Like many residents concerned about HISD’s TEA takeover, I’ve been tuned in to all the community forums, especially the ones hosted by TEA. Sadly, they seem to be nothing more than an opportunity for folks to come out, complain and fuss to other folks complaining and fussing. Don’t get me wrong, they’re upset because they want answers, which the forums were supposed to give. However, that hasn’t been the case. Te man that everyone wants to hear from, TEA Commissioner Mike Morath, was nowhere to be found. And his poor surrogates were lef to bear the brunt of upset constituents. Morath has done good about making his rounds with the media - though the Defender is still waiting for our interview. But if TEA is serious about making people believe that their input matters, they need to do more than host forum facades. By the way, the Board of Managers application process has closed. We’ll defnitely be watching to see who TEA appoints.
If you ever wanted to see proof of...it’s okay for them, but not for us....look no further than the situation between LSU’s Angel Reese and Iowa star Caitlin Clark. Reese is catching fack for her on-court antics during her team’s title NCAA game win over Iowa. Reese, a Black woman, is being attacked online for taunting Clark, who is white. Clark regularly used WWE wrestler John Cena’s signature hand gesture “you can’t see me” to her opponents. When Reese served up the same move to Iowa guard Clark — and also pointed at her ring fnger to signify a championship — the anti-Black crowd rushed to Twitter to express their fury. Many Twitter users noted that when Clark uses the move, she is labeled “competitive” but a Black player doing it gets called “ghetto.” White folks worked overtime to humble Reese for taunting Clark and her Hawkeyes. Tis outrage wasn’t present when Clark was the one throwing shots, but as we know America loves to humble Black
women. Te disrespect that Black women have to face on a regular basis reminds me of the line from the great Sophia in “Te Color Purple”: “All my life I had to fght....” Big ups to Clark, though, who didn’t join in the vitriol against Reese and instead, gave her her props. By the way, check out the full story on page 13, especially that foolishness with Jill Biden, because chile......
Trump reality show
For the first time in history, a former president has been arrested. Donald Trump surrendered to authorities at the courthouse in Manhattan. Te media did OJ-Bronco coverage of his arrival and departure. A solemn and stone-faced Trump was indicted on dozens of counts related to document fraud, but because the indictment against him was under seal, the charges were unknown. When he was arraigned, they were fnally unsealed and made public. He pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records and conspiracy for his alleged role in hush money payments to two women toward the end of his 2016 presidential campaign.
While there are some ecstatic to see Trump fnally be held accountable for his wrongdoing, others call it a miscarriage of justice. Tere’s also disagreement on what this means for the 2024 presidential contender. Some say it will hurt him with Independents, which he needs to win back the presidency. Others say its going to embolden his people. Te thing with the latter is, his people are voting for him regardless. And they only have one vote. Just like everyone else. So as long as EVERYONEw gets out and votes, we don’t have to worry about having a criminal in the White House.
ON THE WEB
• Black female athletes who have faced unfair racist backlash.
• Check out our staple of videos highlighting the Black experience.
• Jimmie Aggison highlights how Ebuka Okafor is making his mark at Alief Taylor.
NAACP Houston is applying more pressure on the Texas Education Agency (TEA) regarding its takeover of the Houston Independent School District (HISD). A Houston coalition of local and national advocacy groups, including Houston Federation of Teachers, ACLU, Texas state representatives and Black Voters Matter, united to update the community on strategic plans to “get the schools back” at Te Community of Faith Church on April 2.
Many of the community members in attendance were frustrated with how poorly organized the TEA community forums were and why Governor Abbott or TEA Commissioner Mike Morath were absent during these sessions.
Te president of NAACP Houston, Dr. James Dixon, said that even though the commissioner hasn’t attended any community forums in the past couple of weeks, he respectfully extended the invitation to the following forum the local chapter will host on April 10.
“We have a letter back from him, and we are thankful that he responded,” Dixon said. “He professionally and cordially expressed his thanks for being invited, his appreciation for the work we are seeking to do to improve schools for children, and expressed his regret that he couldn’t be with us today on Palm Sunday. Be he did say he looks forward to being invited on a diferent day so that he could come.”
Dixon further explained that trust could only be built when communication is involved. If the commissioner honors the invitation, there will be a list
of questions prepared by the community; questions that have been asked multiple times over the last few weeks.
The ACLU, NAACP Houston and other civil rights groups fled a federal complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice regarding TEA’s plan to remove locally elected ofcials, claiming the takeover violates the Voting Rights Act and the U.S. Constitution.
“We also believe there is an equal protection issue discriminating against this district which has over 90% people of color,” said Dominique Calhoun, president-elect of the National Bar Association. “We’ve assembled a team, and we are continuing to add to that team.”
Texas Legislative Black Caucus Chairman Rep. Ronald Reynolds said the coalition is hoping for a possible federal intervention and is looking at all avenues to stop the takeover.
Reynolds mentioned the proposed House Bill 3780 that would provide an alternative way to roll back the takeover. The bill would amend the law to allow TEA to choose a less “hostile” option besides taking over a district or closing campuses.
“With the board of managers they are appointed by the TEA Commissioner who answers to Governor Abbott. He doesn’t answer to us. He doesn’t have to come here. Tat’s why they have an empty chair,”
said Reynolds. “Tey want to take away local control. Tey don’t like the fact that Harris County is run by Black and Brown folks.”
June 1 is when the state plans to take control of HISD. Superintendent Millard House II and the nine elected school board members will be replaced with an appointed board of managers.
HISD District 2 Board of Trustee member Kathy Blueford-Daniels shared her testimonial before the crowd.
“We’ve done what was asked of us, but we’re not worthy. If we want to remain trustees, [we’ve] got to run again. Even though my tenure doesn’t end until December 2023,” she said. “When the board of managers comes in, it’s going to take them eight months to a year to learn the system, so how much further is it going to put them behind?”
NNPA
Texas State Rep. Jolanda Jones earned kudos for her advocacy in the LGBTQ community, her prowess as a track star, and her work as a criminal defense attorney. But other attributes stand out for those who have worked with and know the District 147 representative.
Te former Houston City Council member fnds herself in hot water afer her entire staf presented a resignation letter full of accusations of wrongdoing. Te staf accused Jones of fostering a hostile workplace in a letter that Chief of Staf Kory Haywood, Legislative Director Catherine Mouer, and District Director Yesenia Wences
all signed. Tey also said that the outspoken Democrat made it easy for her son, Jiovanni Christian Teheran-Jones, to have an inappropriate relationship with an intern. Jones, 57, did nothing to intercede or stop her son’s misconduct, the stafers allege. Jiovanni Jones, 31, and two other individuals were arrested in January on felony drug possession charges while at Guadalupe River State Park. Jones is currently free on a $20,000 bond.
“We, as a collective of senior staff, have repeatedly attempted to curb your behavior and address the type of work environment you have bred over the last month,” the four-page letter reads. “But, to no avail; we haven’t seen any success. You have continued to endorse, encourage, and create an abusive and hostile work environment in the workplace without accountability for you or your relatives’ actions.”
Among the myriad of charges in the letter, the employees said:
• Jones abused the power of her ofce by manipulating Wences to falsely take the blame for fnding out that her son’s afair was with a much younger intern.
• The younger Jones threatened to state false allegations to his mother that Wences conducted illegal business in the state ofce because he’s reportedly angry at her.
• Jones knew her son had a severe mental illness and yet decided to place Wences in harm’s way.
• Further, Jones had involved her staf in her personal and family afairs without regard for work-life boundaries and the scope of the staf’s employment.
• Jones asked staf to assist in coordinating the terminal cancer treatment of her son’s father-in-law.
• Jones instructed her staf to involve themselves in her son’s legal issues and criminal charges.
• Jones called staf at all hours of the night and on weekends to discuss work and to drive her from place to place.
In 2018, Jones wrote the book, “Owning My S.H.I.T: Sufering Hardship and Internalizing Trauma.” When concluding their letter, Jones’ staf said, “It is time you own your SHIT.”
Jones released a statement about her staf’s resignation. “Working in the Texas Legislature is a stressful and demanding job, especially when you are in a daily fght to protect your constituents from attacks on their families, civil rights, schools and their ability to control their own bodies.” Jones wrote. “Some of my staf have decided this job is not for them. I wish them good luck and success in their next endeavors.”
They want to take away local control. They don’t like the fact that Harris County is run by Black and Brown folks.”
State Rep. Ron Reynolds.
Several Texas Democrats and Independents are lamenting several pieces of legislation out of Austin, two of which (S.B. 823 and S.B. 1993) they contend, will allow Republicans to easily throw out of office any elected official they choose, specifcally district attorneys and judges they deem “progressive.”
Senate Bill 823 gives the Secretary of State the authority to fre election administrators without just cause, while Senate Bill 1993 gives the Secretary of State the authority to overturn Harris County elections.
Democrats are calling foul, and view the bills as back door ways for the Texas GOP to control seats they were unable to win during the last election.
But few political analysts are shocked by moves some deem as “undemocratic” and bordering on fascism.
“Is there any surprise? This is a national Republican push that goes back to Richard Nixon’s law and order presidential campaign strategy. What is old is new again,” said Dr. Michael O. Adams, a Texas Southern University political science professor and head of TSU’s Executive MBA program. “People who care about what is happening now would be wise to go back and study Nixon and Reagan’s presidential campaigns. Where do you think ‘Make America Great Again’ came from? It’s Reagan’s campaign message theme.”
Texas Democratic Party Deputy Director of Voter Protection Brenda Cruz released a statement describing what some of her fellow party members are calling a GOP legislative “shock
and awe” strategy to disenfranchise Texas voters.
“From suppressing voter turnout to undermining the authority of local election administrators, these Republican eforts to undermine Texas voters would erode the foundations of our very democracy in Texas,” said Cruz. “Instead of focusing on regressive and restrictive pieces of legislation, our lawmakers should be creating policies that can actually improve the lives of our communities – like expanding access to healthcare and ensuring a quality public education for all Texas children.”
Texas Democrats are also identifying other GOP-authored legislation as problematic. Tese include S.B. 220 which allows for the creation of a “partisan election police force” similar to what Florida Governor Ron DeSantis created in his state; and S.B. 1600 which creates what Democrats and many Independents describe as creating even more barriers to voter registration for eligible Texas voters than the barrier that already exists.
Senate Bill 823: The employment of the county elections administrator may be suspended, with or without pay, or terminated at any time for good and sufcient cause on the four-ffhs vote of the county election commission and approval of that action by a majority vote of the commissioners court. Moreover, the secretary of state can suspend the employment of a county elections administrator at any time if an administrative election complaint is fled with the secretary of state and the secretary of state believes a recurring pattern of problems with election administration exists in the county.
Senate Bill 1993: In a county with a population of more than one million, the secretary of state has the power to order a new election if the secretary has good cause to believe that at least 2% of the total number of polling places in the county did not receive supplemental ballots for one or more hours afer making a request for them. This bill would impact the fve most Democrat-leaning counties in Texas: Travis County/ Austin (1.1 million), Bexar County/ San Antonio (1.8 million), Tarrant County/Ft. Worth (1.8 million), Dallas County/Dallas (2.4 million) and
Harris County/Houston (4.2 million).
Senate Bill 220: The secretary of state can take appropriate action to protect the voting rights of Texas citizens from abuse by the authorities administering the state’s elections. The secretary of state can order the administrator to correct the ofending conduct, order a temporary restraining order or writ of injunction or mandamus obtained through the attorney general. The secretary of state can also appoint a state election marshal who can appoint election marshals statewide; licensed peace ofcers (by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement) who can be “assigned” to each alleged voting/election violation. Essentially, this is an election police force with the legal power “to prevent the violation from continuing or occurring.”
Senate Bill 1600: This bill requires a person seeking to register to vote to submit proof of citizenship to verify eligibility to vote in Texas. This additional step, is viewed by some as simply another hurdle to make it more difcult to register to vote and potentially discourage eligible citizens from going through the process of registering.
Harris County has taken an important step towards unlocking federal Harvey relief money as part of an agreement with the Texas General Land Ofce (GLO). Commissioners endorsed a plan for allocating $750 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Te vote in favor of the plan was 4-to-0, with Judge Lina Hidalgo abstaining.
Under the plan, proposed by Commissioner Lesley
Briones, $502.5 million in HUD grant money would go toward projects approved under the 2018 food control bond. Another $150 million would be split evenly between the four county precincts for precinct-led food priorities, while the remaining $97.5 million would go toward administration.
“We all know that time is of the essence,” Briones said, “and we absolutely must spend 50% of this money by June 2025, and there are very stringent federal requirements. And so, I know that we need to move on this and show that Harris County is poised for progress and success to show that we’re having the intended impact of these funds.”
Commissioner Adrian Garcia amended the plan to the efect that all precinct projects would have to be submitted to the county engineering department by June 14.
Several public speakers expressed concerns that the plan would not provide equitable funding to neighborhoods in the northeast of Harris County whose food mitigation needs have been neglected in the past.
“It’s crucial to ensure that funds are used for their intended purpose, and vulnerable communities aren’t lef behind,” said Stephany Valdez, water justice organizer for the Coalition for Environment, Equity, and Resilience (CEER).
“A hundred percent of the funds should go to
(low-to-moderate) income communities to correct the historical injustice of inequitable distribution, and shovel-ready projects should not take priority,” said Julia Orduña, regional director of Texas Housers.
VOLUME 92, NUMBER 21 - APRIL 6, 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
Yellowstone Schools is introducing a signifcant resource for PK-12 grade students in Houston’s Tird Ward community.
Te school hosted a ribbon-cutting celebration on its newly-remodeled 4-acre campus, which includes more than 50 classrooms, learning centers, playgrounds and greenspaces, two multipurpose centers, a library, music room, art studio and innovation hub.
According to Yellowstone, for the last 20 years, the school has served students impacted by generational poverty and lacking access to educational opportunities.
“What Tird Ward is getting out of this is… that every student is born with a purpose and destined for success,” said Ryan Dolibois, executive director of the Yellowstone Schools. “We are providing a place, both a private school and public charter school, where they can be loved, where they can be valued, where they can be exposed to the city, and where they can be held to very high expectations, to a standard of excellence for life beyond these four walls.”
Nicola Springer was the principal architect of the campus’ new construction. She said the building designs channel the community’s history and culture.
NASA’s 1st moon crew in 50 years includes Black man
NASA has named the four astronauts who will fy to the moon by the end of next year. They will be the first to fly NASA’s Orion capsule, launching atop a Space Launch System rocket from Kennedy Space Center no earlier than late 2024. Tey will not land or even go into lunar orbit, but rather fy around the moon and head straight back to Earth, a prelude to a lunar landing by two others a year later. Te mission’s commander, Reid Wiseman, will be joined by Victor Glover, an African American naval aviator; Christina Koch, who holds the world record for the longest spacefight by a woman; and Canada’s Jeremy Hansen. All are space veterans except Hansen.
Comptroller backs down on Harris County defunding police claims
Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar has backed down in his legal battle with Harris County over claims of defunding local law enforcement. Te comptroller recently rescinded his finding that the county defunded law enforcement, which would have violated Texas law. Despite his ruling, Hegar said county leaders admitted they defunded law enforcement. Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee said that’s not the case and claimed that the comptroller fnally admitted that he was wrong. Tis
“Tis is—a reinvestment into Tird Ward by adding this new campus. The building gains its inspiration from the original architectures of Tird Ward,” Springer said. “So whether it’s the row houses, the brick building, or red tile roofs, the art of famous artists like John Biggers, the building constantly reinforces the culture and quality [of the community].
Yellowstone Schools serves about 500 students a year. Many of its graduates have continued pursuing postsecondary opportunities and vocational certifcates. In 2012, the school celebrated its frst eighth-grade graduating class. Of that class, 92% graduated high school, and 80% pursued a college education.
Nick Jones is an alumnus of the graduating class of 2012. He graduated from Houston Baptist University and later returned to Yellowstone to work as a part-time student recruiter.
“I enjoy seeing teachers who are still here and the facility itself because I know what they’ve done for the kids and myself personally. Te community also brought me back to connect with [youth], letting them know that you can graduate, go to high school and college, and do whatever you want to do.”
in Texas increased by 43% between 2016 and 2022, and half of renters are spending nearly 30% of their paychecks on housing, jeopardizing their household budgets for food, medicine, and other necessities.
comes afer the county sued Hegar in February over his fnding that the Precinct 5 Constable’s Ofce had funding reduced from $48 million down to $46 million. Hegar said the Comptroller’s Ofce will continue to monitor Harris County’s budget.
Houston Housing Authority launches afordable Housing Houston website
Te Houston Housing Authority (HHA) has ofcially launched its Afordable Housing Houston website which provides the public and potential clients quick information about apartment options ofered through the HHA’s
Public Facility Corporations (PFC) partnerships. In addition to afordable apartment listings, the website will provide valuable resources to those needing to quickly navigate through the housing process. Te site includes information on how to apply for afordable housing, property locations, an FAQ section, and testimonials from clients who have benefted from this service. It also includes an Area Median Income (AMI) calculator that allows users to plug in their information to determine their eligibility for this housing program within seconds. Recent analysis shows that the cost of a new home
During its amnesty period in January-February, the Houston Public Libray system cleared accounts with balances as high as $1,000 and even received three books checked out from 1992. HPL became “fne free” earlier this year to encourage more residents to start utilizing library resources afer seeing a decline in users, partly because of the fnancial barriers of overdue book fees. Houston City Council voted unanimously in January to make the transition joining many other libraries across the country. HPL held an amnesty period January 18 – February 17 to allow users to return overdue books and materials, and start over with a clean account. 3,098 customers had their overdue fines wiped during the amnesty period returning a total of 21,245 items – with a value of $425,000 worth of books and other items being returned. 850 of the 3,098 customers who returned during the amnesty period are actively using the library again.
With the Grand Reopening of the historic Eldorado Ballroom now in the rearview mirror, it’s now time to get back to the institution’s primary business of being a Houston hub for entertainment, commerce and community.
Te signifcance of the Eldorado’s resurrection is not lost on Eureka Gilkey, executive director of Project Row Houses (PRH), the current caretakers of the Eldorado, that Gilkey says is being “regifed” to the community.
“It’s important for us to recognize what this means to the community,” said Gilkey. “So, when we say ‘re-gifing,’ we mean that we’re just the stewards of this space. We’re just lucky that it’s been bestowed upon us, and we have the privilege of managing it, but it’s really the communities. And it’s also a part of our work here as the management district entity for the Tird World Cultural Arts District that we rehabilitate and protect spaces like this.”
Te Eldorado Ballroom, opened in 1939 by husband and wife entrepreneurs Clarence and Anna Johnson Dupree, served as the happening spot in Tird Ward, and played host to all the big-name Black entertainers.
During Jim Crow, Blacks coveted the “Rado” as many called it, because they could see the best entertainment in the country with dignity during a time when Blacks could not enter white-owned establishments.
“Tink of all the things that were going on at that time: people preparing to go to war overseas. If you were Black, you had to go pay your ticket and sit in the crow’s nest (segregated seating in “white” theaters). Who wants to do that? So, they built a space that was based on Black Joy, celebration and revelry. Artists would come to town and play the mainstream institutions, but this is where the real party happened. So, the likes of everyone from Dizzy Gillespie to Louis Armstrong to Houston’s fnest, Jewel Brown, Horace Grigsby, Arnett Cobb, they all played here. Tis was the place to see and be seen, but also the place to play if you were anybody that was in the musical world,” shared Gilkey.
Kenneth McGowan, who oversaw the feld supervision of the restoration said big stars, Black and white, hung out at the Eldorado.
“Many of the biggest names, including Elvis Pressley, hung out here afer hours.
But a lot of celebrities did when they came and performed here. Tey stayed in this place for those afer-hours jam sessions. And not just big names. A lot of the local bands performed here too,” he said.
But the Eldorado wasn’t just a music venue.
“It was a community gathering spot, a place for our community to celebrate life milestones, baby showers, graduations, weddings, you name them. Just a place where people could come, let their hair down and experience a little joy, if only for a moment,” added Gilkey.
During the institution’s glory days it suffered two horrifc fres, the frst in 1941 and the second in the early 1950s. Still, it was able to not only survive, but thrive. However, with integration during the late 1960s and early 70s, the Eldorado fell on hard times and was sold shortly thereafer. Eventually, Hubert “Hub” Finkelstein acquired the property, saving it from demolition. And in 1999, he donated it to PRH.
we needed. Te Kinder Foundation played a huge role in being our principal funder, as well as the Houston Endowment, the Brown Foundation, the Cullen Foundation, and the list of individual donors is so long that I probably would be remiss and leave someone out.”
David Bucek, who has extensive experience with historic buildings, and his team from Stern and Bucek Architects, oversaw the design. Forney Construction served as the general contractor. A team from Hines, led by Johnson and Bert Brown III, stewarded the building committee which has overseen the project as it has unfolded over more than fve years.
McGowan and crew worked many long days and nights, not only in preparation for the March 30 Grand Reopening, but also for the institution’s varied uses moving forward, including entertainment functions, community meetings, businesses and regular customers at the eatery located on the frst foor.
Gilkey said Eldorado visitors will be treated to a modern facility with a fully refurbished ballroom with multiple green rooms for performers, meeting spaces, art gallery, private dining area, outside patio, a second-floor side deck, ADA-compliant bathrooms, and for the frst time, an elevator.
PRH initiated patchwork repairs to make the space operable, until the decision was made to go all-out in bringing the institution back to its former glory.
PRESENT
Te current transformation was made possible by a successful $9.7 million capital campaign spearheaded by PRH board members and co-chairs of the Eldorado Capital Campaign, Anita Smith and Hasty Johnson.
“Tis has been a long time coming,” said Smith. “When we acquired the Eldorado Ballroom, we did amazing things with what we had, but… just to look around and see how we’ve come. I’m thrilled.”
Gilkey gives the lion’s share of the credit for the successful fundraising efforts to Smith and her co-chair Hasty Johnson, while making sure to shout out the major donors.
“[Johnson and Smith] did a lot of the footwork in reaching out to donors and making sure that we had the capital that
Additionally, the space will feature a “fast casual place where customers can get fresh food.” And PRH will pass the property management reigns to Chris Williams and the Lucille’s 1913 hospitality group.
Gilkey sees all the individual upgrades as important, but views the Eldorado’s return as a viable institution as priceless.
“More than anything, they should understand that this cultural gem is back, back in the neighborhood, and it’s here to stay. Houston has this long, storied history of just tearing down something and putting up a marker like ‘Here lies…’ So, we are just so extremely proud that we can capture and re-gif this back to the community; that it exist into perpetuity, and that it continues to tell the story of Black joy, Black celebration and liberation for years to come.”
We’re just the stewards of this space. We’re just lucky that it’s been bestowed upon us, and we have the privilege of managing it, but it’s really the communities."
Eureka Gilkey, Executive Director
Hundreds of friends, family members and sorority sisters recently gathered to pay their last respects to Polly Sparks Turner, Ph.D., M.P.H. A health and pharmacy pioneer, former academic, community volunteer and regional director of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Turner died March 30 at age 84. She is remembered as a caring role model, mentor and leader who touched countless lives.
“We join the hearts and hands of our sisters around the globe as we remember our 20th South Central Regional Director Dr. Polly Sparks Turner,” said an AKA statement. “Please pray for her family, friends and the Alpha Kappa Omega Chapter.
The Wheatley High School graduate attended Texas Southern University and earned a bachelor’s degree from the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. She received her master’s and doctorate degrees from the University of Texas Health Science Center.
Her higher education background included serving as an associate professor
at the TSU College of Pharmacy, chair of the Health Sciences Department and assistant vice president of Alumni Afairs.
She became the frst African American director of Pharmacy Services at Beaumont City Hospital, Houston’s Twelve Oaks Hospital and Doctors Hospital, and the frst African American bureau chief for the City of Houston Health and Human Services Department as director of Ofce of Evaluation Services and Health Center Administration.
She was an active member of Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church and affiliated with the Museum of Fine Arts-Houston; The Links, Inc.; Girl Friends, Inc. and Top Ladies of Distinction. She was an accomplished fundraiser, and her eforts included the “Tree of Us” galas and fve endowed scholarship funds at TSU and the UT Health Science Center. She received numerous awards and honors for community service.
Survivors include her brother, James Weldon Sparks, and a host of other relatives and friends.
To view current bid opportunities at San Jacinto College, go to www.sanjac.edu/purchasing – Bidding Opportunities for a list of current and previous bids. Register as a supplier in the College’s electronic bidding and supplier system to receive notice of future bid opportunities.
The Houston Downtown Management District (the “Downtown District”) will receive Proposals for pedestrian counting technology to be used in Downtown Houston. Hardcopy proposals will be received until 5:00 P.M., local time on Friday, April 28, 2023, by Varun Cidambi, Research & Economic Development Specialist, Houston Downtown Management District, 1221 McKinney Street, Suite 4250, Houston, Texas 77010. Proposals submitted after this time will not be accepted. Respective of this advertisement, telephone, mail, email queries or requests for information will not be addressed by the Downtown District.
Beginning Friday, March 31, 2023, this project’s Request for Proposal (RFP) may be downloaded from Downtown District’s website: http://www.downtowndistrict.org/procurement-rfp-opportunities/ . Further queries or requests for information will be addressed by the Downtown District, pursuant to the instructions provided in the RFP. Based on the Proposals submitted, an evaluation panel will rank Proposals based on their content. The Downtown District’s Board of Directors will award the contract to the highest-ranked Proposer.
Proposers shall comply with City of Houston Code of Ordinances, Chapter 15, Articles II, V, VI, and XI and the Mayor’s Executive Orders No.1-7 Pay or Play (POP) Program for Houston Public Works for the public procurement procedures of the City of Houston Offce of Business Opportunity (OBO) established in March 2008 and the entity responsible for the administration of the Minority/ Women-Owned (M/WBE), Persons with Disabilities Enterprises (PDBE), and Hire Houston First programs. The successful Proposer will be required to make good faith efforts to achieve an M/WBE and PDBE participation goal of twenty-fve percent (25%).
We all know the dire statistics—Black men have the worst health outcomes of any demographic in America for just about every health condition. And we’ve all heard—or know personally—that Black men have a serious aversion to going to the doctor. Tese two related realities equate to Black men having the lowest life expectancy of any demographic, which is not good news for Black couples, families and communities.
Enter the African American Male Wellness Agency Houston (AAMWA), an organization on a mission to move Black men to prioritize their health and create a support community of like-minded brothers.
The Defender recently spoke with Donnell Cooper, the AAMWA’s logistics director, about the organization’s recent arrival in Houston, its mission and programs and its upcoming event this Saturday, April 15, “Te Walk to Save Black Men’s Lives.”
DEFENDER: What’s the story behind the AAMWA?
COOPER: Twenty years ago, the AAMWA was established in Columbus, Ohio focusing on African American males not prone to going to the doctor. Statistics show that African American men as a population, we’re leaving Earth almost 12 years earlier than our counterparts. Tey started an African-American 5K Walk; actually a screening walk. It’s called the best day that African-American males will have ever going to the doctor
in life. Tere are 18 cities that are doing the walk currently. From 7a.m. – 9a.m. we’ll have every screening known to man; anything from BMI (body mass index), blood pressure, glucose. Ten at 9a.m. we start the 5K walk. Tis year, April 15, we’re bringing the walk to Houston for the frst time.
DEFENDER: How did the Columbus-Houston connection happen?
COOPER: Pastor Jamail Johnson of the Word Church and I saw this article saying that 30,000 men were showing up on one day for a walk, and it just sounded unrealistic. We took a chance, and went out to witness it. And 30,000 could have been a low estimate. It was defnitely 30,000-plus men there on one day; men showing up, having all the screenings that are known to mankind, doing the 5K walk there in the city. We said, ‘We want to bring this to Houston.’ And upon the Columbus, Ohio team starting to visit the Houston area, they really thought with the resources we have here that Houston could be just as big, if not better, than what they’re doing in Columbus, even though it’s been in existence 20 years now. So, we started of last year, we’re planning for a walk, and then in January of this year, the Columbus team decided this would be a prime time to found their second agency
branch in the country. February 1, we opened up the AAMWA Houston ofce. Pastor Johnson is the executive director.
DEFENDER: So, when is the Houston 5K “Walk to Save Black Men’s Lives”?
COOPER: On April 15, we’re bringing the walk to Houston. It’s gonna be housed at Texas Southern University and happen right there in the heart of Tird Ward. Te walk will start and end at TSU. Right now, we have over 30 vendors and over 30 screening companies will be there, as well. And we wanna let everybody know this is a family event. It was designed for African-American males, but we just recently kicked of the ‘her’ version. So, we are embracing women to get tested, as well. We’ll have some testing elements out there on April 15 for women, as well. We’ll have a designated area for our seniors, and we’ll have a designated area for our kids. Mayor Sylvester Turner will be our honorary chair.
DEFENDER: Are you expecting to match Columbus’s numbers this frst year?
COOPER: We know we’re not gonna have 30,000, but we’re at least in position to have a good 2,500.
For more information, visit www. aawellness.org.
LEARN ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION’S OTHER GAME-CHANGING
By ReShonda TateTe Mu Kappa Omega Chapter (MKO) of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and their charitable arm, Julia F. Tompson Inc., recently partnered with the Eta Rho Sigma, Zeta Xi Sigma, and Epsilon Kappa Sigma Chapters of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. to hold a “Jeans for Teens: Party with a Purpose” at Southside Sporting Club.
Over 150 ΜΚO members and guests attended the event where adult-sized jeans for males and females in foster care were collected. Over 431 pairs of jeans were collected onsite and $4,060 in monetary donations will be presented to BEAR (Be A Resource), a non-proft organization that provides hope and help to children and youth.
“Older teens in foster care fnd themselves facing a daily challenge of fnding clothes that ft their growing frames. For the past eight years, we have worked to provide hundreds of pairs of jeans to Be A Resource for CPS Kids, also known as B.E.A.R. I’m thrilled to once again partner with the local chapters of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Incorporated for this worthy cause,” said MKO President Monica Green.
Te event falls under the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. ‘Uplif Our Local Community’ Initiative which promotes collaboration to combine resources and eforts to maximize the impact on the community. Our aim is to support the BEAR Necessities Program for Be A Resource for CPS Kids, a 501(c)(3) organization working with Harris County Resources for Children and Adults and the Texas Department of Family Protective Services. DeAnna Nwankwo served as General Chairman for Uplif Our Local Community, along with Brittany Nunn and Nichelle Walker, who served as Chairman and Co-Chairman for the event.
INITIATIVE, “REAL MEN, REAL TALK.”Brittany Nunn and Nichelle Walker. (Lef to right) Derrick Lacey, Nichelle Walker, Tifany Brailey, Monica Green, Laura Collins, Brittany Nunn, Brit Bell.
By ReShonda Tate
As a child, Phyllis Burton would accompany her father, Varn O. Burton, as he served the homeless in Trinity Gardens. It’s that spirit of giving that stuck with her throughout her adult life and prompted her to continue her father’s legacy to give back to those in need.
Burton recently hosted a “Give Back Event At Te Salvation Army Jones Residence Center,” a facility to house women and children who are experiencing homelessness. Care packages were given to the ladies and backpacks with essential and fun items were given to the children.
As the CEO and founder of the V.O. Burton Foundation Inc., Burton says their mission is to build a better tomorrow, today. Te Defender spoke with the registered nurse about how she’s working to bring global awareness to the needs of the homeless and low socioeconomic communities.
DEFENDER: What made you decide to start this foundation?
PHYLLIS BURTON: I created this foundation in honor of my late father Varn O. Burton. He served on missions, in the community, and was an agent of change on various platforms. My father was a pillar in the community and a landlord for over 30 years in Trinity Garden. He gave back to those in need. And he took me along while he was giving back. He never told me this is what I should do, but I just witnessed him giving to others as they transitioned from being his tenants to going to nursing homes, into hospital settings. With that being instilled within me, my best friend and I started the VO Burton Foundation. We started out using our allowances to give to the homeless community. From there, we built a foundation. My daughter has a nonproft, as well (Sock Out Poverty Inc.) So, we are three generations of service providers.
DEFENDER: What types of things are you doing?
BURTON: We give care packages to those that are in need. We provide hot meals along with clothing items. We also give scholarships to seniors that are transitioning from high school to college. One of the most overlooked items in the community and among those that are experiencing homelessness are care packages with toiletries. Tat’s not only happening here in Houston, but worldwide. We have a need here in Houston and we want to do our part.
DEFENDER: What is your ultimate goal for your organization?
BURTON: One day I was riding with my father and he showed me an apartment com plex that he wanted to turn into a place for those that needed living arrange ments. And that is my ultimate goal; to build a community, a home setting, not just in Hous ton, but around the world. And not only to house, but provide programs that will give them a total 360 turnaround. We want to provide permanent jobs and daycare and education and any spiritual needs and mental needs that they may need at that time.
DEFENDER: How can the public help you?
BURTON: We can always use donations and volunteers. Anytime we’re helping the community, the more hands on deck, the bet ter, especially when it comes to preparing the care packages. We have different charity events throughout the year. A lot of homeless people don’t “look homeless.” There are children involved in their schools that you wouldn’t even expect to be homeless. We had women that had jobs but didn’t have enough to make rent payments. So the things that they need, it may look like they don’t need ‘em on the outside. But actually, the toiletries, the care package, the ofering of assistance of whether it’s to pay a bill or to help with rental assistance, whatever those needs are. It’s just important to bring awareness, then others can get on board with however they wanna be supportive, whether it’s to volunteer or to give a donation to help restore lives and rebuild our communities.”
Visit Online www.voburtonfoundation.org
Winners of major sports championships have traditionally received invitations to the White House. Tat’s why it was no surprise when First Lady Jill Biden, who attended Sunday’s nail biter of a women’s NCAA championship game, extended an invitation to the Lady Tigers for their victory. What WAS a surprise was her ofer for the losing team, the mostly white Iowa Hawkeyes to come, too.
“So I know we’ll have the champions come to the White House, we always do. So, we hope LSU will come but, you know, I’m going to tell Joe (Biden) I think Iowa should come, too, because they played such a good game,” the First Lady said.
Angel Reese, MVP of the LSU-Iowa game was not pleased with the dual invitation. She tweeted a link to the story which included Biden’s comments, calling it “A JOKE” along with three rolling-on-foor-laughing emojis.
In a comment on an Instagram post from ‘The Shade Room’ which included Reese’s tweet, the recently crowned NCAA champion said: “WE NOT COMING. period.”
Reese’s teammate Alexis Morris asked if they could celebrate elsewhere, specifically at a former frst lady’s house. “Michelle OBAMA can we
(LSU NATIONAL CHAMPS) come celebrate our win at your house?” Reese replied to Morris’ tweet saying: “THAT’S THE TWEET.”
Press secretary to the frst lady, Vanessa Valdivia sought to clarify Biden’s comments, saying in a tweet that they “were intended to applaud the historic game and all women athletes. She looks forward to celebrating the LSU Tigers on their championship win at the White House.”
Te 20-year-old Reese played a key role in the Tigers’ 10285 victory over the Hawkeyes to win the frst national title in program history on Sunday. She was named the women’s NCAA tournament’s Most Outstanding Player as a result of her standout performances.
Te national championship drew a record-breaking average of 9.9 million viewers, according to sports broadcaster ESPN. Te game, which peaked at 12.6 million viewers, was the most-viewed NCAA Division I women’s college basketball game on record across all networks.
Reese has been in the headlines following LSU’s victory, in particular as she called out the double standard in the reaction to her gesture towards Iowa guard Caitlin Clark.
Reese could be seen approaching Clark before moving her open hand in front of her face – popularized by WWE star John Cena to mean “you can’t see me” – before pointing to her ring fnger in a gesture some interpreted as a reference to the place her newly-acquired championship ring might sit.
Clark made a similar gesture to another player earlier in the tournament.
Te gesture sparked much debate, especially on social media. Some criticized Reese, while others defended her actions, highlighting how there was no public outrage in response to Clark’s gesture earlier in the tournament.
In the press conference afer the victory, Reese referenced the diference in reaction she received as a result of her gesture as compared to the one Clark received.
“All year, I was critiqued for who I was. I don’t ft the narrative,” Reese said. “I don’t ft the box that y’all want me to be in. I’m too hood. I’m too ghetto. Y’all told me that all
year. But when other people do it, and y’all don’t say nothing.
“So this is for the girls that look like me. For those that want to speak up for what they believe in. It’s unapologetically you. And that’s what I did it for tonight. It was bigger than me tonight. And Twitter is going to go into a rage every time.”
So this is for the girls that look like me. For those that want to speak up for what they believe in. It’s unapologetically you.”Angel Reese
With another disappointing season winding down, the Rockets are at least in the mix to win the upcoming NBA Lottery. And what that means is a chance to win the rights to take 7-foot-4 French phenom
It’s been quite an active offseason for the Texans since NFL free agency opened last month.
Victor Wembanyama should they secure the No.1 overall pick. The Rockets, who have picked in the Top 3 of the last two Drafts, have 14 percent odds of winning June’s draft along with San Antonio and Detroit. The worst four teams are entered into a drawing to determine the Top 4 picks and Rockets are assured of being among the worst four no matter how they finish this season.
The Texans have acquired instant impact players wide receiver Robert Woods, safety Jimmie Ward and offensive lineman Shaq Mason, while losing a few like high-performing wide receiver Brandin Cooks, who forced his way out of town via a trade with the Cowboys.
With the NFL Draft looming later this month, and the Texans holding a handful of draft picks, it’s likely the activity will only heat up between now and the start of the Draft on April 27. The Texans have five picks in the first three rounds, so look for teams to be anxious to convince them to give up some of those picks to acquire veteran talent.
Expect to hear some intriguing rumors like the Texans looking to enter the expensive Lamar Jackson or Jimmy Garoppolo quarterback trade market. There is even speculation the Texans might be willing to part ways with the No.12 overall pick -acquired from the Cleveland Browns in the Deshaun Watson deal -- for the Commanders’ third-year edge rusher Chase Young.
Tramon MarkUniversity of Houston guard Tramon Mark announced he is declaring for the NBA Draft and he is entering the transfer portal. Mark, who started all 37 games for the Cougars this season, averaged 10.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.1 steals. His departure creates a bigger void in the Cougars 2023-24 roster with Marcus Sasser and freshman Jarace Walker headed to the NBA Draft and point guard Jamal Shead declaring for the Draft.
The state of Texas may not have had a team in this year’s Final Four, but Houston did have some representation.
San Diego State center Jaedon
Stephen Silas Jaedon LeDeeLeDee was a former four-year standout at Kinkaid. This was his first season with the Aztecs after he started his collegiate career at Ohio State and then TCU.
What could happen seems to be anyone’s guess at this point.
But what is for sure right now is the Texans own the No.2, No.12, No. 33, No. 65 and 73rd overall picks in the first three rounds of the upcoming Draft. So there are plenty of options.
The Texans are positioned well to select a young quarterback of the future among the top three prospects in CJ Stroud, Bryce Young and Anthony Richardson with the No.2 pick. The Carolina Panthers, who made a trade with Chicago to move into the No.1 slot, will have their pick of the three and then Texans general manager Nick Caserio and head coach DeMeco Ryans can decide between the other two.
The overwhelming belief is if the Texans do decide to build around a rookie that it
WR Robert Woods
S Jimmie Ward
RB Devin Singletary
TE Dalton Schultz
DT Sheldon Rankins
will be Alabama’s Bryce Young heading to Houston. But maybe the Texans are tired of the slow rebuild after three straight losing seasons and could opt to go for one of the proven veteran quarterbacks, which would likely cost them one of the first round draft picks and then some.
OL Shaq Mason
QB Case Keenum
FB-TE Andrew Beck
RB Mike Boone
WR Noah Brown
LS Jon Weeks
OL Scott Quessenberry
DE Derek Rivers
WR Brandin Cooks
TE Jordan Akins
QB Kyle Allen
Jackson, who is unhappy in Baltimore over a contract dispute, is believed to favor a trade to Houston.
While careful not to fan the flames of tampering, Ryans didn’t dispel rumors of a mutual interest in Jackson.
“We look at all options for our team,” Ryans said recently to reporters. “That falls into that category, as well.”
Ryans, who is careful not to show the Texans’ hand when it comes to who they want to fill their signal caller void, does know the characteristics he is looking for in a franchise quarterback.
“For a quarterback, I think the most important attribute I look for, it’s that how is his leadership style,” Ryans said. “How are those other 10 guys looking – can they look at you in a huddle and know, we can count on this guy to make a play. We believe in you.”
Whatever direction the Texans decide to go at quarterback, they have already spent the offseason making sure he will have something to work with on both sides of the ball. Woods comes in from Tennessee as easily the most accomplished receiver on the Texans roster, while running back Devin Singletary and tight end Dalton Schultz should provide some other receiving targets. And Mason should help bolster the offensive line.
They’ve also added some intriguing defensive pieces like defensive linemen Sheldon Rankins and Hassan Ridgeway, along with safety Ward.
And it doesn’t sound like the Texans are done adding free agents.
“We’re always looking to add to our team, whether (or not) it’s by free agency,” Ryans said. “I think that’s an ongoing process that’s never ending, so we’re always looking to see where we can get better, add more depth to our team, so that doesn’t change.”
Class: 2023
IG: @kennediiii.
raigannnn
Position: Left wing
Height & weight:
5-feet-3, 148 pounds
Players she studies: Mikayla Cram (Ft. Bend Elkins), Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns FC), Alex
Morgan (San Diego Wave FC)
Status: PVAMU
Favorite artists:
Jhené Aiko, Lil Baby, 21 Savage, Drake
Shout-outs: Lindsay, Alex, McKayla, Coach
Haase, Coach Holmes, family
Kennedi Williams has been a star for a long time. Since childhood, she dreamed of playing soccer on the collegiate level, but her senior year forced her to overcome obstacles and find herself outside of her favorite sport.
The multi-talented Williams began playing soccer early, but once those other sports began to demand more of her soccer time, it was time to cut them loose.
“I started playing soccer at four years old. I did dance, gymnastics, swimming and track, but soccer just stuck. Swimming and track helped me with stamina. They gave me natural body muscles where you don’t understand how many muscles you’re using until you’re using them. They were fun, but it was definitely soccer over everything.” said Williams.
For Williams, soccer was more than just a game, it was father-daughter bonding time.
“It was a thing with my dad, we did all the time. He played [soccer] growing up and so I started playing and it stuck. I started with Fun Fair Positive Soccer, then moved to Eclipse. I played recreational with them for two years, then I broke my ankle. Once I healed, my first day back I pulled my meniscus.
After being bitten by the injury bug a few times, Williams adopted a different approach.
“I took some time off, then went back to Eclipse for their select team. Once the organization switched to RISE, I stopped playing select soccer and began focusing on training to prevent injuries. In high school, I returned to play and trained seven days a week,” said Williams.
After training hard and becoming injury free, Williams would face another hurdle in life; the passing of her father.
“He passed away my freshman year. I felt like quitting and just focusing on academics. I took seven months off but then I realized this is not what he wanted for
me and it’s not what I want for myself, so I started working harder to make him proud,” said Williams.
Senior year came and Williams was getting looks from Texas State, Grambling State University and the University of North Texas, but the same injury she suffered early in her youth would come back to find her again.
“I suffered an ACL injury with a deep bone bruise. The only fix is surgery. So I won’t be able to play college soccer,” said Williams. This injury forced Williams to look within and focus on her other talents she had been equipped with.
“It hurts when you work for something your whole life just for it to go down the drain, but not playing soccer brought out a different side of me that I never knew I had. It gave me time to do different things, where in the past I didn’t have time because I was always training for soccer,” said Williams. Williams will be graduating from Elkins High School with 30 college credits and attending Prairie View A&M University where she plans to study biology with a premed track.
“I’ve always wanted to play soccer and do something in the medical field. Growing up, I was hurt a lot. I knew I couldn’t fully let go of sports, but my last injury forced me to think outside the box. Once I started going to my orthopedic sports surgeon, I realized, this is what I want to do. I did an internship last year with MD Anderson and it was fun. I loved it,” said Williams.
While attending Prairie View, Williams hopes to partake in the undergraduate medical academy, a program that accepts 10 applicants and prepares them for the MCAT.
“You take special classes and it pushes you to go to med school. Applying for the undergraduate medical academy gave me more hope to open up to my future versus holding on to my present. Soccer was my present and I know orthopedic sports surgery will be my future,” said Williams.
