever. We have gotten $21 million of research funding in fiscal year 2020, and we’re already at about $20 million right now [for 2021].

Defender: What do you attribute to the university’s sound financial standing right now?

Huewitt: I hope it comes with my

background as far as just the credibility, the integrity and being a financial steward all my time here in Houston, since 1997. And of course, we have something to sell. There’s a good return on the investment when you support Texas Southern University and I’m able to speak that language to investors.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS Secured compliance • Reaffirmed TSU’s Accreditation by SACSCOS (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges) • ABA full compliance for Thurgood Marshall School of Law • Implemented new Division of Compliance • Annual financial audits completed, clean and in compliance

Created new initiatives • Increased technology offerings and equipment • Upgraded campus safety and security • Established new Chairman and President’s Council • Increased number of positive media stories

Established collaboration/partnerships • COVID testing center with Thermo Fisher Scientific/Just Project partnership in the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences • Launched “TSU Forward” campus masterplan • Campus to Career student program funded by Bank of America • Aviation and United States Airforce partnership • New corporate partnerships for student internships

Increased fundraising • Private gifts from Gates Foundation, Houston Endowment • Increased Alumni giving and public research dollars • Spearheaded Tiger Aid emergency fund for students during and after pandemic

ABOUT • B.B.A., Accounting - Texas State University (Distinguished alumni) • Certified Public Accountant, Certified Internal Auditor, Certified Government Financial Manager, Certified Financial Services Auditor and Chartered Global Management Accountant.

• Former member of the back-to-back Texas State National Championship football teams in 1981 and 1982.

• Inductee into the T-Association’s Hall of Honor, the highest honor for any athlete at Texas State in 2007 • He and his wife are the proud parents of two children.

Defender: The university appears to have seen an increase in endowments, donations, fellowships and scholarships. Are you seeing a global shift in thinking about Texas Southern University, in turn inspiring more people to give?

Huewitt: Absolutely. It’s all about rep-

utation management right now and that’s what we’re focusing on. And again, letting folks know that we’ve always had these capabilities. It’s amazing what we’re accomplishing with what we have right now.

And yes, I keep asking for more - whether it’s with the federal level or at the state level. I’m asking for more so that we can do more and we’re capable of doing it. It’s just that you have to have those resources to be able to do it.

Defender: You are currently interim president as the University conducts a nationwide search for a permanent president. Are you interested in the job?

Huewitt: Yes, I am. I’ve been doing

this now 14 months. Obviously I didn’t ask for it, but now that I’m in it, I can see that we’re on the brink of something great.

And I just think that I can lead this university to that. I see some great things happening on the horizon for Texas Southern University, and I would like to be the leader that helps us achieve that.

8 | March 18, 2021 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

| 9

DN InFocus FOCUS SOCIAL

UT AUSTIN, TSU DEFENDER EXCLUSIVE

reflects generational funding inequalities

By ASWAD WALKER

1980 - 1990

Estimated Annual Funding

University of Texas Austin

Budget: $503 million

$165 million

Texas Southern University Budget: $94 million

$11 million

2010 - 2020

Estimated Annual Funding

University of Texas Austin

Texas Southern University

$138 million

$24.7 million

Budget: $3 billion

33%: Research grants and other areas

12%: Research grants and other areas

46%: Research grants and other areas

47%: State general revenue

32%: State general revenue

11%: State general revenue

$236 million $60 million

$30 million

35%: State general revenue

$46 million

$940 k

$27 million

$9.8 million

3%: Gifts and endowments

1%: Gifts and endowments

15%: Tuition and fees

$86 million

$36 million

44%: Federal funds

$25 million

10%: Research grants and other areas

$41 million

12%: Federal funds

$15 million

$33 million

Budget: $247 million

$10 million

11%: Tuition and fees

12%: Federal funds 9%: Gifts and endowments

$66 million

22%: Tuition and fees

19%: Federal funds 4% Gifts and endowments

$79 million

32%: Tuition and fees

Source: UT Budget Office and State of Texas General Appropriations Act

ORIGINS OF RESEARCH

Williams: The topic started with the curiosity of Thurgood Marshall School of Law professor Marcia Johnson, who was heading TSU’s Urban Research and Resource Center at that time. She wanted to understand what was

going on in terms of quantifying the differences between the University of Texas and Texas Southern... [Originally] the legislature had decided that they would allocate funds to have TSU be the Black equivalent of UT. It was stated that TSU would be a university of the first class. Of course,

UT Austin and TSU Annual Appropriations, 1950-2019 3012.77

UT Austin

IMPACT OF UNEQUAL FUNDING

Dr. Michael O. Adams: For university success there always has to be three important ingredients: one, financial support for both students and faculty; two, academic support and thirdly, a kind of welcoming environment that can be defined through infrastructure investments in campus beautification and student services. If you have the resources, you can do those things well… If TSU had started equal, and if we were on an equal playing field, certainly we could have done more. And I think, HBCUs are often asked to do more with less, and we’re also criticized in terms of our performance and acknowledgement is never there to talk about issues like this in terms of unequal funding.

Dr. James Douglas: If the state had fully funded us, TSU would today look like UT Austin and the University of Houston, which was originally a small, private school, would look like it was Huston-Tillitson. That’s the difference in funding.

SWEATT VICTORY & UNEQUAL FUNDING

2012.77

Douglass: Prior to 1939, if you were an African-American and you lived in one of those southern states, there was

1512.77

1012.77

Texas State Appropriations per Student 1950 - 2018 7000.000 6000.00

$5,300

5000.00 $4,000

4000.00 3000.00

UT Austin

TSU

2000.00 1000.00 0.00

Visit DefenderNetwork.com to read about other reasons for TSU’s underfunding, past legal efforts to seek equal funding, and more. of money into Texas State University for Negroes, because they knew they had to try to prove that it was equivalent to UT. When [the Sweatt case] got to the Supreme Court, they forced UT to integrate. That was in 1950. After 1950, when it was clear that there was no longer a legal reason to force the state of Texas to create a university for African Americans that was equivalent to UT, the state of Texas intentionally decided to reduce the funding to Texas State University for Negroes (which later became TSU). You don’t reduce a university’s funding by almost 40%, unless it’s intentional.

DESIRED IMPACT OF RESEARCH

no place for you to get a law degree, a medical degree, a PhD. You had to go someplace outside of the South. [Then] the Supreme Court decided in Missouri that Missouri had to make legal education available within the state of Missouri for an African-American who sought admission to the law school… When Heman Sweatt applied for UT, the state of Texas understood that they were going to have to make legal education available within the state for African-Americans, otherwise, they were going to have to let Sweat in UT. So, the decision was “Let’s create a university like UT, so that when this case reaches the Supreme Court, we’ll be able to prove that African-Americans have a university equivalent to UT.” And the state infused a lot

Douglas: My hope is that someone in the state leadership will step up and do something meaningful to correct the inequities that have occurred over the last 67 years.

Adams: It should lay the foundation for a public policy discussion, looking at the historical inequities… Also, we don’t want to move away from TSU’s mission… Historically, states will give [HBCUs] money, but they change the missions… Other states gave money to HBCUs, but the built-in incentives were basically, “You’ll get more money if you increase your white enrollment.” What we’re asking for, and the state of Texas [originally] asked us to do, to build a first-class university, and to serve those populations and expand and include other minorities… to live up to that urban mission.

STUDY FINDINGS

512.77

TSU

2 19 84 19 86 19 88 19 90 19 92 19 94 19 96 19 98 20 0 0 20 0 2 20 0 4 20 0 6 20 0 8 20 10 20 12 20 14 20 16 20 18 20 19

0

19 8

19 8

19 78

19 76

19 74

19 72

68 19 70

66

19

64

19

62

19

60

19

58

19

56

19

54

19

52

19

19

50

12.77 19

DOLLARS, $100,000

2512.77

we saw a divergence in terms of the way the two universities evolved. We thought this was important because we would like to become what we were meant to be. And that’s why this is important. And in this age of COVID where we’re looking at disparities that are race driven and socioeconomic driven, we feel like it’s really important to say, “Look, higher education is not immune to what’s going on in the rest of the country.’ And we want to show the way in which it’s occurred, because there’s been lots of conversation over time, but not any real attempt to quantify it.

Average Appropriation per Student, $

For generations, Black people in Houston have speculated in casual conversations that Texas Southern University has been grossly underfunded by the state of Texas, especially when compared to the funding received annually by the University of Texas at Austin.

Now, however, there is hard evidence that proves those conversations were on point. The study, “Quantifying Racism: Comparing Two Texas Universities of the First Dr. Michael O. Adams Class,” authored by Professor Marcia Johnson (Thurgood Marshall School of Law) and Dr. Johnnie Williams (TSU’s Jesse H. Jones School of Business), documents that this purposeful underfunding of Houston’s HBCU has existed for decades, to the tune of Dr James Douglas $15 billion at the very least.

Williams and two other TSU scholars, Dr. James Douglas (professor, Thurgood Marshall School of Law) and Dr. Michael O. Adams (professor, TSU’s Barbara Jordan – Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs) shared with the Defender their reflections on the importance of this report.

YEAR

• Between 1997 to 2019, UT received $15 billion more than TSU in state funding, just looking at the fall semesters.

• In biennium 2018-2019 UT was allocated 2/3 of the $1.8 billion in the

PUF fund (roughly $1.21B). Conversely, TSU along with its 29 other cohorts were left to share a mere $787.5 million in the HEF fund.

• BY 2019, UT grew to an enrollment of over 50,000 students, almost

3,000 faculty, 18 colleges and schools, 156 undergraduate degree programs, over 200 graduate and doctoral programs, 17 libraries and 4 museums on more than 400 acres of land.

• For that same period, TSU grew to an enrollment less than 10,000 students, about 588 faculty, 12 colleges and schools, two libraries and 1 museum on 150 acres of land.

10 | March 18, 2021 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Health

A DEFENDER AND KELSEY-SEYBOLD CLINIC ALLIANCE

Colonoscopy is ‘gold standard’ for colon cancer screening

BY ANGELA MCGEE, M.D.

Every year, more than 140,000 Americans are diagnosed with colon cancer, and more than 50,000 die from it. It’s the third-leading cause of cancerrelated deaths, and African Americans have the highest risk and mortality rate. But 90 percent of all colorectal cancer cases and deaths are preventable by removing polyps, and cancer can be successfully treated, and often cured, when detected early. This is why screening for prevention and early detection is so important.

FROM THE DOC

Due to lack of awareness or fear of getting a colonoscopy, many patients neglect getting screened. Some may simply be embarrassed. But getting screened for colon cancer is the numberone way to prevent it. Because of the higher risk of colorectal cancer among African Americans, the American College of Gastroenterology recommends that screening of African Americans for colorectal cancer start at age 45, unless otherwise advised by your doctor.

low in fiber, calcium, and folate have also been linked to the development of colon cancer. Learn your family’s medical history and tell your doctor if a parent, brother, sister, or child has had colorectal cancer or colorectal polyps.

NEVER IGNORE SYMPTOMS Many people with colon cancer experience no symptoms in the early stages. When symptoms do appear, they’ll likely vary, depending on the cancer’s size and location in your large KNOW THE RISK FACTORS intestine. Symptoms that should never “Colorectal cancer screening The exact cause of colon and rectal be ignored include: has been shown to reduce cancer isn’t known, but there are several • A change in bowel habits deaths from the disease.” risk factors thought to be associated with • Rectal bleeding or blood in your stool Dr. McGee is a boardits development. Genetics, age, family • Persistent abdominal discomfort certified gastroenterologist history of colon cancer and colon polyps,

GET SCREENED Colonoscopy is the most widely used tool to screen for colon cancer. It is the only screening method to date that can both screen and treat patients through identification and removal of colon and at Kelsey-Seybold Clinic’s rectal polyps discovered during the Fort Bend Medical and Diagnostic Center. procedure.

obesity, sedentary lifestyle, and smoking If you notice any of these symptoms, are some of the risk factors identified. schedule an appointment with a Diets high in red meat and fat and Gastroenterology (GI) specialist.

Now Scheduling VIRTUAL and IN-PERSON Appointments!

Whether you’re new to the Kelsey-Seybold family or a longtime patient, you have a choice of where you can safely get care. Call our 24/7 Contact Center at 713-442-0000 to schedule a same-day or next-day virtual Video Visit or, for non-respiratory illnesses, an in-person appointment at a Kelsey-Seybold Clinic near you.

Your health and safety are our top priority. We‘re screening patients upon arrival for COVID-19 symptoms, checking temperatures, and following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. Please remember to wear a mask or cloth face protection while visiting our clinics.

Do you feel more comfortable visiting with a Kelsey-Seybold doctor from your home? We also offer virtual Video Visits for children and adults. Visit kelsey-seybold.com/virtual to find out more.

Our doctors and clinical teams are here for you now and in the future.

WE’RE HERE FOR YOU 24/7/365 Berthelsen Main Campus 2727 W. Holcombe Blvd.

Houston, Texas 77025 24/7 Contact Center 713-442-0000 MyKelseyOnline (MKO) mykelseyonline.com MKO Help Line 713-442-6565 (7 days a week, 7 a.m. – 9 p.m.)

After-Hours Nurse Hotline 713-442-0000 Learn More About Virtual Visits kelsey-seybold.com/virtual

ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS and more than 50 HEALTH PLANS, including Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Humana, and UnitedHealthcare. Also accepting two Medicare Advantage plans, KelseyCare Advantage and WellCare TexanPlus.

March 18, 2021 |

| 11

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Health REPORT

Black vaccine hesitancy not about medical bias Defender News Service

Covid and Driving Positive Attitudes toData from the Centers for Disease wards Vaccination,” finds that “the vast Control (CDC) shows the Black popula- majority of Black folks are ready to get tion in this country still lags way behind vaccinated” and that “the lag isn’t because their white counterparts when it comes to of them not wanting it.”

COVID-19 vaccinations — but a recent Belcher says his study shows “the perstudy reveals the reasons why centage of those who don’t may not be what was previwant to take the vaccine right ously believed. now are reluctant because of VACCINATED Cornell Belcher of Brilmisinformation or no inforliant Corners conducted a mation” and not necessarily Blacks COVID-19 vaccine needs because of concerns of historassessment poll for the Naical racial bias in medicine. tional Urban League on “We have to do a better job of whites Black hesitancy on vaccinacommunicating with people of tions. Belcher said he is appalled by the color,” he adds. huge disparity between Black and white Americans who have been vaccinated, Other findings: calling it “structural racism in the med- • 48% heard or read something that ical industry.” made them less likely to take the vacThere are historical examples of this cine institutional racism with detailed stories • 35% blamed hesitancy to take the often cited about Henrietta Lacks and the vaccine on safety concerns such as Tuskegee experiment. “We know Blacks side effects and allergic reactions. have different outcomes than whites in the • 31% are concerned the vaccine was medical industry,” Belcher said. developed too quickly and that more However, Belcher’s most recent study, testing is needed.

“Vaccine Needs Assessment: Understand- • 9% said they need more information. ing Disparate Racial Experiences During The White House COVID-19 Task

1.3 MIL

13.8 MIL

A health worker loads syringes with the vaccine on the first day of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine being made available to residents. AP

Force is working to address this dilemma, says Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the CDC. “We have to meet people where they are,” Walensky said during a press briefing.

Meanwhile, the numbers are not where they should be to achieve the intended herd immunity by late summer or early fall. However, in a recent COVID-19 task force presser, Dr. Anthony Fauci of NIH offered the importance of not worrying so much about “herd immunity” and simply get vaccinated as soon as possible. The

average daily vaccinations average 2.4 million a day with 37.5 million fully vaccinated.

Based on the findings from the Vaccine Needs Assessment study, Belcher says, “right now, it is about safety concerns driven by false information. Most common responses are [that the vaccine is] developed too fast and it is not safe.”

Belcher warns that those responses feed into each other, creating a ripple effect of vaccine hesitancy. *TheGrio Contributed to this report

COMMUNITY ENERGY CENTER

Prioritizing innovations, smart policies and pandemic recovery... that’s energy leadership!

To learn more about how energy helps your community, visit CommunityEnergyCenter.org

The Community Energy Center, a cooperative with the National Newspaper Publishers Association and National Association of Hispanic Publications Media, will provide information and perspectives on the integral role of the energy sector in daily life for American families in a wide range of communities.

12 | March 18, 2021 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Entertainment

Houston shines bright at Grammys Beyoncé, Megan and Lizzo win big Megan Thee Stallion came to collect.

The 26-year-old Houston rapper received the first televised Grammy recently for best new artist, the first female rapper to win the honor since Lauryn Hill in 1999. She was introduced by fellow Houstonian, Lizzo.

“I don’t want to cry,” she said, tearing up as she reached the stage. “But first of all, I want to say everybody is amazing. Every artist that was nominated for this award is so amazing. So shout-out to all y’all.”

The rising artist said she wanted to thank God, her team and her mother, who was her manager before she died in 2019.

“Secondly, I really just want to thank God, because thank you for putting life into my body for me to be able to even be here today. I want to say thank you for always being with me, being by my side. I want to say thank you to everybody at 300 for believing in me, sticking by me through my craziness and you know, it’s been a hell of a year but we made it. Thank you everybody at Rock Nation,” she continued. “And I really want to say thank you to my mama, she’s not here with me today but I know she is here with me in spirit and she always believed I could do it, so thank you all so much.”

Megan thee Stallion and Beyoncé also snatched two Grammys, best rap song and best rap performance, for the smash hit “Savage.”

“I am so proud of you,” Beyoncé said to Megan thee Stallion during the acceptance speech. “I just want to quickly give my love to Megan. I have so much respect for you. I am honored that you asked me to be apart

Lizzo

of this song.”

Beyoncé concluded: “Houston, we love you.”

Beyoncé also had a record-breaking night as the lead contender with nine nominations. She won two honors during the pre-ceremony.

In addition to the collab with the H-Town Hottie, she earned best music video for “Brown Skin Girl,” featuring her daughter Blue Ivy Carter, who became the second youngest to win a Grammy at the age of 9.

In total, Beyoncé has won 27 Grammys over her decades-long career.

Beyoncé, left , and Megan Thee Stallion accept the award for best rap song for “Savage.”

2021 Oscar diversity by the numbers nated for best actor, and Riz Ahmed, A look, by the numbers, at nota- who became the first person of Pable facts, figures and trivia from the kistani descent to be nominated in nominations for the 93rd Academy an acting category with his own best Awards: actor nod for “Sound of Metal.”

11 — First-time acting nominees.

7 — Actors who have been With the pandemic promptnominated for Oscars after ing Hollywood to hold back their deaths, now that Chadmost of its major motion wick Boseman has received pictures in 2020, pulling a posthumous nominabig stars from the competion for best actor for “Ma tition, newbies became the Rainey’s Black Bottom.” The norm in the four acting tragic honor puts him in Chadwick categories.

First-timers Boseman in “Ma elite company that includes include Amanda Seyfried Rainey’s Black James Dean, Spencer Trafor “Mank,” Andra Day for cy, Massimo Troisi and PeBottom” “The United States vs. Bilter Finch, who became the lie Holiday” and Paul Raci only man to win best actor for “Sound of Metal.” The best direc- posthumously, for “Network” in 1977. tor category has even fresher faces, In the best supporting actor category, with only one repeat nominee, David Heath Ledger and Ralph Richardson Fincher, among the five up for the were nominated, with Ledger winning coveted Oscar. for “The Dark Knight” in 2009. Boseman died in August after a long and 9 — Actors of color nominated, a record. They include Steven Yeun, largely secret battle with colon cancer.

6 whose nod for “Minari” makes him — Black actors nominated, the first Asian American to be nomi- Boseman, Day, Viola Davis, DanDefender News Service

iel Kaluuya, Leslie Odom Jr. and LaKeith Stanfield, after only one, Cynthia Erivo, was nominated last year.

1 — Man nominated for both best actor and best original song. Odom, who came to fame singing and acting in “Hamilton,” has become the first man nominated for both in the same year for “One Night in Miami,” in which he plays singer Sam Cooke.

Three women have done it, all very recently: Mary J. Blige for “Mudbound” in 2018, Lady Gaga for “A Star is Born” in 2019, and Cynthia Erivo for “Harriet” in 2020. Barbra Streisand was the first to be nominated for both, but for different films in different years.

0 — Nominations for director Spike Lee or actor Delroy Lindo, whose “Da 5 Bloods” was among the biggest snubs.

The film received just one nomination, for best score.

Andra Day stars in “The United States vs Billie Holiday” from Paramount Pictures. Photo Credit: Takashi Seida

March 18, 2021 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Events UPCOMING EVENTS

By Aswad Walker

P&P Live! Henry Louis Gates, Jr. | The Black Church with Eddie S. Glaude Jr, Mar. 25, 3pm – 4pm From the New York Times bestselling author of “Stony the Road” (Dr. Eddie Glaude Jr.) and one of our most important voices on the African American experience (Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr.) comes a powerful new history of the Black church as a foundation of Black life and a driving force in the larger freedom struggle in America: “The Black Church: This Is Our Story, This Is Our Song,” the companion book to the PBS series. Politics & Prose Live! (P&P Live!) will host this event in partnership with the Historically Black Churches: St Luke’s Episcopal Church, Calvary Episcopal Church, and St. George’s Episcopal Church. Gates is the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor and Director of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard University. Glaude is the James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor at Princeton University and author of “Begin Again, Democracy in Black” and “An Uncommon Faith.”

Ruth J. Simmons Center for Race and Justice Launch, Mar. 25, 2pm – 4pm Prairie View A&M University will host a virtual event officially launching its Ruth J. Simmons Center for Race and Justice. Farah Jasmine Griffin and Nikky Finney will serve as hosts for the event, which will be streamed live at YouTube.com/pvamu. The Center, one of many initiatives spawned at PVAMU after the death of Houston native George Floyd, will serve as a hub for learning, research and activism. The Center seeks to address bias and injustice and work to facilitate fair treatment under the law for Blacks and other people of color. The Center will provide support for

Nikky Finney and Farah Jasmine Griffin

scholarship and research on areas of injustice crucial for policymakers, educational programs on inclusivity and bias and leadership training. These offerings will be made available to students, lawmakers, organization and the general public.

Building a Delta Bridge to Help E.N.D. Hunger in Haiti, Mar. 28, 3pm – 4pm The East Harris Chambers Liberty County Alumnae Chapter (East HCLC) of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated is sponsoring a virtual International Awareness and Involvement fundraiser. “Building a Delta Bridge to Help E.N.D. Hunger in Haiti by Education. Nutrition. Diet.” will benefit the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Elementary School, The Cynthia M.A. Butler-McIntyre Campus in Chἐrette, Haiti. The East HCLC is a new chapter chartered on March 30, 2019 with 95 women committed to community service. The goal for the fundraiser, chaired by Crystal Walter Jn-BapCynthia M. A. tiste is to obtain funds Butterto supply breakfast for McIntyre the entire 2021-2022 academic school year.

Currently, the children only receive lunch.

Any funds remaining will be donated for uniforms and operational expenses. Donations will be accepted to assist the DST School to reach sustainability levels and affirm a commitment to supporting young children of color on a global level! Register for the public virtual event via ZOOM at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_6Cce0ylfSKqRhEPh5ZYi0w.

Attendees can send a tax-deductible donation via PayPal at: https://www.paypal. com/donate?hosted_button_id=97PXPCM5NAGZS

| 13

14 | March 18, 2021 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Sports

Prairie View senior linebacker Storey Jackson has been selected the SWAC Defensive Player of the Week after registering 17 tackles, including three stops for loss and two sacks during the Panthers 17-10 win over Grambling State.

Rockets forward P.J. Tucker has been permanently shelved and the team has said it plans to pursue a trade for the veteran before the NBA trade deadline later this month.

Texas Southern rolling into NCAA Tournament Texas Southern (16-8) vs. Mount St. Mary’s (12-10)

By Terrance Harris

Texas Southern men’s basketball coach Johnny Jones is constantly talking to his players about playing their best basketball at the right time.

That right time is now -- March Madness.

The Tigers have won nine straight games and 14 of their last 15, which included last week’s impressive run through the SWAC Tournament to take home the title. For their efforts, the Tigers have landed in the NCAA Tournament where they face Mount St. Mary’s in First-Four round in Indianapolis for the right to the No. 16 seed and a date to play No.1 seed Michigan on Saturday.

“From the assistants to the head, we have always put a preference to playing well at the right time in February and March,” said Jones, whose team finished third in the SWAC during the regular season. “You want to be gelling at the right time and I think this team certainly represents that. They’ve really turned the corner, playing extremely well down the stretch.”

The Tigers managed to do so despite adversity that might have caused many to crumble.

In addition to navigating through the unpredictability of COVID-19, the Tigers also had to keep it together during a rare winter freeze that left nearly the entire state without power or water. The Tigers then had to play a treacherous stretch of seven games in 14 days after COVID protocols brought some unexpected starts and stops to the schedule.

But none of it slowed the Tigers during an incredible run that included a nail-biter win over No.2 seed Jackson State in the semifinal of the SWAC Tournament followed by a surprising 19-point win over No.1 seed Prairie View in the title game. JSU and Prairie View both came into the conference tournament undefeated in

When: Thursday, 4:10 p.m.

TV: truTV What we need to know: TSU is a team that is capable of scoring a lot of points, but the Mountaineers can put the clamps down…Damian Chong Qui may be Mount St. Mary’s best player, while 6-foot-9 forward Nana Opoku, the Northeast Conference Defensive Player of the Year, is the stopper inside.

Members of the Texas Southern men’s basketball team celebrate after defeating Prairie View in the SWAC championship game. -Courtesy of SWAC

league play.

“For them to come out at the end and have a chance to be at this venue here in Indianapolis to represent our conference is just rewarding,” said Jones, whose team flew straight from Birmingham to Indianapolis on Saturday to begin the mandated quarantining for the NCAA Tournament. “You can just see it in the guys’ faces every morning and every evening.”

The Tigers have made it this far with a lot of offense and from a lot of different places. Michael Weathers scored a game-high 30 points in the win over Jackson State. But Karl Nicholas was the leading scorer in two of the three tournament games, while John Walker III, Justin Hopkins and Jordan Gilliam all had double-figure scoring efforts during tournament play.

“You don’t have a guy you can key on because we have a lot of guys who can go off at any night,”

Weathers said. “That just takes a lot of pressure off of a lot of guys and everybody just steps up and plays their best game.”

The Tigers hope their balance scoring will be enough to get them past a scrappy defensive Mount St. Mary’s squad, in a play-in game for the 16th seed. Awaiting them will be the Wolverines, who have been one of the top two teams all season.

“That’s obviously a challenge we look forward to,” Jones said. “Our guys signed with Texas Southern because they want to play one of the toughest schedules in the country, year in and year out.

“This is not a game that we had scheduled but it doesn’t get any better than playing one of the No.1 seeds in the tournament. It is obviously going to be a challenge for us, but one that our guys welcome.”

No.2 seed University of Houston (24-3) vs. No. 15 seed Cleveland State (19-7)

When: Friday, 6:15 p.m.

TV: truTV What we need to know: Most were expecting the Cougars to be a No.3 seed, but their conference tournament run, which ended with a 37-point win over Cincinnati in the championship game, likely convinced the selection committee to bump them up…

Torrey Patton is the Vikings best player but look for Tre Gomillion to have the biggest impact defensively for the Horizon League team.

Sports Briefs Texans pull off trades The Texans have traded middle linebacker Benardrick McKinney to the Miami Dolphins for pass rushing outside linebacker Shaq Lawson and a Benardrick swap of late-round picks. The Texans McKinney received offensive tackle Marcus Cannon from the New England Patriots in a swap for their 4th, 5th and 6th round picks in the NFL Draft. Cannon sat out last season because of COVID-19 concerns.

PV football on pause The 2-0 Prairie View football team is on pause and some of the student athletes will be quarantined for at least a couple of weeks Eric because of COVID-19 issues within Dooley the program, which means the March 28th game against Deion Sanders undefeated Jackson State Tigers could be in jeopardy.

Texans sign veteran QB With the uncertainty surrounding franchise quarterback Deshaun Watson, the Texans have signed veteran quarterback Tyrod Taylor Tyrod as a free agent. Taylor has been a Taylor starter with the Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns and last season with the San Diego Chargers. His one-year deal with the Texans could be worth as much as $12.5 million.

March 18, 2021 |

| 15

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Sports ATASCOCITA GUARDS

TOM HART III, JUSTIN COLLINS HAVE IT ALL

By Jodie B. Jiles

After the city sent four teams to the UIL boys basketball state tournament last season, this season Atascocita High School was the only Houston area boys team in contention during the state tournament.

And Atascocita senior captain guards Tom Hart III and Justin Collins are why the Eagles finished the season ranked as the ninth best team in Texas with a 24-3 overall record (10-2 in district play).

Hart, a 6’0” guard, is lightning in a bottle the way he is everywhere on the court. Hart’s athleticism and leaping abilities grant him the ability to guard all positions on defense. And Hart’s pure will to score the basketball is out of this world as seen in the Regional Championships when he hit the game winning shot against Summer Creek with only seconds remaining.

Collins is your prototypical 3-and-D player who specializes mainly in 3-point shooting (“3”) and defense (“D”). Collins can also distribute the ball efficiently creating opportunities for teammates.

When Atascocita head basketball coach David Martinez was asked what Hart and Collins have added to the roster this season, Martinez stated, “They both take turns as our leaders. We saw that

ABOUT JUSTIN COLLINS

Twitter: @justohoops Commitment Status: Undecided Players He Studies: James Harden, Chris Paul, Rajon Rondo Hobbies: Listening to music, chill and play video game NBA2k Favorite Musician: G Herbo Shoutouts: My mom, dad, big brother Trae, sister Jonae and all the people at Atascocita

coming into this summer. We all said if we are going to go to the state tournament it will be because of these two.”

“They are also not afraid to guard anybody. Both of them understand you have to do it on the defensive end no matter who it is,” Martinez added.

The Defender spoke with Hart and Collins to discuss their styles of play, major influences and senior journey to the state tournament.

STYLE OF PLAY

Collins: “I’m a pass first point guard.

I like to help my team get buckets, spot up shoot and play defense.”

Hart III: “My main focus is defense. I take pride in stopping the best player on the(other) team. I like doing the dirty work. I am also a team player that loves to see my teammates shine.”

SCORING APPROACH

Collins: “When I see I have an open shot I am going to shoot it. And when I see an open lane I will take the layup. But most of the time, when I have the ball in my hand I am looking for my teammates.”

LEADERSHIP

Collins: “I keep everybody calm and settled down to help slow the game down when we need to and keep the intended pace.”

REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME WINNER

Hart III: “I was going to bring the ball up because I told coach I was going to take the last shot. But since they were pressing me Justin was wide open, so I passed it to him. And when he drove down the court he passed it back to me. I was going to shoot the pull up but when I saw the paint was open I just went up and made the play happen.”

WINNING CULTURE

Hart III: “It just puts confidence in all of us, because to us we are the best team in the state. So, we look at it like we have to just prove that to people.”

TOM HART III

Instagram: @t_hart_3 Commitment Status: Undecided Current Offers: Rice University Favorite Musicians: Youngboy, Lil Durk and Lil Baby Hobbies: Chilling with my homeboys Shoutout: The whole Atascocita team and the whole gang because this is for them.

16 | March 18, 2021 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Business How does the American Rescue Plan help Black-owned businesses?

Defender News Service

The Biden administration says the American Rescue Plan will help Black-owned businesses recover from the financial devastation brought on by the pandemic and help them navigate uncertain times. The President and CEO of U.S. Black Chambers Inc., Ron Busby, discusses several areas regarding the plan.

Payroll Protection Plan “When that plan was executed and implemented, it really left out 95% of Black-owned businesses. So you had a program declared to take care of the employee versus the employer left out a large swath of Black-owned businesses. Of the 2.6 million Black firms, 2.5 have no employees, and so many of our business owners weren’t able to take advantage of one of the largest stimulus packages that this country has created. We have 1099s.

We have subcontractors. We have joint ventures. We have employees. But many of them are family members or people that appreciate and believe in our vision, and so they join us, and many of them are cash-and-carry. So this administration heard those concerns, implemented changes and many of our business owners are very excited about the future.”

How can businesses be confident that they will be helped?

“I think the confidence comes from a combination of both the policy that’s being created, as well as the people that are being placed to make sure that there’s accountability, transparency, intentionality, and most importantly, partnerships. And where we bring those four together, there is truth. There is transparency. And I believe from Black-owned businesses, yes, we feel like the change that we were looking for is definitely on the horizon and very positive outlooks.”

The Paycheck Protection Program is set to expire at the end of this month, but many minority business owners have been unable to apply for a second round of help from that program because of unforgiven loans. What needs to be done for them to be able to access aid?

There is a policy being discussed right now. Much of it has to do with relationships. There were a lot of things that were removed in reference to obstacles and barriers for Black businesses to participate. But I think most importantly, it’s about relationships. If you remember early on, it was about making sure that the bank that you banked with understood your challenges, as well as the opportunity to move forward. And so during those first 14 days that was set aside for Black-owned businesses and smaller businesses to partner with community banks, I think that gave us an opportunity to develop some of those relationships. But we also have to understand that there are still going to be challenges, that they are there.

The US Black Chamber is working diligently with the Small Business Administration, as well as this administration, to make sure that when we Ron hear about concerns that Busby are being acted upon in our Black communities and Black businesses, that there is a voice that is there, there is relationships that are there so that we can address those moving forward.

Michael D. Moore assisting a customer at The Stuffed Baked Potato Factory on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

Black business owners weigh in on the American Rescue Plan We were able to maintain during those uncertain times. It really helped us out. Though everything is opening back up, we don’t know what’s going to happen. The American Rescue Plan is making it where we’re able to keep people employed.”

Michael Moore, The Stuffed Baked Potato Factory

It’s great for the economy and small business, especially in my case as a restaurant owner.

We need all the help we can get.”

Troy Williams, Alfreda’s Soul Food

It’s extremely beneficial because small business are vital to the economy. If we fold, it takes away a lot of hope for people who need second chances, who are looking to become entrepreneurs, etc.

We open doors for so many and anything that will help small businesses expand or even stay afloat, is much-welcomed. Now, we just have to make sure the plan does what they’re promising and gets into the hands of those small businesses.”

Davion Anderson, Serenity Studios and Pop-ular Popcorn