The historically Black universities are preparing for big things in the upcoming school year. PVAMU/TSUINFOCUS Volume 91, issue 40 twitter.com/defendernetworkfacebook.com/defendernetwork defendernetwork.cominstagram.com/defendernetwork FREE The Defender looks at the top high school coaches to watch. BEST COACHES SPORTS August 25, 2022 Solange Knowles Making history with a new title - ballet composer.
“Put your money where your mouth is.” “Where your treasure is, there your heart is also.” “What we really believe in (love) we invest in.” Tese three sayings are all teaching us the same lesson: follow the money. Or follow the votes and actions that money buys. Because that will tell you better than folks’ words what they really love.
ARKANSAS ‘GOOD COPS’
victims over the years has been nothing but yakkity-doc. NRA money has bought and paid for Abbott’s inactions on gun reform, and our children are less safe because of it.
Recently, “Devil’s Advocate” author Andrew Neiderman appeared on “Te Beat with Ari Melber,” and said, “What we’re seeing in America today is the standard of behavior has changed. Winning has become the new ‘good,’ and losing has become the new ‘evil.’” Te result? Anything goes — lying, denying facts, distorting truths, being a hypocrite—as long as you win. SCOTUS nominees lying to Congress about promising not to touch Roe v. Wade, and then overturning it when in power, is viewed by some not as lying to Congress (which is illegal), but rather as “winning” and thus “good.”
To the POINT
In other words, all Gov. Greg Abbott’s talk about “thoughts and prayers” for all those Texas mass shooting
NEW DEFINITIONS
Every time a police officer is recorded beating the hell out of (or killing) someone for no reason, and the community demands police reform, the Blue Lives Choir sings its standard tune: “But most cops are good cops. It’s just a few bad apples that give cops a bad name.” Okay, if we extend that logic to Derek Chauvin’s murder of George Floyd, at least three of those four cops who stood by and did nothing were the good cops. Right?
• Why is R. Kelly back in the news?
Crawford County (Arkansas) deputies Zack King and Levi White and Mulberry police ofcer Thell Rid dle seen here beating Randal Worcester. The ofcers have been suspended pending an investigation. Screenshot image.
With Randal Worcester being kicked, kneed, punched a gazillion times, and having his head smashed into the concrete over and over by three Arkansas State Police, “good cop” logic asserts that at least two of them were “good cops,” because “most cops are good cops.” Either that or this idea of “good cops” is a BS copout. Good cops call out crime, even by their brothers and sisters in blue. Tere’s only been a handful of them. And they all lost their jobs, because I’m assuming all those other “good cops” who could have defended them either caught amnesia or laryngitis.
• Texas teachers spend more out-of-pocket.
DN 2 | August 25, 2022 | DEFENDER NETWORK
• Check out the Defender channels: Black Women, Under 40 and Community Central.
Aswad Walker
Texas gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke recently tweeted, “Students and teachers are walking back into their classrooms this morning with no laws in this state having changed since Uvalde.”
WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS…
Associate Editor’s Message
Sitting out the upcoming election is not an option. If we really love our children, vot ing is just one of many things we must do to truly invest in their safety, regardless of what Abbott does or doesn’t do.
ON THE WEB
Now, if anyone needs some wins it’s Blackfolk. But I’m not suggesting we adopt the “anything-goes” approach of these devils and their advocates. I’m saying we need to reject the idea that “power” is inherently evil, and realize that “power” is neutral. It depends on who has it and how they use it. Only power, institutional and otherwise, can protect us from folk who will sell “they” mama’s souls to “win” at our expense.
abducted and shipped to the Americas to be sold as property as part of the Atlantic Slave Trade,” added Green.
“Why would we reward an organization that has a pattern of neglect of residents, rats, insect infestation, sewage problems?” asks Joetta Stevenson, who’s a resident and President of the Fi h Ward
SuperFourNeighborhood.ofthecity’s16 council members — at-large council member Letitia Plummer, District D council member Carolyn EvansShabazz, District F council member Tiffany omas and District K council member Martha Castex-Tatum — objected to the proposal last week and delayed the vote.
slavery was first introduced in the United States, hundreds of people––including pastors, local elected officials, and community activists––came together to commemorate the lives of enslaved people while condemning the act and perpetuation of slavery in the United States,” said Green during the event.
During an Aug. 23 public comment meeting, several residents protested, saying they are living like the homeless and NHP has done nothing about it.
Green noted that national days of remembrance are opportunities for society to commemorate those impacted by horrific events, as well as prevent tragedies from fading from our“Thememory.U.S. currently has remembrance days for the Holocaust, Pearl Harbor, and
City approves homeless housing development despite objections
By ReShonda Tate
NewsDN
Congressman Al Green recently hosted the inaugural Slavery Remembrance Day Breakfast and Legislative Update for the Houston community.
“This morning, some 400 years after
U.S. Rep Green hosts Slavery Remembrance Day
MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER
e bill proposes to designate August 20 as Slavery Remembrance Day because on that day in 1619, the White Lion ship arrived to Point Comfort, near present-day Norfolk, Va, carrying the first enslaved Africans brought to the English-speaking American colonies.Green’s resolution has over 130 co-sponsors in Congress and has gathered support from pastors and organizations nationwide, including the National Action Network, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and the Anti-Defamation League.
9/11. But at the moment, it does not have an official day of remembrance to honor the millions of African persons who were
We have to use it for this particular project, for this developer.particularIfwedon’t, it goes back to the GLO.”
president of the NHP Foundation, said in a statement. “We will be meeting with several of them to answer any questions. “As providers of quality affordable housing in Houston, we take the concerns of residents very seriously and will continue to do everything in our power to address all issues.”
“I am exceedingly grateful for the outpouring of support that my efforts to establish a National Day of Remembrance for slavery have received. One day, people will look back through the vista of time and realize the difference that today’s historic event made in the lives of people across the length and breadth of our nation.”
Homeless advocates spoke in favor of funding the development, and pointed out that the other developer on the project, the faith-based non-profit Magnificat Houses, is in good standing and it will be tasked with its upkeep.
e NHP Foundation has since put new management in place at Cleme Manor.
By Aswad Walker
“I understand their concerns. Cleme Manor has been managed very poorly. ere’s a pest infestation there. ere are a lot of deficiencies,” Turner said. However, the mayor says he’s stuck trying to balance what’s happening at Cleme Manor while also hoping to use the federal dollars controlled by the state General Land Office for the homeless housing.Critics are upset that one developer, the NHP Foundation, which owns Cleme Manor Apartments in Fi h Ward, has done nothing about the state of disrepair at the complex. Residents have dealt with lengthy power outages, sewage backups and pest infestations.
e city of Houston will move forward with plans to award two nonprofits more than $18 million in funding for a homeless housing development in Midtown, despite concerns about one organization’s history with a run-down apartment complex in Fi h Ward.
“We are working hard to gain the trust of the other council members by providing them additional information,” Eric Price,
August 25, 2022 | DEFENDER NETWORK
Mayor Sylvester Turner said he understood the objections, but that a tight deadline imposed by the Texas General Land Office made this a use-it-or-lose-it situation.
Joetta Stevenson, President, Fi h Ward Super Neighborhood speaks to Houston City Council
| 3
Green sponsored H.R. 517, the Original Slavery Remembrance Day, which passed in the U.S. House of Representatives in late July.
Statue memorializing the enslaved at the Equal Justice Initiative’s National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Alabama.
In a tweet, Biden stated that the amount of forgiveness will be higher for low-income borrowers who had Pell Grants while in college. Tey will receive $20,000 in student loan forgiveness.
$10k cancellation, repayment extension
“Student debt is a trap and 45 million Ameri cans were scammed into predatory loans. Cancel all debt to free the 45 million Americans from the scam, then let’s fx the cost of tuition.”
“If student debt repayments can be paused over and over again, there’s no reason why the President cannot cancel a minimum of $50,000,” said NAACP President Derrick Johnson in a tweet.
Defender newspaper is published by the Houston Defender Newspaper Inc. and audited by Alliance for Audited Media (AAM). Only digital subscriptions are available
4 | August 25, 2022 | DEFENDER NETWORK NewsDN VOLUME 91 - NUMBER 40 - AUGUST 25, 2022 Publisher | CEO Sonceria Messiah-Jiles Chief OfcerDevelopment 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
Derrick Johnson, NAACP President
Te Department of Education says it is working on new regulations to perma nently improve forgiveness programs that are already in place. Tey also announced plans to protect low-income borrower’s by capping monthly payments for under graduate loans at 5 percent of a borrower’s discretionary income.
Accordingpeers. to a new CNBC poll, 59 per cent of Americans believe canceling stu dent loan debt will make infation worse. Some borrowers say they would not change their spending habits if their col lege debt – or a portion of it- is canceled.
wealth. America can and must do better. Clearly more must be done to address the defciencies in the way higher education is fnanced in this nation. Te 2022 Mid-Term Election will determine if stu dent loan debt relief will be expanded in 2023 and beyond. So, now is the time for voters, especially young voters, to challenge those seeking federal ofce to commit to expanding student loan debt as a good investment in our nation’s economic future.”
not how you treat Black voters who turned out in record numbers and provided 90% of their vote to once again save democracy in 2020. Te goal should be to see the most amount of relief for the highest number of borrowers. President Biden has indicated that he is not considering a $50,000 debt reduction. But canceling just $10,000 in debt would be bad public policy and a devas tating political mistake.”
“I have $147,000 in debt from three degrees which provided me with a better quality of life,” she said. “I have no problem repaying debt back, but their student loan system is and have been rigged for some time when trying to eliminate higher debt.”
“TisPlan.is
this is undoubtably a historic day, there is still more work to do. Te $125,000 income cap will leave a large amount of the population behind, especially in an era of high infation. A Black doc tor or attorney who earns above the cap could very well have six-fgure student debt. Low levels of cancellation might leave already distressed Black borrowers struggling with repayment. Tose who may qualify for loan forgiveness afer several years of working in the public service feld through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program still face long delays when applying.”
fer months of intense debate, President Joe Biden has announced his plans for forgiving student debt for borrowers, which includes forgiving $10,000 for borrowers who make less than $125,000 per year and extending the payment freeze until the end of the year.
By Laura Onyeneho
According to the Brookings Institute, Black households carry more student debt regardless of their incomes afer graduation. Approximately one in four Black Americans have negative net worth — meaning their total debt exceeds their total assets. In a recent study, the Brookings Insti tute found that Black borrowers hold on average nearly $53,000 in student loan debt four years afer they’ve graduated. Tat’s close to double the loan burden of their white peers; similarly, the NAACP has found that, 20 years afer arriving at college, the median Black borrower owes 95% of their debt — compared to 6% for the median whiteTat’sborrower.whyseveral Black leaders are unhappy with with President Joe Biden’s new Student Loan Debt
Ronenia Jenkins, a senior benefts administrator, said she is grateful for the reduction even though she prefers more.
EbonieRiley, NAN Senior Vice Pres ident of Policy & Strategic Partnerships
Te president made good on his campaign promises to address student debt, but fell short of the $50,000 debt relief that several of his fellow Democrats were pushing for.
Biden has been under the microscope of public scrutiny and criticism for his long-waited decision of wider student debt relief for more than 43 million Americans just days before the Aug 31 deadline to announce the extension of the loan payment moratorium.
The 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
“President Biden’s ‘Student Debt Relief Plan’ is a step in the right direction. It’s no secret that exces sive student loan debt disproportionately impacts the ability for Black families to build generational
So far, his administration has canceled nearly $32 billion in outstand ing federal student debt by expanding existing forgiveness programs for disabled borrowers, public sector workers, and students who were defrauded by for-proft colleges.
NAACP Image Award nominated author, publicist, and entrepreneur Gwen Richardson said this plan does nothing for future college-bound students and mocks the eforts her daughter has made to pay of $43,000 in two years.
Student loan borrowers gather near The White House. Getty
A
By ReShonda Tate
Nina Turner, Senior fellow, Institute on Race, Power and Political Economy.
Black leaders weigh in Biden tackles student loans
MelanieL.Campbell, President & CEO of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation and Convener of the Black Women’s Roundtable (BWR),“While
“It may increase borrowing levels as these [incoming] students will assume they’ll have part of their debt wiped out.”
The U.S federal debt is now at $1.6 trillion and have increase signifcantly throughout the years. Advocates for complete student debt cancelation argue that it would help close the racial wealth gap because Black student tend to borrow larger amounts of debt and take a longer time to pay them of compared to their white
The local organizing committee for Houston’s Final Four 2023 NCAA Men’s Final Four tournament recently launched a first-of-its-kind college class. The Business of Major Sporting Events is a two-semester course for academic credit, which will allow 60 students from Houston Baptist University, Rice University, Texas Southern University, and the University of Houston to be part of the planning for next April’s Final Four.
Breonna Taylor
Call now to schedule a tour SeniorFocusedHouston.com832-261-9586
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Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and Houston Community College Chancellor Cesar Maldonado announced a partnership to train city employees in resiliency and preparedness at HCC campuses. The school will offer public safety training in areas that include nursing, respiratory care and firefighter training. The Houston Resiliency Plan will train 500,000 citizens and employees to be better prepared, more informed and certified in specific areas of resilience and sustainability.
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Our doctors are ready to see you
| 5 NewsDN August 25, 2022 | DEFENDER NETWORK
throughout Greater
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Poll: Americans want stricter gun laws
NCAA Final Four offers business course to Houston students
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Memorial Hermann and Wellcare Medicare Advantage plans. Follow us @CenterWellPrimaryCare to learn about activities and events
City to partner with HCC to train employees
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Officer in Breonna Taylor case pleads guilty
in an affidavit to boost the likelihood of the warrant’s approval. She also helped develop a cover story a er the shooting. She faces up to five years in prison for her actions.
A new poll by the University of Chicago/AP shows 71% of Americans say gun laws should be stricter, including about half of Republicans, the vast majority of Democrats and a majority of those in gun-owning households. Overall, 8 in 10 Americans perceive that gun violence is increasing around the country, and about two-thirds say it’s increasing in their state, though less than half believe it’s increasing in their community, the poll shows. A smaller majority of Americans — 59% — favor a ban on the sale of AR-15 rifles and similar semiautomatic weapons, with Democrats more likely to support that policy than Republicans, 83% vs. 35%.
Visit one of our 16
Former Louisville, KY police officer Kelly Goodlett has pled guilty to federal charges that she LMPDandcally,Taylor.killingmatelywarrantingoffiwithconspiredanothercerinobtain-afraudulentthatulti-ledtotheofBreonnaBasi-Goodlettherformercolleaguelied
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Black August officially became an annual commemoration in 1979, but actually began in the early 1970s as a vehicle to show support for Black political prisoners. It was inspired by the assassination of political prisoner George Jackson who was murdered by prison guards at San Quentin State Prison, Aug. 21, 1971.
Aug. 20, 1619 First acknowledged Africans arrive in North America.
Aug. 11, 1965 Watts Rebellion
In response, incarcerated brothers started the tradition of dedicating the month of August to fasting and focusing their reading on the plights, struggles and victories of Blacks and other oppressed people globally.
AFTER TOMORROW.CAPPROGRAMSCHOOLTODAY.ANDGOWN Help your child excel beyond the classroom with after school programs at the Y. Housed in local schools, students engage in a variety of structured activities that promote positive social interactions and reinforces academic concepts, as well as lessons in empathy, inclusion and service learning. Let your child discover their full potential at ymcahouston.org/after-school. YMCA Mission: To put Judeo-Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all. Everyone is welcome. GROW WITH THE Y. YMCA-0186_defender_print_ad_mech.indd 1 7/25/22 8:02 AM
Aug. 17, 1887 Marcus Garvey, the race leader who founded the largest pan-African organization in history, the Universal Negro Improvement Association, is born. The UNIA had 996 chapters in 44 countries, on six continents with over six million members.
Aug. 23, 1917 Camp Logan Rebellion, Houston
FeatureDN
What if I told you there’s a profound, pro-Black tradition that has been around for nearly 50 years that is absolutely beloved and commemorated by a national army of participants? at event is Black August.
Aug. 28, 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Dr. Martin Luther Kings Jr. delivers what comes to be known as his “I Have a Dream” speech.
WHAT IS BLACK AUGUST?
Aug. 28, 2005 Hurricane Katrina hits landfall.
By Aswad Walker
Aug. 28, 2008 U.S. Sen. Barack Obama delivers acceptance speech as Democratic nominee for president.
Aug, 21, 1971 Revolutionary George Jackson murdered by guards at San Quentin State Prison.
Aug. 30, 1800 Gabriel Prosser’s Rebellion
Aug. 14, 1791 Haitian Revolution, the largest successful rebellion by enslaved people in the Western Hemisphere, begins and ends in 1804 with Haiti declaring independence from France and ending slavery there.
Here are some of the Black history events that occurred in August:
Aug. 28, 1955 Emmett Till (14) is kidnapped, tortured and murdered.
festivals and community service activities.
“Black August organically manifested from California prisons in the 1970s by Black freedom fighters who sought to honor the lives and genuinely acknowledge the martyrdom and sacrifice of Black political prisoners killed by the state,” said Sedrick Keeler, host of KPFT’s “Conscious Mindset.”
“ is August especially is a time to reflect and learn about the legacies of Black revolutionaries, while we simultaneously reinvest to eradicate white supremacy, colonialism, capitalism and imperialism.”
“During Black August we commemorate the deaths of Jonathan P. Jackson and his brother George Jackson,” said NBUF officer Krista Davenport Madzimoyo. “We recognize the birthday of the Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey. We recognize the beginning of the Haitian Revolution and a number of significant events in Black History. We write our political prisoners to let them know we will not leave them on the battlefield and most importantly we organize for their freedom.”
Aug. 21-22, 1850 Abolitionist Frederick Douglass chairs the Fugitive Slave Law Convention in opposition to the law that legalized the capture of escaped enslaved people in every state.
Aug. 9, 2014 Ferguson Uprising begins with the murder of Michael Brown by police.
From there, those outside prison walls began participating, expanding the annual experience to include many community building and empowerment activities, including the annual National Night Out For Safety & Liberation (started by the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights), book club discussions, block parties, art events, film
Aug. 15, 1975 Joan Little becomes first woman acquitted for murder using the deadly force defense that a white jailer attempted to rape her.
Aug. 30, 1948 Fred Hampton, chairman of the Illinois Black Panther Party, is born.
6 | August 25, 2022 | DEFENDER NETWORK
HISTORICAL BLACK EVENTS IN AUGUST DATE EVENT
Aug. 21, 1831 Nat Turner’s Rebellion
In addressing voting and the general disabled U.S. population of over 38 million eligible voters, Gary Lynn, vice chair of Texas Democrats with Disabilities, listed several issues.
also a longtime voter who has seen long voting lines and other suppression efforts discourage fellow “uniquely abled” citizens from casting their ballots. Hearnes believes, however, the larger Houston community can support disabled voters.
| 7August 25, 2022 | DEFENDER NETWORK
By Aswad Walker
get to the polls, some people have [other] barriers. They don’t always understand how to work the voting machine or maybe they can’t work the voting machine because they don’t have a lot of arm or handButuse.”for“uniquely abled” Blacks, the going gets even tougher.
Lynn mentioned a third challenge that most who are not disabled rarely recognize
Closed polling places leads to longer lines and longer distances to travel to the nearest polling place for voters of color, which is a double whammy for Black disabled.
One of Houston’s “uniquely abled” Blacks is Karl Hearne, regional communications coordinator for Phi Beta Sigma fraternity, the frat’s University of Houston on-campus advisor and associate minister of the Christian Hope Church in ird
Facing and overcoming voting hurdles
Karl Hearne
Moreover, the digital divide means “uniquely abled” Blacks encounter more problems than others when seeking to register to vote online, learn about the candidates and the issues and/or vote remotely due to less access to reliable broadband internet, as well as devices to connect to the internet.
HearneWard.is
Rutgers University researchers found that Black disabled voters waited in line to vote for twice as long as white disabled voters, and noted that racial discrimination worsens voter access barriers.
THE BLACK DISABLED
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e American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) contends it’s not enough to know and describe barriers that block the disabled from voting. Steps must be taken to address and remove those barriers.
barriers is essential to creating comprehensive solutions,” said the AAPD letter.
AAPD charged that state legislators o en chose to close many polling places described as lacking ADA compliance rather than working to resolve access barriers. And the lion’s share of those polling places were located in heavily Black and Latinx-populated communities, thus creating a voter suppression trifecta: reducing access to people of color, people with disabilities and disabled people of color.
“Understanding the way that race interacts with disability when it comes to access
Many are very familiar with the constant roadblocks and voter suppression tactics employed to limit and discourage the Black vote. But for one segment of the Black community, those voting obstacles are compounded exponentially. I’m talking about Blacks with disabilities, or as some members of this community prefer to be called, the “uniquely abled.”
Learn more about National Disability Voter Registration Week (Sept 12–16)
“For those who would like to vote in person, I would say the biggest barrier is getting to the polls themselves; accessible transportation, especially for those living in rural counties,” said Lynn.
as a “Oncebarrier.you
Lynn also mentioned the lack of physical supports, including lack of protection from the elements (heat or rain) and the challenge of standing in line for disabled persons lacking the stamina to do so.
The TSU experience is on full dis play on BET+ in an eight-episode unscripted reality series. Some 854,000 people watched the premiere of the eight-episode series. The series showcases the rigors of academics at TSU, the community students have come to expect at an HBCU and the caring nature of HBCU faculty through the eyes of eight celebrities working their way toward a special certifcate.
The College of Business launched its Doctor of Busi ness Administration degree, the frst from a public univer sity in Texas accredited with
TSU’s Aviation Science Man agement program is involved in major partnerships with South west Airlines, United Airlines, Republic Airways and others. The Professional Pilot program is anticipating a doubling in enroll ment as it makes its contribu tion to a looming pilot shortage.
JAZZMONTERREYFESTIVAL
8 | August 25, 2022 DEFENDER NETWORK | 9
AACSB International. Start ing in the spring of 2023, the University will add a BS/BA in Public Health to the Brailsford College of Arts and Sciences.
AVIATION PARTNERSHIPS
R2 CLASSIFICATIONCARNEGIE
TONI WRITINGMORRISONPROGRAM
U-RISE INITIATIVE
PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY
TSU’s choir and jazz ensemble. Photo: TSU Marketing & Communications Department TSU President Dr. Lesia Crumpton-Young with TSU faculty
The launch of the center is led by Endowed Professor of Political Science Melanye Price, aimed to help students walk away from their time at PVAMU with an under standing and thoughtful analysis of the challenges presented by racism and racial discrimination.
FUTURE LEADERSHIPBANKERSPROGRAM
RUTH J. SIMMONS CENTER FOR RACE AND JUSTICE
This prestigious classifcation (Doctoral University; High Research Activity) is the sec ond-highest ranking for uni versities with a commitment to research, and is now held by 133 universities nation wide. The university awarded 63 doctoral degrees in the past fve years and amassed $105 million in research expenditures for the period, placing PVAMU in the top 10 HBCUs regarding research.
META PARTNERSHIP
TSU is launching a new college
ACADEMIC PARTNERSHIPSINSTITUTION
COLLEGE TRANSDISCIPLINARYOF STUDIES
The Princeton Alliance for Collaborative Research and Innovation (PACRI) pairs a Princeton researcher with a researcher from an HBCU from a wide range of dis ciplines who will co-lead a research or innovation proj ect. The PVAMU-Johns Hop kins Vivien Thomas Scholars Initiative partnership will reach frst-generation college students and signifcant racial and ethnic uateandships,Itpetitiveforstudents’fundingpopulations.underrepresentedInaddition,thewillenhancePVAMUpreparationinSTEMmatriculationintocomSTEMPh.D.programs.willalsoprovidescholarprofessionaltraining,mentorshiptoundergradandgraduatestudents.
PVAMU broke ground on a $70 million classroom and research building for its Roy G. Perry College of Engineering.
one of the authorKevintheNowwriter-in-residence.2022namedNikkiAmericancelebratedmostAfricanpoets,Giovanni,the2021-inauguralinitssecondyear,programwillwelcomePowell,anacclaimedandactivist.
Program.ResidenceWriterUniversityViewPrairieA&Min
“COLLEGE CELEBRITYHILL:EDITION”
TSU’s choir and jazz ensem ble, along with students from the School of Communica tions, will travel to Monterrey, Calif. in September to be part of the Monterrey Jazz Festival. This is an ongoing partnership between TSU and the festi val that includes program ming on campus for music.
This summer, Meta chose TSU to be a partner in the launch of a new research project.
This research, led by Meta’s Civil Rights and Responsible AI Teams, is being done with the goal of creating a better user experience for historically marginalized communities. The efort will allow Meta to better understand the experi ences diferent com munities have on Instagram, how itsmaytechnologyimpactdiferentgroups,andwhatchangescanbemadetopromotefairnessontheplatform.
ProgramNursingUniversityViewPrairieA&M
The Brailsford College of Arts and Sciences is working to create a more diverse pipe line of well-trained STEM students ready to enter Ph.D. programs and, ultimately, the STEM workforce with the help of fund ing from the National Institutes of Health/ National Institute of General Medical Sciences. Under graduate Research Train ing Initiative for Student Enhancement (U-RISE) will recruit four students with a declared major in a biomedical science discipline (biology, chemistry, computer science, math ematics, animal science, nutrition, chemical or elec trical engineering) each year for fve years. The students will experience hands-on research collaborations enriched with interdisci plinary research culture.
SAT,CLASSICPRESIDENTSTHEVIDEOWATCHOFHBCUONAUG.27.
Te two universities have made significant strides to enhance the educational expe riences for historically mar ginalized communities, attract top-performing students and build strong partnerships with industry leaders. Here are seven accomplishments that highlight the excellence of each institution.
that creates a pathway for people who started college but did not complete their degree program. The groundbreaking College of Transdisciplinary Studies provides an avenue for students to continue their education and complete and earn one of eight baccalau reate degree or four master’s degrees. It is the frst-ever col lege of transdisciplinary studies approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and ofers a range of degree programs to satisfy the needs of students who have previously dropped out of higher education.
NEW ACADEMIC BUILDING
For the second consecutive semester, students in TSU’s newly-established Future Bank ers Leadership Program (FBLP), which is part of the Jesse H. Jones School of Business, achieved an impressive 100% pass rate for a key professional
NEW PROGRAMSACADEMIC
Tere are numerous reasons why students attend Histori cally Black Colleges and Uni versities (HBCUs). Not only do these institutions provide a safe and inclusive environ ment for minority students, they have a robust alumni net work of highly accomplished professionals who dominate various sectors of industries worldwide.HBCUshave a rich history of Black pride and culture that create a home-away-fromhome atmosphere that ofers a unique learning experience with many dedicated leaders in academia who help students achieve their full potential.
PVAMU launched its Toni Mor rison Writing Program, with
TSU, PVAMU highlight NEW ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Tese are just some prime examples incoming freshmen and returning students will see this year at two Houston-area HBCUs, Texas Southern Uni versity and Prairie View A&M (PVAMU) University.
The efort is led by nationally-ac claimed researcher Dr. Michelle Penn-Marshall, vice president of Research & Innovation.
INAUGURAL DIVISION OF RESEARCH & INNOVATION
TEXAS UNIVERSITYSOUTHERN
Prairie View A&M University PHD Program
certifcation exam – giving them a distinct advantage as they pursue careers in the fnance and banking industry.
The launch of the Division of Research & Innovation, coupled with the investmentinggrowingthedemonstratesActivityHighUniversityasTSU’scationHigherInstitutionsClassifcationbyreafrmationtheCarnegieofofEduofstatusaDoctoralofResearch(R2),universityisbytransformitscapabilitiesandinresearch.
Photo: TSU Marketing & Communications Department
DN InFocusDN
Prairie View A&M University Nursing Program
By Laura Onyeneho
The incentive will assist with HISD Superintendent Millard House II’s vision for the new school year.
Revere Middle School is the first of several HISD RAK Room locations for this school year. Ashford and Daily Elementary Schools are currently in process. Students at selected HISD RISE (Redesign. Innovate. Support. Empower.) transformational campuses will also benefit from this opportunity.“Weareconnecting students to nonacademic resources to increase their learning outcomes,” said Kenya Washington-Clements, HISD Wraparound Services manager. “ e superintendent wants to ensure these campuses have everything they need to improve, especially the low-performing schools.”Dennis said in the next few years, she hopes every school in Houston has a RAK Room and that this concept stands as a model for other cities and states to encourage volunteering, financial literacy and kindness for all students.
“ ey will check what works and what doesn’t work and monitor student progress so that we can sit down and look at the process at the end of the first year.”
For more information, visit Stocktherak.com EducationDN
10 | August 25, 2022 | DEFENDER NETWORK
The bright-colored rooms are incentive-based school stores and resource rooms designed for kids to earn digital RAK Bucks/RAK Points for good attendance, behavior, participation and other accomplishments.Studentscan“buy” clothes, shoes, bikes, games and more.
By Laura Onyeneho
RAK Room sample. Photo: Boost One Marketing
Local students rewarded for good behavior
RAK Rooms are designed by renowned interior designer and craftsman Gino Vian, while Yellowland Record owners Twiler Portis and Jimmy Bolt become the first local business partners to reveal
their signature yellow RAK Room at the opening.“Wewant students to understand that anything is attainable when you put in the work. Dennis said they will learn real-life
“ is is a pilot program, so there is no perfect formula for this incentive. Each school will run its store according to its needs,” said Treveia Dennis.
When students do good, they feel good. And what better way to keep that momentum going than to be rewarded for good behavior.Houston Random Acts of Kindness Day (RAK Day) founders Treveia and David Dennis partnered with HISD, the district’s Wraparound Services Department and sponsor Yellowland Records to introduce the first ever student “RAK Room” at Paul Revere Middle School.
skills instead of instant gratification.”
e CBBB is a multi-year initiative created by the U.S. Chamber Foundation and American Express to support the long-term success and resilience of Black-owned small businesses. e program is a first-of-itskind collaboration with four leading national Black business organizations, including the National Black Chamber of Commerce, the National Business League, the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc., and Walker’s Legacy. To date, the CBBB has awarded more than $6.4 million in grants to 1,091 Black-owned small businesses in 40 states to help fund
“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and local communities,” said Jennifer Skyler, chief corporate affairs officer at
REQUIREMENTS • Employ 3-20 employees • Located in an economically vulnerable community webackblackbusinesses.com
American Express. “American Express and our partners are proud to see that the grants are making an impact on the small business community, with 50% of our grant recipients seeing a real increase across sales revenue in the second half of 2021.”
ELIGIBILITY
“ e grant was essential in helping us keep our doors open. e funds were used to pay for one month of rent and utilities
for the barbershop, as well as invest in advertising,” said Perry Petit-Beau, owner of Petit Beau-ty & Grooming Company in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. “ is helped establish us as reputable in the community, and we are now ranked in the top five barbershops in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. and have a 5-star ratingInonline.”addition to $5,000 grants, the CBBB provides additional resources for sustained support, such as one-on-one mentorship and training for small businesses based on individual business needs, offered in partnership with Ureeka. is year, the program will also receive additional support from Cummins and Shopify. Selected grantees will also have the opportunity to apply for $25,000 enhancement grants in Spring 2023 to further grow their business. Business owners will be notified of their status in mid-October. Businesses that are not selected to receive a grant are encouraged to apply again as the program will continue to run through 2024.
| 11 BusinessDN August 25, 2022 | DEFENDER NETWORK The benefits of Original Medicare, plus Part D prescription drug coverage and $0 drug deductible‡ That’s Medicare the way you want it. That’s KelseyCare Advantage. YOU WANT PRESCRIPTIONAFFORDABLEDRUGS. *https://health.usnews.com/medicare ‡No deductible for Tier 1 and 2 generic prescription drugs only. KelseyCare Advantage is offered by KS Plan Administrators, LLC, a Medicare Advantage HMO with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in KelseyCare Advantage depends on contract renewal. Every year, Medicare evaluates plans based on a 5-star rating system. ©2022 KelseyCare Advantage. All rights reserved. H0332_AANP31533_M WE COVER WHAT YOU CARE ABOUT MOST. Call now to learn Monday713-442-7922more!(TTY:711)–Friday,8a.m.–8p.m.,Saturday – Sunday, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Or visit KelseyCareAdvantage.com
Black businesses receive $5k grants from U.S. Chamber/AMEX Coalition
Defender News Service
e U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and American Express has announced that the Coalition to Back Black Businesses (CBBB) is now accepting applications for its 2022-23 grant program, which will provide $5,000 grants to 272 Black-owned small businesses to help them meet critical needs and invest in long-term growth. Eligible business owners can apply for the grant online through September 6, 2022.
essential expenses such as payroll, utilities, and expanding or replacing inventory, among other needs.
“ e funding and mentorship opportunities this program offers are crucial to helping small employers adapt to the ever-evolving landscape of running a business,” said Carolyn Cawley, president of the U.S. Chamber Foundation. “We’re proud to work with our coalition of partners to build on the impact we’ve made over the last two years and support the continued growth of America’s Black-owned small businesses.”
IN THE MATTER OF THE COMPLAINT OF RIVER CONSTRUCTION INC., AS OWNER AND OPERATOR OF THE RC-100 FOR EXONERATION FROM OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
RIVER CONSTRUCTION INC.
NOTICE TO BIDDERS
Tere were a lot of challenges. I worked in primarily low socioeconomic areas. I taught fourth and ffh-grade math, and students were fallen behind in those areas. Tat motivated me more because the learning gaps were huge, and I wanted to close them and provide a high level of education to children who wouldn’t receive it outside of school. Tese kids are heavily reliant on the educational system.
Defender:Whatdidyoulearnasan educatorto helpyou pivot intoyour business?Farooq:
Patricia Farooq, the owner of Cupcake Kitchen in Tird Ward, is just one of many Black teachers who successfully transitioned out of the education sector and into entrepreneurship.
FIND BUSINESSANDHERSELFABOUTLEARNEDWHATOUTSHEHER
CLASSIFIED
12 | August 25, 2022 | DEFENDER NETWORK
(SDTX – Federal ID No. 438301, TX #24072867)
/s/Nathan Ochsner
Prospective bidders/proposers can view and download these solicitations by visiting METRO’s website at https://webapps.ridemetro.org/procurement/solicitations.aspx.
Any claimant desiring to contest either the right to exoneration from, or the right to limitation of liability, shall fle and serve an Answer to the Complaint, unless his or her claim is included in Answer, all as is required by Rule F of the Supplemental Rules for Certain Admiralty and Maritime Claims of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure or be barred from bringing such action. Houston, Texas, this 27th day of July, 2022.
CLERK OF (SDTXAaron/s/AaronRespectfullyCOURTsubmitted,B.GreenbaumB.Greenbaum,T.A.-FederalIDNo.2023921, TX #24110938)
Defender:Whenyoufnallylefedu cation,what thoughtswent through yourmind?Farooq:
2014 is when the storefront opened. It was 300 square feet, and all I did was desserts. [Fall] of 2014, I was ready to go. My mom advised me to teach a little longer because I had health insurance and other benefts. But as the months went by, things got busier to the point where there was no time to do anything outside of work, and I knew I wasn’t giving my all to my students. It wasn’t fair to them or me.
when I decided to go in. My sister was also in education. I taught for the entire time in education, but my goal was to come out of the classroom and take on some form of leadership if I stayed in education. When that didn’t happen, that’s when I decided to leave.
Former HISD teacher operates 3rd Ward bakery Patricia Farooq
LEGAL NOTICE
DN
ATTORNEYSRowen.Asprodites@pjgglaw.comSalvador.Pusateri@pjgglaw.comAaron.Greenbaum@pjgglaw.com620-2510FORPETITIONER-IN-LIMITATION
Learning data. I was good at creating plans and building on the strengths and talents of the students. I contribute much of the data-driven education piece to what I do now. What I do now depend heavily on marketing to help learn about the consumer and their expectations.
time-consuming, and I was able to be more creative. I felt that this could take me out of the classroom. I knew I didn’t want to retire as a teacher. I wanted to work for myself.
All persons, frms, or corporations asserting claims with respect to which the Complaint seeks exoneration from or limitation of liability are admonished to fle their respective claims, under oath, as provided in Rule F of the Supplemental Rules for Certain Admiralty and Maritime Claims of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, with the Clerk of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Nathan Ochsner, at P. O. Box 61010, Houston, Texas 77208, and must serve a copy thereof on counsel for Petitioners on or before the 9th day of September, 2022 or be defaulted.
Telephone: (504) 620-2500 Facsimile: (504)
By Laura Onyeneho
I taught for about 15 years before I lef to go into cooking full time. My mother was already in the education feld
Farooq: I’m self-taught. When I was a teacher, I used to have a lot of gatherings at my house like birthday parties, social gath erings, Super Bowl [parties] and things like that. At the time, social media wasn’t as big as it is now, so I had the Food Network or a recipes book, and I had friends come over, and I would always cook things outside the box. My mother also had a restaurant while she was in educa tion. I had that as my foundation to help me understand the business.
NOTICE is hereby given that River Construction Inc., as the owner and operator of the crane barge RC-100 (“Petitioner”), has fled a Complaint pursuant to Title 46 U.S.C. §§ 30501¬–30512 as amended, claiming the right to exoneration from, or limitation of liability of all claims for any loss, damage, injury, or destruction, arising out of the alleged events involving the RC-100 occurring on or about April 7, 2020 and ending on or about August 13, 2020 while performing work at Contanda Terminals, LLC’s property located at 16335 Peninsula Street, Houston, Texas 77015 (the “Project”), and Petitioner’s activities related thereto, all as is more fully set forth in the Complaint.
Defender:Whenyoustartedasa teacher,what motivatedyou to stay intheindustryforaslongasyou did?Farooq:
Rowen F. Asprodites (SDTX – Federal ID No. 3760102, LA #33135)
Cupcake Kitchen in Third Ward
If you are unable to download the documents or are having diffculty, please contact METRO Plan and Bid Room at (713) 615-6125 or email propertyservices@ridemetro.onmicrosoft.com
Profle
Defender: As a Black educator,were there specifcchallengesthat outweighed the positive experiences?Farooq:
The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas (METRO) is planning to issue the procurement documents listed in this advertisement.
Fifeen years ago, the former HISD math and science teacher pivoted into a career in culinary arts as a way to increase her rev enue stream. Now, she not only operates a successful bakery, but she expanded the business by serving savory seafood and soul foodShedishes.plans to open a second location of Cupcake Kitchen of of SH-288 toward Pearland in theFarooqfall.
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS, CIVIL ACTION NO. 4:22-CV-02413
IFB No. 4022000160 – Northline Z Crossing at Fulton Street. Solicitation will be available on or about 8/19/2022
Salvador J. Pusateri
FarooqPatricia
I always wanted to do something outside of teaching that would bring me income for cooking and selling food. My schedule was a lot. I would wake up preparing people’s catering orders, go to work and then come back home to finish. So, as it became more popular, it took a lot of my time. Baking wasn’t
PUSATERI, JOHNSTON, GUILLOT & GREENBAUM 1100 Poydras Street, Suite 2250 New Orleans, LA 70163
spoke with the Defender about her time as an educator and her vision for the next phase of her journey as an entrepreneur.
Defender:Cookingisnotaseasyas it sounds.What interestedyou in culinaryarts?Areyouself-taught?
The website even implemented a virtual waiting room to avoid a crash due to the number of users at one time.
By Raquel Rogers
My towasdreamtogoJulliard."
Solange Knowles
Lido Pimienta chimed in herself, excitedly declaring in all-capital letters that she hoped to “experience it live.” and remarking that “taking over those spaces is so intimidating but we are here…She is the 3rd woman to ever do it!”
Is there anything Solange Knowles can’t do? The singer-songwriter’s artistic tendrils have reached into the worlds of music, choreography, fashion, film, visual art and more. Now, she’ll add a new genre to her repertoire: balletKnowlescomposer.ismaking history with a new musical commission from the New York City Ballet. The Grammy Award-winning artist’s involvement makes her the first Black woman and the second woman of color to compose a score of a production by the more than 70-year-old company. Her composition will be debuted at the ballet company’s Fall Fashion Gala on Sept. 28. Known as simply Solange, she has released four studio albums to date, her first at age 16. Subsequent albums have reached the top 10 in the charts, including a No. 1 spot for her 2016 album “A Seat at the Table” and a Grammy for its lead single “Cranes in the Knowles,Sky.” who developed a love of ballet growing up in Houston and watching Lauren Anderson, a pioneering Black principal dancer at Houston Ballet, once told the writer Ayana Mathis, “My dream was to go to Juilliard.” So composing for the New York Ballet is a natural progression. In fact, she developed performative dance pieces in recent years, including a piece with live orchestra exclusively staged at Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie in This2019. step into ballet is the latest in a series of adventurous turns by Knowles, 36, who began her career as a young singer and dancer — including with her sister, Beyoncé, in Destiny’s Child. In her art and in the streets, she has also been an activist for Black Lives Matter and other causes.
Knowles shared news of the commission in a tweet in which she said she was “very excited” about the production. Following its September premiere, the piece will also be performed over 10 dates in October 2022 and May 2023.With choreography from 23-yearold Gianna Reisen, who made her debut with the company when she was 18, the score will be performed by a chamber ensemble made up of members of the City Ballet Orchestra and Solange’s ownAndensemble.itseems
MAKES HISTORY AS COMPOSER FOR NEW YORK CITY BALLET
EntertainmentDN
| 13August 25, 2022 | DEFENDER NETWORK
-SOLANGE
e pop star’s stardom saw tickets for the ballet selling at a speed o en reserved for pop concerts, as fans flocked to buy them.
Many Twitter users chimed in to report that they had bought, or were planning to buy, tickets to the ballet just to hear Solange’s music.
Knowles’ collaboration with the NYC Ballet may even be revolutionizing their audiences.
After its premiere during the Fashion Gala, the production will be staged later this year on Oct. 1, 8, 11 and 16.
New York Liberty guard and Houston native DiDi Richards came off the bench to score eight points and grab two rebounds during her team’s 100-62 WNBA playoff loss to the Chicago Sky.
Dennis Rodman wants to go to Russia to free Brittney Griner
In the past, such an arrangement would have been against the rules but a year into NCAA shifting to allowing student-athletes to benefit off of their name, image and likeness (NIL) the idea of Body being a spokesman for e Fry Guys was real. So this summer, the Tigers’ sophomore quarterback and the food truck company signed a promotional and appearance deal that allows Body to make money.
“ e college kids can benefit and I can also kind of represent HBCUs, HBCU sports and things of that nature. It will kind of ingratiate us to the community too by just having a guy like Andrew, especially the quarterback of TSU and a kid of Andrew’s caliber.”
“So I think it’s beneficial. I actually think a lot of college athletes need to get NIL deals, especially HBCU athletes. ey are definitely overlooked right now.”
French fries and college students – they just seem to go together. So much so that when Jamal Stenson, co-owner of Houston’s e Fry Guys, started thinking about ways to market his relatively new food truck business and Texas Southern starting quarterback Andrew Body’s name was brought up as a potential spokesman, it just made natural sense.
Texas SWACPreseasontobeenMorenoThaliavolleyballSouthernplayerCorderohasselectedthe2022All-FirstTeam.
“It’s just a good look,” said Stenson, who co-owns the business with his wife, Synetta.
are also vetting opportunities and handling the business end of things while he focuses on“Ifootball.alsohave my people back home and they are looking out too,” said Body, whose Tigers open the season on Sept. 3 at Prairie View A&M. “ ey basically just look over my contracts and make sure I’m good in that aspect.” Landing her first NIL deal came a little more organically for PVAMU women’s soccer star Andrea Nugent. e SWAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year was sought out by Neal Harris, a PVAMU alumnus, to represent his home improvement and inspection business called Blueprint Improvement GroupNugent(BIG).does promotions for BIG and this summer actually worked as an intern for theShecompany.iscertainly glad to have the opportunity to benefit off her name, image and likeness and has plans to pursue other deals while also considering selling T-shirts with her name and jersey number at games this“It’sseason.sortof like you are an entrepreneur,” Nugent said. “You showcase your talent and you get acknowledged and you get paid for it. If it wasn’t sports, it was just a job then that’s pretty much what they do. You do your job, you get paid. For college athletes, this is pretty much our job.
HBCU student-athletes definitely aren’t making what their counterparts in the Power-5 leagues are making, but there is some thought that NIL could eventually level the playing field for the FCS schools. Some of the high-profile athletes at Jackson State, where Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders is the head coach, have benefited the most in the HBCU ranks.
TSU coach Clarence McKinney is all in with players being able to make money off what is rightfully theirs.
By Terrance Harris
Andrew Body and The Fry Guys co-owner Jamal Stenton
“When I was a college athlete myself, I wrote a paper on college athletes getting some kind of funding, more than what we were getting at that time,” he said. “I’m all for it. I don’t think there needs to be a cap on it. ere is not a cap on coaches’ salaries, so why should we put a cap on student-athletes.
Travis Hunter, who is the first No. 1 overall recruit to sign with an HBCU, is believed to have already made over $250,000 in NIL money before he has played a down for Jackson State. Sanders’ sons Shedeur and Shilo have also inked major deals with Gatorade, Tom Brady’s apparel company and a Porsche dealership.
TSU volleyball standout makes preseasonAll-SWACteam
The senior from Pearland is coming off a solid 2021 campaign in which she started 30 of 31 matches, and led the team with 269 points to go along with 244 kills and 19 serving
Body’s parents, who live in San Antonio,
The idea that HBCU student-athletes can make real money was enough for Alabama coach Nick Saban to make unfounded claims that Jackson State lured Hunter from his commitment to Florida State with a $1 million NIL deal.
we know where Watson’s Cleveland Browns career will begin and that’s right where it started. The former Texans quarterback will be eligible to play his first game with the Browns when they come into NRG Stadium on Dec. 4.
aces.DeshaunWatsonDennisRodmanThaliaCorderoMoreno
Since the NCAA changed its laws in July 2021 to allow student-athletes to benefit monetarily and otherwise off of their name, image and likeness, thousands of college athletes across the country are taking advantage of the opportunity. Some student-athletes at big-time Power 5 programs are said to be making in the millions of dollars, while HBCU student-athletes are getting involved but usually on a less lucrative level right now.
Now that Deshaun Watson, the NFLPA and NFL have come to a settlement of 11 games and a $5 million fine on his suspension for sexual misconduct
Deshaun Watson will make Browns debut at NRG
“In my opinion, student-athletes should have the right to get paid for their name, image and likeness.”
Former NBA star Dennis Rodman says he has been given the okay to travel to Russia to seek the release of WNBA star and native BrittneyHoustonianGriner.“Igot permission to go to Russia to help that girl,” Rodman told NBC News. “I’m trying to go this week.” It’s unclear who has given Rodman permission or if his efforts can help since the U.S. is known to be in active discussions with Russia for Griner’s release. Griner, of course, has been sentenced to nine years in prison on drug charges.
HBCU STUDENTS CASH IN
NIL DEALS
Sports Briefs
But the bigger point is they are finally able to make some money off of what belongs to them.“It’sreally an advantage that we have to take advantage of because they are giving us an opportunity to make money playing the sport that we love and also just being the person that you are,” Body said. “So with that I feel like it’s something you can take advantage of due to the fact you can make deals withBodyanybody.”said e Fry Guys are his first NIL deal but that he is actively pursuing more. His friend and former TSU teammate, Andre Gibbs, has started his own marketing company and helped Body and University of Houston running back Ta’Zhawn Henry land deals with e Fry Guys.
Texans wide receiver Nico Collins led the team with four catches for 48 yards and an 18-yard touchdown reception during the Texans’ 24-20 preseason win over the L.A. Rams.
SportsDN 14 | August 25, 2022 | DEFENDER NETWORK
JAMES WILLIAMS
SportsDN | 15 TEAMS TO WATCH FBTheFBC.E.KatySpringKatyAtascocitaKatyPaetowWestfeldTompkinsKingHightowerWoodlandsMarshall GAMES TO WATCH Aug. 25: Dickenson vs. Atascocita Aug. 26: FB Hightower vs. Westfeld Sept. 9: North Shore vs. Westfeld Sept. 9: FB Marshall vs. Alief Taylor Oct. 6: Katy vs. Katy Paetow Oct. 14: Heights vss Westside Oct. 21: Alief Taylor vs. Pearland Oct. 27: North Shore vs. Atascocita Nov. 4: Madison vs. Sterling
CORNELIUS ANTHONY
JOHNATHAN WILSON Klein Forest
Houston native Lonnie Teagle returns to the city as the head coach of defending state champion Katy Paetow. While at Denton Ryan, Teagle was a key contributor to the football program’s ofensive success as the team reached the 5A Division 1 state title game in 2019 and subsequently won the 5A Division 1 state title in 2020. At Paetow, Teagle welcomed one of the biggest defensive transfers in the nation from Allen High School, fvestar defensive lineman David “DJ” Hicks. However, Paetow will have an uphill battle moving into arguably one of the toughest Class 6A districts in the state this year.
FB Hightower
Second-year head coach Cornelius Anthony is settling in at Hightower and has many fans hoping he can push the school’s roster to a state title game that they have yet to see since 2008. While the Hurricane roster is loaded with top-heavy high-impact players like RB Jeremy Payne and DE Treylon Belony, some have expressed con cerns about how limited the depth charts may be now that Hightower has moved up to Class 6A District 20.
The Fort Bend Marshall Buffs learned a valuable lesson last year afer sweeping through a powder puf schedule during the regular season and getting punched in the mouth with an upset loss early in the playofs. But this season, Marshall has committed to a new and improved district (9-5A DII) with much more credible competition. On ofense, watch for multi-talented wide receiver Ja’Koby Banks to put up some serious numbers afer throw ing 22 TDs and rushing 19 TDs last season. And the defense should be swarming around the ball year round.
FB Marshall
Klein Forest was at the bottom of the barrel a few seasons back, but since the hiring of head coach Johnathan Wilson three years ago the team has steadily improved, winning fve games in 2021, and is expectedto be in the mix for a playof spot this season. “We have proven we have made strides and turned the corner a little bit, but at the end of the day, we have to now prove it on the feld.” coach Wilson stated to Vype at the Klein ISD Media Day.
August 25, 2022 | DEFENDER NETWORK
COACHES TO WATCH
LONNIE TEAGLE Katy Paetow
By Jodie B. Jiles
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW
16 | August 25, 2022 | DEFENDER NETWORK
For nearly two decades, our Student Leaders® program has helped prepare civic-minded high school students to become successful in the workforce by connecting them to employment, skills development and service. Through leadership training and paid internships with local nonprofits like Houston Area Urban League and Avenue Community Development Corporation, they gain practical work and life experiences. It’s just one more way we’re working together with our communities to build a better future for all.
Hong President,OgleBank of America Houston Learn more at bankofamerica.com/houston What would you like the power to do? ® Bank of America, N.A. Member FDIC. Equal Credit Opportunity Lender © 2022 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved.
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