Houston Defender: April 22, 2021

GUILTY! ...BUT IS IT ENOUGH? Painfully earned justice has finally been served for George Floyd’s family

Volume 90, issue 25 April 22, 2021

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DN To the POINT

FIT & FINE Kimberly Williams Age: 37 Occupation: Certified Personal Trainer/ Owner of Balance Lab Fitness & Balance Lab Wear Education: Furr High School/ Texas Tech University Major: Zoology Motto: You only get one life, so live it to its fullest potential!

“I want to be the best role model I can be for her (my daughter).”

Clockwise from bottom left, Philando Castile, Trayvon Martin, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Eric Garner, Sandra Bland and Ahmaud Arbery.Credit...CBS, Trayvon Martin Foundation, @Queenbreonna, Ben Crump Law, Gwen Carr family photo, Bland family, via Associated Press and Arbery family photo.

Message from the Associate Editor

profiling Blacks based off racist stereotypes, but Even with Derek Chauvin being found guilty refuses to paint the mass shooter profile we’ve on all counts for the murder of George Floyd, seen in Atlanta, Boulder, Indianapolis, Charlotwhat’s been proven conclusively is that Amertesville, Columbine, Phoenix, Virginia Beach, ica and white supremacy are still synonymous.

El Paso, Santa Fe, Dayton, etc. Get the picture.

Still not sure? The federal government okayed deployment of the National Guard in D.C. in BUCKWILD TEXAS SENATE anticipation of the public’s response to the Keeping in racist lockstep with far-right, GOP Chauvin verdict. Yet, when former president founders of the “America First Caucus,” the Texas 45 and crew spent months issuing a call-toSenate has gone buckwild, as well. Harris Counarms to “Stop the [non-existent] Steal” (i.e. ty’s 2019 move to end cash bail for those accused Aswad Walker commit treason), no such pre-deployment of minor offenses and to stop criminalizing happened. And on Jan. 6, to nobody’s surpoverty, has now been reversed by Texas Senate prise, Trumpites came in full insurrectionist glory, beating cops good ‘ol boys and girls. Apparently, reinstituting Jim Crow voter with American flags and carrying nooses. And the National suppression tactics wasn’t enough. Now, these GOP state senators Guard wasn’t deployed until hours after besieged lawmakers have reinstituted penalizing people (mainly Black and Brown) for begged for help. Yet, Blackfolk have been begging for 400 lacking Elon Musk-level money. But wait, there’s more. Senate years to be treated humanely. And therein lies the problem. Bill 14 would ban cities and counties from requiring companies Closing arguments conclude that it’s time we stop trying to con- to provide benefits like paid sick leave, leaving sick Texas workers vince others to treat us with respect, and take actions that demand having to “choose between going to work and eating,” according it. Because regardless of Chauvin’s guilty verdict, institutional rac- to Texas AFL-CIO president Rick Levy. And what better time than ism will keep marching on. And the killers of Breonna Taylor, now, with heightened racial violence, pandemic stresses and mass Tamir Rice, Sandra Bland, Freddie Gray, Trayvon Martin, and shootings, for Texas senators to champion a bill that would let so many others, are still free.

Texans without gun permits open carry? What could go wrong?

CLOSING ARGUMENTS

@balancelabwear @balancelabfitness www.balancelabfitness.com Read more on Friday about Kimberly Williams at defendernetwork.com If you are Fit & Fine email: fitnfine@defendernetwork.com

RACIAL PROFILING NEEDED

That being said, I’ll still feel safer when police start racial profiling. And by “start,” I mean start profiling whites. More specifically, white men. Have you seen the mug shots of most U.S. mass murderers lately, or historically? There’s most definitely a “type.”

White male, late teens to mid-40s, usually single, GOP-Trumploving, avid white supremacist website visitor and/or devoted FOX News fanboy who believes white men are the most oppressed demographic in America. Seriously. According to The Violence Project, a nonpartisan research group that tracks U.S. mass shooting data, 98% of mass shootings have been committed by predominantly white men. Law enforcement has NO PROBLEM racially

IN THIS WEEK’S DEFENDER

• An exclusive interview with State Rep. Harold Dutton.

• Bun B is showcasing southern rap with a new radio show on Sirius.

• PVAMU’s Jaylen Harris prepares for the NFL draft.

ON THE WEB

• Get the 411 on greater Houston area early voting. Yes, there is an election going on with key issues and seats up for grabs.

• Activist Minister Dr. Abdul (Robert) Muhammad provides some StraightTALK on Blacks killed by police.

• The Rockets’ Sterling Brown attacked in Miami.

April 22, 2021 |

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DN News

Family of Marvin Scott III plans to protest until cops arrested Defender News Service

For the past four weeks, a group of up to 40 protesters has gathered outside the Collin County Jail outside of Dallas, TX wnearly every night around 9 p.m. They hang signs, draw on the sidewalk with chalk and decorate the chain link fence, celebrating the life of Marvin Scott III, who died while in the custody of jail staff in March.

Consistently, their memorials have been taken down by county staff. But that doesn’t deter his sister, LaChay Batts, from returning every day with other community members outside the jail in McKinney.

“We just do it again,” Batts, 28, said, her voice hoarse from chanting all day. “They want us to stop, to go away. We’re gonna remain until the officers are Marvin Scott III arrested.”

Marvin Scott III died March 14 in custody at the Collin County jail. Thirty-five days later, his family is no closer to knowing what happened in the final minutes of his life. Scott’s family met with Collin County prosecutors recently to address concerns with his in-custody death.

The family called the meeting “productive.”

“We are walking away hopeful but still in desperate need of answers,” said Scott family attorney Blerim Elmazi.

Authorities said Scott had less than two ounces of marijuana when he was arrested — a misdemeanor. The 26-year-old, who received a schizophrenia diagnosis two years ago, sometimes used the drug to self-medicate, according to the family’s lawyer, S. Lee Merritt.

Allen police officers say Scott was acting erratically and he was taken to an area hospital where a physician deemed him fit for detention. The family argues he was in a mental health crisis and he needed help, not jail.

After Allen officers transported Scott to the hospital for what

Marvin Scott III’s mother LaSandra Scott, older sister LaChay Batts, and father Marvin Scott Jr. attend a press conference. -Shelby Tauber/Texas Tribune

police called “strange behavior,” he was then taken to the county jail. There, officers restrained Scott, used pepper spray and covered his head with a spit hood, a controversial device meant to keep a person from biting or spitting on an officer. Scott became unresponsive late that night and was pronounced dead.

Though seven of the sheriff ’s officers have been fired after initially being put on administrative leave and another resigned while under investigation, the family and protesters say they don’t plan to stop until the officers have been charged with a crime.

Nearly a month later, the county medical examiner’s office has not yet released an official cause of death.

The Collin County NAACP has since joined in on the fight for answers.

“No one in this community would accept 35 days of not knowing how and what happened to their loved one,” said county NAACP president June Jenkins.

The family and NAACP cited other national cases that have moved at a much faster pace. Recently in the Daunte Wright shooting investigation in Minneapolis, body camera footage was released within days of the incident.

“We still have no bodycam, no videotape, nothing. This is not acceptable,” Jenkins said.

The Collin County District Attorney’s office gave no assurances of arrests and no timetable for the release of video and the attorney said the county has been transparent about the process. As of now, most of the investigative material is with the Texas Rangers, the agency investigating the case.

“We still don’t have answers, which is very unacceptable,” said LaSandra Scott, Marvin’s mother.

The family continues to protest at the jail each night. Their demands are no different than 34 days ago.

“We want to see these detention officers arrested. We want to see them charged,” said Elmazi.

Early voting underway Defender News Service

ID required

Early voting has begun in Texas. And Texas requires all voters bring acceptable though there may not be any major races identification to the polls in order to vote in the city of Houston, others in in person. Visit the Secretary of Harris County should check to State website for acceptable forms EARLY see what’s on the ballot. of ID (www.sos.texas.gov).

VOTING While there are no major races ENDS in the city of Houston, elections Where to vote?

April 27 are still happening across Harris Harris County registered votand Fort Bend Counties, includers can vote at any Election Day ELECTION DAY ing mayoral and city council races polling location. Other counties May 1. in Humble, South Houston and can find their early voting and Pasadena. election day polling sites here.

• Missouri City: missouricitytx.gov Check registration • Ft. Bend County: fortbendcountytx.gov To be eligible to vote in the May 1 elec- • Brazoria County: brazoriacountyclerk.net tion, voters must be a U.S. citizen, 18 years On May 1, polling sites across Houston old or older, and have a valid photo ID. will be open until 7 p.m.

Election workers continue to take COVID-related precautions during early voting.

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DN News

Columbus teen fatally shot by police officer Defender News Service

A 16-year-old girl was fatally shot by a Columbus police officer just as Derek Chauvin was found guilty on all counts in the murder of George Floyd.

Ma’Khia Bryant’s mother, Paula Bryant, confirmed her identity with a local news reporter. She was shot and killed by a police officer in southeast Columbus April 20 after officers were called to her home just after 4:30 p.m. for a disturbance.

Family said it was Bryant who called the police because girls were fighting Ma’Khia Bryant outside their house.

What prompted an officer to shoot the teenager remains unclear but she was taken to Mount Carmel East in critical condition, where she died.

According to the New York Times, Ma’Khia Bryant lived in a foster home and got into an altercation with another person at the home.

The teen reportedly had a knife but her aunt, Hazel Bryant, said her niece dropped the weapon before she was shot multiple times.

Ma’Khia’s mother said her daughter was a “very loving, peaceful little girl” who was a honor roll student.

“Ma’Khia had a motherly nature about her.

She promoted peace and that’s something I always want to be remembered,” said Paula Bryant.

In a statement, Mayor Andrew Ginther said “a young woman tragically lost her life” and that cops were wearing body-cameras.

“We do not know all of the details,” Ginther

Residents immediately began protesting after the shooting death of Ma’Khia Bryant.

said before asking people to “remain calm” pending an investigation to gather additional details.

“There is body-worn camera footage of the incident. We are working to review it as soon as possible. BCI is on the scene conducting an independent investigation,” the mayor tweeted, adding, “— as they do with all CPD-involved shootings.” Ginther continued, “We will share information that we can as soon as it becomes available. I’m asking for residents to remain calm and allow BCI to gather the facts.”

NEWSBRIEFS TAMIR RICE’S FAMILY ASKS FEDS TO REOPEN CASE OF FATAL POLICE SHOOTING Relatives of Tamir Rice asked the Justice Department to reopen case of the 12-year-old Black boy fatally shot by a white Cleveland police officer in 2014.

Federal prosecutors announced in late December, during the final weeks of Donald Trump’s presidency, that they were closing the case without federal criminal charges, saying video of the incident was too grainy to conclusively establish what happened.

The devastated mom said she’s “still in so much pain because no one has been held accountable for the criminal act that took his life.”

Shortly after word spread of the officer-involved shooting of a Black teenager, protesters gathered in the area. Videos show community members outraged at police.

Bryant’s aunt described her niece as a “good kid.”

“You ain’t going to have my niece go out like that. Either you report the truth or you don’t report nothing,” she told reporters. “She was a good kid. She was loving. Yeah she had issues, but that’s okay. All of us go through sh*t. She was 15 mother f**king years old. She didn’t deserve to die like a dog in the street.”

HOUSTON NAMED THE MOST DIVERSE CITY IN THE US BY NEW REPORT Diversity is currently at the forefront of the U.S. conversation, as anti-Asian hate crimes have spiked nearly 150 percent in 2021 and the Derek Chauvin trial currently broils in Minneapolis. But now, a new study sheds some good news on the Bayou City, as Houston has once again claimed its title as the most diverse city in America. Finance website WalletHub released its report on 2021’s Most Diverse Cities in America, and Houston tops out not only as the most diverse city, but also as the most diverse big city in the U.S. To crown the diversity champion, WalletHub compared the profiles of more than 500 of the largest cities across five major diversity categories: socioeconomic, cultural, economic, household, and religious.

Continue the discussion Watch the bodycam video and weigh in on whether the shooting was justified.

FLORIDA ENACTS ‘RACIST’ LAW PROTECTING DRIVERS WHO HIT BLM PROTESTERS Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed a controversial bill into law that could embolden violence against protesters and would criminalize the right to protest nonviolently in certain instances.

Democratic opponents and grassroots organizers argue the law was not only unnecessary but dangerous. Anti-protest laws have been introduced in several states in response to racial justice protests over the past few years, increasing since last summer’s uprisings. Florida Republicans tried to use the Jan. 6 Capitol attack to justify the need for House Bill 1, but DeSantis didn’t mention it when he signed the new law.

April 22, 2021 |

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DN Education

Chairman Dutton confronts COVID education challenges

By Von Jiles

Having served on the Texas House of Representative’s education committee for over 34 years, Harold Dutton, State Representative of District 142 admits he did not expect to be named chairman. The 76 year old said, “I know that there are a lot of people who are shaking in their boots and they should be, because I told my committee, ‘I don’t know all of the answers, but I do know the question is, does it benefit children?’”

At the top of the list of issues on the education agenda is COVID and how to address the gap created by remote learning.

“I think it’s been more remote than learning…. But the reality is we do have a huge learning loss that’s taking place. It’s particularly pronounced in the grades. pre-K through fifth grade where we don’t recover from that. It doesn’t just go away when the school semester ends. That translates into tomorrow and all the tomorrows,” added Dutton.

Acknowledging the education crisis that was pre-pandemic with large numbers of children at the bottom educationally, Dutton has introduced a new bill called Accelerated Learning which creates tutoring programs for kids. Anticipating the opposition to the half a million-dollar

VIDEOS: State Rep. Dutton talks about Wheatley and TEA, teacher, funding, AfricanAmerican studies and Black male students

price tag, Dutton summed up the problem facing the education committee stating that traditionally the legislature focuses on improving public education by raising the ceiling while he wants to begin to raise the floor.

“We have lots of programs that we try to do with dropouts and we target the eighth and ninth grade. But I’ve told people that kids don’t drop out in ninth grade, they leave in ninth grade. They drop out in third grade, when somehow or another, they’re not third grade ready and they get to fourth grade. And then, when they get to fourth grade, it becomes a problem because in the grades, pre-K through third grade, you learn to read. And after that, you read to learn,” said Dutton. “So, if you never get beyond learning to read, you never get to the point of reading to learn.

As a consequence, when that doesn’t happen (learning to read), what a child does is get frustrated to the point where some-

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VOLUME 90 - NUMBER 25 - APRIL 22, 2021 Publisher | CEO Sonceria Messiah-Jiles Strategic Alllance Clyde Jiles Creative Director Michael Grant

Photographers Ray Carrington III Jimmie Aggison Managing Editor ReShonda Tate

Associate Editor Aswad Walker

State Rep. Harold Dutton has introduced a bill called Accelerated Learning. State Rep. Harold Dutton has introduced a bill called Accelerated Learning. Texas Tribune

how or another, they hang around until eighth or ninth grade, and then they simply leave. So, I’m trying to make sure that

we target every child so that every child is third grade proficient.”

According to Dutton we have to “change the dynamic so that children are not just treated as seven-year-old, eight-year-old, then 10-year-old, but they’re treated on the basis of where they are educationally.”

COVID put the spotlight on some students’ limited access to the internet with Dutton spouting 350,000 children don’t have access in Texas. His alternative: “Most of the kids have TVs, so why couldn’t we deliver education services via television instead of relying on the computer?”

“What this pandemic has taught us is that we are now limited only by our ability, and not to accept the things we’ve been doing as the way it’s gotta be done,” said Dutton.

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Sports Terrance Harris Jodie B. Jiles

The Defender newspaper is published by the Houston Defender Newspaper Inc. and audited by Alliance for Audited Media (AAM). Only digital subscriptions are available at: www.defendernetwork.com/subscribe No paper subscriptions available. All materials covered by 2020 copyright. No materials herein may be reproduced without the written permission of the Publisher. 713-663-6996 | P.O. Box 8005, Houston, Tx 77288 ©2018 CenterPoint Energy 187119

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April 22, 2021 |

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DN InFocus

A demonstrator holds a sign along a perimeter fence guarded by law enforcement officers during a protest over Sunday’s fatal shooting of Daunte Wright.

DEREK CHAUVIN TRIAL

Verdict gives hope

Associated Press

Relief, even if fleeting and momentary, is a feeling that Black Americans have rarely known in America: From slavery to Jim Crow segregation to enduring punishments for living while Black, a breath of fresh air untainted by oppression has long been hard to come by.

Nonetheless, the conviction of ex-cop Derek Chauvin for murdering George Floyd nearly a year ago allowed many across this city and the nation to exhale pent-up anxiety — and to inhale a sense of hope.

But what might they feel hope for?

The fate of Chauvin — found guilty of murder and manslaughterfor holding a knee to Floyd’s neck, choking off his breathing until he went limp last May — showed Black Americans and their compatriots once again that the legal system is capable of valuing Black lives.

Or at least it can hold one white police officer in Minnesota accountable for what many declared an unambiguous act of murder months ago.

“This may be the beginning of the restoration of believing that a justice system can work,” said civil rights leader Martin Luther King III, echoing a sentiment that many expressed after the verdict.

“But we have to constantly stay on the battlefield in a peaceful and nonviolent way

and make demands,” he said. “This has been going on for years and one case, one verdict, does not change how systematic racism has worked in our system.”

Alexandria De La Cruz, a Minneapolis mother, brought her 7-year-old daughter to the intersection near where Floyd was murdered, now dubbed George Floyd Square.

Along with the hundreds who gathered there — Black, white and otherwise — De La Cruz erupted in cheers after it was announced Chauvin was guilty on all three counts.

“I feel relief that the justice system is working — it’s working today,” De La Cruz said.

Her daughter, Jazelle, sported a hooded sweatshirt that read, “Stop killing Black people.” Perhaps that’s a reminder, her mom said, that there’s still work to do to ensure the feeling of relief isn’t so fleeting this time.

“It’s important to bring her (to the square), so she can see what’s happening to our people, so that she can see what this country really is,” De La Cruz said.

Black Americans have seen similar moments before. In recent years, they followed the convictions of the officers who killed Oscar Grant, Laquan McDonald and Walter Scott. Still, some of these victims’ families continue to press for broader accountability from a policing culture they say has never proved it is meaningfully changed

or reformed after the convictions of police officers.

And even as the Chauvin trial moved into its final days, the Twin Cities region and the nation were rocked by yet another police killing of an unarmed Black man.

This time it was 20-year-old Daunte Wright, in Brooklyn Center, roughly 10 miles north of Minneapolis.

Keith Ellison, Minnesota’s first Black attorney general, said the jury’s decision was a reminder of how difficult it has been to enact enduring change and prevent the kind of upheaval and civil unrest that ignited the nation and the world last summer.

Furthermore, Ellison pointed out, America has known about and largely ignored the root causes of the upheaval and uneasiness in Black communities. More than a half-century ago, the Kerner and McComb commissions empaneled to study racial unrest warned of the dangers of doing just that.

“Here we are in 2021 still addressing the same problem,” Ellison said. “This has to end. We need true justice. That’s not one case. That is a social transformation that says that nobody’s beneath the law, and no one is above it.”

Rashad Robinson, president of Color of Change, an online racial justice group, echoed the attorney general.

“We cannot, every single time, have uprisings to deliver justice nor should we have to be in a conversation about holding police officers accountable when they go around killing us,” Robinson said.

So again, what might Black Americans hope for after the outcome of Chauvin’s trial?

It can’t be about simply getting more police in front of a judge and jury, or about locking more of them up, said Miski Noor, an activist with the Twin Cities-based Black Visions Collective.

“That doesn’t actually stop the murders of Black people,” said Noor. “We’re trying to get into a world where lives are not lost, when Black people actually get to live.”

That’s the hope.

As relieved as Floyd’s family members are by the guilty verdicts, none see this as a bookend to the pursuit for justice. And three other former Minneapolis police officers face trial for the role they played in the case.

Brandon Williams, a nephew of Floyd’s, called the verdicts a “pivotal moment for America.”

“It’s something this country has needed for a long time now,” he said. “We need each and every officer to be held accountable.

And until then, it’s still scary to be a Black man and woman in America encountering police.”

8 | April 22, 2021 |

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DN InFocus FOCUS SOCIAL

GUILTY! ...but is it enough?

ReShonda Tate

Americans across the country breathed a sigh of relief when former Minneapolis Officer Derek Chauvin was convicted of murder and manslaughter for pinning George Floyd to the pavement with his knee in a case that touched off worldwide protests, violence and a furious reexamination of racism and policing in the U.S. Chauvin, 45, could be sent to prison for decades.

The jury of six white people and six Black or multiracial ones came back with its verdict after about 10 hours of deliberations over two days. Chauvin was found guilty on all charges: second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

His face was obscured by a COVID-19 mask, and little reaction could be seen beyond his eyes darting around the courtroom.

His bail was immediately revoked and he was led away with his hands cuffed behind his back.

Painfully earned justice has finally been served.”

Ben Crump Floyd family attorney

George Floyd mattered.”

Keith Ellison Minnesota Attorney General

“This suffering and healing world couldn’t take another not gulity verdit.”

Abbie Huckleby

“I raced home because I didn’t want to listen to the news on the radio.

I wanted to witness seeing this credit. Thank you LORD for the guilty verdict. It was great to see him be cuffed!!!”

“Rare: a white man has been found guilty for killing a black man!”

Moses Woodruff Jr.

“Finally. I can breathe for a second.

Thank God for justice.”

Philonise Floyd, brother of George Floyd, left, and attorney Ben Crump, right, raise their hands in triumph during a news conference after the murder conviction. -AP/John Minchillo

WHAT’S NEXT?

• Sentencing - Chauvin is expected to be sentenced in the next eight weeks.

Each count carries a different maximum sentence: 40 years for second-degree unintentional murder, 25 years for third-degree murder, and 10 years for second-degree manslaughter. But Minnesota has sentencing guidelines that call for far less.

• The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act - The fight continues in Congress

for the first-ever bold, comprehensive approach to hold police accountable, end racial profiling, change the culture of law enforcement, empower our communities, and build trust between law enforcement and our communities by addressing systemic racism and bias to help save lives.

• Rally - Friends, family and supporters will hold a rally on Saturday, April 24 at MacGregor Park in Third Ward.

“This mother of 5 black sons let out a long breath....didn’t even realize I was holding it in....grateful for justice in this case.”

Charity Johnson

“This is monumental!!! I’m not sure what other verdict he was thinking of with that confused look on his face. The Black community has been heard........FINALLY!!!”

Yo Lo

Stacci Hamilton

De West

This gave me relief and a release.”

Philonese Floyd George Floyd brother

I’m in tears; but this moment is bittersweet because George Floyd is still dead and we still have a policing problem. This guilty verdict is a start but there is much work to be done with regard to police reform. The federal government has not outlawed chokeholds, nor do officers have a “duty to intervene.” When police officers no longer have a place to hide when they commit these heinous acts, then we will know justice. Until then, we have work to do.”

Sherrill Jackson-Vaughan

“Even with the guilty verdict, not relaxed, but happy to see the justice system to work for us for once. To see Chauvin taken into custody was unreal.”

Michelle Goodman

LET THE PEOPLE BE HEARD! Readers weigh in on the verdict.

“I’m overjoyed that justice was served.

I also pray that Derek Chavin finds peace within himself for what he has done.

After seeing the look on his face when the verdict was read, I’m convinced he honestly feels he did NOTHING wrong.

He has to make that right with himself and God. I pray that this trial/ verdict/murder would be an example to those that are law officers and feel they are above the law. Justice was served today, just as the world witnessed the tragic death of George Floyd!!!!”

Sharon Williams

“There are no words to express the joy I am feeling right now. However, The fact that America wasn’t sure how this verdict was going to go shows we still have a long way to go.”

Sasha N Brown

“I didn’t know how much I was holding my breath until right now. I have chills!! Thank God!!”

Tanisha Tate

“A temporary sigh of relief... the work continues...”

LaDonna Michele McCann

10 | April 22, 2021 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Health

Half of US adults have received at least one COVID-19 shot Defender News Service

Vaccinated Americans

Half of all adults in the U.S. have received at least one COVID-19 shot, marking another milestone in the nation’s largest-ever vaccination campaign but leaving more work to do to convince skeptical Americans to roll up their sleeves.

All U.S. residents 16 years of age or older are eligible to receive a Covid-19 vaccine starting Monday, April 19, and some states have already opened up eligibility. Information about how to obtain a vaccine in your state can be found on the CDC website.

50.4% 32.5%

Received at least one dose

Fully vaccinated.

*Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

No plans to be vaccinated 36% Republicans 12% Democrats 24% Blacks 22% Hispanics 26% whites

NRG vaccination site.

NRG mass vaccination site no longer requiring appointments Defender News Service

In another sign that vaccine supply is outpacing demand, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo has announced that the county-operated mass vaccination site at NRG Park will no longer require appointments and will instead accept anyone 16 years or older who shows up.

The NRG Park site, which administers the two-shot Pfizer vaccine, was set up by FEMA earlier this year and is among the largest in the country. In the two months since the NRG site opened, Harris County Public Health has administered more than 500,000 doses — more than 20% of vaccines given out in Harris County as a whole, according to Hidalgo.

But as the number of vaccines allocated has increased, the number of people looking to get vaccinated has not kept pace, Hidalgo said.

“Demand hasn’t just caught up with supply,” she said “There is more supply than there is demand.”

People can either drive or walk up to Gate 16A off Main Street, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Tuesday, and between noon and 9 p.m. starting Wednesday, Hidalgo said.

The announcement comes just three days after Harris County opened up 55,000 “on demand” vaccination appointments,

Registered nurse Marife Edquilang, left, administers a dose of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to Anthony Monroe during a vaccination drive at Texas Southern University in Houston. -AP/Brett Coomer

moving away from a priority list and instead instituting a first-come, firstserved approach similar to Houston’s.

Hidalgo has also blamed the gap between supply and demand on “vaccine hesitancy,” and in particular possible community concerns after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

recommended providers pause usage of the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

That recommendation was out of “an abundance of caution” after six people of nearly seven million people developed a rare blood clot disorder — roughly 0.00000088% of all patients.

“Some people only wanted the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, so they’re waiting to

see if the pause will be lifted,” Hidalgo said.

Just about 25% of all eligible Harris County residents have been fully vaccinated, Hidalgo said. Researchers believe anywhere from 75-80% of the community would need to be vaccinated in order to reach herd immunity.

The NRG site was at one point able to consistently vaccinate 6,000-7,000 people a day. Last week, that number dropped by about half, Hidalgo said.

“Over the weekend, and even today, we’re seeing very low numbers that show us we’re leaving vaccines on the table,” Hidalgo said. “We’re leaving this resource unused.”

The Houston Health Department also confirmed it was encouraging its locations to accept walk-ins after a drop in demand, according to department Director Stephen Williams.

“A fair part of it is related to the Johnson & Johnson news, but what we’ve also observed when we’ve gone into the field is that people really want to have the vaccine more convenientely located to them,” Williams said. “When our people have gone door-to-door in certain neighborhoods, and folks found out that the vaccine was available a short drive away, they seemed a little bit more willing to get the shot.”

April 22, 2021 |

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DEFENDER NETWORK

SCHEDULE YOUR COVID-19 VACCINE TODAY

Houston Methodist offers online scheduling for free Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines Houston Methodist has safely administered more than a half-million vaccines. Getting a COVID-19 vaccine means that we are getting closer to returning our lives to normal — back to school, back to work and back to spending time doing the things we love with the people we care about. Here’s why our experts stand behind the COVID-19 vaccine:

EFFECTIVE Current evidence indicates it is up to 95% effective.

TESTED There has been rigorous testing and external review.

TRUSTED Most side effects are minimal, including sore arms, muscle aches, fever.

houstonmethodist.org/vaccine COVID-19 vaccinations are provided free of charge to Texans 16 years of age and older.

SCAN HERE

12 | April 22, 2021 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Business

Wells Fargo commitment benefits Unity Bank Defender News Service

Wells Fargo & Company has announced equity investments in Houston’s Unity National Bank as one of the company’s five newest investments in African American Minority Depository Institutions, or MDIs, as part of its recent pledge to invest up to $50 million in Black-owned banks.

As part of the equity capital investment, Wells Fargo is also offering access to a dedicated relationship team that can work with each MDI on financial, technological, and product development strategies to help each institution strengthen and grow.

“The country’s MDIs are vital to minority communities, but over the last two decades, many have declined or have closed.

The capital investment we are announcing is important, but it’s our relationship approach that will make the difference in their futures. We want to be a partner to these important institutions and, in turn, have a positive effect on local communities,” said William Daley, vice chairman of Public Affairs at Wells Fargo.

Wells Fargo will also be making its nationwide ATM network available for customers of these 11 MDIs to use without incurring fees.

“Guided by our founding principles to promote financial stability and equality for all communities, Citizens Trust Bank is proud to partner with Wells Fargo in expanding these efforts. The partnership enhances our ability to deploy more capital in our markets and beyond. We appreciate Wells Fargo for its commitment and alliance in providing solutions to the very important challenge of addressing inequalities that disproportionately impact communities of color,” said Cynthia N. Day, President and CEO of Citizens Trust Bank.

Wells Fargo’s financial commitments are in the form of critical equity capital, which is foundational to the MDIs’ ability to expand lending and deposit-taking capacity in their communities. The investments, primarily non-voting positions, are designed to enable the banks to maintain their MDI status. Wells Fargo is also supporting each MDI’s development through a banking relationship in the form of a single touchpoint coverage model that will help them access Wells Fargo’s expertise and pursue strategic priorities like entering new markets, expanding locations, designing new products, and hiring staff to support loan growth.

Wells Fargo is making additional moves to honor its 2020 pledge to invest $50 million in Black-owned banks.

BLACK BUSINESS OWNERS

38%

borrowed money from a friend or relative

25%

worked a second job during the crisis

74%

BUSINESSES THAT RECEIVED FUNDING

24% Black

25% Hispanic

48%

white *low credit risk

used their personal funds.

This move complements additional Wells Fargo initiatives, including: • Investing in Greenwood, the digital banking platform for Black and Latino individuals and business owners, as part of Greenwood’s $40 million of Series A funding. Greenwood is partnering with FDIC-insured banks to give customers the ability to spend and save securely and will feature best-in-class online banking

services, innovative ways to support minority-owned banks, and give-back programs focused on Black and Latino causes and businesses.

• Being one of the first banks to sign the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency’s Project REACh MDI Pledge, which encourages banks to develop meaningful partnerships with MDIs to help them remain a vibrant part of the economic landscape and better promote fair, equal, and full access to financial products and services in their communities.

• The company’s Open for Business Fund donates all gross processing fees we received from the Paycheck Protection Program in 2020 — approximately $420 million — to nonprofits helping small businesses navigate the pandemic, with an emphasis on small businesses owned by Black, African American, and other small business owners of color.

• Continuing the Diverse Community Capital program is a $175 million program with Community Development Financial Institutions, or CDFIs, to provide capital and technical assistance for diverse small business owners in the U.S. Approximately 75% of awardees are led by leaders from underrepresented communities. The DCC program has enabled CDFIs to lend

nearly $350 million to Black and African American small business owners across the country since the program launched in 2015, according to Opportunity Finance Network.

• Following a 2017 pledge to create 250,000 Black homeowners by 2027 through lending $60 billion for home purchases, increasing the diversity of the sales team, and supporting homebuyer education and counseling. In the first three years of the commitment, 60,527 African American homeowners have been created with $15.2 billion in financing.

• Donating $5.4 million in grants to 15 legal assistance organizations across the U.S. that work to keep people and families housed through services and advocacy efforts. This first-of-its-kind effort seeks to enable these nonprofit organizations to provide free or low-cost legal representation to people at risk of eviction. These organizations have track records of serving, on average, more than 60% people of color.

• In the 10 years spanning 2009 to 2018, Wells Fargo was the No. 1 financier of home loans to African Americans and originated more mortgages to help Black home buyers purchase homes than the four other largest bank lenders combined.

April 22, 2021 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

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14 | April 22, 2021 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Sports Rockets Jae’Sean Tate had 14 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three blocked shots against Orlando, becoming the first NBA rookie to post those numbers since Dec. 2017.

Texas Southern senior softball outfielder Tavanae Tate went 3-for-3 at the plate and had 3 RBI and scored twice during the Tigers 10-2 win over Grambling State.

PRAIRIE VIEW A&M CORNERBACK

Harris ready for NFL

By Terrance Harris

When Prairie View senior cornerback Jaylen Harris surveys the names of the available defensive backs in the upcoming NFL Draft he knows there are some ahead of him.

But the 5-foot-10, 180 pound Harris likes his chances because he knows few of them have done what he has done or been where he has been. Harris, who chose to forgo his bonus senior year this upcoming fall to pursue his NFL dreams, began his post-high school career at the Air Force Academy, spent three years in professional baseball with the Los Angeles Dodgers organization and has now put in four years on The Hill.

Harris has a bachelor’s degree in psychology, and in a couple of weeks will have a master’s in education, to go along with his top cover skills that make him one of the best cornerbacks in the game.

“I stack myself up right there with the best of them,” Harris said recently. “Taking into account some of my other experiences I had to understand because I can play this game at a high level it doesn’t matter who I’m playing against, I’m looking for the same results every time.

“I’m looking to dominate, I’m looking to perform and it just doesn’t matter what stage or who it’s against.”

Harris, a Preseason All-American and Preseason First-Team All-SWAC honoree, is

Jaylen Harris NFL Draft Diamonds add more cutline.

a lockdown cornerback who has excelled on and off the football field throughout his four seasons with the Panthers. But PV coach Eric Dooley believes it is the things that aren’t in the statistics that set Harris apart.

“The biggest thing I’m pleased with is this young man is going to get his masters at the end of this semester, so I thought he came in and did a good job,” Dooley said. “He showed the young men the things they are supposed to do on and off the football field.

“He brings a lot of leadership and he has a great work ethic. Everything that he does, he does a great job at it.”

In this abbreviated spring season, Harris doesn’t have numbers that jump off the page with just one interception, 10 tackles and two pass breakups to his credit in the three games the Panthers (2-1) were able to get in. But his lack of numbers may actually be more impressive.

He doesn’t get to put up more numbers because most offensive coordinators and quarterbacks know better than to throw in Harris’ direction much.

“I’m pretty sure he is upset because they don’t come to that side anymore,” Dooley said. “That’s what you like.

When you aren’t getting passes thrown your way that means you are doing something great.

“But he makes plays. He understands the defense in its entirety and

he understands football. He is a smart football player.”

Harris had a difficult decision to make after concerns about COVID-19 forced the SWAC to postpone its 2019 fall season until this spring. He could have allowed his three years with the Panthers stand and start preparing for the NFL Draft with the other top prospects.

Instead, Harris decided to play this spring in hopes of creating more positive game tape for NFL scouts to see. The pandemic, however, threw somewhat of a curveball into those plans with the Panthers having missed nearly a month of action due to COVID-19 stoppage and will have played just four of the six games scheduled as a result.

Harris, who did get to participate in the recent HBCU Combine in Birmingham, doesn’t have any regrets about giving up valuable NFL Draft preparation time to play with his teammates.

“Right now, you’ve just got to go out there and give it the best that you have and just hope that they understand the situation.

You’ve been playing, you didn’t get to go train so this is not quite your best self,” said Harris, who recorded four interceptions and 14 pass breakups in 2019. “That’s all you can really hope for.

“Whoever really appreciates your talent enough to give you an opportunity, I believe they will. I believe they take into account all of the other things like the film and all the other stuff. They will hopefully come to the conclusion that they want to draft me.”

Sports Briefs Texans GM says little about Watson Texans general manager Nick Caserio used a lot of words when asked to discuss quarterback Deshaun Watson’s status with Deshaun the team, current Watson legal issues, what the acquisition Tyrod Taylor means and what could happen with by the draft, but it all just amounted to a big “No comment!”

WNBA tabs Collier, Richards Two area players were selected in the WNBA Draft last week.

University of Texas center and former Barbers Hill standout Charli Charli Collier went Collier No.1 to the Dallas Wings and Baylor defensive standout and Cy Ranch product DiDi Richards went in the second Didi round (17th overall) to Richards the New York Liberty.

TSU’s Jones, Weathers honored After an impressive NCAA Tournament run, Texas Southern coach Johnny Jones and guard Michael Weathers both shared Michael the HBCU All-Star’s Weathers highest honors. Jones was named Co-Coach of the Year with Norfolk’s Robert Jones and Weathers was named CoPlayer of the Year.

Bo Porter Academy opening The public is invited to come out for Saturday’s grand opening of the Bo Porter’s Future AllStars Development Michael Academy at 15122 Weathers Highway 6, Rosharon, Tex. 77853. The event goes from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and attendees can tour the facility, can take part in clinics and enjoy music via a live DJ, food and door prizes. It’s free and open to the public. RSVP at bo@porterfasb.com.

April 22, 2021 |

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DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Sports BELLAIRE INFIELDER

CHRIS JACINTO

CAN HIT

By: Jodie B. Jiles

Bellaire baseball has been on a roll this season with a 22-4-1 overall record reflecting the Cardinals perfect 11-0 at home and 9-0 in district play.

And Bellaire junior middle infielder Chris Jacinto is the humble giant who has a swing that finds a way to make plays when needed.

In a 2-0 victory against Westside High School, Jacinto made the plays necessary to win the game with his bat, driving in a run and scoring the team’s only other run after being walked.

When Bellaire head coach Nick Ozuna was asked what Jacinto brings to the roster, coach Ozuna stated, “Chris is very capable of coming up with a big hit and might be leading our team lineup in hits.”

“We are expecting big things from him the rest of the way and going forward. He’s a great kid, great student and the ultimate team player,” Ozuna concluded.

The Defender spoke with Jacinto after Bellaire defeated Westside to discuss his style of play, batting approach and more.

ABOUT CHRIS JACINTO

Twitter: @cjacinto2022 Favorite Baseball Players: Austin Martin (Toronto Blue Jays) and Nolan Arenado (St. Louis Cardinals) Favorite Musicians: Gunna and Lil Uzi Vert Favorite Subject: Math Shoutouts: “My boy, pitcher Aiden Reichek, who had a one-hitter that was almost a no-hitter game.

Great performance by him.”

STYLE OF PLAY

“I make a lot of contact at the plate and I have quick hands in the infield.”

APPROACH

“My approach is kind of looking middle-away, and reacting to inside pitches.”

PLAYOFF PUSH

“We have to keep working hard in practice, keep the same energy in the dugout and continue to stay focused.”

Jacinto swings in an RBI in a 2-0 win against Westside

16 | April 22, 2021 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Entertainment

Bun B showcases southern rap New radio show debuting on Sirius

Defender News Service

The charismatic, larger-than-life pride of Houston and UGK legend Bun B is joining the LL Cool J-founded Rock The Bells Radio station. The station elevates timeless hip-hop culture and features important history and commentary from hip-hop greats and lesser known voices across the industry.

The unofficial mayor of Houston has achieved titan status, working with superstars such as Beyoncé and Jay Z, making appearances on national TV, and even guest lecturing at Rice University.

But now, the hip-hop statesman wants to give back — something intrinsically part of his value system, as evidenced by his work during the George Floyd rallies and recent storms.

Bun B’s new show, titled “The 2 Trill Show,” will air Wednesdays on Sirius Radio and will feature stories and interviews rooted in the Southern music scene.

According to Rock The Bells, fans can look forward to “the best southern HipHop, guest interviews, and everything that encompasses living that southern lifestyle.”

The 2 Trill Show runs Wednesdays; shows re-air during the week.

Bun B said that the show is a “natural evolution” of his career. Expect candid, raw, and real talk with his wife Queenie, his sidekick, and special weekly guests — and of course, the best of southern Hip-Hop. “I want to open my doors up to the OGs from the South, let them come in and we honor them, give them a platform,” Bun B said in a statement. “This is not really about me. I want to celebrate us. And I feel Rock The Bells is the perfect place to make that happen.”

“I’m excited because this allows me

the opportunity to create a hub for everyone that appreciates all of this classic southern Hip-Hop music that we have to offer,” Bun added. “I also understand that, if you’re not necessarily from the South, there are a lot of very small, regional groups who maybe didn’t get a big push to make a name for themselves on a national scale.”

Bun B also noted that, “if you’re not necessarily from the South, there are a lot of very small, regional groups who maybe didn’t get a big push to make a name for themselves on a national scale, but in their areas, were very big deals, musically. In certain situations, they [may have] outsold bigger artists, locally. And they are very respected in their regions and had a great track record and toured around the South, but maybe never cracked on the East Coast or the West Coast or whatever.”

While Bun B pitched the idea for the show and ultimately agreed to host, he acknowledges that the potential for growth is “huge.” Get onboard now, fans — it’s just a matter of time before Bun brings Southern Trill to the world.

Associated Press