No, I’m not talking about the Drake song...I’m referring to the song Keke Palmer’s boyfriend is probably singing while in the shower these days. In case you haven’t heard, Keke went to see Usher in Vegas recently and Usher was ushering...which means he was serenading the ladies. In this case, lady. Tat’s right, he got up close and personal on Keke, who clad in lingerie, a sexy dress, appeared to be loving every minute of Usher’s sexy serenade. Her father, baby daddy decided that rather than talk to her in person, he should take to social media and shame her, telling her she shouldn’t be dancing on Usher, dressed like that because she was “a motha.” Well, he forgot, she’s also a boss. So while social media ignited with their two cents, Keke started a t-shirt line and dropped some music. No word on whether her relationship will survive the storm that ensued, but no doubt, Keke is landing on top. I usually mind the business that pays me, but I can’t help but give props to Keke on how she’s handled this whole debacle and made lemonade (with a side of tequila) out of lemons.
Te Supreme Court of yesterday is no more. Gone are ethics, standards, and answering to the American people. Te court has found itself embroiled in controversy. Whether it’s Justice Clarence Tomas sending his relative to school on a Republican megadonor’s dime or Justice Samuel Alito reportedly taking a lavish trip with a billionaire with cases before the court, the Supreme Court is rife with ethics scandals. And it’s not just the right-leaning Justices
either. Sonia Sotomayer is under fre for requesting libraries order her books (as an author, I can’t help but wonder what’s wrong with that???)....But I feel like these justices do what they want to do.....and Clarence is saying “Who gon check me, Boo?” All I know is there needs to be a serious overhaul of ethics in the Supreme Court. But I won’t hold my breath.
Are you on the new social media app, Threads? Well, 100 million folks are, including some employees of Twitter. Ever since Meta launched its competitor to Twitter, Elon Musk has been attempting to tear it down, denouncing Treads’ approach to content moderation and threatening to sue for the supposed thef of “trade secrets”. Some of his employees, however, are thoroughly enjoying the new app. I admit, I love it. It’s full of positivity and few ads, though I’m not holding out for that to last long. I do however, feel bad for the brothers who released Spill, days before Treads. Te problem is Spill required an invite, and simply wasn’t easy to sign up for. Treads, which merged your Instagram account, stole the thunder of Spill before they could even get of the ground. Word to the wise, don’t make stuf difcult for Black folks because we will quickly move on. Still wishing the brothers luck, though.
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Houston has some work to do in order to become more equitable. Tat’s according to a new study announced during a recent press conference by Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner–One Complete Houston, the city’s frst equity indicator study.
Te study, funded by Shell USA, Inc. and developed by the city of Houston in collaboration with the Kinder Institute for Urban Research, measures data in 63 topical areas. It uses a methodology derived from the City University of New York for state and local governments.
Based on a score of 100, Houston’s overall equity score stands at 44.1.
“You may not like 44,” he said. “And if you don’t like it, then you need to improve it.”
When compared to cities that have also employed this methodology, it is higher than Dallas’ score of 38 in 2021 and Tulsa’s score of 42.63 in 2022.
Meanwhile, Houston’s score is behind St. Louis’ score of 45.47 in 2018 and Pittsburgh’s score of 55 in 2020.
During his speech, he said the Houston job market grew by 19% between 2008 and 2017 but the income inequality grew by 16% during the same time.
He addressed economic and health disparities among the communities of Houston, the gentrifcation of neighborhoods, food desertswhere quality grocery stores are absent, energy deserts, neighborhoods where the heat index is higher and those where banks are almost nonexistent.
“Houston is considered by many to be the land of opportunity, and in many ways it
is,” Turner said during the press conference. “Unfortunately, that opportunity fows diferently to some Houstonians based on their zip codes, race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation.”
In terms of infrastructure, Houston’s public transport stands at 85.3. Connectivity, with regards to access to cars and roadways, is at 63, while drainage is at 98.
Daniel Potter, the senior director of research at the Kinder Institute explained that Houston scored a 98 on the equity indicator for drainage, and a 94 on air pollution because both fare poorly in the city.
Houston’s not-so-strong suits
According to this study, Houston’s homeownership and home afordability stand at 46, whereas housing quality got the low score of 24.7. A score of 53.3 was given to housing that
is in the way of climate-related risks.
Te economic opportunity and employment score in Houston is at 21, while educational attainment received a score of 47, income and poverty got 35. On the other hand, it scored an 82 on high school graduation among all demographic factors in the Houston ISD.
“Tis is screaming out that there are diferent lived experiences here in Houston and I’m not telling you anything that you don’t already know,” said Potter.
Houston’s environmental and climate risks (EPA penalties), access and inclusion, housing, economic opportunity, health (maternal mortality, mental health and EMS transports), infrastructure, and public safety are indicators that received a score less than 20 out of 100.
In particular, around 318 in every 100,000 Black residents experience disparities in
ambulance transports for mental health services, while the number is 174 for white Houstonians, 98 for Hispanic Houstinians and 31 for Asian Houstonians, per the report.
Te report also found that less than 1% of Black Houstonians are business owners. In comparison, 6% are Asian and 5% are white.
“Although I would love to stand before you and say we live in a colorblind society, that’s just not the reality when you take a look, even in the City of Houston,” Turner said. “We are highly diverse, but equity still very much eludes us. It is not something that can be addressed by one administration, it has to be addressed over multiple generations because the disparities that have occurred did not occur in one year’s time or ten years or twenty years. Tey have occurred over an extended period of time, and in order to address them, you have to talk about equity.”
Defender News Service
Harris County is suing the State of Texas to overturn a law that would abolish the appointed post of Harris County elections administrator. County leaders fear the law, if implemented on schedule, would throw this year’s November election into chaos.
Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee filed the lawsuit in Travis County, naming Acting Attorney General John Scott and Secretary of State Jane Nelson as the defendants in their ofcial capacities.
“In the next week, we’ll reach out to the court to get a hearing date, because we’re asking the court to temporarily block Senate Bill 1750 from taking efect,” Menefee said, announcing the lawsuit. “I suspect we’ll be able to get a hearing in the next month, and
at that hearing, that issue should be decided.”
SB 1750, which applies only to Harris County, is set to go into efect September 1st. It would force the county to turn over the running of elections to the elected county clerk and the management of voter rolls to the elected county tax assessor-collector with less than two months to go before the start of early voting.
“Tis will eliminate the job of our current elections administrator, Cliford Tatum,” Menefee said, “and it means that more than 150 county employees are going to have to undergo substantial changes, another major change, in just a three-year time period.”
Republican lawmakers and Governor Greg Abbott have insisted SB 1750 is necessary because recurring problems since Harris County switched to an appointed elections administrator in late 2020 showed the administrator’s ofce was, at best, incompetent to manage elections in the county. At worst,
they alleged the ofce manipulated the conduct of voting to favor Democratic candidates through the deliberate shorting of paper ballots to polling centers in Republican-leaning neighborhoods.
Harris County’s commissioners court is made up of three Hispanic Democrats, one Black Democrat, and one white Republican. Te county attorney, county clerk, county tax assessor-collector are all elected Black Democrats, while the county elections administrator, also Black, was appointed by an election commission made up of four Democrats and one Republican.
“Tis is representative of a bully picking on this county,” said County Commissioner Adrian Garcia, who singled out Abbott and Republican lawmakers for condemnation. “Tis is an efort to create a new type of poll tax and voter suppression on the citizens of Harris County in 2023, and that is unconscionable.”
An Oklahoma judge has dismissed a lawsuit demanding reparations and rebuilding to address the historical damage inficted by the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. Te case represents the last three survivors of the violent assault that claimed the lives of approximately 300 Black Americans in the renowned “Black Wall Street” community.
Judge Caroline Wall, in her ruling, ruled in favor of the defendants, including the state and the city of Tulsa, who had repeatedly moved for the case’s dismissal. Wall dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice, barring it from being refled in state court.
However, the plaintifs—Lessie Benningfeld Randle, Viola Fletcher, and Hughes Van Ellis— still have the option to appeal the decision. One of the central arguments presented by the state and city ofcials was that the survivors did not personally experience individualized adverse efects resulting from the massacre.
Many said the Tulsa Race Massacre has come to symbolize government-sanctioned racism and violence, contributing to the persistent disparities faced by Black Americans. Historical accounts suggest that the massacre likely originated from a misunderstanding or falsehood.
A Black boy and a white girl entered an elevator together, and subsequent reports in the local newspaper falsely accused the boy of
Colin Allred raises nearly $6.2m in two months in bid to unseat Ted Cruz
attempting to assault the girl sexually. Some have speculated that the boy may have accidentally bumped into the girl, and because of the severe consequences associated with interracial interactions during that era, racist whites became enraged.
Following a newspaper’s editorial calling for lynching, white residents of the town embarked
Dallas Congressman Colin Allred is reporting strong fundraising numbers in his bid to unseat incumbent Republican Senator Ted Cruz in 2024. Allred is outpacing where Cruz’s last Democratic challenger stood at this point in the 2018 campaign. Allred’s campaign confrms it raised nearly $6.2 million between the beginning of May and the end of June. Tat brings Allred’s war chest to more than $8.6 million, including money rolled over from his House campaign account. Other Democrats who have signaled interest in challenging Cruz in next year’s general election include State Senator Roland Gutierrez of San Antonio and State Representative Carl Sherman of DeSoto. Allred’s strong early showing could potentially deter other contenders for the Democratic nomination.
Health officials are warning Houstonians about an outbreak of an intestinal parasite that can cause severe cases of diarrhea. Doctors have seen a rise in gastrointestinal illness caused by a microscopic parasite in recent weeks in both Fort Bend and Harris counties. Te parasite, called Cyclospora cayetanensis, can cause fu-like symptoms, including watery diarrhea, bloating, fever, stomach
on a rampage the next day, destroying 1,200 homes, 60 businesses, a hospital, a school, and a library in the Greenwood District, as documented by Human Rights Watch. Te devastation forever shattered the heart of the Black community, which could not reclaim its former prosperity afer May 31, 1921.
Calling it one of the nation’s “worst acts of
cramps, and muscle aches. It lives in feces-contaminated foods and waters and is ofen spread by the consumption of unwashed fruits and vegetables. Ofcials are urging people to take extra care when preparing foods, and carefully washing cooking boards, utensils and other food prep surfaces to avoid cross-contamination.
We knew Texas beaches weren’t the best, but a new report says it’s worse than we thought. Te report from Environment Texas says 90% of the state’s beaches, or 55 out of 61, tested positive for unsafe levels of fecal bacteria on one or more occasions last year. Tey found the Texas City Dike and 25th Street beaches in Galveston were
domestic terrorism,” plaintifs like Lessie E. Benningfield Randle, the oldest survivor at 108 years old, say they sufered personal losses. For instance, Randle’s grandmother’s home was looted and demolished.
Te lawsuit highlighted how intergenerational real estate ownership has been a key factor contributing to the wealth disparity between white and Black Americans, with many properties destroyed or unlawfully seized following the Civil War.
In the civil fling, the lawyers contended, “Tis brutal, inhumane attack… robbed thousands of African Americans of their right to self-determination, upon which they had built this self-sustaining community.”
Ofcials asserted that the city, county, and state either created a public nuisance or, at the very least, turned a blind eye to the incident and later capitalized on it for their beneft. Te lawsuit cited apologies from the city’s mayor and a commander of the Oklahoma National Guard, the latter of whom admitted that the troops did not intervene to save the community.
Te defendants maintain insufcient evidence to support the three plaintifs’ claims of “individualized injury.”
While the survivors said dismissing the lawsuit is disappointing, it is unlikely to halt the growing awareness of this crucial chapter in American history, which sheds light on contemporary disparities.
among eight in Texas that exceeded the EPA’s safety threshold with unsafe levels of fecal bacteria reported more than 25% of all the days they were tested. Cole Park Beach in Corpus Christi, the most frequently-contaminated beach in the state, also registered high bacteria levels. Fecal contamination happens due to runof and sewage overfows. Swimming in water contaminated with fecal bacteria can result in respiratory issues, gastrointestinal sickness, ear and eye infections, and skin rashes.
VOLUME 92, NUMBER 35 - JULY 13, 2023
Publisher | CEO Sonceria Messiah-Jiles
Strategic Alllance Clyde Jiles
Digital Content Manager Get Current Studios
Managing Editor ReShonda Tate
Associate Editor Aswad Walker
Education Reporter Laura Onyeneho
The
Special Assignments Reporter Tannistha Sinha
Sports Terrance Harris Jodie B. Jiles
Photographer Jimmie Aggison
Social Media Manager Tia Alphonse Jordan Hockett
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It has been a month since the Texas Education Agency (TEA) announced its takeover of the Houston Independent School District. Several meetings have been held, plans for getting students ready for 2035 have been laid out, teachers in New Education System (NES) schools have been asked to reapply for their jobs and some principals have been reassigned.
New state-appointed superintendent Mike Miles reassigned the principals at three of the district’s high schools, all of which are located in low-income communities of color.
Sharpstown’s Dan De Leon, Worthing’s Everett Hare and Yates’ Tifany Guillory will all be reassigned. Permanent replacements for the principals will be in place before the start of districtwide professional development in August, Miles said.
“My leadership team and I reviewed existing plans for the future of these schools and determined that new leadership was necessary to drive the kind of improvement these high schools need to start preparing their students and graduates well for the workplace and world that waits for them afer high school,” Miles said.
On July 6, Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles held a meeting with numerous school principals, where he presented his plans for reforms in schools. It was the same day that HISD employees were told that regarding their delayed July 5 paychecks, employees can opt for either a
paper check or a direct deposit.
During the meeting, Miles also extended a fnal opportunity to those who had enrolled in his New Education System to reconsider their decision.
Miles’ intention was to clarify the diferences between NES and NES Aligned schools. While 28 schools are already a part of the NES program, he gave the option to other schools to join this initiative. Fify-seven schools had opted into the NES system.
NES Aligned schools, however, are diferent. Teachers will not have to reapply for their jobs in these schools and will not receive a higher salary like the NES schools, but will instead, receive a $10,000 stipend.
Earlier in June, the HISD Board of Managers unanimously approved Miles’ budget of $2.2 billion for the academic year.
In that meeting, he said he intended to save $30 million by cutting down central ofce jobs, $50 million by discontinuing services from contractors, and $25 million by ending some staf funding through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, which is expected to run out by September 2024.
An estimated 500 to 600 jobs in HISD’s chief academic ofce will be eliminated, along with 40 human resources positions.
Miles estimates that the cuts from academic departments total 30% of current positions, around 3% of which were vacancies. However, more jobs in other sectors of the school district will also be eliminated in the near future, Miles said.
HISD Superintendent Mike Miles unveiled an expanded rollout of the New Education System (NES) plan, encompassing an additional 57 schools across the district.
Tis development follows the initial selection of 28 schools to participate in the NES program, including notable institutions such as Kashmere, Wheatley, and North Forest high schools.
Te NES program aims to bring about comprehensive changes and reform to participating institutions, with a focus on providing additional support in course curriculum oferings, PowerPoints, and demonstrational learning.
The newly added campuses, referred to as “NES-aligned” schools, will undergo changes starting in August.
During a recent HISD family event held at Pugh Elementary School on July 11, Miles assured parents and community members that underserved schools would receive the necessary resources for student academic success.
“It costs money to have teacher stipends, higher salaries, teacher apprentices. Tat’s money that the underserved schools will be getting that the other schools will not be getting,” said Miles.
Here are the key elements of the NES plan and what can be expected from the expanded implementation:
Mike Miles HISD SuperintendentJob Security and Compensation: Teachers at the 57 NES-aligned schools will not be required to reapply for their positions, and signifcant pay raises will be reserved for the 28 campuses targeted for the most extensive overhaul.
Extended Schedule and Centralized Support: Te schools will operate on an extended schedule, from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., to ofer fexibility for working parents. The district will choose and purchase curriculum materials, provide guidance for lesson plans, and assume responsibility for managing the campus budget, shifing it from principals to the district’s central ofce staf.
“Hospital Model” Support: A “hospital model” will be established in NES schools, with “teacher apprentices” and “learning coaches” working alongside teachers in classrooms. Tese support staf positions are responsible for preparing and grading instructional work for teachers.
Extended Hours and Enhanced Resources: NES schools will also modify their before and afer-school care hours, operating from 5:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., further accommodating working parents. Te district has committed to providing upgraded facilities.
Te additional 57 schools selected to participate in the NESaligned program are as follows:
Elementary: Alcott, Ashford, Benavidez, Blackshear, Bonham, Bonner, Brookline, Burrus, Cage, Coop, DeZavala, Durkee, Franklin, Gallegos, Gregg, J.R. Harris, R.P. Harris, Hartsfeld, Hobby, Kennedy, Lewis, Lockhart, Looscan, Northline, Oates, Osborne, Port Houston, Robinson, Rucker, Seguin, Smith, Tompson, Wainwright, Whidby, Whittier, and Young.
Middle: Cullen, Edison, Fondren, Hartman, Holland, Lawson, Project Chrysalis, Revere, and Williams.
High School: Furr, Houston Math, Science and Technology Center, Madison, Scarborough, Sterling, Washington, Worthing, Wisdom, and Yates.
Multi-grade: Las Americas Newcomer, Long Academy, Reagan K-8 Education Center.
The whole basis of NES is about equity. It is about providing more resources to the school of NES and NES align."
Not only is Jolanda Jones a Texas state representative, but she served on the HISD board of trustee, District 4 from 2016-2020. Known for her outspoken nature, she fearlessly advocates for impoverished children and isn’t hesitant to hold fellow trustees accountable. However, certain events have brought signifcant changes to the school district’s governance.
In 2019, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) initiated a move to remove the HISD board due to allegations of misconduct by trustees and a history of poor academic performance at a single high school within the district. Te TEA’s Special Investigations Unit conducted an inquiry that revealed potential wrongdoing in two areas: violating the Texas Open Meetings Act and exceeding their authority.
Supporters of the state’s takeover argue that it provides a way to revitalize struggling school districts. However, critics express concerns about undermining the community’s choice by removing elected board members and the potential impact on jobs within the district.
Te Defender spoke with Jones on her thoughts on the TEA takeover and its implications. As a former HISD board member, her unique perspective sheds light on this signifcant development in Houston’s educational landscape.
DEFENDER: As a former HISD trustee and advocate for education, what are your thoughts on the TEA takeover?
JOLANDA JONES: Before they [Board of Managers] were appointed I’ve never met them and I was involved in HISD, I mean trying to help before I was ever on the board. I’ve never seen any of them. Where did they come from? Tey know nothing about HISD. Tey never came to one board meeting. Tey never talked to any trustees. I got on the board in 2016.
DEFENDER: In your experience as a board trustee,what specifc challenges or disparities did you observe in education in HISD?
JONES: Tey didn’t have sports. Tey didn’t have bands. Tey didn’t even have honor society. Tey had nothing. Some of these kids deal with trauma. Tink about
the immigrant kids who have people in their families who are undocumented, or maybe they’re working and they need to take care of their families, or scared that their parents will be taken from them. Can you imagine living like that? How do you explain that to people who think that if the kids are struggling, it must be something the kids or the parents aren’t doing? So, HISD has all of those problems and most of my colleagues had no clue about them.
DEFENDER: TEA frst moved to force out the school district board in 2019 in response to allegations of misconduct by trustees.What can you recall from that time?
JONES: Dr. Grenita Lathan was the best superintendent HISD ever had. She recognized the schools that were underfunded. She gave us budgets in multiple years to sufciently fund all those 29 schools that fake board of managers are mentioning… Not only did [certain] board members vote against it, what they did at the board table was just decided to put money where they wanted. We had a chief fnancial ofcer who made sure the budget was balanced. At the board table, they were like we’re going
to take money from this school or this program. Tey didn’t know what they were doing. HISD is in the fnancial ruins that it’s in because of them deciding that they knew how to be a superintendent. Tere was no unity across the board. Sue Deigaard, Elizabeth Santos, Holly Maria Flynn Vilaseca, Sergio Lira, Diana Davila, and Anne Sung voted together, on a team of nine. I was in an alliance of three. Tree is never going to beat six. In fact, the TEA investigated HISD because they were looking for anything to take us over, even during that walking quorum [some board trustees] were a part of. Everybody got in trouble but me. When you have open meetings, the public needs to be aware, so that we’re not doing sneaky stuf like they were doing.
DEFENDER: What were some initiatives that played a role in achieving positive results in the schools at the time?
JONES: Dr. Lathan put in for us to have nurses at every school, psychologists and counselors and librarians. Dr. Lathan knew that the inner-city kids have unique problems that sometimes we don’t talk about. She tried to put money into special education. Tey [board members] wouldn’t let her put that kind of money in.
DEFENDER: What did it take to succeed in the role as board trustee? How can that translate now for this new appointed board?
JONES: Tey need the respect of the people. Until they earn the respect of the constituents, they can’t succeed. Te problem is they think they’re smarter than the parents and the kids of the people they’re making decisions for. Nobody respects that. Every district that TEA has taken over has been worse. TEA doesn’t have a reputation of fxing schools. Tey go in, spend all the money, and then they leave.
DEFENDER: What message would you like to convey to Black families in Houston ISD during this time?
JONES: I hate to say this, but if you can aford to leave HISD, you should. Problem is they can’t because over 90% of HISD kids are poor. Te parents don’t have any money. I wouldn’t send my child to HISD with TEA over it.
I hate to say this, but if you can aford to leave HISD, you should. Problem is they can’t because over 90% of HISD kids are poor. The parents don’t have any money. I wouldn’t send my child to HISD with TEA over it."Rep. Jolanda Jones
or the past 109 years, the men of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Incorporated have been committed to service. And now, they are bringing that service to the Bayou City for their biennial international conference, which is expected to bring 8,000 people to town. This is the first time the Sigma’s international convention has been in Houston in 50 years.
Operating under the theme, “Believe in Our Power, Leading the Movement” members from Texas, Louisiana and New Mexico hope to shine the light on issues impacting the African American community while also participating in business meetings, social activities, community service, and honoring local leaders during their convention which will be held at the George R. Brown Convention Center. More than 5,000 registered Sigmas, along with their wives and families, are expected to converge on downtown Houston for the event which runs through July 17.
Phi Beta Sigma was founded on the campus of Howard University in 1914 to promote brotherhood, scholarship and service. The international organization has been instrumental in the establishment of the Phi Beta Sigma National Foundation, the Phi Beta Sigma Federal Credit Union and The Sigma Beta Club Foundation. Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, founded in 1920 with the assistance of Phi Beta Sigma, is the sister organization of the Fraternity.
“Phi Beta Sigma has always been on the forefront from the very beginning, focusing on social injustice, economic empowerment of our members, continued pursuit of education and us always putting our arms around young people and mentoring them at each level. And we’ve done that now for 109 years,” said International President, Chris V. Rey, J.D., who has led the organization for two years. “So, as we enter into this new chapter in our organization’s history, we’re excited about some of the new initiatives that we’re focused on as an organization.”
One of those initiatives includes the demolishing and rebuilding of the organization’s international headquarters in
Founded: January 9, 1914, Howard University
Motto: ”Culture For Service and Service For Humanity”
Headquarters: Washington, D.C.
Rey says ultimately, besides expanding the initiative to cities like Houston, they’re working on creating health clinics for men and building a hospital for the community.
The group’s presence is expected to bring a significant economic boost to the city, to the tune of $5-10 million.
“We, first and foremost, handle the business of the fraternity. We take a look at our constitution, we make any additions or subtraction from it, improvements, development of new policies, etc. Then we make sure that we focus on re-energizing our brotherhood to go back out into the world for another two years to do the work that we have committed and recommitted ourselves to,” Rey said. “While we’re in the city, we are preparing for some of the service projects that we’re gonna be doing around the city, like the teddy bear drive for one of the local
hospitals. We’re asking our brothers to bring neckties that we will donate to local schools for young men. We’re going to have workshops for the community. We’re gonna be encouraging our brothers from around the world and we have our vendor expo, which will be more conducive to the community and give them an opportunity to engage and plug in with us.”
The expo will feature vendors discussing health issues and amenities that can benefit the Black community, educational workshops and more.
“From an economic standpoint, the city of Houston will absolutely know that the men of Phi Beta Sigma will be there.
We have booked 12 downtown hotels,” Rey said.
When you add the thousands registered for the conference, the food and beverage, transportation, and souvenir
shopping, along with the sold-out hotels, tourism leaders say it’s a win for the city.
Community partnerships
The fraternity will also recognize local leaders for the work that they’ve done.
“We recognize that the work that we do in the community takes a partnership, so we’ll be recognizing individuals who are not a part of Phi Beta Sigma,” Rey said. “It’s important that we not only partner with other organizations, but there are other people who are quiet warriors who have been doing good work, and we want to make sure that we take an opportunity to give them their flowers, as well,” Rey added. “When it’s all said and done and we’ve wrapped up our conference, we hope that the city of Houston, will, number one, know that Phi Beta Sigma was there, but that we’ve made a positive impact through the work that we would’ve been doing.”
Two of Houston’s iconic fgures in the music industry will embark on a community service project set to make a lasting impact in their hometown. Former Destiny’s Child members Beyoncé Knowles and Kelly Rowland have joined forces on a housing project known as Te Knowles-Rowland House Project, aimed to provide permanent housing for individuals experiencing homelessness in Houston.
The Knowles-Rowland House Project will be developed at Bread of Life Inc.’s headquarters on Crawford St., thanks to a generous $7.2 million allocation from the American Rescue Plan. Bread of Life, is an organization dedicated to serving healthy meals and ofering support to those facing homelessness in downtown Houston. Tis initiative is in collaboration with Beyoncé’s own charity, BeyGOOD, further demonstrating her commitment to making a positive diference in her community.
“Tese housing units in Precinct One
will be available to people who experience homelessness,” said County Commissioner Rodney Ellis. “In our precinct, 580 people experience unsheltered homelessness, representing the largest share amongst all four precincts. Tese individuals live in places not meant for human habitation – in parks, under bridges, in abandoned buildings, or on the street. They face higher rates of chronic physical and mental illnesses and substance use. Permanent supportive housing projects like the Knowles-Rowland House are critical because they go beyond raising the roof.”
Ellis said the “supportive” in supportive housing means case management, life skills training, job skills development, and counseling.
“Tis helps break the cycle of chronic homelessness by equipping people to pursue meaningful work, recover from mental health and substance use challenges, and fnd stability,” Ellis said.
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo
commended the efforts of Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland, emphasizing the significance of their involvement in addressing the issue of homelessness. She highlighted the 20% decrease in homelessness in Houston and the county since the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, underscoring the impact of initiatives like Te Knowles-Rowland House Project.
Te project will provide 31 permanent housing units and offer comprehensive support services to residents. These services include case managers, peer specialists, service specialists, and various support systems such as transportation, and mental, physical, and behavior health assistance. An ofcial launch announcement is scheduled for September coinciding with Beyoncé’s return to her hometown for her highly anticipated Renaissance World Tour shows at NRG Stadium.
Construction is scheduled to begin in October 2023 and be completed by July 2024.
“Beyoncé and Kelly are hometown heroes who know how to raise the roof, and for the past 20-plus years, Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, and their families have poured millions into community-centered projects built on a simple premise: housing is a human right. In Harris County, everyone should have a safe and healthy place to call home. Tis project will move Harris County closer to realizing its vision for a vibrant, inclusive Harris County where everyone has the opportunity to thrive in the sanctity and safety of their home,” Ellis added.
Beyoncé and Rowland have consistently served their community over the years. In 2017, post Hurricane-Harvey, Beyoncé along with fellow Destiny’s Child bandmate Michelle Williams and her mother Tina Knowles-Lawson, participated in serving food to people afected by the disaster. Kelly Rowland collaborated with the Knowles family to establish the Survivor Foundation over a decade earlier to provide transitional housing for victims of Hurricane Katrina.
When NASA sends Artemis II to the moon next year, piloting the manned moon mission will be a Black man, the frst to undergo such an endeavor. For Victor Glover, it’s an honor that’s been in the making for years.
“I live in the America that sent me to space, told my grandfather he couldn’t fy during the Korean confict when he was enlisted, but he got to sit and watch me fy,” Glover says. “We live in a very complicated country.”
Glover will join three other experienced astronauts on the 321-foot-tall machine to initiate the second great era of lunar exploration. Tey include the frst woman, Christina Hammock Koch and Canadian Jeremy Hansen — the frst non-American, and Reid Wiseman.
Only 24 people in the history of this country have traveled to the Moon, and none in the last 50 years. Te 10-day trip is planned to launch in November of next year.
While they won’t land on the moon, NASA has announced the following mission, Artemis III, will have two astronauts walk on the lunar surface for the frst time since 1972.
Glover, a Pomona, California, native, and now Houston-area resident, was selected in 2013 as one of eight members of the 21st NASA astronaut class, while working as a Legislative Fellow in the United States Senate. He went on to serve as the pilot and second-in-command on the Crew-1 SpaceX Crew Dragon and as a Flight Engineer on the International Space Station as a part of Expedition 64.
Glover accumulated 3,000 fight hours in more than 40 aircraf, over 400 carrier arrested landings and 24 combat missions. He talked with the Defender about his storied career.
DEFENDER: This is a monumental accomplishment,whichyou no doubt recognize.Butdoyougetexcitedknowingthatyou’reheadingtothemoon?
VICTOR GLOVER: I’m a test pilot and a military ofcer who’s been in combat. I know what this means, the seriousness, the training, all the public outreach that’s going to be required because we’re stewards of public resources. So really the feeling that I had was a little bit of shock... I have to be honest. But also I just felt like, wow, this is big. And I don’t know what that feeling is, though, you know, profundity. It just seemed really big.
DEFENDER: What kind of training haveyou gone through to prepareyou topilotArtemisII?
GLOVER: During the two-year Astronaut Candidate Training we learned the basics of robotics, learned to speak Russian (Tat’s one of our major partners fying). We learned how to spacewalk. After training, we became certifed astronauts and served in different capacities. I’ve been the operations ofcer here, incrementally taking care of the crew that’s in orbit and representing them to the ground. And then I was assigned in 2018 as a part of the commercial crew program to fly our newest generation of spacecraft.
I piloted a SpaceX dragon, which we named Resilience during the Covid Pandemic. And we went to the Space Station in November of 2020 and landed back here on Earth in May of 2021.
DEFENDER: A lot of little boysdreamofbeingastronauts.Isthatsomething you wanted when you were little?
GLOVER: I always wanted to chase the adventure. I wanted to go fast and far and do different things, but I would say the one thing I’ve always wanted to do is
play professional sports. And the team nature of this job is a part of how I got here. Tat’s a part of how I got into the Navy, my desire for service and also wanting to work together with folks to overcome problems. I didn’t have exposure to engineers and pilots when I was young. I saw a space shuttle launch on TV and thought I would love to drive that machine. Tat was as close as I got to it. I didn’t even have the context to say, ‘I wanna be an, an astronaut or a pilot,’ because I didn’t know any of those. I was lucky that I had parents that supported me going to college even though neither of my parents had graduated from a university.
DEFENDER: You view your job as a servicethatyou’redoing,correct?
GLOVER: Tere’s a saying in politics, all politics is local, and I think all service is too, right? I get to go all over the world and speak to kids and try to motivate them about the importance of science, technology, good health and achieving and setting good dreams and accomplishing them. But, really the work that I do here in this community, starting in my house with my own children and the local schools here, are things that I can continue and put time into those sustained eforts.
DEFENDER: Is service one of the thingsthatdrewyoutoyourfraternity, PhiBetaSigma?
GLOVER: Yes, I joined Phi Beta Sigma at my undergraduate university. Our motto of Phi Beta Sigma is culture for service and service for humanity. And I can’t wait to really share that with our community here in Houston.
ABOUT VICTOR GLOVER
• California Polytechnic State University, BS, General Engineering 1999
• University at Edwards Air Force Base, Master of Science, Flight test engineering from the Air, 2007
• Naval Postgraduate School, Master of Science, Systems Engineering, 2009
• Air University, Master of Military Operational Art and Science, 2010
• Married: Dionna, four children.
Meteorologists are forecasting hot, elevated temperatures all across Texas. In Houston and surrounding areas, tripledigit temperatures are expected multiple times before summer’s end. So please stay alert to a heat-related health hazard known as heatstroke.
Sometimes called sunstroke, heatstroke is a dangerous condition occurring when you get too hot and your body’s cooling mechanisms can’t return you to a normal temperature. Some mistakenly believe heatstroke only happens while engaged in vigorous outdoor physical activities. However, heat-related illnesses can overtake you during routine yard work or playing golf on a sweltering day.
Know heatstroke symptoms.
Heatstroke victims may present various
FROM THE DOC
“Don’t be fooled: Skin may be moist or dry depending on the speed the heatstroke develops and your hydration status.”
Dr. Vincent is a board-certified Internal Medicine physician at Memorial Villages Campus.
warning symptoms with or without sweating, including headache, mental confusion, slurred speech, dizziness, nausea, and, without treatment, unconsciousness.
If you or someone exhibits these symptoms, get to a shaded area or cooler environment and apply cool compresses to the neck and forehead. If symptoms persist, call 911 for immediate assistance. Although rare, unmanaged heatstroke can prove fatal.
Take precautions.
• If possible, limit outdoor activity between noon and 5 p.m.
• Should your job require outdoor work, as do agricultural, construction, Public Works, and landscaping workers, be advised to:
Stay hydrated! Drink fluids every 15 to 20 minutes. Cool water is best. Sports drinks with electrolytes are also beneficial. Avoid caffeine and sugary drinks.
– Take frequent breaks in the shade.
– Wear light-colored, loose-fitting clothes and a wide-brimmed hat. If your job requires a hard hat for safety gear, wear a moistened cooling towel around your neck.
Infants and the elderly are particularly susceptible to heatstroke. Make sure they stay hydrated with access to air conditioning or electric fans. And I can’t overemphasize this: Never leave a child in a parked car!
Kelsey-Seybold welcomes new patients and accepts more than 50 health insurance plans, including Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Humana, UnitedHealthcare, and many more.
We have 36 convenient locations close to home and work –and still growing!
Phoenix Mercury star and Houston native Brittney Griner had her first dunk of the season and the 25th of her WNBA career during the 78-72 win over Los Angeles.
Rockets second-year forward Jabari Smith Jr. had 38 points, seven rebounds, six assists and knocked down three 3-pointers against Detroit in NBA Summer League action.
Brice Matthews
The Astros drafted Nebraska shortstop and former Atascocita High School quarterback Brice Matthews in the first round of the Major League Baseball Draft with the 28th pick overall. Matthews, who is the first player in Nebraska baseball history to hit 20 home runs and steal 20 bases in a season, became a serious prospect his junior season while slashing .359/.481/.723 to go along with 67 RBI and 61 runs scored.
Amen Thompson, the Rockets No.4 pick in last month’s NBA Draft, lasted just one game before being sidelined for the rest of the NBA Summer League with a Grade 2 ankle sprain. Thompson was injured in the fourth quarter of the game against Portland when Blazers center Jabari Walker fell and landed on Thompson’s ankle. Before the injury, Thompson had put on an impressive performance with 16 points, four rebounds, five assists, three steals and four blocks in 28 minutes.
Rockets longtime assistant coach John Lucas is moving from the bench to the front office, the team has confirmed.
Well before NBA free agency began, this was predicted to be the summer NBA AllStar James Harden made his return to the Rockets.
The table was set with Harden poised to walk away from his $35.6 million player option to remain with the Philadelphia 76ers. But by last month’s NBA Draft it was clear a Rockets reunion with their one-time star was not in their plans.
Instead, the Rockets have used their nearly $60 million in free agent shopping money to bring in some players who won’t necessarily make them instant contenders in the Western Conference, but who will help turn the page on their NBA bottom-feeder existence these past few seasons.
General Man -
top-target all along and not Harden. The three-year, $130 million deal the Rockets struck shows just how important the Rockets believe VanVleet’s addition to the backcourt will be.
The signing of Brooks, meanwhile, hasn’t been met with nearly as much optimism. Brooks became a controversial figure and scapegoat in Memphis this past season because of some of his antics, particularly those aimed at Los Angeles star LeBron James.
his second stint with the Rockets, is another heads up move by Stone and the Rockets’ front office. Like VanVleet and Brooks, Green is a tested veteran who has made deep playoff runs. Green is fresh off being a key component of the Denver Nuggets winning the NBA Championship. He also won a NBA title with LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Those experiences should prove invaluable to a young team learning how to win.
John LucasLucas, 69, had been former head coach Stephen Silas’ lead assistant. But Lucas was not among the assistant coaches when new coach Ime Udoka announced his new staff. Following his playing career, Lucas served as head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, San Antonio Spurs and Philadelphia 76ers. He initially joined the Rockets coaching staff as the developmental coach under Mike D’Antoni during the 201617 season.
ager Rafael Stone has made some bold moves to add veterans Fred VanVleet (guard), Brook Dillon (small forward) and well-traveled forward Jeff Green to a roster that will now have a toughness and an edge that hasn’t been seen in Houston in years.
It’s believed VanVleet, a one-time undrafted player who rose to stardom in Toronto, was new coach Ime Udoka’s
But there is no question the value Brooks will add to the Rockets young roster that includes Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Sengun and rookies Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore. Brooks brings instant grit and toughness and a willingness to take on the toughest defensive assignment night after night.
Teams seemed reluctant to take on Brooks’ baggage, but Stone went hard after what he knew was missing on his roster, jumping in a five-team sign-and-trade transaction that landed Brooks for four years and $80 million. The Rockets also mortgaged some of what seemed to be their future to land Brooks, trading away recent first-round picks Josh Christopher, Usman Garuba and TyTy Washington, along with KJ Martin and a couple of future second-round draft picks in that five-team sign-and-trade deal.
The addition of Green, who is back for
Now, how these additions, which also include Aaron Holiday and Jock Landale, will play out on the court remains to be seen. It would seem to make sense that Udoka would want to surround talented leading scorer Jalen Green with VanVleet starting at the point and Brooks at small forward. You don’t pay VanVleet and Brooks the salaries the Rockets have to bring them off the bench.
But Thompson, who was drafted fourth overall, will certainly have to factor into the rotation. Then, there is Kevin Porter, Jr., who has started at point guard the past two seasons and remains on the roster, but he seems to be a trade candidate at some point.
What we do know is that Green, Sengun and Smith are the starting core and who the Rockets go about filling the roles around them remains to be seen. But what’s clear is that the Rockets will be better and almost certainly out of the NBA Lottery this upcoming season.
NNPA CONVENTION
By Aswad Walker
The Defender Network has once again done the Bayou City proud.
During the recent National Newspaper Publishers Association’s (NNPA) 2023 Convention in Nashville, the Defender took home an impressive nine awards for exceptional writing, creative layout and design, original and impactful advertising and more.
The NNPA is a trade association of the more than 200 African-American-owned community newspapers from around the U.S. Since its founding 75 years ago, the NNPA has consistently been the voice of the Black community, and has been true to the Black Press’s original mission as stated in 1827 by this nation’s first Black newspaper, the Freedom’s Journal: “We mean to plead our own cause… No longer shall others speak for us.”
Annually, the NNPA awards those publishers who have gone above and beyond this honorable call of duty. During this year’s convention, the Defender Network received the following awards:
1ST PLACE: Layout & Design (Tabloid)
1ST PLACE: Fashion, Beauty & Lifestyle
2ND PLACE: Youth & Children
2ND PLACE: Sports
2ND PLACE: Newspaper Excellence
2ND PLACE:
3RD PLACE: Health
3RD PLACE: Education
3RD PLACE: Community Engagement
“I am both proud and humbled by overflow of recognitions received by the Defender family,” said Defender Network Publisher and CEO Sonceria “Sonny” Messiah Jiles. “And I say family with great intention, as our team is truly a family; one I would put up against any in the country.”
Award-winning author, movie producer and NAACP Image Award winner ReShonda Tate, serves as the Defender Network’s managing editor, assisting Jiles with orchestrating the ongoing production of the outlet’s recognition-worthy print and online articles.
“We consistently but out a quality product because we have quality people; writers, editors, social media mavens who take their jobs seriously, and put their heart and soul into providing our print and website readers in Houston and across the country with news they can use,” said Tate.
And according to Jiles, her team is far from satisfied.
“We’ve done an excellent job spotlighting local people on the move and organizations, businesses and happenings that deserve attention. We’ve also been at the forefront nationally in producing a game-changing website and social media presence, helping to bring the Black Press into the 21st century,” said a proud and determined Jiles. “But believe me, we’ve only scratched the surface of our potential.”
The Defender is spotlighting the Best of Black Houston - these are activities, businesses, events, ALL owned by Black folks. We know these lists are not all-inclusive so tell us your favs on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
SOCIAL
Top Cigar lounges
Top Happy Hour Spots
Top Sports Bars
Top Hookah Lounges
Top Clubs
FAMILY FUN
Top Black Museums and Exhibits
Top Houston Landmarks
Top Black Festivals
Top Black-owned Food Trucks
GOOD EATING
Top 'Best Vibes' Restaurants
Top Black-owned BBQ Restaurants
Top Soul Food Restaruants
Top Burger Spots
Top African Restaurants
ENTERTAINMENT
Top Comedy Shows
Top Concerts
Top Summer Plays
Top Summer Black Movies
Top Black Houston Muscians
SELF-CARE
Top Black Boutiques
Top Gyms
Top Masseuses
Top Barbers
Top Beauticians
FAITH
Top Baptist Churches
Top Catholic Churches
Top Methodist Churches
Top Non-Denominational Churches
Top Muslim Temples & Mosques
Pursuant to the FY2023 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) issued by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the Continuum of Care (CoC), the Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/ Harris County, as the Lead Agency to The Way Home CoC, invites applications for new permanent housing projects. These projects can be either Rapid Re-housing (RRH) or Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH). Please note that funding for new permanent housing projects in the 2023 CoC competition is currently unknown. However, any reallocated funds will be made available for new permanent housing (RRH or PSH).
It is mandatory for all interested applicants to attend a virtual grant conference, scheduled for Tuesday, July 25, from 2:00-3:30pm. Registration information and applications can be accessed at www.homelesshouston.org. Please be advised that applications for the local competition must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. CDT on August 25, 2023. The full Collaborative Application is due locally to HUD by September 25, 2023 and will be publicly posted for view. All interested parties must ensure compliance with prior deadline submissions. New PSH projects are required to serve individuals experiencing chronic homelessness. Moreover, all permanent housing projects must adhere to the Housing First model, accept all admissions through the CoC’s Coordinated Access system, follow the CoC’s established priorities for admitting homeless individuals and families, and maximize the use of mainstream resources for supportive services. For any questions or additional information, please contact nofo@homelesshouston.org. Further details regarding the local competition can also be found at homelesshouston.org
used for nonrecurring closing costs including title insurance, recording fees, and in certain situations, discount points may be used to lower the interest rate. The grant cannot be applied toward down payment, prepaid items or recurring costs, such as property taxes and insurance. Borrowers cannot receive program funds as cash back.
3 Additional information about the Down Payment program: Down Payment program is available with one mortgage product. Program funds can be applied toward down payment only. Borrowers cannot receive program funds as cash back in excess of earnest money deposits. Down Payment Grant program may be considered taxable income, a 1099-MISC will
