Tough Memorial Day has come and gone, the original reason for the day remains something we should consider continuously upholding. African Americans, newly freed from enslavement, founded Decoration Day at the graveyard of 257 Union soldiers labeled “Martyrs of the Race Course,” May 1, 1865 in Charleston, South Carolina. Tat commemoration became known as this nation’s frst Memorial Day. Created by our ancestors to remember those who died during the Civil War so that we might be free, Memorial Day celebrates our commitment to honoring Black courage and Black humanity. It also celebrates self-determination, because the originators of Memorial Day weren’t waiting for permission to honor their own, or thinking others who demeaned Black humanity would ever stop to honor it. Memorial Day is so much more than a day of work, a chance to BBQ and the unofcial start of summer. And who says we need to contain it to just a day? I say, let’s make the Summer of 2023 the frst Memorial Summer, honoring those before and since the Civil War who made a way for us today, by giving everything they had to protect and elevate Black life and Black humanity.
Speaking of summer, the way attacks against Black books, Black authors, Black ideas and Black people continue to be on the rise, we would do well to organize now so that we don’t experience a Red Summer redo. Te Red Summer of 1919 had “race riots” popping up all across the country. Calling them “race riots,” however, is a misnomer, because they were actually white domestic terrorist attacks
on Black communities, spurred on mostly by Black excellence and success. Tey didn’t want us in their schools and stores, but when they lef us alone and we thrived, they lost their minds and attacked us in cities north, south, east and west. But what made the summer of 1919 (and actually all those summers after WW1) different, is when our communities were attacked, we fought back. So, in a sense, maybe we do need a Red Summer Redo—not the attacks on our communities, but rather our willingness to defend ourselves, families, neighborhoods and businesses if attacks do come.
Hey, how about we stop focusing on the usual negative summer outcome, the “Summer Brain Drain” that has our youth on average losing 17-34% of the prior year’s learning gains, and manifest a more positive and empowering outcome by placing our attention and intention on the “Summer Brain Gain.” Because, frst, our children were not born average; they were created for excellence. Second, no one’s studying how much our kids can gain/learn during the summer because we’re so busy focusing on negative outcomes. Check out DefenderNetwork.com for articles on the many ways our children can gain new knowledge while maintaining what they already know, so we can make this new, positive reality the norm.
• Rodney Ellis op-ed: ‘I stand with trans kids’
• Houston group hosts frst Igbo State Cultural Fair
• Baseballer Nehomar Ochoa dominates at Galena Park HS.
Te Texas Education Agency has ofcially taken over the Houston Independent School District as Superintendent Millard House II stepped aside early. TEA is replacing House, as well as the nine elected Board of Managers, due to alleged illegal behavior by the previous school board, along with the yearafer-year failure of Wheatley High School to meet state standards prior to 2019.
During his fnal public address as leader of the largest public school system in Texas, House spoke fondly of his time in the district.
“You all have proven that you are capable of great things,” he told graduating seniors at the commencement ceremony for Carnegie Vanguard High School’s Class of 2023. “Even as superintendent, there are days where life takes a turn, and I wonder if I am on the hidden camera show at times — because it feels like a reality show, from time to time. You all are students that can make a diference, but it’s important that you go out and make that diference for yourself.”
House was hired about two years afer a divided school board ousted interim superintendent Grenita Lathan (a move that was subsequently reversed). Tat dysfunction was part of the reason the TEA attempted to takeover the district in 2019 — a move that was delayed in court until this year. Only
two trustees who were on the board at the time are still in ofce.
Under House, the district pulled dozens of campuses from the lowest rungs of the TEA’s school-ratings system. Only nine campuses failed to meet state standards in
the 2022 school year, compared to more than 40 in 2019.
Earlier, House released a 5-year strategic plan that some elected school board trustees felt was disconnected from their own goals for the district. Tat feeling continued when
the administration suggested slashes to funding for schools this year in an attempt to head off a growing deficit related to declining enrollment, but House ultimately dropped the proposal afer trustees pushed back.
Houston is waging a war against Black maternal mortality, thanks to $1.4 million in federal funding.
The U.S. itself has the highest rate of maternal mortality in the developed world, with Black women being disproportionately impacted. According to data released by the CDC in March, the national maternal mortality rate rose for the fourth consecutive year in 2021, leaping up by 40% from 2020. Texas has a rate higher than the country’s average, and Harris County’s average is even higher than the state’s overall.
“In Harris County, Black women are 3.5 times more likely to die in childbirth than their white counterparts,” said Barbie Robinson, executive director of Harris County Public Health. “If three counties – Cook County, which is the Chicago area, Wayne County, which is Detroit, and Harris County – were able to reduce Black infant mortality rates by just 9%, the entire country would achieve parity and equity in terms of infant mortality.”
Te $1.4 million, funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, will go toward Harris County Public Health’s Black Maternal and Child Health Program. The program
launched last year and seeks to provide education and resources, including home visits, prenatal and parenting resources and transportation vouchers, to around 300 families.
Robinson said the county’s staggering rate of Black maternal mortality is partially due to institutional racism and implicit racial bias within the medical feld, which Robinson said Harris County Public Health is seeking to address. Te department is currently working on a report of Black maternal mortality data specifc to each Houston-area hospital in order to identify where additional support, trainings and other interventions may be most necessary.
“We really want to educate the medical community on best practices and ways to identify and address those biases,” said Robinson.
Robinson also partially attributes the high rates of Black maternal mortality to the fact that, despite being the third largest county in the nation, Harris County previously did not have maternal, child and adolescent health programming.
“We’re playing catch-up, relative to many other jurisdictions,” said Robinson. “But we’re looking to push the needle and reduce these kinds of outcomes.”
Nearly two years ago, when I accepted the position of Superintendent here in HISD, there were several obstacles that our students were facing, But I knew that we could come in and work together to overcome many of them.”
–Millard House II
1. Be careful on Columbia Trails
Police have beefed up their presence along the 4-mile Columbia Trap Trail in Third Ward, including the deployment of undercover ofcers afer a series of attacks on cyclists by a group of young men or boys. In the last two incidents, the victims were hospitalized. Councilwoman Carolyn Evans-Shabazz vowed to help combat crime along the trail. Last fall, Shabazz announced the Houston Housing Authority was spending a combined $150,000 on improvements to the trail. Those upgrades include security features such as surveillance cameras, emergency call boxes and better lighting.
2. Relief for SNAP fraud victims
Defender News Service
Te U.S. Department of Education (Department) has announced Project School Emergency Response to Violence (Project SERV) grants to four Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) that were disrupted by bomb threats last year.
Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas was awarded $191,962; Delaware State University in Dover, Delaware was awarded $217,000; Claflin University in Orangeburg, South Carolina was awarded $440,000 and Howard University in Washington, D.C. was awarded $203,000.
Project SERV provides short-term funding for local educational agencies and institutions of higher education that have experienced a violent or traumatic incident to assist in restoring a safe environment conducive to learning.
Te department expects additional grants to be awarded in the coming
weeks and continues to work with additional impacted HBCUs to support them in the grant application process and expedite the processing of applications once received.
“Te bomb threats last year that targeted several Historically Black Colleges and Universities traumatized their campus communities, disrupted learning, and drained resources by prompting costly campus lockdowns, class cancellations, and law enforcement activities,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona.
“Te Biden-Harris administration will always stand by HBCUs and unequivocally condemn racist eforts to terrorize Black students and educators and deprive them of their right to safe, welcoming, and nurturing environments for teaching and learning. Te Project SERV grants announced today will help four HBCUs directly impacted by these bomb threats to better serve students, faculty, and staf by increasing access to mental health
and wellness services and improving other vital supports.”
Texas Southern University (TSU) will use its Project SERV funds to provide access to in-person and tele-mental health services for one year, including through access to behavioral health providers.
TSU will also use funds for a project coordinator to manage and oversee the project.
“Tese funds are critically important to the safety, security, and well-being of our institutions,” said Dietra Trent, Executive Director of the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence and Economic Opportunity through Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
“HBCU students consider their campuses as a sacred refuge and home away from home, and it is imperative that we provide them with these resources ensuring that they not only feel safe but are safe.
scammers use to obtain Lone Star Card numbers and Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) to gain access to SNAP benefits. SNAP recipients who are victims of fraud should request a new Lone Star Card and PIN. To request replacement benefts, SNAP recipients must visit a local HHSC office and fll out Form H1854 or call the Lone Star Help Desk (800-777-7328).
3. Got guns, get gif cards
Houstonians will have another opportunity to sell their unwanted firearms next month with another gun buyback event, Saturday, June 10th at NRG Park in the Yellow lot, 9051 South Main Street. Tis will be the fourth gun-buyback event the City of Houston and Harris County have hosted. Ofcials say 2,800 unwanted frearms have been collected so far.
4. Race-based hair discrimination banned in Texas
Texas Health and Human Services Commission has received federal approval to replace stolen Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for recipients who were victims of fraud. Texas has experienced increased reports of scams, including skimming and cloning — tactics
House Bill 567, known as the CROWN Act, introduced by Democratic Rep. Rhetta Bowers of Rowlett to prevent discrimination against natural hair, sailed through both chambers of the Legislature with overwhelming support afer the same bill stalled during the legislative session in 2021. The policy, which Abbott has signed, will go into efect Sept. 1.
VOLUME 92, NUMBER 29 - JUNE 1, 2023
Publisher | CEO
Sonceria Messiah-Jiles
Strategic Alllance Clyde Jiles
Digital Content Manager Get Current Studios
Managing Editor ReShonda Tate
Associate Editor
Aswad Walker
The
Education Reporter Laura Onyeneho Sports Terrance Harris Jodie B. Jiles
Photographer Jimmie Aggison
Social Media Manager Tia Alphonse Jordan Hockett
The Texas Southern University Board of Regents plans to have a meeting June 15 to follow up on the next steps after the abrupt resignation of its president Dr. Lesia Crumpton-Young, after only two years in the role.
Crumpton-Young announced her decision to leave in a letter to the chair of the TSU Board of Regents stating that she was “called to expand my commitment to transforming lives by helping elevate HBCUs to a broader stage.”
On May 26, TSU Regent Chair Albert Myers released the following statement that said the board unanimously agreed to Crumpton-Young’s request to retire and has appointed Regent Mary Evans Sias to manage a transition oversight committee during this interim period.
There has been no word about whether the former president has secured a new position.
The sudden departure of the university’s esteemed leader shines a spotlight on the issues of turnover among leadership at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and the potential implications for the future of TSU.
Unfinished business
With Crumpton-Young’s abrupt exit there are on-going questions about the direction the institution will go and what will become of the initiatives that are just at the beginning stages of growth.
“It’s demoralizing,” said Dr. Sydney Freeman, educational theorist and professor at the University of Idaho, whose areas of research includes the challenges in higher education,
especially those faced by leadership in HCBUs. “There’s going to be faculty, students, staff and administrators who were going in a particular direction and now they’re being put on pause. And with the backdrop of the state legislature, Black publicly-funded institutions need stable leadership in these hard times.”
The school is currently dealing with challenges including a student peti tion for demands for affordable, safe and sanitary housing options, along with two lawsuits. One of those law suits involves the TSU campus police chief who is fighting to keep her job while facing allegations of illegally increasing the salaries for officers. The second involves a former TSU law school dean alleging she was stripped of her role and tenure without reason.
As far as funding, TSU made a bold ask for nearly a billion dollars this year
Next weekTSU:
BY THE NUMBERS“That Austin Lane can get run off and wind up as chancellor of Southern Illinois speaks volumes about what goes on at TSU. There has always been multiple power struggles behind the scenes.” -Willet.ew
Accomplishment during tenure
Crumpton-Young joined the university at a very critical time, addressing past issues around admission scandal allegations and funding. In a Defender exclusive interview, Crumpton-Young had a number of goals set at the beginning of her tenure including strengthening community partnerships, preparing students for the competitive job market and elevating its R2 research status.
leadership and made reference to an opinion piece titled “A Warning to Anyone Thinking About Being the Next TSU President” written by Dillard University president Walter Kimbrough.
Freeman stated that in order for the institution to thrive, the entire board must be replaced.
“We don’t know all the details regarding the president’s departure, but that goes to show that there must be something deeper within the history of board leadership that needs to be examined. It’s hard to say without knowing more information.”
“Sometimes change/ disruption is needed, even when it’s uncomfortable.
I’m sure there’s a lot more to this story that we don’t know.”
“THERE IS NO PROBLEM AT 3100 CLEBURNE..THE PROBLEM IS AT 1100 San Jacinto Blvd, Austin,TX.” -Marcus Davis
“Until the board changes you all will continue to lose phenomenal presidents.” -Pam Lawson
“I definitely didn’t see this coming. I pray someone steps in that can take us to the next level.” -Preeminentdollsceo
“The Greg Abbott appointed Board of Regents makes me say hmmmm. It seems like TSU is set up for failure. Then, surprise, surprise, the state will come in, put us in a system and take our valuable land. Everything is intentional.”
-Mark Emerson
-Casey Hubbard “I wish they would use a new method to select the president. Allow the top 3 finalists to spend time with students, faculty, staff and alumni. What is insanity? When you keep doing the same thing expecting different results.”
-Vickee Gray“Get someone who graduated from TSU or another HBCU. I never get excited when these new presidents come because they have no ties to the school and there’s a lot of behind the scenes politics in Austin going on as well.” -Jhpstories
“We need to stay focused on the main thing right now, the best interest of TSU long-term. appreciate what Dr. CrumptonYoung did that was good, but I accept and acknowledge a need for change. I’m not crucifying the board this time, and you shouldn’t, either. Last time for how things were handled, yes. This time, not so much. Things were handled better and behind the scenes.”
-Alicia Hughes
Te news of Dr. Rudy Rasmus and wife, Pastor Juanita Rasmus, transitioning from their senior pastor roles at St. John’s United Methodist Church Downtown came as a surprise to many. But should it have been so shocking?
For over 30 years this dynamic duo has preached a message of, to borrow the title of Juanita’s book, “Learning to Be,” with self, God and God’s constant urging to move seekers into the next episode of their spiritual journey.
From that perspective, the move Rudy is making, joining Bread of Life, Inc. as executive director, makes all the sense in the world.
“This is not a retirement, but rather a ‘rewirement,’” said Dr. Rasmus to several members of local media, assuring all who have ears that though his stint at St. John’s has come to an end, his and his wife’s hearts for service remain as strong as ever.
Juanita’s “rewirement” will take the form of concentrating on a national public speaking tour and her books. Recently, she shared via a Facebook post, just days before their last Sunday as St. John’s senior pastors, her gratefulness for their St. John’s ministry legacy.
“I am so grateful for the privilege of having been able to work together for 31 years,” she said of her work with her husband, who she described as “an amazing coworker, cofounder and copastor.”
“I never imagined that we would get to do the work we have done, but God gave us the capacity to split the list of to-do’s. We each were able to bring our gifs, grit, and grin to just the right areas.”
During their 30th anniversary of St. John’s ministry celebration last September, the Defender asked the couple to share their most memorable ministry moment.
“Te most memorable was the frst day we got here,” she said. “Rudy called me and he said, ‘Baby, this is the place.’ We knew God was calling us to ministry. We didn’t know where it was gonna be. We had a sense it was gonna be urban. We had no idea exactly where and what it would look like. So, that’s been absolutely the image that has guided us and has empowered us in this time, and has for me been the most
meaningful. It was the place where we knew we were called to serve the least, the last, the lost and the lef out.”
Rudy said the 30-year anniversary was “a reminder that we haven’t wasted our time; that we have been here and have touched lives in many cases that we would never, ever meet and even more cases that we’ll never see the outcome. But just to know that our work hasn’t been in vain here over these 30 years.”
Teir words might also have been a preview of the couple’s current decision to move to their ministry’s next phase.
“We have 30 years of experience that has been purchased with a lot of heartache, purchased with some pain, and also purchased with some occasional success. And as a result, we think we can combine all of those collective experiences to impact this community even greater on the road ahead,” said Rudy.
“For me, the way the future gets summed up is the way the scripture always sums up the future, Jeremiah 29:11: ‘I know the plans I have for you, declared the Lord. Plans not to harm you, but rather plans to prosper you.’ And one verse says ‘Plans to give you a hope and a future you never could have
imagined on your own.’ So, for me, that’s what the future is. It’s expansive and it’s yet to even be experienced,” said Pastor Juanita.
A huge cog in the 30-year ministry of St. John’s has been Bread of Life, a non-proft organization founded by the couple in 1992. Its mission: to serve hot, nutritious meals to homeless individuals in downtown Houston.
Since its inception, Bread of Life has grown at the speed of faith to not only focus on homeless ministry, but also improve health outcomes, relieve hunger for the homeless and housed and operate a radio station, KMAZ The Amazing 102.5 FM that positively engages the mind, body, and soul of listeners through music, community events and programming.
Bread of Life (www.breadofifeinc.org) was busy in 2022, donating $3.5 million to Houston families in need; providing 44,376 individuals with food and supply boxes; acquiring $30.1 million worth of donated products and supplies to give to Houston communities; engaging nearly 2,000 people via community health workers; distributing $66,000 worth of fresh food to in-bound seniors; and graduating 47 students from the Bread of Life Academy.
And if the Rasmus’s past is prologue to their future, there’s more incredible ministry to come.
To learn more about the couple’s next phase, visit www.rudyrasmus.com and juanitarasmus.com.
Jackie Anderson is one of the most recognizable faces at the front of education advocacy in Houston. As president of the Houston Federation of Teachers, the retired educator has more than 30 years of experience working in special education. An active member of the union, Anderson worked her way up in the organization to become the Houston Federation of Teachers’ first elected African-American president.
Te Houston native attended public school in the North Forest School District (now part of HISD) and graduated from Texas Southern University, before starting her journey in education.
She spoke with the Defender to talk about her past as an educator, current challenges she’s facing in her leadership role, and her legacy.
DEFENDER: What inspired you to be an educator?
JACKIE ANDERSON: When I was a little girl, I used to play school before I was old enough to even go to school. I was always a teacher in my heart, even though I tried to deny it. When I went to college, I didn’t go into education. I went to get a degree in psychology and afer I got my bachelor’s degree, I didn’t get my masters. I started teaching and I taught for 33 years. I taught for 10 years in Humble and the other 23 years in Houston and fnished my career here.
DEFENDER: How was your experience as an educator at that time?
ANDERSON: I was a special education teacher. I taught what they called “BSS,” which is Behavioral Support Services. I worked with students who had emotional disabilities and students who needed behavioral support. I really enjoyed teaching, not so much the bureaucracy that you see in education today. We used to be able to be creative with students and let them blossom. I saw a deterioration of that joy that was being taken away from students and how you were able to teach them. It makes me sad when I hear about the debates about curriculum, using technology in the classroom all day. Tat’s not teaching to me.
DEFENDER: What does being a teachermean to you?
ANDERSON: Teaching is allowing students to direct their path. Allowing them to process and problem solve and think creatively. It’s about fnding ways to assess students without all of these standardized tests. You can still access what they’ve learned by allowing them to demonstrate what they’ve learned in creative ways. It’s like if you’re not testing students, people think you aren’t teaching, and that’s not true. I think it’s better to have students demonstrate their knowledge through project portfolios. Te same
way they do with the IB concept of teaching. Tey don’t have to take a test to tell you they’ve mastered at something. I’m not saying they shouldn’t test in some parts of their learning, but I don’t think it should be the only way to determine the academic success of a child.
DEFENDER: You are the frst African American president forthe Houston Federation of Teachers? How does that make you feel?
ANDERSON: At frst, it didn’t even ring to me until someone else told me when I was elected. Now, we are celebrating our 50th year. I’m really thinking maybe this should have happened a long time ago. Why did it take 50 years? But I’m still honored that the members and the board at that time had the confdence in me to think that I could continue to move the union forward.
DEFENDER: What are some of the biggest challenges you are facing as a leaderright now?
ANDERSON: It seems that we have so much push back. Te union is labeled as troublemakers, as people who are fghting for what’s wrong with education. We should
be fghting for the equal rights of people, we should be fghting for the rights of trans kids, we should be fghting for the truth to be told about history. When we do speak up about these, we are labeled as troublemakers and that’s ridiculous. If the legislature would do what’s right, unions wouldn’t exist. Now we are fghting about these school vouchers because they aren’t telling the truth. An $8,000 voucher? You can’t go to school for $8,000. Te average cost is $25,000. So, who are the vouchers actually helping? People who already have their kids in private schools, they’re going to get the discount, while the money gets pulled from public school funding. And public schools are already underfunded. Te biggest challenge is educating our people, so when they hear these things, they know how to question it. All these things being told are lies wrapped in pretty packaging. Tey are spending all their time fghting trans kids, supporting vouchers, but what about these guns that you refuse to put any kind of safety measure on? When we were pushing for a special session to raise the age, and require background checks, we were labeled as wrong, and that we were trying to take people’s guns. Tat’s not what we said.
Astros’ Yordan Alvarez blasted two HRs Astros’ Yordan Alvarez blasted two home runs during the third game of the team’s sweep of the Oakland Athletics.
Tigers Chad Williams headed NCAA National Championship Texas Southern senior triple jumper Chad Williams earned his first-ever appearance in the NCAA National Championship after finishing in the top 12. Williams jumped 51-1/4 feet on his first attempt and had to sweat it out from there as his final two attempts were fouls. He also posted a personal best in the event as he surpassed the 51-foot mark for the first time ever. The finals will take place at the University of Texas on June 9.
Sydni Townsend breaks UH 400-hurdles record – again University of Houston track & field senior hurdler Sydni Townsend broke the school record in the 400-hurdles with a time of 55.79 at the NCAA West Preliminary Round at Sacramento State and claimed her ticket to the NCAA Championships June 7-10 in Austin. For the second-straight meet, Townsend broke the school record in the 400-meter hurdles. Townsend won her heat in 55.79 seconds, breaking her previous record by 0.20 seconds.
TSU’s Alexis Wilson season comes to end The 2023 season came to an end for women’s track & field freshman Alexis Wilson at the NCAA Track & Field first round. Participating in the triple jump, Wilson’s first attempt came in at 39-1 3/4 feet. She posted her best mark of the night on her second attempt after a mark of 39-6 before wrapping up the event with a leap of 38-7. The Pearland native was the first TSU women’s track & field student-athlete to earn a NCAA postseason berth since 2018.
Griner leads Phoenix to first win of the season Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner had 19 points, eight rebounds and three
In many ways, C.J. Stroud has been preparing for this moment he is in right now as the Texans’ quarterback of the future.
But Stroud, who was drafted No.2 overall by the Texans last month out of Ohio State, believes his purpose is bigger than just throwing a football. The game is his vehicle to do God’s work.
“Of course, it’s a dream come true, and of course I’ve been working for it my whole life, but I feel like I’m built for this,” Stroud said recently in his first availability since NFL Draft Night. “I’m made not just to play football, but to use football to help inspire people and lead people to God. That’s what I plan to do.”
“God gave me the talent in order to do such, and that’s what I’m here to do. It’s just a stepping stone. I have a lot more goals and a lot more plans to accomplish what I want to accomplish on and off the field, and I’m excited to do that with this great organization.”
But for now, Stroud is trying to absorb as much as possible as he prepares for his biggest assignment yet, which is to eventually lead the Texans out of the abysmal state they have been relegated to. Just how soon that will be seems to be anyone’s guess.
New Texans coach DeMeco Ryans and general manager Nick Caserio would love for it to be immediate, but that isn’t what anyone responsible for Stroud’s development is pushing for. They will allow his understanding of the offense and his growth in the offense to dictate when he will take the reins.
So far, Stroud has shown promise during the rookie minicamp and recent OTAs.
“The process with all our players is to come out, improve, and get better each day,” Ryans said of the process to bring Stroud along. “When the fall comes, that’s when we’ll talk about starters and who are the best 11 men to go out there and help us win games.”
Stroud is still in the learning mode and not worried about where he is in the pecking order that includes Case Keenum and Davis Mills, who has been the Texans starter the last two years.
“For me, I’m trying to get better. It’s
not about being with the ones, being with the twos, just getting better,” Stroud said. “That’s what spring is for. Getting the timing down. Learning my receivers, learning Tank (Dell), learning (Robert) Woods, learning how Nico (Collins) runs his routes, learning how Dalton (Schultz) runs his routes; just anybody I can learn from. That’s what I’ve been on.”
He has also been building trust among his new teammates, veterans and fellow rookies alike. It’s important to Stroud that his team knows it can trust him when his time comes, and the only way to do that is to put in the work.
“For me, I think I’m a natural born competitor, so that’s what I’m here to do,” Stroud said. “But at the same time, being a great teammate is more important. That’s what I’ve been on, just trying to embrace the relentless swarm that Coach Ryans wants us to be on.
“That’s what I plan to do, be a great teammate, be vocal, be confident. I feel like I’ve done a decent job so far, but I’ve got to keep growing every day. It’s not going to happen overnight. I’m going to have
growing pains and things like that.”
He is also hearing a lot about what he needs to do, whether that is from offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik or quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson or Ryans. Quarterback legend Tom Brady and rapper Travis Scott have stopped by to talk with Stroud and the team.
While Stroud has appreciated all of the guidance and words of wisdom he has received from so many directions, there is one piece of advice that has really resonated with him as he begins his NFL career.
“The one thing that kind of sticks out for me is ‘Keep the main thing the main thing,’” Stroud said. “If you take care of football, then everything will take care of itself.
“Right now, just trying to focus on the ball. I’m trying to do my best to have people figure out other things for me and trust people on my team and things like that. For right now, it’s really for me, football. I’m here all day every day and trying to get better. That’s probably the best advice I’ve gotten so far is just keep the main thing the main thing.”
Class: 2023
Twitter: @ Donovan_Bradle
Races: 110-meter hurdles, 300-meter hurdles
Height & weight: 5-feet-10, 181 pounds
Runners he studies: Eric Edwards Jr. (Pro), Alex Chukwukelu (North Forney)
Status: Committed to UC Berkeley
Favorite artists: West, Joey Bada$$
Favorite subject: Physics
Shout-outs: Shane, my parents, God, Coaches (McCray, Ervin, Spivey, Irv)
Accomplishments are the end results of hard work and dedication. Humble Summer Creek senior, Donovan Bradley, had a great season and walked away from the UIL 6A state track meet with two silver medals after running 13.66 in the 110-meter hurdles and 36.46 in the 300-meter hurdles.
Like other 2023 graduates, COVID-19 disrupted Bradley’s freshman season, but didn’t stop his determination.
“My biggest focus freshman year was to make the varsity team because I knew my talent and I thought I was good enough to make it to state,” said Bradley. “I made so many mistakes running, but the speed was there. I wasn’t running slow. I was just a very flawed runner.”
Soon thereafter, Bradley was introduced to the 110-meter hurdles by his coach Ervin Elton. During his sophomore season, after having successful races, Bradley became serious about his craft.
“The first time I saw him doing the 110’s he was doing it with the opposite leg, but he was doing it well,” said Elton. “Once we figured he was using the wrong leg, we switched legs. Seeing him hurdle the 39 inches with the opposite leg and being able to switch, I knew he would be special.”
Bradley’s time of 13.42 in the 110-meter hurdles currently ranks him #4 in the world for U20 according to World Athletics. But at one period of time, before Bradley was serious about track and field, he was all about football. In the seventh grade while
playing with friends in the neighborhood Bradley’s life changed in an instant.
“Sometimes a struggle leads to a reward. I used to play football on the street in the neighborhood and I suffered the worst head injury ever after diving for a pass and crashing into a brick mailbox,” said Bradley.
This injury was the first hurdle Bradley had to overcome in his quest for greatness. Due to the head injury impacting his frontal lobe, Bradley suffered intensive migraines followed by extreme anxiety.
“I wasn’t the same for the longest, and honestly, it’s kind of a miracle because I made something out of the harshest situation,” said Bradley. “A lot of times I had extreme anxiety, I would literally pull my hair out because of just the experience. But I learned from it and it made me who I am today.”
Today Bradley has an unweighted GPA of 3.94 and a full-ride scholarship to UC Berkeley where he plans to continue running track while studying computer science.
“Growing up, my parents put an emphasis on my education and I really wanted to maximize my blessings because I know everything that I have is because of God. Berkeley offered me a full ride with money to come back and see my family, which was also a major factor because my family means a lot to me. So, being able to come back and literally get the best education I can for myself while being in a great athletic environment is a blessing,” said Bradley.
Some call us pioneers. Others call us surgeons. Nurses. Paramedics.
Saving lives in the middle of the night at a nationally renowned trauma center.
Delivering at-risk babies against all odds, from all across the county.
Year after year, training the majority of the doctors who practice in the most famous medical center in the world.
And, day after day, providing essential care and vital resources to those who need it most in every one of our communities.
You might not know our name. And that’s okay.
YOU’LL KNOW US BY THE WORK WE DO.
