The Texas public education system had its share of rounds on the national news with Texas Education Agency and the Houston ISD takeover.
Several community activists and legislators against the takeover have said that this move is just another game of politics at the hands of Republicans, especially Gov. Greg Abbott and his goal to push private charter school education and school vouchers.
TEA Commissioner Mike Morath has denied all accusations. However, Abbott is riding the education wave this week with his rally for “parental empowerment” at the Texas Capitol, advocating for his plan to subsidize private education. A bill Abbott calls the “Parental Bill of Rights” would create an education savings account that the state would fund with $8,000 per eligible family to send their children to private school. Abbott said the state would also increase public education funds while denouncing the “radical woke agenda” in public schools he claims is harmful to students. Conservatives assert race is still a signifcant trigger for parents and Abbott is playing to the emotional strings of these folk like a guitar. Let’s see how this plays out.
I’ve said it many times before, but I love how confdent and self-assured today’s young professionals are. I remember speaking to my parents about my non-linear career choice decisions I’ve made, which gave them concerns at some point because I was always moving from one job opportunity to another. Tey couldn’t understand the struggles of being young and Black in an unpredictable industry like journalism. It wasn’t what they would ever do if the roles were switched.
Teir generation was about getting employed, staying with the company, taking care of family and responsibilities, and working hard. Times have changed now. Inflation is high, student loan debt is abysmal, jobs aren’t paying what their employees are worth, and job-hopping is no longer taboo in the workforce. Many U.S. jobs are keeping up with the program. A new report from Indeed.com states that salary information more than doubled between Feb. 2020 and Feb. 2023, from 18.4% to 43.7%. Tis is a trend that will beneft women and people of color, who statistically get the short end of the stick during hiring negotiations. Tis is a good step in the right direction.
The CROWN Act: Texas…Where you at?
Te fght against hair discrimination continues. As of Feb. 2023, 20 states have enacted the CROWN Act. Why are the roots that have grown from my head still a topic in the workforce? Why is it seen as unprofessional? Why do our people still have to sufer negative consequences for our tresses?
Te Republican-controlled legislature has blocked the act from becoming a federal law, and states like Texas aren’t on the list of 20 yet. House Bill 567 [relating to discrimination based on hair texture or protective hairstyles associated with race] will be scheduled for a public hearing this week. Te proposal is on the table, but why are y’all (state legislators) still dragging your feet? I do hope Texas gets with the program and becomes state 21 to enact the law.
ON THE WEB
- Defender/FOX 26 Top 3 Takeaways
- Texas Dems: “Invest in Texas Children Plan”
- Op-Ed: Why we shouldn’t fund the police
Te Texas Education Agency has started meeting with Houston residents to answer important questions related to the takeover of HISD. Te frst community forum hosted at Westbury High School gave residents a chance to meet with TEA ofcials face-toface for a chance to understand the next steps of the process.
Unfortunately, the meeting did not go as planned and within minutes the crowd erupted in anger.
TEA Deputy Commissioner Alejandro Delgado led the conversation about the board of managers selection process and the roles and responsibilities of the newly appointed board members in front of the packed auditorium full of community members, educators and parents of HISD students.
Within minutes of the presentation, a few audience members rose from their seats, infuriated by TEA’s scripted presentation, and demanded answers to pressing questions that the slideshow didn’t address.
Many in the room thought that TEA Commissioner Mike Morath would be present to hear the audience’s concerns, at least for the frst meeting of four scheduled public forums. However, Morath was absent. As Delgado set the ground rules for the presentation, he stated that only questions focused specifcally on the board of managers process would be answered.
“We need to have more people out here fghting because Abbott and Mike Morath … are not even here,” Houston resident
Stephan Hester said. “How can he (takeover HISD) and not take accountability for it?”
Elizabeth Hornbeck is a mother of a special needs child in HISD and wanted answers about how TEA would help parents in her situation. Instead, she was underwhelmed by her experience at the forum.
“I didn’t realize it was the whole application process of the board. I thought it was a parents’ meeting, originally,” Hornbeck said. “I think we were kind of misled about
what this meeting was about.”
Hornbeck, who supports the TEA takeover, told the Defender that the current school system had failed her child. She says it’s the lack of training for general education teachers who don’t understand how to support children with learning disabilities that troubles her.
“Te special education system in HISD needs a lot more accountability,” she said.
Travis McGee is an HISD parent. He said the takeover decision resembled a
The frst two TEA public forums were held this week at Westbury and Chavez high schools. Here is the schedule for the remaining two meetings:
March 29 at Hattie Mae White
Educational Support Center
March 30 at Kashmere High School, 6900 Wileyvale
dictatorship and compared the state’s eforts to that of an absentee parent.
“Don’t you think the community should pick people that represent them versus Mike Morath or whoever he is? He doesn’t know anything about the Houston Independent School District,” McGee said. “If they did, they would put the vocational programs back, we’ll have better funding, smaller class sizes and they would do away with standardized testing.”
Christina Phillips Purvis is a mother of two Westbury students. She gave the TEA an “F” for their presentation and said that even though the community will face the inevitable on June 1 when the transition of the new board of managers begins, she had one request to ask of them.
“The thing they (HISD board) actually needs to do better is monitoring the schools. Tere is a very low presence of the school board directors that come out. I would like to see them out in the neighborhoods interacting with the kids… Visit the schools more. Hold more town meetings. Not like this one, but ones where the parents get to ask viable questions.”
Te Texas Legislative Black Caucus (TxLBC) joined forces with the Mexican American Legislative Caucus and Texas House Democrat Caucus for a press conference in Austin in response to the Texas Education Agency’s (TEA) decision to take over Houston ISD and the afermath.
Members of the Texas Legislative Black Caucus’ Houston delegation met with TEA Commissioner Mike Morath to converse over the concerns about the impact of the takeover.
Tey said Houston ISD has had exemplarily growth in performance over the past few years and that the move will be counterproductive. TxLBC Chairman Rep. Ron Reynolds assured the community that the legislature opposed this decision and will continue to pursue all options to bring more accountability to the agency.
“Many Black and Brown communities are really going to sufer as a result of this,” Reynolds said. “We are looking into all available options to respond to this including HB3780 by our own member [State Rep.] Alma Allen.”
Reynolds says that the proposed House Bill 3780 bill would provide an immediate remedy to roll back the takeover.
It states the following:
If a campus is considered to have an unacceptable performance rating for fve consecutive school years the commissioner, may order:
1) Appointment of a board of managers to govern the school district. [or]
2) Closure of the campus [or]
3) Any actions authorized under 39A.002 which means:
- The Commissioner may issue a public notice of the defciency to the board of trustees of the district
- Order a hearing to be conducted by the board of trustees of the district to notify the public of:
(A) the insufcient performance;
(B) the improvements in performance expected by the agency; and
(C) the interventions and sanctions that may be imposed under this subchapter if the performance does not improve;
Allen, filed House Bill 3780 on March 7. Te bill would amend the law to allow TEA to choose less “hostile” options besides taking over a district or closing campuses.
In a report from the Houston Chronicle, of the 15 former state takeovers, four districts have closed. Seven of the districts had predominately Black populations, and seven had mostly Hispanic student bodies, while Shepard ISD is the only ISD taken over by TEA with a majority white student body.
State Rep. Harold Dutton is known to go toe-to-toe with members of his own party on education issues. When the future of the Houston Independent School District (HISD) was at stake, he made a decision that eventually placed him back on the chopping block against his Democratic legislative colleagues.
In 2015, Dutton added an amendment to House Bill 1842 making it possible for the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to take over HISD. It was in response to the constant low academic performance of his alma mater, Wheatley High School.
Now that the years-long legal battle over the state’s proposed intervention has come to an end and the state is on its way to prepare for the transition this summer, that hasn’t stopped his critics from reminding him of his decision.
A move he says he still does not regret.
Te Defender had a one-on-one conversation with Dutton to understand his position on the TEA takeover.
DEFENDER: You’ve been open about how you never thought this takeover could happen when you created the bill.Take us backtoyourthought processwhenyoudecidedtocreateitin2015.
HAROLD DUTTON: It goes back further than 2015. In 2003, actually, I started to do things on the public education committee regarding schools that were failing. In 2002, at Wheatley’s 75th anniversary, I did an event called ‘Te Purple and White Gala.’ It was a gala honoring all the Miss Wheatleys up to 2002. And what I did was I got their pictures and bio and put it on a wall. I noticed that the earlier Miss Wheatleys all had signifcant educational accomplishments and had employment that was absolutely superb.
So, I decided to take a further look at the schools in my district, Kashmere and Wheatley, where I graduated [from] and I live in Kashmere Garden. Tat was why it became important. I saw that Kashmere had been low-performing for years and it was because they hadn’t done well on the math portion of the standardized test. I found out that they didn’t have a certifed math teacher at Kashmere. Nobody had ever tried to or desired to put a certifed math teacher in their so they could help these students.
I started asking around about why HISD had certifed math teachers, but didn’t put one in Kashmere? Some of the board members thought it wasn’t their problem because that wasn’t the area they represented. I said, “No; you may get elected in a certain area, but you represent all of HISD.” Tey disagreed.
I talked to the committee chair who was doing a bill on campus turnovers and he asked how would I fx the situation? I said if we have an amendment that says if one campus in a school district is failing for fve consecutive school years, then TEA can come and takeover the school district. Tis bill got their attention because not only did it afect HISD, but 1,200 school districts at the same time.
Before the bill was passed, there were 190 campuses that were failing. Afer House Bill 1842 passed with the amendment on it, that number when down to 77. Unfortunately, what HISD did was nothing when it came to the chronically underperforming schools–schools that have been failing the longest. So, in 2019, Wheatley was the school that failed the
longest. My thoughts were that HISD and no other school district would ever let a school fail for fve consecutive school years. I thought they would do something to turn it around. So, that’s how we got here.
DEFENDER: Witheverythingthathashappened sinceTEA’sannouncement,doyoufeelresponsible forwhathashappened?
DUTTON: Tat’s like saying the guy who comes with the ambulance to pick up the guy who is shot is somehow responsible. It’s HISD’s responsibility to educate students and when they let them fail, they should be punished.
DEFENDER: What can you sayTEAwill bring to the table that school boards could not?
DUTTON: I think what’s going to happen with the Board of Managers is the schools that have not been getting the kind of resources brought to them so they’re not consistently failing, they’re going to get that. Tat’s what I’m hoping happens, anyway. We can’t stay where we are, because we are going to keep getting what we’re getting.
DEFENDER: Can the law that allowed the takeover be changed? Would you consider creating anotherto overturn the decision?
DUTTON: No. Why would I do that for failing schools? We’ve got to give more options for these kids who have gone out and done dumb things, engaged in criminal activity, because we simply didn’t educate them. We’ve lef them with a bunch of negative alternatives and yet we are looking for options for HISD? Tat don’t make sense.
DEFENDER: Ifatakeoverofthestatewasnoton thetableasaplantoimprovetheperformanceof the schools—what other alternatives would be on the table?
DUTTON: I’ll talk to you about what I did. Back in 2003,
I created a bill that would’ve allowed HISD to be divided into four subparts, and each subpart would elect the superintendent. Tat bill failed. Later, what I did was, I looked around and saw the number of failing schools in Texas. I tried to create what I called the “Texas Opportunity School District,” where we would take all the failing schools and put them into the district, have the state manage them, get them all reftted, and then return them back to the school district they came from. Te bill made it to the foor, but it failed because of the people whose districts included the failing schools. So, I’m not sure what other option you can do.
VIDEO: REP. DUTTON’S MESSAGE TO PARENTS.
VOLUME 92, NUMBER 19 - MARCH 23, 2023
Publisher | CEO
Sonceria Messiah-Jiles
Strategic Alllance Clyde Jiles
Digital Content Manager Get Current Studios
Managing Editor ReShonda Tate
Associate Editor Aswad Walker
Education Reporter Laura Onyeneho
Sports Terrance Harris
Jodie B. Jiles
Photographer Jimmie Aggison
Social Media Manager
Tia Alphonse Jordan Hockett
Texas is known for going big, ofen leading the nation in a number of areas. According to a new report, that distinction also applies to white supremacy propaganda.
Earlier this month, the Anti-Defamation League dropped a report that found in 2022 Texas was home to more than 525 such incidents out of 6,751 nationwide, the highest total the organization has ever recorded. Tis represented a spike of roughly 60% in Texas and nearly 40% nationwide compared with the previous year. Te total, which hit an all-time high last year, includes the distribution or display of antisemitic, racist or anti-LGBTQ stickers, banners, grafti, posters and laser projections.
Te ADL also found that Patriot Front, a hate group based in Texas, accounted for around 80% of the country’s propaganda distributions. Patriot Front espouses the creation of a white ethnostate and is spreading its ideas across the country.
Texas is a hotbed for insurrectionists, placing second in the number of alleged J6-ers roughly a year afer the Capitol attack.
“Hardly a day goes by without communities being targeted by these coordinated, hateful actions, which are designed to sow anxiety and create fear,” said Oren Segal, vice president of the ADL’s Center on Extremism. “Tese actions are also being documented by the extremists themselves in order to signal back to their communities online, which provides an on-ramp to further engagement with white supremacy and hate.”
Heidi Beirich, co-founder of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism, said that the state has “one of the most radical Republican parties” in the nation. It passed a “very extreme platform” last year that took aim at immigrants, the LGBTQ community and others.
Plus, some Texans who believe the 2020 election was “stolen” have since run for ofce, she said.
“All of this is feeding into more and more extremism, and this report is essentially just representing that,” she said. “Tese people are active, they’re on the streets, they feel emboldened. Tey’re willing to put out this nasty propaganda. It’s just kind of an ugly scene, and Texas is one of the prime places where this is happening.”
Extremism experts have warned for years that white supremacist groups have been targeting Texas communities for recruiting, particularly those in urban areas where they believe they can exacerbate racial tensions and create a broader climate of fear among communities of color.
Defender News Service
Rides on Houston’s three light-rail lines will be free during the upcoming NCAA Final Four, both for college basketball fans who are headed to games and related events and also for the general public.
Metro is ofering free rides on its Green, Purple and Red METRORail lines – the latter of which ends at Final Four host site NRG Stadium – from March 31 through April 3. All three lines converge in Downtown Houston, where Final Four-related events will be held throughout the weekend.
Te national semifnal men’s basketball games are scheduled for April 1, with the championship game April 3. Tailgate events will be held at NRG Park, which surrounds the stadium, on those days and also March 31 and April 2.
Final Four Fan Fest events will be held each of the four days at the George R. Brown Convention Center, which is downtown, with the March Madness Music Festival set to be held across the street at Discovery Green on March
31-April 2. Tere also are Final Four events scheduled for Hermann Square at Houston City Hall on April 1 and 2.
Each of those venues can be accessed by METRORail, along with other destinations downtown as well as in EaDo and the Second and Tird Wards, among other locales.
“It’s free all four days for everybody, regardless of whether you’re going to NCAA activities or an Astros game or Rockets game or Discovery Green or the George R. Brown,” METRO spokesperson Tracy Jackson said.
Metro, which charges a regular fare of $1.25 per ride for light rail and other transit services, will continue to charge for its other services during Final Four weekend, such as bus and paratransit rides. Some light-rail users during Final Four weekend may have a need for other Metro services, depending on which part of the city they are coming from.
Visit METRO’s NCAA Final Four webpage for more information about its services that weekend, along with suggested routes and a schedule of Final Four events.
Te efort to recall New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell (Democrat), has failed, following an ofcial count of petition signatures released by the Louisiana governor’s office. Although the petition sheets contained over 67,000 signatures, most where declared invalid by the registrar. Gov. John Bel Edwards announced that only 27,243 of the signatures were valid — falling about 18,000 short of what was needed to force a referendum. Signatures can be rejected for a multitude of reasons including, if they are dated afer the deadline, the title page is mislabeled, there is erroneous information or profanity, if the person is out-ofparish or if the signature is a duplicate. Te number of signatures needed to force the recall has been debated in court. Recall organizers sued ofcials, saying the rolls were infated with hundreds of dead people and thousands of people who have moved
away. Cantrell said now that the “divisiveness of the failed recall campaign” is over, she hopes the city can “heal and recommit ourselves to working collaboratively to continue the progress we’ve made towards reducing crime, increasing public safety, building a more sustainable and resilient city and creating economic and job opportunities that beneft all of our people.”
Dr. Robert Bullard of TSU’s Bullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice and Dr. Beverly Wright of the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice are moving to implement President Joe Biden’s Justice40 Initiative with the launch of the HBCU Climate and Environmental Justice Screening Tool (HCEJST). The Bullard Center convened an HBCU team of data and GIS experts to develop the HCEJST to supplement the government screening tool that excludes race. Tis team will be conducting training on the government CEJST and the HCEJST with 21 Justice40 hubs from 10 states to help them better understand how environmental data is collected.
A nationally recognized STEM-focused non-profit dedicated to extending STEM opportunities to underserved teens of color, is coming to Houston this month. Te program, iUrban Teen, will kick of locally with a STEM+Arts Summit on March 25 from 9a.m. to 2:30p.m., where attendees will participate in four hands-on workshops: “Think Like an Engineer” hosted by Blue Origin, “Lunar
Lander” hosted by Intel, and “Immersive Artifcial Reality” and “Paper Circuitry: Electrifying Art” both organized by Seismique, a new experiential art museum. Tis expansion will aford Houston Metro area teens of color a wide range of unique opportunities in STEM and Arts enrichment. To sign up, visit https://iurbanhoustonvolunteers.eventbrite.com.
In the wake of multiple student deaths this semester, the University of Houston is temporarily closing Agnes Arnold Hall. UH said it is considering whether to continue using the hall in both the short and long term. On March 20, a student died in what university ofcials believe to be a suicide. Te university has not identifed the person, but said there is no threat to campus safety. It’s the second apparent suicide involving the building in the spring 2023 semester. Another student was found dead on Feb. 15. Te university said it will be planning additional outreach to the community once more information becomes available.
Young ballers are more connected at home than ever. Unlike last season’s crew, this generation has it easy thanks to the Xfnity 10G Network. Now, today’s players are scoring reliable connections from every yard line, running at faster speeds, and using the most cutting-edge WiFi to soar their imagination.
When legendary hip hop artist
DMX—born Earl Simmons— died last year from a massive heart attack, a fight began over his extensive rap catalog. Despite selling more than 74 million albums and enjoying a wildly successful career in both music and movies, DMX died without a will. So multiple members of his family, which includes 15 children, petitioned the court seeking to become administrators of the late rap star’s estate. With so much wealth at stake and so many children, DMX’s failure to create an estate plan will likely mean his loved ones will be stuck battling each other in court for years to come. And perhaps no one stands to sufer more than DMX’s fancée, Desiree Lindstrom.
DMX and Desiree, who were engaged in 2019, had been together for seven years, and she gave birth to his 15th child in 2016. However, because the two were never married and DMX did not create a will or any estate planning providing for her, Desiree will likely inherit nothing from her late fance’s fortune.
While DMX’s case is tragic, the lack of estate planning and leaving a will is all too common among celebrities—Chadwick Boseman, Prince, Jimi Hendrix, Tupac Shakur and Bob Marley all died without a will.
“Queen of Soul,” Aretha Franklin, who died in 2018, lef behind four diferent handwritten wills, and more than four years afer her death, her four adult sons are still fghting each other in court over her estate.
If celebrities, with extensive portfolios don’t have wills, many say it’s no surprise that regular Americans don’t have one either. According to a recent study from Consumer Reports, more than 70% of Black Americans don’t have a will. Tat disturbing statistic has not only led to relentless drama and potential discord in aferlife planning, but if there’s any money involved, it could be a recipe for disaster.
“A lot of people think they need to be rich in order to do a will,” said estate planner Sherwood Brown. “But a will can protect everything from who will get your house to who can go get your $12 out the bank. It also removes the lack of clarity around your wishes and drama among family members. Everyone over the age of 18 should have a last will and testament.”
Experts say having a will can ensure everything you own gets to the people you choose, without adding the burden of legal challenges to the emotional burden of losing you.
“Some people don’t think they have enough assets, especially if they didn’t own property,” as in a home or other real estate, to pass on, says Rasheda Williams, whose grandmother, uncle, mother and brother died recently without wills and has gone through the probate process, a formal legal process for distributing assets to benefciaries. “Vehicles, family keepsakes and other items should be willed,” she learned.
Williams says the probate process she went through when her grandmother died took seven months and cost her $700 because her grandmother didn’t have updated bank account
1Eliminate the courts. Almost all estates have to go to probate court to start the legal process overseeing the distribution of assets. But without a will, the court process can get especially complicated. Tey have to name an administrator over your estate, which can be time-consuming, expensive and even contentious for your loved ones. A will streamlines this court process. When you have a will, you can choose the person you want to handle your estate, making it easier for your loved ones.
2Determine who will manage your estate. Tis is the person who will be in charge of wrapping up all your afairs. Being an executor is an important job. Teir responsibilities may include everything from closing bank accounts to liquidating assets. So you should choose someone who is capable and who you trust to carry out these activities. If you don’t choose an executor in your will, the court will pick one for you — and it may not be the person you’d want.
6
Leave instructions for your digital assets. In your will, you can name a digital executor to manage your online accounts, such as Facebook or email, and digital fles or property (photos, videos, domain names, etc) afer you pass. You can leave them to specifc people, and also include information on how you want them handled (e.g. if you’d like an account closed).
7
beneficiaries, people designated to receive the funds when she died. Williams was designated as a benefciary on two insurance policies, however, which made the process easier, she says.
And if you die without a will and your family doesn’t have the “typical” mom, dad and kids nuclear family structure, it could be more likely that your assets won’t go where you want them to go, says Marty Shenkman, a lawyer and board member of the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils.
A will can help ensure that anything you own gets passed on precisely as you want, not as the state thinks you’d want.
AMERICANS WHO DON’T HAVE WILLS 77% BLACKS 82% HISPANICS 61% WHITES 67% ASIANS On Social
REASONS PEOPLE DON’T HAVE A WILL
43%
HADN’T GOTTEN AROUND TO IT 25% NOT ENOUGH ASSETS 20% NOT SURE HOW TO CREATE ONE 9% WANT NEXT OF KIN TO AUTOMATICALLY RECEIVE EVERYTHING 23% BELIEVE THEY’RE TOO YOUNG 12%
DON’T THINK ABOUT DEATH *Consumer Reports
In addition to a last will and testament, here are some other documents that can help in aferlife planning.
DURABLE POWER OF ATTORNEY: This document lays out who can make fnancial decisions for you in the event you are incapacitated.
HEALTHCARE POWER OF ATTORNEY: This designates someone to handle your medical decisions if you become sick and can’t make them for yourself.
LIVING WILL: Also called an advanced directive, a living will is a document that expresses your wishes for medical treatments you would or would not want to use to keep you alive, like resuscitation and intubation.
3Decide who gets what. Most people know that a will lets them decide who will get their property. As the testator, you can name people as benefciaries for specifc assets. You can also name benefciaries for any property that you don’t list — the “residuary” of your estate. When your executor handles your will, they’ll be in charge of distributing these assets. You might not be aware that you can also use a will to help ensure that some people don’t receive anything. For example, you might want to prevent an ex-spouse from receiving an inheritance. Or, if one child received your support through school, you might want to make sure a second child gets their fair share, too.
4Choose who will take care of your minor children. If you’re a parent, you can use your will to nominate a guardian for your minor children. Te surviving parent will usually get sole legal custody if one parent dies. But if both parents pass, this is one of the most important reasons to have a will. A guardian will be responsible for all your children’s daily needs, including food, housing, health care, education and clothing. And if you don’t nominate a guardian in your will, a court will have to choose one for you. Tis could mean that someone you would not have chosen will be raising your kids.
Lower the potential for family disputes. If you have complicated family dynamics, there’s a good reason to have a will. When you die without a will, your family will have to guess at what your fnal wishes were. And chances are, they won’t always agree. Tis ambiguity can create friction, and even fghts, which sometimes lasts a lifetime. Creating a will solves the problem by eliminating the guesswork. Missing a family member will be hard enough. Imagine adding to that stress the need to handle legal issues and probate court because you didn’t leave clear instructions for what to do with assets, and in some cases children, out of fear of talking about death.
8
Support your favorite causes and leave a legacy. Many people want to leave a positive impact on the world afer they pass. And a great way to do this is to support the charities or causes you love most. When you write a will, you can preserve your legacy by leaving a part of your estate to a charitable organization.
9
Provide funeral instructions. You may not want to think about your own funeral. But if you do think about it now, and leave instructions with your will, you can lessen the burden on your loved ones afer you pass. While these instructions aren’t legally binding, they can give your executors and loved ones some guidance on your wishes. When you include instructions, you can name a funeral executor to manage the process, give suggestions for the service and location, make requests for your fnal resting place and more.
10
5
CELEBRITIES WHO DIED WITHOUT A WILL
Provide a home for your pets. The law considers pets to be property, so you can’t leave any assets to your pet with your will. But you can name a beneficiary for your pet, leaving them to a trusted friend or family member. You can ask that person to act as a caretaker or guardian for your pet, and even leave them funds to provide for your pet’s care.
Gain peace of mind. Some folks put of creating or updating their will because they assume their loved ones will automatically get an inheritance. But this isn’t always true. Probate can be a long and expensive process for your heirs. Plus, a will only addresses your current circumstances. You should update it over time as your needs and the people in your life change.
RESOURCES
Writing your own will can be as cheap as using a template found online and having it notarized. Visit FreeWills.com for a template.
The Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo has wrapped up another successful year. Much of that success is fueled by all the amazing food that patrons can indulge in. And for more than 35 years, one of the most popular food destinations has been Harlon’s BBQ.
A staple and rodeo favorite since the late 1980s, Harlons has showcased their award-winning barbecue much to the delight of rodeo goers. Founders Harlon and Alfreddie Brooks turned over the reins to their daughter, Candace, who spoke with the Defender about her family’s legacy.
DEFENDER: You guys have been around fora long time.How did the business start?
CANDACE HARLON: It started in 1977 with an idea by my father. He was coming home from a club one night drunk and stopped at a gas station at the corner of Martin Luther King and Selinsky. The clerk told my dad, ‘if someone wants to make a million dollars, they need to buy that property right across the street, which was an abandoned gas station.’ My dad went home that night, told my mom he wanted to buy it. She supported him and three months later they started Harlon’s Barbecue with the help of Margaret and Harland West, who were their partners in the beginning.
DEFENDER: What has led to your longevity?
HARLON: The love that we have for our community and the love that we have for our barbecue. I’m the current owner now and I cook all this food and I have taught my employees how to cook it. I have taught them how to take that meat like a baby and nurture it and season it and put some love into it. I’ve also helped this community all my life. I graduated from Yates. I was a traitor. I went to Sterling for three years, but
I graduated from Yates, but I love Sterling. So, I am a South Park girl, and that’s what I hire. I think that’s what keeps us going because we never forgot where we come from. South Park Dead End. That is us. And we love, love that neighborhood.
DEFENDER: How did you all get on board with the Rodeo?
HARLON: Mr. Mike DeMarco. Back in the late 80s, he was a salesman for Glazer Foods and we were one of his biggest accounts. So, he got on board with the rodeo and brought us along with him. Now, he is the CEO over operations here at the rodeo. The rodeo is one of our biggest events. We sell out every night and we’ve been selling out for the past 20 years. We never can keep enough for ‘em. People don’t realize we are retired now. We only do special events. We don’t do catering anymore. We don’t have any locations. All we do is five events a year. If you ever want our barbecue, you gotta find us five times a year. And this is the biggest show. It has been a very great thing for our family. And we just want y’all to keep my father in prayer because this is the first year he could not make this rodeo.
DEFENDER: So what’s the best thing about your business?
HARLON: The people that work for us. We have longtime people. We’ve been in business 46 years. We have people that have been with us since that whole time. Families upon families, grandchildren of people that have started with us over 30 or 40 years ago. I think that’s what really makes our business special, because we’ve had families with us forever and they understand what we want from our customers. They understand that we want every customer to be treated great. They understand what we want, and of course, I think our food speaks for itself.
DEFENDER: What’s the most chal lenging part ofthe business?
HARLON: Finding more employees to be like our other employees; loyal, com mitted, on time. I think that’s a struggle for a lot of businesses. The turnover that we have with a lot of employees. But other than that, we can’t complain. We’ve been very fortunate.
DEFENDER: What is your advice to other entrepreneurs hop ing to follow in your footsteps?
HARLON: It’s a hard business. If you have a good job and if you got good benefits, stay there. I’m being honest, because once you get into it, it’s you who’s going to make it. And it’s not a joke. It will eat you alive. And if you don’t know how to have good customer service, have good product and longevity, good location, know how to work with people, you’re not gonna make it. And there’s nothing wrong with working a regular job. Entrepreneurship is not for everyone. If you have a good job and you’re smart, stay there. Work with that. Get those benefits and 401K or what ever. Work hard, grow and then do something on the side. But keep that other job.
One of the individuals working in the background to make so much of Mayor Sylvester Turner’s agenda and initiatives over the past seven years successful is none other than Janice Weaver who deserves a spotlight all her own.
If there’s one word that best captures Weaver’s essence, it is the one she uses whenever someone ask her how she’s doing—Amazing.
A cancer survivor who is proud and humbled by that fact, yet not defned by it, Weaver is a force of nature who impacts the local and national scene in a myriad of ways, including through her life-saving organization One Body Networking (OneBodyNetworking.org) that conducts
Te Defender spoke with Weaver about her incredible life journey that includes working with Turner, US Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, founding a life-changing nonprofts, serving as a police chaplain, and more.
What do you do on a daily basis as the City of Houston’s Director of Community Relations?
JANICE WEAVER: It’s a wide range. I have a very good relationship with faith leaders in the community. I have a very good relationship with diferent community-type organizations, whether it is civic clubs, or HOAs, other organizations, nonprofts, which, I hope, has been a teachable moment for them over the eight years that we’ve been here. And I do a lot of youth activities. So, anytime there’s something going on in Houston and it’s community-related, I may help them by getting people there or fnding a sponsor to help them out with
DEFENDER: Before that,you worked with US Rep Sheila Jackson Lee. So,who’s the better boss?
WEAVER: I’ll take the fifth <laughs>. Tey both are. Working in the federal government and then working for city, local government are two totally diferent worlds. I have been introduced to some great things, especially the federal world, meeting kings and queens, going to inaugurations and just working with federal partners across the globe. I mean, who would dream of something like that. And Congresswoman Jackson Lee, she’s a rockstar. Mayor Sylvester Turner, he’s a rockstar, equally. So, it’s been a good ride with both of them.
DEFENDER: Yourlist oforganizations that you volunteerforis beyond impressive,but tell us about the one that you founded,One Body Networking.
WEAVER: When I was working for Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, I got up to go to work one morning. It was September 9, to be exact. And I thought that I was having a stroke. So, I called my daughter and told her. She rushed over, and we went to Willowbrook Methodist Hospital. And, to me, this is all a God thing. Because when we got to the hospital, the emergency room doctor was like, “No, I don’t think this is a stroke. So, we’re gonna hold of on giving you the medication that [we] would give to reverse the stroke.” I happened to be seeing an oncologist for a high protein count.
Tey found out is that my platelet count was only 5,000. Your platelet count should be 150,000 or above. Te way they described it is that my body was in the shape of either a car wreck victim or a gunshot victim. It was traumatized because my blood had depleted out of my body. No visual signs of any blood loss or anything. So, fnally they diagnosed me with what’s called TTP (Trombotic Trombocytopenic Purpura). TTP is a rare blood disease. Te way that they treated is with plasma freeze. I was in ICU for 22 days. Once I healed, I wanted to pay it forward with a blood drive. We did it at a facility called Texas Women Empowerment Foundation, run by Deavra Daughtry, who allowed me to use her building. Methodist came out, and we had our frst blood drive. Here we are, nine years later, still doing a bunch of blood drives.
DEFENDER: Where did yourpassion for community service and forpolitics come from? Was that what eight-year-oldJanice Weaverwas thinking about?
WEAVER: No. When I was a teenager, you had the likes of Senfronia Tompson. You had Judson Robinson. And Ernest McGowan and I were kinda-sorta, like friends. Not real friends, but friends. And so, they would do this great thing—block walking. We’d go knock on people’s doors, tell ‘em about [upcoming elections]. And then the best part of it, we got paid to do it <laughs>. So here we are, teenagers, we’re getting a hundred bucks just to go knock on some doors, block walking and phone banking. Again, it just comes back to wanting to reach people, wanting to teach people to be able to do things.
Birthplace: Houston
Favorite placed to eat: Graces (Kirby). The fried chicken is the bomb.
Currently reading: I read my Bible. Every day. But, I’m reading emails <laughs>.
Mantra: Lord, just lead and guide me to do my best to serve the people.
By Raquel Rogers
When the movie “Hidden Figures” was released in 2017, it opened the doors of curiosity as to what other narratives and contributions of Black women have been erased from the history books. Many Black authors answered the challenge of diving into those untold stories with historical fiction.
Dr. Tammy Smithers, founder of The Personal Librarians Book Chat, a global online bookclub, is bringing some of those writers together for an inaugural virtual Women’s History Month program called “Still I Rise: Black Herstory of Resilience and Brilliance” on March 28 from 6:30-8:30p.m. CST.
“The rise in the popularity of historical fiction presents an opportunity for storytellers, scholars, authors, publishers and producers,” Smithers said. “This program is a testament to the achievement of Black authors, hidden figures and women who are still standing no matter who seeks to silence and suppress their voice, purpose or narrative.
“Attendees can glean from this program the importance of correcting the historical record, telling untold truths, and celebrating the role of Black women through America’s existence.”
Smithers says she is excited to see Black female authors pick up the mantle to shine a light on the brilliance and resilience of historical Black figures.
“It is Black women authors who are emboldened to do the research and elucidate the narratives of Black women through a historical and fictionalized context. March marks the international recognition of Women’s History Month. However, Black
women are often omitted from the recognition and lumped in with everyone. Our inheritance of resilience and the ways in which our ancestral foremothers overcame is often relegated to oppression and rightfully linked to injustice and struggle. As Black women, the residual effect of our ingenuity is our brilliance -- brilliance to build businesses, produce leaders, galvanize movements, lead communities and more,” she said.
The writers serving as “Still I Rise” panelists will discuss their inclusive portraits of the past, how they go about recovering and
After an injury that could end the football future for some, this young man bounced back. Grounded in his belief in GOD and his commitment to be the best, he demonstrated the fortitude to succeed.
developing stories that have been lost, forgotten or untold, and unveiling those stories that have been relegated to history’s sidelines. The popular and award-winning authors will discuss their writing and researching process as well as the cultural stimuli for wanting to write these stories.
Panelists include:
Dr. Michon Benson, assistant professor of English and African American Literature at Texas Southern University.
Denny S. Bryce, author whose book about Ella Fitzgerald (entertainer) will be released in 2024.
Dr. Piper Hugley, author of Ann Lowe’s (designer) story written and released in 2022 and associate professor of English at Clark Atlanta University.
Janis F. Kearney, author of Mahalia Jackson’s (gospel singer) biographical novel.
Victoria Christopher Murray, author whose book about Mary McLeod Bethune (educator and activist) will be released on June 27, 2023.
ReShonda Tate, author whose debut historical fiction novel about Hattie McDaniel (actress) will be released in January 2024.
Co-Facilitators:
Dr. Karen Kossie-Chernyshev, professor of history at Texas Southern University and editor of Recovering Five Generations Hence: The Life and Writing of Lillian Jones Horace.
Dr. Tammy Smithers, co-founder and facilitator of Personal Librarians Book Chat. Register for the free event at bit.ly/427o8F9.
Defender News Service
Megan ee Stallion is confirmed to headline the AT&T Block Party as part of the 2023 NCAA March Madness Music Festival in Houston Friday, March 31.
Hailing from Houston, Megan ee Stallion is a three-time Grammy-winning recording artist, philanthropist and entrepreneur. From earning two Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hits with the “Savage (Remix)” featuring Beyoncé, and “WAP” with Cardi B, to releasing her dynamic album “Traumazine,” Megan has proven to be unstoppable.
“ ere’s no place I’d rather be for my first performance of the year than my hometown of Houston,” Megan said in a statement. “ e AT&T Block Party Concert is gonna be such a vibe, and I can’t wait to get back on stage in the city where it all began. I’m looking forward to seeing my Hotties and putting on an unforgettable show for them.”
e three-day Music Festival (March 31 – April 2) held at Discovery Green in Houston, will provide fans with star-studded entertainment during Men’s Final Four weekend.
As previously announced, the festival will feature Lil Nas X on the Move by Coca-Cola stage on Saturday, April 1, and Tim McGraw and Keith Urban will headline the Capital One JamFest stage on Sunday, April 2.
Fans can register for free passes to the AT&T Block Party at ncaa. com/marchmadness/musicfest.
University of Texas sophomore point guard Rori Harmon scored six points and dished out 12 assists during the fourth-seeded Longhorns first-round win over East Carolina in the Women’s NCAA Tournament.
The Texans had a busy and productive weekend. They traded wide receiver Brandin Cooks to the Cowboys while also giving All-Pro left tackle Laremy Tunsil an extension, making him the highest paid offensive lineman in the NFL with a 3-year, $75 million deal. The Texans received a fifth-round draft pick in 2023 and a sixth-round pick in 2024 for Cooks, while also agreeing to pay $6 million of his $18 million salary this upcoming season.
Maybe it’s still a little early, but it seems like the right time to get the “University of Houston Cougars can win it all” train rolling.
And why not?
After watching the No.1 seeded Cougars make a way out of no way during the opening weekend of the NCAA Tournament, how could you not see it as being realistic that they will have the rare opportunity to win their first national championship right here in their own hometown when the Men’s Final Four rolls into NRG Stadium in a week?
First, the Cougars will have to get past 5th seeded Miami during the Sweet 16 in Kansas City. Then, there is a likely collision course that will pit UH and Texas against each other in the Elite Eight round for the right to come to Houston. The Coogs are definitely on track.
Stephen SilasAfter struggling throughout the season, the Rockets may be winning at the worst possible time, with the season winding down and their chances of landing projected No.1 pick Victor Wembanyama shrinking. The Rockets had been the worst team in the league for much of the season which gave them a strong possibility of winning the NBA Lottery, which would mean landing Wembanyama in the 2023 NBA Draft. But coming into this week, they are tied with San Antonio for the second worst record after winning three straight against the Celtics, Lakers and Pelicans. Detroit currently has the worst record.
Prairie View has hired former student-athlete Cheri Lindsay as the new women’s volleyball coach. Lindsay was most recently the head coach at East Central University. Lindsay, who replaces Tacho Tyler, played for the Panthers from 2008-2011 and was also a student coach at PVAMU during the 2011-12 season.
Cheryl LindsayAfter the miraculous way the Cougars survived the opening weekend, dealing with their star guard Marcus Sasser going from unavailable to limited with a groin injury and his backcourt mate Jamal Shead dealing a hyper-extended knee and then having to defeat a talented No.9 seeded Auburn team in its own backyard in Birmingham during the second round of the Midwest Regional, it seems like this could be their year.
UH coach Kelvin Sampson believes the way his team has handled tough environments this season will help them weather these big NCAA Tournament moments. The Cougars certainly didn’t seem phased as they overcame a 10-point halftime deficit to stifle Auburn in the second half on the way to victory.
“For us it’s -- every game is a challenge,” said Sampson, whose team won the American Athletic Conference regular season and is 33-3 on the season. “I think everywhere we play in the league this year was a packed house. Hopefully that helps us.”
It also helps that the Cougars are getting big performances right now from some unexpected places. Freshman Jarace Walker, Sasser and Shead usually find a way to come up big, but what has been a pleasant surprise during the Tournament is the emergence of the role players.
During the first-round win over Northern Kentucky, with Sasser only able to give 14 minutes and five points in the first half,
junior forward J’Wan Roberts and freshman Emanuel Sharp came up with big efforts.
Roberts contributed a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds while Sharp came off the bench to hit two big 3s to keep Northern Kentucky in check.
Then in the second round, while Sasser and Shead both played better but were still limited, third guard Tramon Mark played outside of himself, scoring a career-high 26 points to help the Cougars overcome Auburn.
While acknowledging the team needed a big effort from Mark, Sasser says he knew it was in him.
“My reaction, you know, I see that all the time,” Sasser said. “I have been seeing that since the summer. So, I wasn’t really
surprised at it. You know, he knew what time it was.”
The emergence of players like Mark, Roberts and Sharp could be huge as the games get tougher starting with the matchup against the Hurricanes. The good thing is the days between games should give Sasser and Shead a chance to be closer to 100% healthy. Sampson certainly believes in his team and their chances going forward.
“We define our culture the way we define it,” said Sampson, whose team has made the Sweet 16 round in four of the last five years. “You know, people can jeer it or make fun of it all you want. We don’t care. We are who we are. These are the moments that define programs. You have to step up in these moments.”
By Jimmie Aggison
During the 2021-2022 season, the Heights Bulldogs finished fourth in their district. This season, with returning power hitter Paul Smith Jr., they plan to finish higher.
“Paul is a very hardworking, dedicated young man, with a lot of talent and has the potential to certainly go on to the next level if he chooses to do so,” said coach David Petty. “He’s got a lot of power, good eye, good stick, and plays solid defense, as well.” Smith, who was assigned designated hitter last year, currently has a .785 slugging percentage and leads his team in both home runs, doubles and runs batted in.
“My approach is explosive. I make big things happen when I need to,” said Smith. Smith, a former football player, switched to baseball after receiving advice from his father.
“Up until the sixth grade, I was a football kid. Then my dad told me, football is tough on the body,” said Smith.
At 12 years old, Smith made it to the final cut of the USA National trials.
“I learned that baseball’s more than just physically what you can do. It’s a mental game. When you get down in a situation or you’re doing bad, you can’t let that affect you mentally or that stretch of doing bad will go longer and longer,” said Smith. After not making the National team, Smith went on to play with other organizations where he learned valuable lessons.
“I played for the Sliders, out in Richmond, Texas. They had a great coach in Coach Horn, and a few kids were drafted out of their program. I played for Premier, out in Tomball, Texas. I met a lot of good friends and teammates.
I learned that you have to be able to be flexible, move positions and be a team player,” said Smith.
Class: 2023
IG: @lowkeyy_paul04
Position: First and third base
Height & weight: 6-feet-2, 250 pounds
Player he studies: Aroldis Chapman (Kansas City Royals)
Status: Uncommitted
Favorite artist: J. Cole
Favorite subjects: Algebra II, Pre Calculus
Shout-outs: RJ Robinson, mom, dad, sister, everybody that supported me
“If you’re on a good travel ball team, the best player plays. That’s really helped me transition to high school because in high school the coaches want to win, so they don’t let parents get in the way. It prepared me to always put my best foot forward and don’t get hurt if I get benched because someone was doing better than me. It’s all a part of the game,” said Smith.
After graduating Smith hopes for an opportunity to play baseball at TSU.
“I like their coach, their culture. They’re re-upping the program, building their own field and I’m excited about that.”
We celebrate the commitment of our employees with initiatives like Sharing Success, which awarded 96% of colleagues additional compensation this year, nearly all in stock. This is the sixth time teammates received this award, totaling more than $4 billion.
We are committed to being a Great Place to Work for our teammates in Houston and around the globe. This includes providing leading benefits, minimum wage at $22/hr on track to $25/hr by 2025 and opportunities to build a career with us. These are key reasons we’ve been named America’s Most JUST Company.
Hong Ogle President, Bank of America Houston
What would you like the power to do?®
