Houston Defender: May 20, 2021.

George Floyd: One year later UPDATE ON EVENTS, LEGISLATION

NEWS

CURTIS ‘50 CENT’ JACKSON The rap mogul donated $300k to HISD to start an entrepreneurship program at Wheatley, Kashmere and Worthing.

Volume 90, issue 29 May 20, 2021

facebook.com/defendernetwork twitter.com/defendernetwork

ENTERTAINMENT

TARAJI P. HENSON The actress and mental health advocate launches a campaign to help Black students combat racial bias.

instagram.com/defendernetwork defendernetwork.com

FREE

2 | May 20, 2021 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN To the POINT

Teachers will be forced to protect themselves after Gov. Greg Abbott ruled students no longer have to wear masks after June 5. Getty Images

Message from the Managing Editor 50 taking Houston by storm

Most of us know that when rapper 50 Cent does something – he does it BIG! So, of course, he fits right in here in Houston.

No one knows the real reason the rapper moved to the Bayou City (or at least they’re not telling us), but he’s already making his mark. After creating a social media meme frenzy (where people photoshopped his picture onto Houston businesses and landmarks), 50 saddled up at the Rodeo, winning the Reserve Grand Champion Best of Show in the 2021 Rodeo Uncorked! International Wine Competition. Now, the rapper is giving back to his new community by launching a new afterschool business program for students at Wheatley, Kashmere and Worthing. On behalf of his organization G-Unity Foundation, Fiddy dropped a $300K donation as a way to launch what he’s officially calling The G-Unity Business Lab in order to teach all things entrepreneurship to students. The business program is partnered with HISD, who actually matched his $300K donation to total a whopping $600,000. Big ups to 50 Cents.

Abbott for the fail

Y’all’s governor is power trippin’ (But

then, what else is new?

White lies matter First, we had to be one Republican House of the first states to open, Minority Leader Kevin now Gov. Greg Abbott McCarthy is against a has issued an executive 9/11-style commission order making it illegal into the events that led to for schools and governthe Jan. 6 terrorist attack mental entities to imon the Capitol because plement mask mandates. he doesn’t want to upset Children are becoming a his base. Republicans more vulnerable populaand their revisionist hisReShonda Tate tion. In fact, the Amertory are trying to say Jan. ican Pediatric Society 6 was nothing more than said the number of kids catching COVID a pep rally of patriots. McCarthy, Mitch rose from 13 percent to 22 percent in McConnell and other ReTrumplicans April. But yeah, let’s not make them wear oppose a bipartisan independent commasks and put teachers and other stu- mission, to investigate the circumstancdents at risk. I know Abbott’s pandering es behind supporters of then-President to his base, but here’s the problem with Donald Trump breaching the Capitol to that order, especially when it comes to try to stop Congress from certifying the adults going out and about. Those mask Electoral College vote for President Joe haters, who think they’re some sort of Biden. Mind you, the day after the inFreedom Riders, will take their contam- surrection, both McCarthy and McCoinated selves into the grocery store, or nnell blasted Trump, but then they realthe restaurant and essential workers will ized they could get further politically by be affected. And since Black and brown licking Trump’s bootstraps, so now, they folks disproportionately work in those don’t want a Jan. 6 investigation. Instead, fields, guess who will be hit hardest? they want an investigation of Black Lives AGAIN. But then, Black and brown folks Matter and Antififa. Because, you know, aren’t Abbott’s base, so…. white lies matter….

Naomi’s a mom

Finally, in news that makes my 50-yearold womb hurt….Supermodel Naomi Campbell is a mom! She announced the news via Twitter. The 51-year-old firsttime mom has been active online, as her webseries, No Filter with Naomi continues to grow its audience. She’ll take time to enjoy her baby girl. Better you than me….I mean, Congrats, Naomi! Seriously, we’re super happy for Naomi and baby.

In this week’s paper

• The pandemic has affected us all. Find out how high school seniors are coping.

• Our spotlight this week focuses on Nadiya Blair...this is a young woman who is making her mark.

• Sports reporter Terrance Harris looks at the Rockets losing season.

On the web

• Fort Bend Judge Joel Clouser is hanging up his gavel.

• Dem. Harold Dutton speaks on why he’s shaking up the legislature with controversial moves.

• Desperate for workers, businesses raise pay.

SIGN UP FOR THE DEFENDER TOP 5 NEWSLETTER: MONDAY - SATURDAY DEFENDERNETWORK.COM/SUBSCRIBE/

May 20, 2021 |

| 3

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN News 5th Ward, Kashmere Gardens residents file contamination lawsuits

By ReShonda Tate

Residents of 5th Ward and Kashmere Gardens gathered recently for a town hall meeting to discuss questions and lawsuits related to contamination concerns in their neighborhood.

Dozens of people have filed lawsuits against Union Pacific Railroad, accusing the company of contaminating air, soil and water with toxic chemicals including creosote, a wood preservative that was used for railroad ties.

“We want to clean it up and get our clients compensated,” said Jason Gibson, an attorney for the plaintiffs. “If this were River Oaks, this would’ve long ago been taken care of.”

A 2019 report from the state found higher rates of certain cancers in the area but did not name a cause. Over the past two years, state officials have conducted health investigations in the neighborhoods. A report, released last month, identified another cancer cluster of lymphoblastic leukemia in children after analyzing data from 2000-2016 within a two-mile radius of the facility, which is now owned by Union Pacific Railroad.

In one census tract that includes the railyard, this cancer was nearly five times the baseline rate.

“This was like a brick fell on my head,” said Sandra Edwards, who is president of the community group IMPACT. “Even though we kind of suspected it, we wasn’t expecting it to be as bad as it was.”

Previous reports have confirmed higher rates of acute myeloid leukemia, esophagus, larynx, liver, lung and bronchus cancers in adults.

For many residents, it seems obvious that poor health in the community is driven by the contamination. Multiple regulatory agencies recognize creosote as a probable carcinogen.

However, state investigations have determined proving the

Jason Gibson speaks to residents of 5th Ward.

cause of such high cancer rates is not feasible due to limited data.

Residents are demanding accountability from Union Pacific. They’ve asked to be relocated, for their health care costs to be paid and for the area to be declared a Superfund

site by state and federal environmental agencies.

“We don’t know what’s next, but we know what we want,” Edwards said. “They need to do something. We are tired of being sick and tired over here.”

“It was always a smell. I remember being sick alot. My son was sick a lot. My dad had heart disease. My mom died four years ago from breast cancer, her sister, who also lived in that house, also died of breast cancer, even though nobody in my family ever had breast cancer. My brother died last year.

Something isn’t adding up so I came here to see if I can get some answers,” said Carol Towner,56, who grew up across the street from the railroad tracks.

Gibson said they were there to give resident like Towner answers.

“We have a lot of clients that want an update, and so we wanted to do that in person,” Gibson said about the town hall meeting. “We haven’t done that in a long time because of COVID.” Gibson shared a letter addressed to a resident last month noting concentrations of arsenic in the groundwater, though the letter stated residents get their drinking water from the city.

“Union Pacific is lulling people into a false sense of security and safety by sending residents a notice that says, ‘Hey, you’ve got arsenic levels in your groundwater, but you’re safe because you’re drinking the city of Houston water and you’re not drinking the groundwater,’” Gibson said. “That’s just completely misleading because the mechanism of exposure for this chemical is through the ground, up to the surface where the heat turns it into a gas.”

Gibson said the lawsuits are currently pending in court. At the town hall meeting, more residents signed up.

50 Cent makes big donation to HISD Entertainment Icon and newest Houston resident, Curtis 50 Cent Jackson, has partnered with Houston ISD to donate a match with the school district, totaling $600,000.00 to launch a new entrepreneurship program for high school students.

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, joined with the rapper, Mayor Turner, HISD Interim Superintendent Dr. Grenita Lathan, Councilman Edward

Pollard and Horizon United Group for the announcement. The first three schools to have the program are Wheatley, Kashmere, and Worthing, three HISD high schools that have historically underperformed academically.

The program will also offer students paid internships and opportunities to connect with business leaders and 50 Cent himself, according to the district.

Pamela Turner supporters call for Baytown police officer to be fired Defender News Service

More than 100 people rallied in Baytown on May 13, 2021, to demand the firing of police officer Juan Delacruz. Delacruz has been indicted in the shooting death of Pamela Turner, and is on paid administrative duty with the Baytown Police Department.

Turner, a Black woman, was shot and killed on May 13, 2019, during what her family’s attorney said was a mental health crisis outside the Brixton Apartments in Baytown, where she lived. She was shot five times by Delacruz, who was off duty working as apartment security, according to court documents.

Turner family attorney Ben Crump, who called

Delacruz a “coward,” said the officer’s actions spoke to a general disregard for Black women in America.

“Two years ago Pam Turner was disrespected in a way that no human being should be disrespected,” Crump said. “Malcolm X said that the most disrespected and most unprotected and the most neglected person in America is the Black woman.

Well today we declare we will not let them disrespect Pam Turner. We will not let them neglect Pam Turner. We will not let them sweep Pam Turner’s life under the rug.”

A Harris County grand jury indicted Delacruz last year for aggravated assault by a public servant.

He faces five years to life in prison.

Pamela Turner supporters gather to call for the Baytown officer’s firing.

4 | May 20, 2021 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN News

Rep. Val Demings Will Challenge Marco Rubio for his Florida Senate Seat in 2022.

ANDREW BROWN JR.:

Prosecutor says shooting justified Associated Press

actions and conduct were indeed danA North Carolina prosecutor said gerous by the time of the shooting. ... sheriff ’s deputies were justified in Brown posed an immediate threat to fatally shooting Andrew Brown Jr. the safety of the officers and others.” because he ignored their commands The prosecutor would not release and endangered at least two of them bodycam video of the confrontation when he drove his car toward them. between Brown and the law enforceDistrict Attorney Andrew Womble ment officers, but he played portions said at a news conference that Brown of the video during the news conused his car as a “deadly weapon,” ference that multiple news outlets causing Pasquotank County depubroadcast live. ties to believe it was necessary to use The shooting on April 21 sparked deadly force. Womble, who acknowlprotests over multiple weeks by edged Brown wasn’t armed with guns demonstrators calling for the pubor other weapons, said the deputies lic release of the body camera video. will face no criminal charges.

While authorities have shown footage Andrew Brown Jr. Attorneys for Brown’s family who to Brown’s family, a judge refused to watched body camera footage have release the video publicly pending a previously said that he was trying to drive away from probe by the State Bureau of Investigation. Womble made deputies and posed no threat. Family attorney Harry his determination to not charge any of the officers after Daniels said that the family was preparing a response to reviewing the bureau’s report.

Womble’s announcement.

The three deputies involved in the shooting — InvesDuring his news conference, Womble said a deputy tigator Daniel Meads, Deputy Robert Morgan and Cpl. who tried to open Brown’s car door wound up partly Aaron Lewellyn — have been on leave since it happened. on the hood as Brown backed up, and the deputy found The sheriff ’s office said Morgan is Black, while Meads and himself directly in the car’s path moments later when Lewellyn are white. Four other deputies who were at the Brown drove forward. Womble said the deputy had to scene were reinstated after the sheriff said they didn’t push off the car with his hand to narrowly avoid being fire their weapons. run over, and at least one of the other deputies was also An independent autopsy released by the family found endangered as the group tried to take Brown into custody that Brown was hit by bullets five times, including once on drug-related warrants. in the back of the head. Lawyers for Brown’s family who “I find that the facts of this case clearly illustrate the watched body camera footage say that it shows Brown officers who used deadly force on Andrew Brown Jr. did was not armed and that he didn’t drive toward deputies so reasonably and only when a violent felon used a deadly or pose a threat to them. weapon to put their lives in danger,” Womble said, referSeparately, the FBI has launched a civil rights probe ring to Brown’s car. He added that he found that “Brown’s of the shooting.

BODYCAM VIDEO RELEASED

Family demands justice in killing of Jamal Sutherland

President Joe Biden signs the American Rescue Plan. Andrew Harnik

Child tax credit payments begin in July Associated Press

Thirty-nine million families are set to receive monthly child payments beginning on July 15. The payments are part of President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package, which expanded the child tax credit for one year and made it possible to pre-pay the benefits on a monthly basis. Nearly 88% of children are set to receive the benefits without their parents needing to take any additional action.

QUALIFIED “This tax cut sends a clear and FAMILIES powerful message to American workers, working families with children: Help is here,” Biden said per month, in remarks at the White House.

Kids under 6 The child tax credit was previously capped at $2,000 and only paid out to families with income per month, tax obligations after they filed with Kids 6-17 the IRS. The benefits total $3,600 annually for children under 6 and $3,000 ELIGIBLE for those who are older. The IRS will FAMILIES determine eligibility based on the 2019 and 2020 tax years, but peo- Couples earning ple will also be able to update their status through an online portal. The or less administration is also setting up another online portal for non-filers who might be eligible for the child tax credit.

The president has proposed an extension of the increased child tax credit through 2025 as part of his $1.8 trillion families plan. Outside analysts estimate that the payments could essentially halve child poverty. The expanded credits could cost roughly $100 billion a year.

$300 $250

$150k

Defender News Service

The South Carolina family of Jamal SutherSutherland experienced. land are calling for justice and said what hap“Jamal did everything right. The family pened to their son on the morning of Jan. 5 did everything right,” family attorney, Mark was murder. The pleas came recently after the Peper said.

Charleston County Sheriff ’s Office released Sutherland was later arrested by North video footage that showed what happened to Charleston police. When police responded Sutherland, 31, inside the Al Cannon Detento the scene, that is when Sutherland became tion Center. agitated, Peper said.

The family confirmed they first saw the jail “Jamal did exactly what he’d been taught to footage on Wednesday, May 5 — exactly four do: The right thing. He intervened. He tried months after Sutherland died. to help, and given the confusion, is alleged Jamal Sutherland Sutherland died at approximately 10:30 a.m. to have committed a misdemeanor offense of on Jan. 5, after he was due in bond court that simple assault on an nurse staff member at morning after he was accused of getting into a fight the day Palmetto,” Peper said. before at a mental health facility where he was admitted for By the next day, Sutherland would be pronounced dead. treatment.

In the video released by law enforcement, an officer said The Sutherland family attorney said what happened they shocked Sutherland with stun guns between six and inside the jail does not tell the whole story of the injustice eight times.

VOLUME 90 - NUMBER 29 - MAY 20, 2021 Publisher | CEO Sonceria Messiah-Jiles

Managing Editor ReShonda Tate

Strategic Alllance Clyde Jiles

Associate Editor Aswad Walker

Creative Director Michael Grant

Sports Terrance Harris Jodie B. Jiles

Photographers Ray Carrington III Jimmie Aggison

The Defender newspaper is published by the Houston Defender Newspaper Inc. and audited by Alliance for Audited Media (AAM).

Only digital subscriptions are available at: www.defendernetwork. com/subscribe No paper subscriptions available. All materials covered by 2020 copyright. No materials herein may be reproduced without the written permission of the Publisher. 713-663-6996 | P.O. Box 8005, Houston, Tx 77288

May 20, 2021 |

| 5

DEFENDER NETWORK

Break free from the Big Three.

Unlimited for $30/mo. per line when you get 4 lines.

Switch to Xfinity Mobile and get the best price for Unlimited. You’ll be connected to the fastest, most reliable network, with 5G included at no extra cost. Plus, you can save hundreds on your wireless bill. See how much you can save at xfinitymobile.com/mysavings or visit an Xfinity Store to learn how our Switch Squad makes it easy to switch and save hundreds.

1.800.xfinity

xfinitymobile.com

xfinity store

Savings compared to weighted average of top three carriers based on optimized pricing. Xfinity Internet required. Reduced speeds after 20 GB of usage per line. Prices may vary and are subject to change. “Most reliable” based on RootMetrics US Report. Results vary. Not an endorsement. NPA235731-0012

140353_NPA235731-0012 Break Free 9.75x13 HoustonDefender.indd 1

5/4/21 3:51 PM

6 | May 20, 2021 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Feature THE GEORGE FLOYD ACT

‘Qualified Immunity’ fails in Texas legislature Defender News Service

Rowena Jesse, 62, touches a mural of George Floyd in Houston’s Third Ward.

ONE YEAR MARKER

Houston honors anniversary of George Floyd’s death

By Aswad Walker

With Tues., May 25 representing the one-year marker of George Floyd’s murder, there are several social justice and community service events schedule across the country.

For instance, the “Peaceful Rally & March in Inaugural Remembrance of George Floyd on Sun. May 23 in Minneapolis, MN, organized by Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network will feature Bridgett Floyd, founder of the George Floyd Memorial Foundation and “take stock of what has changed since George Floyd’s passing.

Closer to home, there have already been two such events: the retouching of the George Floyd BLM Street Mural (May 8) sponsored by the Jack Yates Alumni Association and the George Floyd / Harold Preston Stop the Violence Community March (May 15) organized by NAACP Houston Branch and HPD. Several upcoming Houston events seeking to honor Floyd will be taking place within the next 10 days. Here is a list of those events known to the Defender at press time: 2ND ANNUAL GEORGE FLOYD WALK Sat., May 22, 8am – 10am From MacGregor Park (5225 Calhoun Rd., 77021) to Jack Yates High School (3650 Alabama, 77004) Organizer: Brothers of JY COMMUNITY CLEAN-UP IN HONOR OF GEORGE FLOYD Sat., May 22, 8am – 10am MacGregor Park, 5225 Calhoun Rd., 77021

Organizer: Harris County Commissioner’s Office Precinct One Contact: Lawrence Battle @ Lawrence.batle@cp1. hctx.net or 713.741.1096 or 832.378.0834 PARK DEDICATION REMEMBERING GEORGE FLOYD & OTHERS Sun., May 23, 6pm 3800 Alabama @ Napoleon, 77004 Organizer: J Stone & GH Stone, Miss Jack Yates 1952 HONORING THE LIFE OF GEORGE FLOYD Tues., May 25, 5pm 3260 Truxillo, 77004 Organizer: Veronica DeBoast & Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, Honorary Chair GEORGE PERRY FLOYD JR. COMMUNITY ATHLETIC FIELD GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY Fri., May 28, 3pm Jack Yates HS Football Field, 3650 Alabama, 77004 Organizers: Houston Texans, Houston Society for Change, 88 C.H.U.M.P, HC Commissioner Rodney Ellis, Jack Yates National Alumni Association GEORGE FLOYD COMMEMORATIVE CONCERT Sun., May 30, 6pm Fountain of Praise, 13950 Hillcroft, 77085 Organizer: George Floyd Foundation

Nearly one year after the killing of George Floyd, a bill in the Texas Legislature commemorating him now survives in pieces. But a core piece of the George Floyd Act — limiting qualified immunity for police — is effectively done.

State Rep. Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston, is the author of the original George Floyd Act, officially designated House Bill 88. That bill missed a key deadline last week when it failed to pass out of the House Homeland Security and Public Safety Committee.

Senfronia Thompson All House bills that missed that deadline for passing out of committee are dead for the session.

Thompson did, however, break up the George Floyd Act into three pieces: House Bill 829 - provides for a disciplinary matrix to govern police misconduct.

House Bill 830 - bars arrests for misdemeanor traffic stops – which originated as part of what became the 2017 Sandra Bland Act. House Bill 834 - would require corroboration for the testimony of undercover officers in drug cases.

“I want to have the same privilege that so many of you in this room take for granted,” Thompson said on the House floor. “Many of you don’t have to worry about your sons being stopped by the police and making sure that their hands are on the steering wheel or being mistreated because of the color of their skin. I call my sons, who are adults, every night just to make sure that they have gotten home and not gotten killed because they are Black.”

All three of those successor bills have passed the House, but have yet to be assigned to committees in the Senate. None address qualified immunity.

The purpose of qualified immunity is to protect law enforcement from frivolous lawsuits, said Eddy Carder, assistant professor of constitutional law at Prairie View A&M University. But they’ve also shielded those who abuse power, he added.

Carder said that as long as the Texas Senate remains as conservative as it does, qualified immunity is not likely to be struck down or altered in any significant way.

“The direction of the effort to address the issue of qualified immunity may move toward holding the police department or the employer or the city responsible for the actions of its employee,” he said.

May 20, 2021 |

| 7

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Spotlight

Nadiya Blair takes on the world Howard grad offers college advice

By ReShonda Tate

When Nadiya Blair’s high school offered a dual credit program with San Jacinto College, she jumped at the chance to get an associate’s degree at the same time as her high school diploma. That accomplishment allowed her to enter Howard University as a junior.

Now, two years later, Blair has graduated Summa Cum Laude from Howard and is preparing to return to Houston to open her own business.

It’s quite a feat for a woman who hasn’t even reached her 19th birthday. Here she shares how she did it during the pandemic, how she graduated debt-free and tips for parents and students.

Nadiya Blair

Defender: You recently graduated with honors from Howard, the last year stifled by the pandemic. How did you manage?

Nadiya Blair: That was extremely difficult, not

having the resources and the support system that I normally have on campus. So I’m blessed that my family was so supportive. I produced a 40-page thesis and cried the whole time I was working.

But I was passionate about my topic (Tools that administrators used in schools to keep Black girls out of school, like suspension, expulsions, anything that keeps Black girls from being educated, the same amount as their peers). For so many people, we’ve suffered so many losses during the pandemic and it’s almost like you don’t have time to mourn. That can be very emotionally draining.

And I don’t even just mean loss of people in your life, but loss of dreams, goals, graduation, things that we’ve been looking forward to for years. It really gets down on you. So I think that was the hardest part, making sure that I kept my head up.

For the class of 2020 and 2021, especially those who gave up their high school years, it’s really important to not dismiss their feelings. This is a goodbye that almost everyone is given, that gives closure and these classes didn’t get that. Lack of closure hurts. And people need to understand that those feelings are valid.

Defender: You’re graduating debt free.

How did you manage that?

Blair: I didn’t get a full ride from Howard.

They covered tuition, but that’s it. I was blessed to have a bunch of small scholarships. I never had to worry about a job. My number one tip is don’t snub your nose at small scholarships. I spent a lot of time going after $100, $300, $500 scholarships because they add up. Everybody wants to apply for the big 10, 50 grand. Those scholarships are fantastic, but it’s easier to get the smaller ones.

Take a weekend and just dedicate time to applying for as many small scholarships as possible. You may not get them all. But if you keep persevering, it will work.

Defender: Where does this dedication and motivation you display come from?

Blair: I definitely give credit to my Creator. But

also my parents are just exceptional people. The amount of love my parents have poured into me was awesome. They weren’t helicopter parents.

But they did encourage me and were extremely supportive, but they didn’t force me to do anything. They took the approach, ‘If you get a bad grade, that’s on you and you can’t do the things you want in life with bad grades.’ That onus just made me want to do well.

Defender: What’s next for you?

Blair: I’m currently running a franchise for my

own vector marketing business. I’m really excited about that because my bosses have trusted me to run a franchise for quarter of a billion dollar company at 18. It’s the coolest thing ever. But first, I’m taking a year off. (And I think parents need to understand it’s okay to do that). I just want to take a year to just recuperate and really want to get back into community service. So I’m going to be pursuing the Presidential Lifetime Service award. I already have two President’s Volunteer Service awards, but I want the lifetime, which is 2,000 community service hours. I’m learning how to play the guitar. Spending time with family. I’m trying to get better at Spanish. Just little things like that. But the goal is to go to graduate school and pursue a master’s in public policy, social work or business administration with a focus in nonprofit management because my end and lifetime goal is have a nonprofit that increases college readiness and professional development opportunities for incarcerated youth in foster care and other marginalized youth.

More words of advice for the Class of 2021 Nadiya (c) with her parents, Jetola and Trevor Blair at her high school graduation in 2019.

DEFENDERNETWORK.COM

8 | May 20, 2021 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

| 9

DN InFocus FOCUS SOCIAL COVID-19 AND THE CLASS OF 2021

How the pandemic impacted their high school senior

By Aswad Walker

Though more and more Americans are getting vaccinated to guard against COVID19, the pandemic rages on, even rising in some places. Moreover, its impact is still being felt daily by individuals of all ages.

For high school seniors, the pandemic has flavored every aspect of their school year since day one, making them, for better or worse, the “Class of COVID.” The Defender spoke with Dua Rashid and Anana Walker, Lamar High School students who chose to do their senior year virtually, and Marshall Reynolds who experienced in-person classes at Willowridge.

These three soon-to-be high school graduates and fall 2021 college freshmen shared their takes on the challenging 2020-21 school year.

BIGGEST CHALLENGES MARSHALL: One of the biggest challenges has to be having multiple transitions of kids that came from virtual to face-to-face. It became more of a stretch with following the safety precautions. Because not everyone was going to wear their mask and sanitize their hands and do what was said.

Snapchat or whatever, but it’s not the same as seeing the person face-to-face. When you’re at home and you’re doing the same exact thing every single day, time just kind of blends in. A couple months into quarantine, honestly, I couldn’t even tell you what the date was.

STRESSFUL YEAR, YES OR NO? MARSHALL: Personally, it’s been a pretty stressful year, alongside with some good things that happened. This whole COVID situation has really taken a toll.

ANANA: In the beginning, I

was okay with staying home and quarantining because I’m a homebody. I don’t really like to go out. But then things just started to progress. I was stressed and I’m wanting to get out, but it was really hard Anana Walker because there were people outside who didn’t follow the mask mandate. That really stressed me out as well.

DUA: Very stressed, if I’m being honest.

At the beginning of the pandemic, there were talks of, “If people wear their masks and follow the proper protocols and DUA: The greatest Marshall Reynolds precautions, the pandemic would be challenge that I faced done by summer.” As the months went was just isolation in general. When you’re by, you saw the statistics skyrocket. People younger, you’re connected with so many were dying left and right. Not many safety social groups. Being away from all of that precautions were being taken seriously… is very difficult. Of course, you can text, And then when Gov. Abbott passed the bill

of, “Oh, you don’t have to wear a mask,” it got even worse.

BEST MOMENTS ANANA: Something that was really cool, that was set up by our school and the PTO was a senior movie night. We all got to hang out on the football field with our Lamar towels and watch a movie. Another thing it hasn’t happened yet; it’s going to happen later in May, is our LHS Fest. Instead of having a prom we’re doing “Formals and Flip-Flops” where all the seniors can hang out, listen to music and eat food. So, that should be really fun.

DUA: I really impressed myself with my

PROM

I was on the prom court. Even though I didn’t win I was just excited to be on the court and being nominated. But overall, the night was fun. The after-parties, the prom itself and the dinner before it.”

A huge part of the senior experience impacted by COVID was prom season, with some schools cancelling the event, some holding traditional proms and others offering their students an alternative event.

For example, Reagan Peppers and Taylor Garrett, Ridge Point High School seniors, attended a seniors-only alternative prom called “Morp,” (“prom” spelled backwards) held outside. Lamar High School will offer its students an outside “prom” called “Formals & Flip-Flops.”

Tompkins High School senior Dru Polidore experienced his school’s traditional prom, though with very limited participants.

Texas Tech-bound Taylor Garrett

Taylor Garrett

And obviously it has. But just getting that acceptance letter, it made me realize that all this hard work is starting to pay off.

I’m going somewhere in life.

Reagan Peppers

DID YOU MISS THE FULL SENIOR EXPERIENCE? DUA: Senior year is all about just the sense of community. Having that taken away your last year is very tough. It strains a lot of relationships

A lot of kids were stripped of their proms last year. I’m just thankful for the opportunity to create lifelong memories with friends.”

ANANA: I think a lot of our relation-

ships have been strained and I think that’s one of the things I regret; not putting in more work to reconnect with these people and just continue to have a strong bond with them.

ability adapt. Stephen Hawking once said that “Intelligence is the ability to adapt to a situation.” I feel like every student and teacher that was taught in virtual school and learned, whether virtual or in-person, there was a huge shift from what we felt last year. So, just adapting to Dua Rashid the circumstances and just trying to make sense of the situation. I think that was the best part, because I learned a lot about myself and about my ability and just how strong we are as students.

LESSONS LEARNED MARSHALL: Never settle for less.

You’ve always gotta push forward no matter how hard it gets and soon you’ll see how all that work you’ve done paid off.

MARSHALL: One of my best and most

DUA: I learned the act of resilience and

memorable moments from this year is when I received my first acceptance letter from a school. Before senior year started, I felt that it was going to be a tough and bumpy road.

THE PANDEMIC

ANANA: There’s always something to look

forward to, to work towards. Once you meet one goal, there’s like a hundred more you can reach.

Air Force Academy-bound Dru Polidore

LSU-bound Reagan Peppers

never giving up. I know that sounds very cheesy, but it’s been so tough to navigate through a pandemic and you just have to adapt to a situation and just go with it.

Visit DefenderNetwork.com to read full article and hear how COVID impacted these students personally, what they’ll miss most about high school and more.

I won’t lie, I was kind of on the fence of if I wanted to go or not, because the whole name “Morp” was kind of throwing me off because we weren’t getting to call it prom. But I’m glad that I went for sure, because I’m an online student… So, “Morp” was more like a reunion for me.”

Dru Polidore and prom date Karmen Kelley

Visit DefenderNetwork.com to see the full interviews with Reagan & Taylor, and their mothers Alisa Peppers and Michelle Garrett.

10 | May 20, 2021 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Health DR. ANTHONY FAUCI

PANDEMIC EXPOSES ‘UNDENIABLE RACISM’

Associated Press

The immunologist who leads the COVID-19 response in the United States said that “the undeniable effects of racism” have led to unacceptable health disparities that especially hurt African Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans during the pandemic.

“COVID-19 has shone a bright light on our own society’s failings,” Dr. Anthony Fauci said during a graduation ceremony for Emory University.

Fauci told the graduates in Atlanta that many members of minority groups work in essential jobs where they might be exposed to the coronavirus. He also said they are more likely to become infected if exposed because of medical conditions such as hypertension, chronic lung disease, diabetes or obesity.

“Now, very few of these comorbidities have racial determinants,” Fauci said.

“Almost all relate to the social determinants of health dating back to disadvantageous conditions that some people of color find themselves in from birth regarding the availability of an adequate diet, access

to health care and the undeniable effects of racism in our society.”

Fauci said correcting societal wrongs will take a commitment of decades, and once society returns to “some form of normality,” people should not forget that infectious disease has disproportionally hospitalized and killed people of color.

“Societal divisiveness is counterproductive in a pandemic,” Fauci said. “We must not be at odds with each other since the virus is the enemy, not each other.”

He praised the graduates for handling the profound disruption of the pandemic.

Dr. Anthony Fauci

NAACP LAUNCHES COVID EDUCATIONAL WEBSITE NNPA

The NAACP, the nation’s largest and most pre-eminent civil rights organization, in seeking to ensure that our communities continue to stay informed and get the facts they need to make the best decisions for their families and communities, announced the creation and

launch of an essential and exciting new national initiative, ‘COVID. KNOW MORE.’ The campaign is designed to give Black Americans the most comprehensive suite of relevant information and resources on COVID-19 available, curated specifically for them.

The hub, which can be accessed at

naacp.org/covidknowmore, stands as one user-friendly, central place for individuals, community groups, partners and NAACP branches alike to find the latest news and information, research, resources, science-based guidance and updates from medical experts.

COMMUNITY ENERGY CENTER

America’s Pandemic Recovery Relies on Energy Energy Workers And Company Leaders Are Supporting the COVID-19 Relief Support Effort: • Providing supplies such as personal protective equipment (PPE); • Philanthropic community efforts to provide gift cards, sanitizers, clothing, face coverings, and meals to hospitals, fire and police departments throughout the U.S.; • Supplying jet fuel at no cost to critical companies and airlines to transport PPE deliveries and restore air service to remote communities; • Providing fuel discounts to first responders and others who serve their communities; • Donating ultra-low temperature freezers to health organization to help keep vaccines at their required storage temperature.

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

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

May 20, 2021 |

| 11

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Health

A DEFENDER AND KELSEY-SEYBOLD CLINIC ALLIANCE

Every second counts when a stroke occurs The medical conditions above do have symptoms. Having a stroke may be your first symptom of undiagnosed high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes. Work with your healthcare team to find out about, and treat, these problems before you have a stroke.

BY GEORGE SHELTON, M.D.

Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States has a stroke, and all too often they are African American. African Americans are impacted by stroke more than any other group in the United States.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, black people are 50% more likely to have a stroke than their white counterparts. When they do have a stroke, they are also more likely to die from it.

Strokes do not have to happen. Strokes are preventable, treatable, and beatable.

A stroke is triggered when a blood vessel carrying oxygen and nutrients to the brain is blocked by a clot or bursts. Once that occurs, the brain doesn’t get the blood and oxygen it needs and starts to die.

African Americans are at higher risk of stroke because of higher rates of: • High blood pressure • High cholesterol • Obesity • Diabetes

not always

FROM THE DOC “A stroke can happen at any age and at any time.

Know the signs.”

Dr. Shelton is a board-certified Internal Medicine physician at Kelsey-Seybold’s Pearland Clinic.

• Severe headache with no known cause If you have any of these signs, call 911 immediately. Stroke treatments work best only if the stroke is recognized and diagnosed within three hours of the first symptoms.

PREVENTION TIPS SIGNS OF A STROKE While some risk factors can’t be It’s important for every African changed – age, family history, race, American adult to know the signs of and gender – others can be modified by stroke because during a stroke, every second counts. Fast treatment can lessen taking care of yourself: • Maintain a healthy weight. the brain damage a stroke can cause.

Signs of stroke include: • Stay active. Get at least 2.5 hours of cardiovascular exercise each • Sudden numbness or weakness in the week, such as walking quickly for 25 face, arm, or leg, especially on one minutes each day. side of the body • Sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or difficulty understanding speech

• Don’t smoke.

Up to 80% of strokes could be • Sudden trouble seeing in one or both prevented through healthy lifestyle eyes changes and working with your • Difficulty walking, dizziness, loss of healthcare team to control health conditions that raise your risk for stroke. balance, or lack of coordination

Now Scheduling VIRTUAL and IN-PERSON Appointments!

Berthelsen Main Campus

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

WE’RE HERE FOR YOU 24/7/365

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

After-Hours Nurse Hotline 713-442-0000

24/7 Contact Center 713-442-0000

Learn More About Virtual Visits kelsey-seybold.com/virtual

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

12 | May 20, 2021 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Business Wells Fargo $4 mil donation supports Houston small businesses

Defender News Service

LiftFund, a San Antonio-based micro-lender with offices in Houston, is the recipient of a $4 million donation from Wells Fargo to support small businesses owned by women and other minorities in Houston and Dallas and help them recover from the negative effects of COVID-19.

The donation is part of Wells Fargo’s Open for Business Fund, a roughly $420 million small business recovery effort aimed at supporting entrepreneurs across the U.S. to recover and rebuild after the pandemic. Already, the Open for Business Fund is helping a projected 26,000 small businesses keep an estimated 75,000 jobs nationwide.

“We have a longstanding relationship with LiftFund in Houston and have watched over the years as they’ve served as a critical lifeline for small businesses in our community,” said Laura Jaramillo, community relations lead consultant at Wells Fargo. “As business owners continue to seek financial help during these challenging times, we’re thrilled that with the assistance of the Open for Business Fund, LiftFund will be able to provide additional capital to support small business lending. As a company, we’re very focused on strengthening the small business sector for the long term. We’re proud that we’re able to leverage our business expertise and resources to create opportunities for underserved businesses to excel.”

The Open for Business Fund aligns with the mission and goals of LiftFund by supporting increased access to capital, offering business education and long-term recovery and resiliency programs for

Our contract deals with large congregations and gatherings, and we were shut down completely for a whole year.

LiftFund reached out to us to see how they could help and ended up extending funding, which meant the world to us.

That money helped get us through a really rough time and we are so grateful.”

Marlon Brooks Owner of Brooks Family BBQ

small women-owned businesses and minority owned businesses.

“As doors open across the U.S. and businesses are able to operate at increased capacities, it is crucial that small businesses have access to the funding and support they need. We want small businesses to know we are here for them,” said Janie Barrera, CEO and President of LiftFund. “Wells Fargo’s generous support will further our financial and business education offerings to small businesses recovering from 2020’s economic distress.”

Small businesses in Houston who meet the requirements can apply for loans up to $50,000 at a 3% interest rate. The program offers an ongoing funding source for small businesses, because each time a business repays their loan the money goes back into the program to fund a new loan. Small business owners can learn more and apply at http://www.LiftFund.com. Also, for additional tips and resources visit https://welcome.wf.com/ together.

Marlon Brooks, owner of Brooks Family BBQ, a Houston-based food service company who has been in business since 2008, said the pandemic hit his business hard given that they mainly handle large events at stadiums and convention centers.

“Our contract deals with large congregations and gatherings, and we were shut down completely for a whole year,” said Brooks. “LiftFund reached out to us to see how they could help and ended up extending funding, which meant the world to us. That money helped get us through a really rough time and we are so grateful.”

CLASSIFIED HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT NOTICE TO PROPOSERS The Houston Independent School District located in the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center at 4400 West 18th Street Houston, Texas 77092 will accept proposals, until the stated date and time deadlines, in the Board Services Office, Level C1

•

Project 21-05-02 RFP / Special Education Services - Speech Therapy- Independent Education Evaluations (IEE) and Evaluation Services – with a deadline of 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, June 16, 2021.

The Pre-Proposal Conference for this project will be held virtually Wednesday, May 26, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. CST. The solicitation for bids is available on the HISD web-site at www.houstonisd.org. To access, go to Directory, Purchasing Services, Solicitation of Bids. The District reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, or, to accept the proposal that is most advantageous to the District.

HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT NOTICE TO PROPOSERS The Houston Independent School District located in the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center at 4400 West 18th Street Houston, Texas 77092 will accept proposals, until the stated date and time deadlines, in the Board Services Office, Level C1 • Project 21-04-02 – RFP / District-Wide Time and Attendance System – with a deadline of 10:00 a.m. on June 15, 2021. The Pre-Proposal Conference for this project will be virtual at the above stated address on June 1, 2021 at 10:00 a.m.

The solicitation for bids is available on the HISD web-site at www.houstonisd.org. To access, go to Directory, Purchasing Services, Solicitation of Bids. The District reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, or, to accept the proposal that is most advantageous to the District.

The HARRIS CENTER for Mental Health and IDD (formerly known as MENTAL HEALTH MENTAL RETARDATION AUTHORITY OF HARRIS COUNTY) will be accepting proposals for the following:

NON-EMERGENCY MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION AND MEDICATION COURIER HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT NOTICE TO PROPOSERS The Houston Independent School District located in the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center at 4400 West 18th Street Houston, Texas 77092 will accept proposals, until the stated date and time deadlines, in the Board Services Office, Level C1 • Project 21-04-11 - RFP/Broker(s) for Flood and Property Insurance – with a deadline of 2:00 p.m. CST on June 22, 2021. The Pre-Proposal Conference for this project will be held virtually on May 26, 2021, 2 p.m. CST. Email constance.wright@houstonisd.org by 2:00 p.m. CST on May 25, 2021 to request a meeting link.

The solicitation for bids is available on the HISD web-site at www.houstonisd.org. To access, go to Directory, Purchasing Services, Solicitation of Bids. The District reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, or, to accept the proposal that is most advantageous to the District.

Specifications may be secured from The HARRIS CENTER, Purchasing Services located at 9401 SW Freeway, Houston, Texas 77074; telephone (713) 970-7281, The HARRIS CENTER website www.theharriscenter.org or the Electronic State Business Daily Site https://portal.cpa.state.tx.us/ beginning Tuesday, May 25, 2021. Deadline for prospective vendors to submit questions to this RFP is June 1, 2021. Proposals must be submitted to Purchasing Services, 9401 SW Freeway, Houston, Texas 77074 by 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, June 15, 2021 in a sealed envelope marked “PROPOSAL - DO NOT OPEN UNTIL – TUESDAY, JUNE 15, 2021, NON-EMERGENCY MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION AND MEDICATION COURIER”. Any questions pertaining to this solicitation should be addressed in writing to Frances Otto, CTCD, Buyer II and Sharon Brauner, C.P.M., Purchasing Manager, via E-mail to frances.otto@theharriscenter.org cc: sharon.brauner@theharriscenter.org or fax at (713) 970-7682. Historically Underutilized Businesses, including Minority-Owned Businesses and Women-Owned Businesses are encouraged to participate. The HARRIS CENTER reserves all rights to reject any and/or all proposals, to waive formalities and reasonable irregularities in submitted documents as it deems to be in its best interests, and is not obligated to accept the lowest proposal.

May 20, 2021 |

| 13

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Entertainment Congrats to Houston’s own Dana Monique, who was a semi-finalist on The Voice. The singer stunned judges and fans.

Comedian Paul Mooney has died at the age of 79. Family says he died of a heart attack in his home.

HENSON STARTS CAMPAIGN TO COMBAT RACIAL BIAS

Defender News Service

Taraji P. Henson has become known as a crusader for mental health awareness.

Now, the talented actress is hoping to bring her efforts to Black students.

In an effort to combat mental health distress in the classroom due to racial bias, the actress has launched The Unspoken Curriculum, a mental health campaign that provides a safe place for children to discuss mental health issues in the schools.

“We’re in a state of emergency right now,” Henson shared with PEOPLE. “But it takes us to change it… we can’t hide the ugly, you’ve got to deal with the good and the bad if we want to see change.”

Before Henson made it big as an actress, she was a substitute teacher and witnessed her students being treated differently because of their race.

“I taught a special education class, but all of the students were Black boys who had all of their mental and physical capabilities,” said Henson. “These children came from traumatic home situations, and the school labeled them ‘special ed.’”

“These students were only in the 4th grade and they would grab my hand and say, ‘Ms. Henson! Ms. Henson! There was a shootout nearby last night, look at the bullet holes in the wall,’ and laugh,” she adds. “That’s trauma — that’s not something to celebrate or normalize.”

The Unspoken Curriculum is a sixweek program that runs from May 17 until June 21 in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month. The program provides discussions with mental health experts and virtual hangout spaces led by therapists and educators to encourage students to speak openly about their school experiences.

The new program is a collaboration with her mental health non-profit, The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation.

“The more we talk about it, and the more we educate ourselves, the more we know how to do better,” Henson shared.

The Empire actress also mentioned that the discrimination she experienced in the classroom as a child still impacts her in adulthood.

“Working in Hollywood, I’m less confident to speak out because I’ll think, ‘I

Actress and mental health advocate Taraji P. Henson, founder of The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation, wipes tears during a hearing before the Congressional Black Caucus Taskforce on Black Youth Suicide and Mental Health.

-Getty Images

...we can’t hide the ugly, you’ve got to deal with the good and the bad if we want to see change.”

Taraji P. Henson

don’t want to be made out to be the Black woman with an attitude,’” said the Washington, D.C. native. “But why shouldn’t I be able to speak my mind? These are things that, at 50, I’m still dealing with.”

In recent years, Henson has become an advocate for mental health. Back in 2019, she started her non-profit named after her father, who served in the Vietnam War and came home with post-traumatic

stress disorder.

“I needed to do something, I needed to bring attention to this epidemic. Our children are suffering, we are suffering,” Henson said. “The numbers were alarming about the African-American youth suicide rate. Our children are killing themselves because they can’t cope. We needed to break the silence, and break the cycle.”

14 | May 20, 2021 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Sports Prairie freshman softball pitcher Mya Hall retired 12 of 14 batters faced during a critical juncture that allowed the Panthers to hang on to defeat Alabama A&M 2-0 during a SWAC tournament game.

Sam Houston State running back Ramon Jefferson gained 96 yards on 16 carries during the Bearkats 23-21 FCS national title win over South Dakota State.

Rockets have work to do

Serious planning ahead for the future

By Terrance Harris

It seems like a long time ago, but the Rockets entered into this season with so much promise and intrigue – not to mention two bankable All-Stars in James Harden and Russell Westbrook.

But they ended the season in much the way it was the entire 2020-21 campaign, in disarray and disappointed – and without the star power of departed Harden and Westbrook. The short-handed Rockets fell to the Atlanta Hawks 124-95 to put an end to one of the worst seasons in franchise history.

After years of excitement, the Rockets ended in a whimper with an NBA-worst 17-55 record. The promising thing is that it makes them the odds-on favorites to win the upcoming NBA Draft Lottery.

In the meantime, the focus will be on what first-year general manager Rafael Stone and first-year NBA head coach Stephen Silas can do to get the Rockets moving in a winning direction. The first instinct is to attract the biggest names possible in free agency this offseason and quickly begin chasing NBA titles.

But given the newness of the Rockets front office brass and the pile of current and future draft picks the franchise is sitting on, the smart money is on a slow and sensible rebuild.

The Rockets have three important areas to consider as they head into this offseason. Stone and Silas have to figure out who is worth keeping and who needs to be let go in order for growth to happen.

Then the attention turns to the draft and what are the primary needs. Finally, there will be free agency.

Let’s take an early look at what decisions the Rockets front office must make.

BUILDING BLOCKS

Without question, first-year center Christian Wood is a breakout star in the making. Guard Kevin Porter, Jr. and forwards Jae’Sean Tate and Kenyon Martin, Jr. all proved to be exciting young players who can make up the nucleus of the Rockets rotation going forward.

That leaves some tough decisions for some of the veterans.

The biggest issue is John Wall, who the Rockets received from Washington in the Westbrook trade. The Rockets have Wall under contract for a while but the former All-Star isn’t quite the player he once was which means he is a tough trade options given the size of his contract. A buyout of Wall’s contract seems like the fair thing to do for all involved parties.

YOUTH MOVEMENT

This one seems pretty much a no-brainer. The Rockets need a dynamic point guard and should they win the lottery for this summer’s NBA Draft, Oklahoma State’s Cade Cunningham seems like a prime option. The Rockets wouldn’t hurt themselves by choosing

Gonzaga’s Jalen Suggs or Baylor’s Davion Mitchell.

Where this all gets tricky is should the Rockets somehow fall out of the top four picks of the lottery, Oklahoma City gets to swap Miami’s first-round selection for the Rockets.

The good news is that the Rockets also own Milwaukee’s and Portland’s – both playoff teams – first-round picks in the upcoming draft and should be able to address the other glaring need which is shooting.

OPEN MARKET

As it stands right now, the Rockets don’t have much room for free agent shopping given the projected salary cap and luxury tax for the 2021-22 season.

The projected salary cap is about $112 million and right now the Rockets have nearly $100 million in salary commitments for next season. But they could get some breathing room to the tune of $7.6 million by not picking up the team options on the contracts of Avery Bradley and DaQuan Jeffries.

So with about $20 million in cap space to play with, the Rockets could add a couple of quality veterans to help D.J. Augustin lead the talented group of youngsters. Look for names like John Collins and Otto Porter to be mentioned as potential free agent additions.

Sports Briefs NBA kicks off social justice award The NBA has launched the annual Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award to recognize NBA Kareem Abdul-Jabbar players and their Social Justice initiatives in their communities. The winner will receive $100,000 to go to the organization of his choosing. The other four finalists get $25K. PV baseball a No.1 seed in SWAC tourney The Prairie View baseball team won the SWAC West Division title and secured Auntwan the No.1 seed for Riggins its division in the upcoming SWAC Baseball Tournament. Jackson State is the top seed in the East. The SWAC Tournament will run from May 19-23 at Toyota Field in Madison, Alabama.

Bearkats win national title The Sam Houston State Bearkats concluded its amazing spring football season with the program’s first-ever FCS national championship. The 10-0 Bearkats defeated FCS power South Dakota State in dramatic fashion – a 10-yard touchdown pass from Eric Schmid to Ify Adeyi in the final 16 seconds – to secure a 23-21 win over the Jackrabbits.

Sam Houston defeated seven nationally ranked opponents during its run and finished as the unanimous No.1 team in FCS. TSU’s softball run ends The Texas Southern softball team’s Raven Rodriguez run in the SWAC Tournament came to an end sooner than expected when the Tigers, the No.1 seed in the West Division loss 6-5 in extra innings to Alcorn State.

May 20, 2021 |

| 15

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Sports BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT ORGANIZER

Marcus Sloan Sets the Path

By Jodie B. Jiles

Marcus Sloan, a Houston native, has been a pillar in the greater Houston area’s amateur basketball circles.

Originally Sloan hooped at Eisenhower High School before playing collegiately at Texas Christian University where he received a BS in communication. After a 7-year professional career oversees, Sloan returned to Houston and started organizing tournaments in 2014 before launching OTR Exposure scouting services in 2017.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sloan was one of the first event operators in the country to host a sporting event. While catching some heat from some critics, you could tell the kids really appreciated the OTR events, especially those seniors trying to get scholarship offers.

When I attended one of OTR’s summer tournaments, Sloan’s team ensured the COVID protocols were followed and attendants wore their masks inside with periodic “Mask Up” announcements from a roaming administrative team member.

Now, OTR Exposure hosts some of the most premiere tournaments that Houston AAU basketball has to offer. The Defender spoke with Sloan to discuss his experience, expertise on the subject and the upcoming AAU summer season.

Defender: In your opinion, what are the advantages and disadvantages to playing year-round basketball for amateurs?

Sloan: “Advantages are that kids get to play work on their game year-round and get a chance to get exposure and a chance at earning a college scholarship.

The disadvantages are sometimes kids can get burned out playing year-round. Also, the pressure of trying to get a college scholarship can sometimes become overwhelming and kids lose sight that it’s just a game.”

Defender: What advice would you give to the parents of high school parents who want to take full advantage of their summers in AAU?

Sloan: “To be realistic. A lot of parents aren’t realistic about their kid’s chances of playing in college and their ability. I would also tell them to “Run Your Race,” meaning don’t look at other players’ situations or the opportunities they may or may not have, but to focus on your child and how you can help them.”

Defender: General thoughts on college players being able to get endorsements? How do you see this playing out in AAU and high school sports?

Sloan: “I think it’s great that college players are getting a

chance to make money off of their likeness. They bring in so much money for the universities, the players deserve a piece of the pie. I think this will trickle down to high school sports as the top players will also want to get money from their likeness, as well.”

Defender: There was a lot of controversy surrounding organizers running high school sports tournaments during the pandemic? Why did you feel it was important to keep running tournaments during the pandemic and what have you learned up to now?

Marcus Sloan (right) with Houston bred All-Conference SMU point guard Kendrick Davis (left) -Photo provided by Twitter

Sloan: “I did it because kids needed an outlet and an opportunity. We streamed every event so college coaches could watch kids play via the streaming services at my events. Most of those kids had been out for 4-5 months with no activity, no way to work on their game. I was happy I was one of the first event operators in the country to host events in the pandemic.”

Defender: Who are the players to watch out for this summer in AAU?

Sloan: “6’10 Sophomore Tyler Smith (Bush HS). Junior 6’3 Bryce Griggs (Hightower HS).

Freshman 6’2 Zion Pipkin (Woodlands Christian HS). Senior 6’7 Terrence Arceneaux (Beaumont United).”

6’10 Sophomore Tyler Smith (Ft. Bend Bush HS) -Photo provided by 247 Sports

6’3 Junior Bryce Griggs (Ft. Bend Hightower HS) -Jimmie Agisson

16 | May 20, 2021 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

GET YOUR FREE COVID-19 VACCINE Walk in or schedule online for your free Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at Houston Methodist Houston Methodist experts stand behind the COVID-19 vaccine and we have safely administered more than a half-million doses. 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.

Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital

We’re making it easier than ever to get your COVID-19 vaccine: Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital

NOW ACCEPTING WALK-INS

Visit any of our 7 vaccination locations Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Houston Methodist West Hospital

PREFER AN APPOINTMENT?

Visit houstonmethodist.org/vaccine to schedule an appointment online.

Houston Methodist Baytown Hospital Houston Methodist Josie Roberts Administration Building

Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital

COVID-19 vaccinations are provided free of charge to individuals 16 years of age and older.

Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital