The rapper, actor, and producer recently received a Humanitarian award for his investment in youth. CURTIS ‘50 CENT’JACKSONFEATURE Volume 91, issue twitter.com/defendernetworkfacebook.com/defendernetwork defendernetwork.cominstagram.com/defendernetwork FREE This soon-to-be UH grad, entrepreneur, mentor and gamechanger, talks about juggling it all. MUHAMMADQUDISHAHPROFILE 36 July 28, 2022 TACKLING THE TEACHER CRISIS BURNED OUT
Out of 850 J6 defendants so far, the one with the longest sentence is the one Black guy. If this were a diferent case, I’d be shaking my head. But….what y’all doing this weekend?
Or is Houstonthere?Congresswoman
ON THE WEB
WE ARE NOT LIKE THEM
***shrugs*** #MakeAmericaGreatBehindBars
ReShonda Tate
Tere is enough out there to balance out the “heavi ness” of flms like “Till.” And if you’re like me, enjoy them for what they are (shout out to “P-Valley”). But don’t dis miss flms like “Till.” It’s important that we realize that if you’re ignorant to history, you’re doomed to repeat it.
Did you know that fve of the six conservative justices on the bench were appointed by presidents who lost the popular vote? And they are now racing to impose their out-of-touch agenda on the American people. And it’s nothing we can do about it.
Establishment and Retirement Moderniza tion Act would allow a president to nominate Supreme Court nominees every two years. Tis would occur during the frst and third years of their terms. Justice Clarence Tomas will immediately be moved to senior status if this bill is passed. Justices John Roberts and Samuel Alito would follow once they hit the threshold in a couple of years. It’s a lot more details behind the bill, which you can read about at defendernetwork.com but we’re here for it and hoping it passes.
If you’re questioning whether that’s really necessary – Tomas, the longest-tenured Justice, has been on the bench 30 years. More than 1.5 million people have signed a petition to get him of the bench. He’s disman tling rights like he’s removing lint because he knows there’s nothing anyone can do about it. Tis bill could change that.
Ponder, who is Black, received one of the longest sen tences thus far for his role in the terroristic riot (because that’s what it was). The federal government sought a 60-month prison term for Ponder in court this week, which he got, and the judge threw in three more months for good measure because he is seen on video attacking an ofcer. His punishment is tied for the longest with the December sentence of Robert Scott Palmer, a Florida man who struck Capitol Police ofcers with a fre extinguisher.
TERM-LIMITS FOR SCOTUS? HERE FOR IT
2 | July 28, 2022 | DEFENDER NETWORK
LET’S BLACKREDEFINETRAUMA
I don’t know what Mark Ponder was thinking when he donned his red MAGA hat and headed to the nation’s capital on Jan. 6 to take part in an insurrection. But Brotherman is now seeing frsthand that we are not like them.
To the POINTDN
Minutes afer the trailer hit social media, people began dismissing it as “Black trauma porn.” I get it. Hollywood has an afnity for stories of disenfranchised Black folks and their plights—as opposed to stories of our successes. But come on….We watch Tommy take out twelve drug dealers in “Power,” and glorify it on social media. We see drive-bys, random murders, executions daily in flm and TV, and we don’t see any of that as traumatic. But when we deal with the horrors of reality, it’s “too much.”
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Sheila Jackson Lee is among the House Democrats seeking to pass legislation imposing 18-year term limits regarding how long a justice could serve on the high court. Te Supreme Court Tenure
Danielle Deadwyler portrays Mamie Till-Mobley and Jalyn Hall is Emmett Till in the movie “Till.” United Artists Releasing
• Sports reporter Terrence Harris has the latest on the US’s eforts to #BringBrittneyHome.
In commemoration of Emmit Till’s 81st birthday, a new trailer for an upcoming biopic detailing Till’s life, death, and his mother Mamie Till-Mobley’s unfathomable resilience was released—and was immediately met with polarizing responses.Thisfilm is an opportunity to educate people on the ugly realities of racism, which is especially timely given the current climate and agenda of educational era sure. Te director, Chinonye Chukwu, said she was careful to not show the actual violence so she wouldn’t traumatize or re-traumatize audiences. She chose to tell the story empathically, as opposed to explicitly.
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Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said he was “stunned and disappointed to learn about the investigation” by the Jus tice“DespiteDepartment.theDOJ’s pronouncements, my
AP
Currently, five school districts and community colleges have signed letters of agreement to conduct the disparity study: Houston ISD, Alief ISD, Spring ISD, Hous ton Community College, Lone Star College
School districts and community colleges are some of the largest government entities issuing contracts according to County Commissioner Rodney Ellis, “After all, these entities ask voters to approve billions of dollars in bonds for facility and technol ogy upgrades. Tey should steward these resources equitably to not only improve education in the community but also create a bridge for economic opportunity.”
Turner said the city sets a priority to combat illegal dumping, “a practice that we agree disproportionately plagues Black and Brown communities in Houston and many municipalities throughout the coun try.’’ Te city has spent millions of dollars to fght illegal dumping, Turner said, add ing that the problem is overwhelmingly caused by third parties who do not live in the afected neighborhoods.
By Laura Onyeneho
The Harris County Commissioners Court has set an August 11, 2022 deadline for community colleges and school districts to sign an agreement to conduct a multi-ju risdictional disparity study. Setting aside $2.5 million to cover nearly all of the cost of the study, Commissioners Court wants the educa tional institutions to implement a high-qual ity MWBE program if the study demonstrates aTeneed.growing wealth gap reveals Black households have about 7 cents in wealth com pared to $1 dollar for white households. In Harris County, Black household income is only 63% of white households.
READ WHAT COUNCILMEMBER MARTHA CASTEX-TATUM THINKS IS TO BLAME FOR THE ILLEGAL DUMPING.
Illegal dumpsites not only attract rodents, mosquitos and other vermin that pose health risks, but they can also contaminate surface water and make neighborhoods more susceptible to fooding, Clarke said. They also can lower property values, harm quality of life and even reduce expected lifespans, Clarke and other ofcials said.
Mayor Sylvester Turner agrees, “We can not close disparities across health, income and educational outcomes if economic opportunities are not equally available to everyone. I believe that local government entities have an obligation to steward public tax dollars in a way that reduces economic inequity to make progress toward closing the racial and gender wealth gap.”
one
NewsDN
During the frst six months of the year, Houston residents called the city’s 311 line more than 5,400 times to complain about illegal dumping, that’s nearly as many com plaints as recorded in all of 2021.
Te following districts and community colleges have not agreed to conduct the disparity study demonstrating their lack of commitment to diversity and accountability.
The investigation is the first publicly announced environmental justice action since Attorney General Merrick Garland created an ofce of environmental justice within the agency in May. Te new ofce
illness and other
Raymond Dugas surveys a large pile of trash lef across the street from his property northeast of downtown Houston on Friday, July 8, 2022. Dugas says people have been using the space for illegal dumping for years. (Annie Mulligan/Houston Chronicle via AP)
ofce received no advance notice,’’ Turner said in a statement, calling the investigation “absurd, baseless and without merit.’’
Besideslaws.bodies, items dumped in majority Black or Latino neighborhoods include appliances, furniture, tires, mattresses and even vandalized ATM machines, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke said at a news conference.“Illegaldumping is a longstanding environmental justice issue, and like many other environmental justice issues, it ofen disproportionately burdens Black and Latino communities,’’ said Clarke, who heads the department’s civil rights division.
should
is focused on “fenceline communities” in Houston, New Orleans, Chicago and other cities that have been exposed to air and water pollution from chemi cal plants, refneries and other industrial sites.
Te Houston investigation will focus on Trinity/Houston Gardens, a predominantly Black and Latino neighbor hood in northeastern Hous ton. Residents frequently complain about illegal dumping there, Clarke said.
The Houston City Council doubled the maximum fne for illegal dumping to $4,000 last year, the maximum allowed by state law, Turner said. The city also has installed surveillance cameras to catch and prosecute individuals and busi nesses responsible for illegal dumping and encourages city residents to call 311 to reg isterMarycomplaints.Benton,a spokeswoman for Turner, said she was “not aware of” dead bodies being dumped anywhere in Houston.
FEDERAL INVESTIGATION
| 3July 28, 2022 | DEFENDER NETWORK
Te investigation will be led by the department’s civil rights division and will examine whether city police and other departments discriminate against Black and Latino res idents in violation of federal civil rights
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Te Justice Department is investigating illegal dumping in Houston, including dead bodies and medical waste, that ofcials said is plaguing Black and Latino neighborhoods in the nation’s fourth largest city.
Illegal dumping in Houston may violate civil rights
Lee
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-KRISTEN CLARKE
e city received more than 5,000 vaccines, 1,500 of those were given to Harris County Public Health.
Texas facing juvenile justice crisis
“It already exists, there’s a vaccine already, the smallpox vaccine has been shown to work against monkeypox,” Hidalgo said. “ ere are treatment options. e challenging news is it can cause areas of concern in immunocompromised, and children. Those unknowns are the concern.”
In a recent press conference, Mayor Sylvester Turner and Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said that as of now there are 47 cases in Houston, with an additional 10 in unincorporated Harris County.
HOUSTON
4 | July 28, 2022 | DEFENDER NETWORK VOLUME 91 - NUMBER 36 - JULY 28, 2022 Publisher | CEO Sonceria Messiah-Jiles Chief Development Officer Emelda Douglas Strategic Alllance Clyde Jiles Creative Director Michael Grant Administrative Asst. Stacey Palmer Managing Editor ReShonda Tate Associate Editor Aswad Walker Education Reporter Laura Onyeneho Sports Terrance Harris Jodie B. Jiles Photographers 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 NewsDN
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By Alaina Bookman
Turner said though case numbers remain low, they still need more vaccines to prevent a worsening public health crisis.
services to a county level to better serve the youth within their own communities.
Texas Appleseed, a nonprofit public interest justice center, filed a complaint urging the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the rights violations of youth within the TJJD and its five facilities across the state. Under the Sunset Review, an agency can be abolished by the state legislature if it is found to be inadequate.
e staffing shortage has resulted in inadequate mental health and educational services, causing higher rates of suicidal behavior as the youth are reportedly isolated for as long as 22 hours each day. Over 600 youths are in the state care of TJJD. Further intake has been paused.
“ ey do things that are stupid and that are law-breaking, but that doesn’t mean that they’re destined to be lifelong, repeat offenders. It doesn’t mean that they need to be institutionalized,” Merfish said. “We have to continue to ensure that we humanize them.”
A complaint from a public interest group is alleging that a staffing shortage at the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) is having detrimental effects on the mental health and physical well-being of youth held in the facilities.
“If you wait too long then you’re chasing a er a pandemic and in this case we don’t want to wait,”
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner updates the community on the spread of monkeypox on July 25, 2022.
Turner said. “We’re asking the White House to send us more vaccines.”Hidalgo said that the goal is not to scare people, but to make sure it is a different trajectory.
Demand for more vaccines as cases rise IN
Merfish said Texas Appleseed is working toward systemic changes in the juvenile justice system through preventative measures and by shi ing rehabilitation
are“Blacksystemic.and Brown youth are profiled, probably by school resource officers and by police officers. Racial biases are within all of our systems in the United States,” Merfish said. “More kids who are Black and Brown are ending up in our juvenile justice system.”
“I do think that these are the most vulnerable youth and a lot of times they are also in our foster care system. ey, unfortunately, become the forgotten children,” MerfishTexassaid.Appleseed is advocating for the closure of TJJD secure facilities a er evidence of sexual assault, excessive use of force and the overuse of restraints were reported a er the May 2022 Sunset Review.
“Young people who are in this are being traumatized right now and their mental health is suffering. We already know that a lot of them have high or intense mental health needs,” said Brett Merfish, an attorney and director of youth justice with Texas Appleseed.
e city of Houston and Harris County are asking the White House for more Monkeypox vaccines as the number of cases in the Houston area rises to 57.
Merfish said these continual and longstanding issues
“WHO declared this a public health emergency. Texas has 183 cases, Harris County has 57 confirmed,” she said. “All have been men between the ages of 20 to 58.; the risk remains low in HarrisMonkeypoxCounty.” can look like a pimple, blister, rash or lesion. Some people experience fevers andHidalgoheadaches.also said that monkeypox is not isolated to just one group of people, but can be contracted by anyone, and that the disease has spread out of Africa — a continent in which it is now endemic — in the past, but cases have not been this high.
MONKEYPOX
| 5July 28, 2022 | DEFENDER NETWORK
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ends. Subscriptions required to access Peacock, Apple TV+, Disney+, Hulu, Prime Video, Netflix, and HBO Max™. © 2022 Comcast. All rights reserved. Individual programs and marks are the property of their respective owners. Viewing will count against any Xfinity data plan. Mobile: Xfinity Mobile requires residential post-pay Xfinity Internet. Line limitations may apply. Equip., intl. and roaming charges, taxes and fees, including reg. recovery fees, and other charges extra, and subj. to change. Pricing subject to change. In times of congestion, your data may be temporarily slower than other traffic. After 20 GB monthly data use, speeds reduced to a maximum of 1.5 Mbps download/750 Kbps upload. No rollover data. For Xfinity Mobile Broadband Disclosures visit: www.xfinity.com/mobile/policies/broadband-disclosures. Call for restrictions and complete details, or visit xfinity.com. NPA242195-0002 The new Supersonic Bundle. It’s kind of a big deal. Get Unlimited Internet with Gig speed and supersonic WiFi with a two-year Internet rate guarantee. Plus, no annual contract and no equipment fees. You’ll even get a free Flex 4K streaming box. And if that’s not incredible enough, it’s all just $50 a month when you add Xfnity Mobile with Unlimited data. Kaboom. 1-800-xfnity xfnity.com/gig Visit a store today Free Flex streaming4Kbox plus equipmentWiFiincluded 2-year Internet rate guarantee Nocontractannualwhen$50/mo.youaddXfnityMobilewithUnlimiteddata. No annual contract required. Regular rates apply for Xfnity Mobile plans. Gig-speed Internet 143587_NPA242195-0002 Supersonic ad 9.75x13 HoustonDefender.indd 1 7/6/22 1:51 AM
Cook was honored with the Florene Ivory Dennis Historic Heart Award, and Amit Tandon received the highly distinguished National Humanitarian Award.
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Annual Houston Humanitarian Awards and RAK Day Founders David and Treveia Dennis with 2022 Humanitarian Awards Honoree Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson
Award founders, David and Treveia Den nis have been about serving the people since the loss of their two young children several years prior to the couple beginning the Humanitarian Awards. Their loss inspired them to highlight local humanitarians in the Houston area because there were so many that helped them through their tough times.
Humanitarian Awards honors Houstonians for generosity
By Payton Wilson
The Houston Random Acts of Kindness Day recently hosted the annual event at the Royal Sonesta Hotel, honoring 10 Housto nians for their generous and selfless efforts, including the award-winning rapper, pro ducer, actor, and entrepreneur, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson for his work with his G-Unity Foundation (which he founded in 2003). His foundation launched an educational intervention program called the ‘G-Unit Business Lab’ in the Houston Independent School District to provide a year-long course on entrepreneurship to help shape the next generation of entrepreneurs in Houston.
included Dave and Laura Ward, Kenneth Li, Dr. Iresha Hillard, LeMarcus and Amber Newman, Dr. Carolyn Farb, Councilman Edward Pollard, Bishop Leroy J. Woodard Jr., Darryl and Linda Wischnewsky, and Alan Helfman. Caleb
“When you doing it big, you win these kinda awards: Houston Humanitatian Award. I’m proud of this, and my entrepre neurship program is doubling in size this year,” Jackson wrote on Instagram after the awardsOtherceremony.honorees
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The Houston Fund for Social Justice and Economic Equity, funded by private contributions, is led by local business and political leaders.
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注意：如果您使用繁體中 文，您可以免費獲得語言援助服務。請致電 1-877-320-2188 (TTY: 711). GCHLKSZEN We accept Aetna, Cigna, Humana, Memorial Hermann and Wellcare Medicare Advantage plans. Follow us @CenterWellPrimaryCare to learn about activities and events Visit our Conroe center located at 381 S. Loop 336 W., Suite 900, plus 15 other locations throughout Greater Houston & the Golden Triangle. Plans accepted CMYCYMYCMYMCK ai165669156353_2022_CTW-30455_ROY_Print_Houston_The Defender_ENG_4.812x13_07-07-22_F.pdf 1 7/1/22
| 7 BusinessDN July 28, 2022 | DEFENDER NETWORK
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In the afermath of the heinous killing of George Floyd, a group of Houstonians came together to establish the Houston Fund for Social Justice and Economic Equity to cre ate long term change in Houston’s minority community from a grassroots level.
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“Te genesis happened afer the death of George Floyd,” said Mayor Sylvester Turner, who serves as Honorary Chair. “Tere was a lot of talk about defunding police, but I was hearing people saying we need to invest in communities that have been underserved and underresourced for decades.”
Te grant will give $10,000 to $65,000 to non-profts and small businesses so they can own more of their assets, such as property, equipment and technology. Candidates are encouraged to focus on one of the four pillars of the fund that include: Social and Racial Justice, Economic Development, Youth Empowerment and Education, and Community Building.
Thomas Jones, President
By Jodie B. Jiles
servicios
• Make job-embedded professional development artifacts and campus support walks optional. (The two items concern yearly HR required evaluations and are used to demonstrate “proof of performance.”)
Trina Gaines was a kindergarten teacher in Pasa dena ISD. She resigned and pivoted into the position as a college and career readiness advisor. Afer 13 years as an educator, she said the challenges she faced during the height of the pandemic were the last straw.
According to a 2021 poll by the Charles Butt Foun dation, there was a 10% increase from 2020 in the
“I honestly didn’t have the emotional and mental bandwidth to return. I had to break my contract last year, she said. “From the outside looking in, teaching kindergarten looks fun, but it’s far from it. You are constantly assessing the students, changing curric ulum to get students to read on a frst-grade level. It was too much pressure, and no autonomy.”
DISTRICTS ADDRESS ISSUE
Houston ISD and Cy-Fair ISD are among Texas’ top three largest districts working to provide students with certifed educators despite the shortage that could impact them this fall.
Increased work duties during the pandemic, stu dents with mental health challenges and political debates over masks and mass shootings are among the reasons educators say they are under unprecedented stress – and stafng shortages increase the pressure.
“Te pandemic teachers were amazing,” Weingar ten said. “Tey moved to remote with many of them not having really good platforms. You could hear they engaged kids. Parents were very, very grateful. But what has happened is that the politics and politicians have really polluted what goes on with teachers right now.”
Shortages are common in schools serving poor stu dents where the turnover is high.
DISTRICTS’ STRATEGIES
“It would be great to be able to have the coverage for my class to leave for an hour during lunch to sit down and just be,” Gaines said. “As a teacher you have to choose between taking a break and getting things done for the rest of the day. I don’t have to worry about that anymore.”
By Laura Onyeneho
Te education profession also struggles to attract new talent. Tere is a sharp decline in teacher prepa ration programs which leads to districts hiring under prepared educators to fll in the gaps while increasing the demand on current teachers.
“Teachers need support, they need more qualifed instructional assistance. Tere isn’t enough auton omy on how and what they teach and they are not respected as licensed learning scientists.”
On July 21, the district held a special education hiring event seeking special education aides and cer tifed teachers.
Last month, HISD ofcials approved an 11% raise for teachers as part of a fve-year strategic plan pitched by HISD Superintendent Millard House II to keep the district competitive. Te starting salary increased from $56,869 to $61,500. Te ACP is implementing a competitive salary package of $61,500 with the school district ofering up to $5,000 stipends for teachers in critical shortage areas.
eachers in grades K through 12 are more burned out than workers in any other indus try, according to a new Gallup poll that fnds 44% of K-12 employees report “always” or “very ofen” feeling burned out at work. Tat number climbs to 52% when looking just at teachers.
number of teachers who considered leaving the pro fession for reasons that include work-related stress, feeling undervalued, excessive workload and low pay.
Teacher shortages continue to linger well before the upcoming school year and area ISDs are making plans to address the issue.
• Limit special education students in certain general education areas.
“You can only accomplish so much by throwing money at the problem. Teacher shortages are more complex than that,” said Dr. Beth Tuckwiller, associ ate professor and department chair of Special Edu cation and Disability Studies at George Washington University.
• Remove limits on making copies.
Te Texas Education Agency (TEA) reports that since 2014, Texas saw about a 27% decrease in the number of newly certifed teachers. Area school dis tricts are developing strategies to address the issue.
She told the Defender that school districts should do a better job asking what teachers really want. Many want “the gif of time.”
FORT BEND ISD ONLINE RESULTSCAMPAIGN
The AFT research result collected by an inde pendent third party found that teachers’ sentiments toward education were worsened by pandemic chal lenges and increasing political wars in the last two years.Weingarten shared that teachers did their best to power through the pandemic but were met with frus trations and lack of assistance from the system:
HOUSTON AREA SCHOOL
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projected that over the next decade, nationwide, there will be over 124,000 openings for elementary school teachers and over 77,000 for high school teachers each year.
8 | July 28, 2022 | DEFENDER NETWORK FOCUSDN SOCIAL InFocusDN | 9
T
One way school districts are addressing the prob lem is by fixing the holes in the teacher pipeline.
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Furthermore, morale is at an all-time low as con spiracy theorists publicly attack teachers. Weing arten said teachers face “constant heckling, being called pedophiles, being called groomers, wondering whether whatever they said, whether they were going to be pulled into a principal’s ofce if they answered a kid’sForty-percentquestion.” of teachers expressed they would like to leave the profession within two years, given the depressing and hostile ambiance, according to Weingarten.
• Consolidate course codes at elementary school level to reduce number of grades entered into grade books.
• Allow teachers to wear jeans (as long as they are professional).
Te American Federation of Teachers (AFT) found that 79% of preK-12 grade educators are dissatisfed with their jobs.
HISD’s website listed nearly 950 teacher vacancies, while Cy-Fair reported 678. With numbers that high, it is hard to ignore the reasons for the shortage.
BURNED OUT Tackling the teacher crisis
• Increase stipend for teachers attending Reading Academy to $500.
In Fort Bend ISD, the district launched an online “ToughtExchange” in January to address teacher morale and collected feedback from teachers to improve working conditions. Te campaign is ongo ing and more updates will be announced.
“We’ve had approval for this program for over 30 years…we go under the policies and procedures of the [TEA],” said LaShawn Porter, senior manager of HISD’s ACP. “Before you can go into a classroom, you need to have at least 150 hours of course work as well as pass the required exams to go into the classroom and our program prepares them for that...Afer the program we provide them with coaching, modeling, trainings on classroom management, on lesson deliv ery to continue throughout their entire year.”
HISD announced its Alternative Certifcation Pro gram (ACP). It is dedicated to recruiting people who don’t have an education background in becoming fulltime teachers and is free for candidates who accept teaching positions with the district.
Randi Weingarten, AFT president called the teacher shortage situation “the worst I’ve ever seen.”
LET THE PEOPLE BE HEARD
Teachers weigh in on why they’re leaving
10 | July 28, 2022 | DEFENDER NETWORK FOCUSDN SOCIAL InFocusDN
“I le due to COVID-19. I was in a high contact class, self-contained special education class and in the fall of 2020, HISD had published no satisfactory room plan and I had asked all summer from campus to district level supervisor. I became personally ill 3 days prior to returning to campus and I resigned because my significant other had long haul COVID-19. HISD tried to have my teaching certificate revoked by TEA due to a late resignation. e investigator called and I sent my documentation and TEA called me back and said, ‘You’re good, be safe’.” -HrH Gold
returned the following school year as a substitute/tutor. It is now 9 years later and I am still a substitute/tutor only because I don’t have to deal with all the other stuff ! I can go home and relax each day!” - Stephanie Heard
“ e pay doesn’t match the trauma these teachers endure from these disrespectful unruly kids … & the parents don’t make it better. ey are right there with their kid. e behavior starts in Kinder & doesn’t end. It’s not worth it to these teachers anymore. en you gotta add all the regulations, what you can & can’t do. NOT WORTH THE STRESS AND DEPRESSION.” - Sarai Phoenix Rose
“Eighteen years in, planning to leave as soon as possible. e community expects the schools to do everything and the parents to do nothing. We are clothing them, feeding them, providing mental health, social skills etc. It’s hard to be good at one thing (education) when there are 500 things on our plate. ere’s no accountability for anyone but the schools. None for the parents, kids, community, social services/CPS, church, court system etc. We are underpaid and under appreciated and it’s physically and mentally draining. It’s actually starting to affect my health and I’m over it.” - Overton DeNae
“Teaching has become a holding place. Students are not being held to academic standards. We are forced to pass and push these unprepared babies up and out. e only concern is presentation. e board dictates unrealistic expectations, Admin wants ratings, Parents want silent sitters, and sports,
“A er teaching exceptional education for 37 years, I decided that it was time to leave. e amount of paperwork was increasing, too many behavior issues with students and parents, people that were not in the classroom telling me how to teach. I even went to the principal my last year and asked her if I was being ‘punked’ during the school year. I just got too tired to fight anymore. However, I
A recent report from the National Education Association (NEA) showed that more than half of teachers (55%) intend to leave the profession earlier than they planned. e Defender asked teachers why they were leaving, or contemplating leaving the job they once loved.
Learn more WWW.NNPA.ORG/at Education Learn. NAVIGATE. Succeed. Every decision you make will enable your child to navigate learning opportunities from K-12 through college. FOLLOW THE PATHWAY TO CAREER SUCCESS. © 2022 NATIONAL NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION K Kindergarten 1th 5th Grades 6th 8th Grades College Success DevelopmentEmotional LanguageBasics Pre-Algebra Algebra AlgebraTrigonometryIICalculus AbstractAlgebra Statistics PrerequisiteMathforMajor Geometry Functions Probability& CognitiveSkills SocialSkills Literacy AnalysisDataFoundations&ReadingThinkingWritingofMath Math-four operations addition, multiplication,subtraction,anddivisionfactfamiliesandusetheminequationsandtwo-stepwordproblems Math- extends fractionsfractions,understandingtheirofincludingequal(equivalent)andorderingfractions Math-fluent with computing these types of numbers and understanding the relationship between them MathematicalProgrammingMathematicalTheoriesPlacementAdvanced(AP)InternationalBaccalaureate(IB)Career TrackDualGraduateEnrollmentEarly EducationHBCU MentorshipInternship Math Majors Careers • Aerospace Engineer • College Math Professor • Market Research Analyst • Mathematician • Economist • Financial Analyst • Statistician • Actuary • Math Teacher Math Matters. More they’reweighteachersinonwhyleaving.ONLINE
e U.S. teachers shortage could be getting worse.
“A er 13 years, a doctorate, and countless certificates I got tired of arguing with people about what was best for children. I got tired of being passed over for promotions in favor of “yes men”. I had seven years of admin experience and four in the classroom. My principal had two years of classroom experience and they told me 8 was not qualified. I got tired of being belittled for knowing that having 25 pre-k students, 10 of whom have obvious behavioral issues with no aide is a problem. I got tired of spending my own money to buy basic things like pencils, markers, folders, and decorations for my class. If it weren’t for my friends who have donated shoes, coats, clothing, books, dictionaries, I wouldn’t have been able to do it. I got tired of being told that I could not fail children who did NO work. I got tired of being evaluated by people who had never looked at a child development chart. I could write a whole dissertation. I absolutely loved education, loved coaching and developing teachers, loved bringing out the best in kids, but I got tired of fighting a system that is not designed to teach our children to do anything other than be mediocre.” - DrIrileria Muhammad
“I just got out...like July 5. I just didn’t love it any longer. I loved my ‘nieces and nephews’ in high school, but they gave me 4 different courses, which is A LOT, and I’d never taught 3 of them. at’s stressful and they thought it was ok. It wasn’t. e last person in my department they gave 4 different class subjects to retired. And that’s what I told them when I le ...those courses were not divided equitably even though you had more than 2 teachers able to teach those courses.” –Bridgette Wilkins
“ ere are two things that no educator wants to experience: A child DYING and a child LYING. I had to constantly endure horrific lies told by a student because she was really covering up for what was happening at home and crying out for help. No educator wants to be put in a situation where it is your word against a student. I had lost so much working in this field because of crooked and dishonest admin. A er the Uvalde TX incident where those teachers and students were killed, that was when I realized that that’s the only thing le to take was my life. at finally did it for me. I am writing this in tears because I love teaching. But teaching stopped being fun. Now it’s work. Dreadful, stressful, grueling work.” - Davinia Gordon
scholarships, and students want to act grown with child-like consequences. We are definitely missing education holistically and it’s sad.” - Robin Minniefield
By ReShonda Tate
REFORM Alliance, an organization started by Meek Mill via a relationship he formed with New England Patriots’ owner Robert Kraf and Philadelphia 76ers minority owner Michael Rubin, aims to transform probation and parole by chang ing laws, systems and culture to create real pathways to work and wellbeing. For more information about the REFORM Alliance, visit ReformAlliance.com.
requests bids from qualified and experienced janitorial cleaning service contractors capable of providing timely and cost-effective services at its facilities. Please visit https://www.houstonfirst.com/do-business for complete details. CLASSIFIED
remotely and/or in person and provide weekly feedback in debriefng sessions to directly improve the app’s perfor mance and content.
By Aswad Walker
Dr. Michael O. Adams, founding director of the Executive Master of Public Admin istration (eMPA) program at TSU, and eMPA professor Carroll G. Robinson, Esq., are the recipients of a $15,000 grant from the Criminal Justice REFORM Foundation (REFORM Alliance). Te grant will help fund the participation of TSU in beta test ing the REFORM Alliance Court Watch App this“Tisfall. is an incredible opportunity for our students,” said Adams. “It provides valuable experience in tech, public policy and crim inal justice, and students get a chance to provide direct input while gaining a deeper understanding of how critical data is in shif ing public policy. We look forward to nur turing this partnership with the REFORM Alliance to create more opportunities for ourTestudents.”Court Watch App is an innovative solution to increase transparency within the U.S. judicial system. A frst of its kind, the app creates a user-friendly access point, via a mobile phone, for everyday citizens to monitor America’s courtrooms. Trough out the fall semester, approximately 20-30 TSU students will attend court hearings
“When I shared with Dr. Adams our ‘Internship 1,000 Initiative,’ a campaign to create 1,000 internship opportunities for TSU students, he was immediately onboard and looked at a way to support us,” said Dex ter Maryland, TSU SGA president. “The SGA is excited to be a part of this collabo ration as we move closer to our goal.”
TSU eMPA program gets $15K to test Court Watch app
| 11 FeatureDN July 28, 2022 | DEFENDER NETWORK MAKE DECISION.INFORMEDAN LEARN THE BENEFITS AND RISKS OF CHILDREN.IMMUNIZATIONCOVID-19FOR Your Choice. Their Future.
“Tis internship will teach students the
Adams is also excited about the 30 intern ships created through this collaboration, and hopes to foster more partnerships that invite TSU students to be change agents.
research by helping to improve a mobile application that will be used by Americans from across the nation. Tis groundbreak ing application will make civic engagement and oversight in the criminal justice system accessible in a way our nation has never seen,” said Adams.
Adams “Systemicagrees.racism in the criminal justice system remains one of the greatest threats to our democracy. From racial profling to mass incarceration and the structuring of probation and parole program, the adverse efects on communities, and in some cases the families of our own students, hit close to home. At TSU, 80% of our student pop ulation is African American. Trough the REFORM Alliance partnership, students will engage in transformative service
power of data collection while giving them the opportunity to contribute to criminal justice reform and oversight nationally,” said Subria Lapps, principal at Transform Equity & Partnership Consultant. “Young people are inheriting a world where big data dominates decision-making in public pol icy, and opportunities that empower them to hold our institutions accountable are what we need more of.”
Meek Mill
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“This project is the kind of work that refects the leg acy of Barbara Jordan and Mickey Leland because it is focused on the common good,” said Robinson. “Criminal justice reform is under attack, and to ensure justice is fair and balanced you need good data to protect the civil and constitutional rights of all who depend on the system.”
EntertainmentDN
He credits his mother Tommacina for igniting his passion for the arts. e Chicago native found himself as a child experimenting with the arts as he dabbled with drawing, building with Legos and painting with water colors. He couldn’t shake his love for art no matter what field he chose to dive into.
Houston artist changing concept through signature paintings
“My work is all about honesty. I don’t want to be popular; I want people to feel my work and I want to change the concept of contemporary expressionism,” he said. “Art was the necessary step in the evolution of myself…it’s who I am.”
Houston artist Wayne Bell demonstrates live painting in his studio in Midtown. Jimmie Aggison
• First exhibition called W.A.T.E.R [What Are The Expectations of Rebirth]
Art allows me to whotranscendIwas before into a whole other space, because now I can create things that people can relate to and people can see themselves in.”
It is said that there is a difference between doers and dreamers, those who live in fear and those who are risk takers, those who see the glass half empty and those who see the glass half Houstonfull.artist Wayne Bell knows this experience all too well from his goal of aspiring to be a doctor to now becoming one of the most accomplished painters in the city. e Defender took a sneak peak into the world of his abstract oil paintings, hidden gems tucked away in a sunlit studio in Midtown. With each swift stoke, Bell opened up about his self-discovery and much like his signature style of painting [cross hatching], his journey to fulfilling his nonlinear life’s purpose.
In between acting and bartending he developed his niche for oil painting and the concept of the cross-hatching technique. He described it as a “new movement” that allowed Bell to “flow freely on any given surface” and gives a type of exclusivity where you can’t find
NOTABLE ART SHOWCASES
“When it comes to the [artistic] process, I’m really particular about space, lighting, layout, supplies, color…atmosphere,” Bell said. “My movement of work is called ‘atmospherism.’ It’s demonstrated in the feeling and overall vibration of my work itself. Going from lights to darks, depth, balance, symmetry, all of those concepts we learn about in the academia of visual arts is present in my Bellwork.”moved to Houston from Los Angeles in 2019. He saw the move as a great opportunity to be in an environment where people supported his vision as a Black artist. He has since le an impressionable mark in some of Houston’s fine dining establishments, including Indigo restaurant where he ultimately walked away from working 9-5“Whencompletely.Iwas working there , Jonny Rhodes and Chana his wife [owners of Indigo] ended up purchasing work from me and I hung it up in the restaurant and from the time I hung the painting until right now, I haven’t had to work,” Bell said. “March 2020, they shut down and converted into a farmers market type of store and while I was there, I was able to gather my own clientele, so when they reopened as a restaurant, people bought my work.
12 | July 28, 2022 | DEFENDER NETWORK
Jimmie Aggison
By Laura Onyeneho
his style anywhere else.
• Showcased painting on canvas and mirrors suspended in the air for the Trapeze, as part of a one-night-only black-tie fundraiser at the Lone Star Flight Museum and
“I went to Morehouse to obtain a degree in biology, got ready to take my MCAT… I did not,” he said. “I ended up…getting a Bachelor of Arts degree and then moved to L.A. to pursue a career in acting.”
Photo:Hangar
• Art work featured in Gallery Guichard for André Guichard in Chicago
READ ABOUTMOREQUDISAH. | 13
I have a Google calendar that has “8 a.m. to 10 a.m. work on this, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. work on this,” with a little time for a break and then I’m rolling onto the next thing. So, organi zation is key. I have literally everything written out, everything blocked of so that it’s dedicated to a specifc thing. When I have a lot of moving parts in my life, I can become very overwhelmed very quickly. So, it’s important for me to literally write everything down and allot a time period for it and put myself on a schedule.
Defender:Where did the inspiration forthe business come
I started my frst business at 16 called Q Assist. It was a virtual assistant business where I worked with busy business owners to help them remove tasks from their plate. I worked from home and it grew really quickly, and I was bringing in approximately multi-four fgures every month and continu ing to grow. But more than that, I just love being in business. I loved generating that business idea. I loved working the steps, even throughout all the hardship. I loved working the steps to actually build a business.
Qudisah:from?
Te Defender recently spoke with Qudisah to fnd out how she successfully juggles so many tasks while also preparing for the next stage in her journey.
Qudisah Muhammad (in yellow) working with Young Entrepre neurs Academy participants.
operatingDefender:Howareyouabletomanageclasstimewithabusiness?Qudisah:
Defender:What areyourpost-graduation plans?
Ever since then, I’ve been interested in helping other people to do the same. I love working with children, as well. So, I decided, “Hey, it is summertime. Let me go ahead and launch this pro gram where I can help youth start their own businesses, work the steps, start from the beginning and work until they have something that they can really be proud of.” Business builds self-esteem. It builds responsibility. It creates self-motivation, all of these qualities that you have to have as a human being.
Qudisah: One of my biggest passions is writing. Tat’s why I’m getting my minor in English, because I love to write, as well. I actually teach middle school and high school students writing at my alma mater, Te Elevated Places. I absolutely love to write. So, the plan is once I graduate, I’m going to apply to a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) program to attain my master’s degree in creative writing. So, in addition to entrepreneurship, I’ll also be pursuing my master’s degree.
By Aswad Walker
Houston, meet the young lady who’s about to take over the world. To describe native Houstonian Qudisah Muhammad as a force to be reckoned with is an understatement of gigantic proportions.Noteven20 years old yet, Qudisah is a UH honor student who will be graduating in December, multiple business owner, middle and high school teacher and aspiring writer.
July 28, 2022 | DEFENDER NETWORK
Scholar, entrepreneur, mentor, game-changer
ProfleDN Meet Qudisah Muhammad
It can be a lot. But it’s all about time management. I think in order to be an honor student, you have take 12 hours, which is four classes, and have to make all A’s. And then, in order to be magna cum laude, which is what I’m shooting for, you have to have at least a 3.8. So that means that you have to literally be on your P’s and Q’s with everything. But I think being a dual credit student and having taken college classes at the same time that I took high school classes taught me a lot about time management, because I didn’t want to neglect one. I wanted to excel at both.
Defender:TellusaboutyourexperienceasaUHhonorstudent.Qudisah:
com/tickets/training-camp.https://www.houstontexans.to:MikeRiceDr.GaryGrandison
It may be hard to believe based on how the defensive front has performed lately, but the defensive line use to be a staple of the Texans. It appears the Texans may be on the verge of a resurgence along its defensive line with a young core that includes the likes of defensive tackles Ross Blacklock and Ray Lopez along with defensive end Jonathan Greenard.
toughness and determination, and we are behind him every step of the way in his fight against leukemia,” Alabama coach Nick Saban wrote in a statement. “It’s a blessing that he is in a city known for great care and with an organization, the Houston Texans, who will be with him throughout this journey.”Metchie was expected to add depth to a wide receiver corps that has locked in starters Brandin Cooks and Nico Collins.
General manager Nick Caserio has been on a mission to remake the Texans roster since his arrival in 2021 and he has done some more targeted changes this offseason which he hopes will get the franchise on track.
And while those storylines are major, they are far from the only things to watch this training camp as the Texans look to break the recent trend of back-to-back four-win seasons.
SportsDN
TSU MAKES CHANGE IN GOLF LEADERSHIPPROGRAMS
Kevin includingseasonsdisonannounced.GrangerGran-spentthreeatTSU,thepast
Last season, he had 96 catches for 1,142 yards and eight touchdowns before his campaign was cut short by the ACL injury.
TEXANS RECEIVER JOHN METCHIE III OUT FOR SEASON WITH LEUKEMIA
If you wondered what the Texans’ greatest area of concern was coming out of the 2021 season, the remaking of the secondary this offseason tells it all. e team parted ways with three starters from last season, added five veteran members and two of their first three players dra ed in the first and second rounds are in the secondary, including No. 3 overall pick Derek Stingley.
TSU Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics
Prairie View A&M University announced that it has hired former Florida A&M men’s and women’s golf coach Mike Rice to take over its programs. Rice led the Rattlers to the MEAC championship and a berth in the 2021 NCAA Tournament, which were firsts for FAMU. Rice also made history when the 2021 team earned the No. 1 ranking in the first-ever PGA Minority Collegiate rankings sanctioned by the PGA of America.
TEXANS TRAINING CAMP RAISES QUESTIONS
SOLIDIFYING THE OFFENSIVE LINE
One sure way to make your rookie quarterback look bad is to have holes in your offensive line.
two as the head coach for both programs. Both teams won the 2022 SWAC Championship while the men’s program participated in a NCAA Regional.
PVAMU HIRES MIKE RICE TO LEAD GOLF TEAMS
As the Texans get set to open training camp on July 29, there will be considerable attention paid to the beginning of the Lovie Smith coaching era and the continued development of second-year quarterback Davis Mills.
with safety M.J. Stewart. ere will be plenty of competition for starting spots and playing time in this training camp.
e Texans had plenty of those last season as the offensive line was plagued by injuries and inconsistent play across the board. But Pro Bowl le tackle Laremy Tunsil is back healthy and veteran offensive line coach George Warhop has been brought in to right the ship.
All three made some impressive strides last season, but each must improve even more at stopping the run and putting pressure on quarterbacks to give the secondary a chance. It all starts for this trio in training camp. e Texans also re-signed veteran defensive tackle Maliek Collins this offseason and also veteran defensive ends Mario Addison and Jerry Hughes as stop-gap solutions.
The Texans will have eight training camp practices that are free and open to the public. The dates are July 29, July 30, Aug. 2, Aug. 3, Aug. 5, Aug. 6. Aug. 9 and Aug. 10. The team began allowing fans to register for the free practice tickets on July 8, but there still may be some availability. Keep in mind that all of the general admission seats are not guaranteed and are based on availability that day. All practices begin at 8 a.m. so get there early. For more information or to register for training camp tickets go
TEXANS TRAINING CAMP DATES OPEN TO PUBLIC
Sports Briefs
veteran free agents offensive guard A.J. Cann and offensive tackle Cedric Ogbuehi, who have both played under Warhop. at is in addition to several players who played significant snaps last season like fourth-year offensive lineman Tytus Howard, center Justin Britt, right tackle Charlie Heck and offensive guard Max Scharping. It will be interesting to see if Howard remains at guard or moves back to his more natural right tackle spot this training camp.
By Terrance Harris
Texans rookie receiver John Metchie III has been diagnosed with a form of cancer and will likely miss the 2022 season.Metchie III, 22, announced over the weekend that he has acute promyelocytic leukemia. Metchie said he is in good spirits. He has one of the most treatable forms of leukemia and the cure rate is 90% among centers specializing in APL treatment.
“As a result of this diagnosis, I will likely not be playing football this season. My main focus will be on my health and recovery.”
CHANGES IN SECONDARY
Smith and Caserio have improved the talent by dra ing Stingley and safety Jalen Pitre along with the acquisitions of veterans like cornerbacks Fabian Moreau and Steven Nelson along
DEFENSIVEDEVELOPINGLINE
Here is a glance at what to watch for as the Texans get set to embark on the 2022 NFL season.
14 | July 28, 2022 | DEFENDER NETWORK
The Texans’ secondary was among the worst last season and must make a major leap this season in year two of Smith’s Tampa 2 Defense. In the last couple of years, the Texans’ defensive line has undergone some major changes with the departures of stalwarts like J.J. Watt, Whitney Mercilus and Jadeveon Clowney and forging a new frontier hasn’t exactly gone smoothly.
“John has overcome every challenge placed in front of him in his life with
e offensive line seemed like a game of musical chairs last season and as a result, Mills and any other quarterback who took snaps were constantly under siege.
Texas Southern University head men’s and women’s golf coach Dr. Gary Grandison will not return for the upcoming season,
“Recently I was diagnosed with [APL], the most curable form of leukemia,” he wrote in a statement. “I am currently receiving great medical care, am in good spirits and I expect to make a recovery at a later point in time.
Houston Texans’ Jonathan Greenard (52) reacts during the first half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/ Michael Conroy)
Metchie was a second-round pick (44th overall) of the Texans in this past spring’s NFL Dra . He had been recovering from a torn ACL injury suffered at the end of last season at Alabama.
The Texans have brought in
Twitter: @gonzogonzalez02 Players He studies: Derek Jeter and Fernando Tatis Jr. Favorite musician: Don Toliver Shout-outs: “My parents.”
Ramirez: “Just how hard I go. I am not going to let a ball fall down. I am going to dive and try everything in my power to get on base.”
Ramirez: “I played with RBI and a lot of select teams in the Dixie League, and now play with the Houston Athletics.”
StandoutGonzalez:attributes
“Go for it. Don’t be afraid and play every game like it is your last,”
At Milby, the duo made strides on the mound, batter’s box and in the feld of play to help establish Milby as one of the premiere HISD teams.
MILBY PITCHER FABIAN RAMIREZ & SHORTSTOP JONATHON GONZALEZ
JOINING FORCES AT WHARTON COUNTY CC
Twitter: @_favoo Players he studies: Jack Leiter and Christian Yelich musician:Favorite Gunna Shout-outs: “My dad and my mom for making me put the extra work in.”
| 15 DN July 28, 2022 | DEFENDER NETWORK
Gonzalez: “I’m pretty fast and would call myself more of a hustle player. You know I am not going to hit the ball out of the park a lot but I am shooting to center for singles, doubles and triples.”
Gonzalez: “When we went to tour I felt like it was the best route for me out of the summer. And afer looking at the situation I was in I thought junior college was the best route for me and I can’t wait to get out there.”
Ramirez: “As a pitcher the ball is in your hand and you’re dominating every pitch. But with hitting it is fun to hit.”
The Defender spoke with the two Milby Buff alums to discuss their styles of play, keys to success, journeys ahead and more.
Milby graduating senior pitcher and centerfelder Fabian Ramirez and shortstop Jonathon “Gonzo” Gonzalez are teaming up again on the collegiate level to play at Wharton County Community Col lege before moving on to bigger and better things.
Keys to Gonzalez:success
Ramirez: “Put your work in every day and give it up to God.”
Prefer playing pitcher or outfelder
“God, working hard and building closer relationships with my team.”
“I try to hustle and be a leader for these guys by working hard every day.”
Ramirez: “Hard work.”
Jodie B. Jiles
ABOUT “GONZO”JONATHONGONZALEZ
EarlyGonzalez:start “I started playing Little League really young and when I was about 10 I started
“Gritty. I get down, play hard and leave everything out on the feld.”
playing select ball with the South Texas Sliders out of San Antonio.”
Ramirez: “I had other ofers but the coaches made me feel like I was at home.”
ABOUT RAMIREZFABIAN
Ramirez has played the game since he was 4 years old and developed a change-up that can leave batters looking foolish at the plate. Gonzalez is a go-getter at shortstop, making the necessary sacrifces it takes to create some “SportsCenter” type plays in the infeld.
Advice to Gonzalez:others
Wharton County commitment
Style of Ramirez:play
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