Houston Style Magazine June 19 - June 25, 2014
Houston’s Premiere Weekly Publication
Volume 25 | Number 24
Complimentary
Jesse Jackson The Fight for the South
JUDSON ROBINSON, III
Robbie Tolan
Supreme Court Reignites Tolan Case
Houston Area Urban League: Spreading Hope for Empowered Communities for 46 Years Words: Jo-Carolyn Goode Follow Us #TeamSyleMag
Twitter @HoustonStyle
Instagram @StyleMagazine
Drake Kicks Off Houston Appreciation Weekend
Facebook: Houston Style Magazine
Kyssi Andrews Feted by HPD
Daniel Snyder
Feds Deny Redskins NFL Trademark
Re-Elect Trustee Skillern-Jones N E W S | C O M M E N TA R I E S | S P O R T S | H E A LT H | E N T E R TA I N M E N T
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JULY 3
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June 19- June 25, 2014
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06 10 Judson Robinson, III Man from Essence 11 Robbie Tolan By Local Briefs
By Jo-Carolyn Goode
Volume 25 | Number 24 |June 19 - June 25, 2014 EDITORIAL
By Terri Schichenmeyer
FEATURE WRITERS Rebecca Briscoe Francis Page, Jr. National Entertainment Publisher and Editor Susie Stillwell - Entertainment fpagejr@stylemagazine.com Lan– Arts Mical Roy – Feature Jo-Carolyn Goode Yolanda Pope – Culinary Managing Editor Tonja Ward – Health editorial@stylemagazine.com Dr. Lovell Jones – Health Editor Lisa Valadez Dr. Latisha Rowe – Health Editor Hispanic Managing Editor Kim Davis – Sports lisa@stylemagazine.com Heather Nelson – Health Aiaina Mayes – Blogger Brandon Caldwell Demez White – Feature Online Editor Dawn Paul – Feature bcaldwell@stylemagazine.com Lindsay Buchanan – Fashion Burt Levine – Political DESIGN/WEB Jade Gold – Entertainment Eric Ford – Editorial Intern Trevor G. Piper De’Neisha Bell – Feature Creative Director/Graphics webmaster@stylemagazine.com Tianyi Sun – Editorial Intern Cynthia Nevels – Business Kermit Williams Gabrielle Deculus – Web Master webmaster@stylemagazine.com Account Manager/Events Coordinator Dee Dee Wheaton – Blogger Jeffery T. Crump, Jr. Keandra Scott – Entertainment Chief Designer Marilyn Moore – Interior Design webmaster@stylemagazine.com Cecilia Smith - Entertainment Erynn Haskins - Feature Yvonne Guidry - Entertainment NATIONAL WRITERS Raegan Allen - Arts Mimi - Feature JESSE JACKSON jjackson@rainbowpush.org Abimbola Farinde - Health Sloan Houd - Sports ROLAND MARTIN Jessica Crawford - Feature www.rolandmartin.com Marcus Carter - Culinary Writer JUDGE GREG MATHIS Franceli Chapman - Entertainment www.askjudgemathis.com CoCo Dominguez - Reporter CIRCULATION Taylor Berry - Editorial Intern Benjamin Phagan Darian Gore - Editorial Intern PHOTOGRAPHERS Distribution Manager Vicky Pink Willie D. Scott, Jr. VIDEOGRAPHY vhpink@gmail.com Distribution Team 281.857.7635 Reginald Dominique – ADVERTISING/SALES Video/Social Media Roswitha Vogler reggiedominique@me.com photosbyrovo@gmail.com Lewis Miller 225.802.1593 832.876.9541 advertising@stylemagazine.com 713-748-6300 Antohny W. Morris Dale Lemar - Editing anthonymorris@att.net 832.785.4855 William Ealy Williamealy1906@gmail.com Sametra Scott semetra@artistikrebelcreative.com Joe English englishhst@gmail.com 832-888-6922
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©2014 Houston Style Magazine, a Minority Print Media, L.L.C. Company. All Right Reserved. Reproduction in whole or within part without permission is prohibited. Houston Style Magazine has a 2007 audit by Circulation Verification Council (CVC). Houston Style Magazine is a member of the Texas Publishers Association (TPA), Texas Community Newspaper Association (TCNA), National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), Independent Free Paper of America (IFPA), Association of Free Community Papers (AFCP) and Members of Greater Houston Partnership(GHP). National Association of Hispanic Publications, Inc. (NAHP, Inc.), Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (HHCC), League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), Latin Women’s Initiative (LWI), National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), Houston Association of Hispanic Media Professionals (HAHMP), National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ), and Members of Greater Houston Partnership(GHP)
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COMMENTARY
The Fight for the South
Jesse Jackson
National Writer
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ith the Republican takeover of the Virginia State Senate, Republicans now control the state legislatures in all 11 former confederate states. Now the reconstruction of the New South that was launched by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Lyndon B. Johnson is under assault. King’s movement and Johnson’s presidential power transformed the South after the Supreme Court ruled segregation unconstitutional in Brown v. Board of Education. The Voting Rights Act gave blacks the right to vote. Civil rights legislation opened up public facilities and launched an era of affirmative actions to overcome segregation. The War on Poverty extended Medicare, food stamps, housing aid, jobs programs and more to the impoverished. The transformation generated its own reaction. Johnson predicted
POLITICAL
By Burt Levine, Political Writer
J
al government, five are in the South -Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, Virginia and South Carolina. South Carolina, for example, suffers the third highest poverty rate in the U.S., with nearly 20 percent of all residents and more than one-fourth of all children in poverty. Yet Governor Nikki Haley has turned her back on $11 billion in federal resources for Medicaid expansion and hundreds of millions for education. The state lobbies for more money for military bases, ports and highways, but turns its back on the poor. Will the progress of the last decades be turned back? Will the Old South block the growth of a New South? The political threat is clear. Republicans consolidate their position as a party of white sanctuary and dominate elections across the South. National Democrats decide it is not worth investing in those states, with the exception possibly of outliers, like Texas and Florida. The Deep South descends once more into a region of racial reaction. One problem with this is that a reactionary South can have an inordinate influence in our national politics. We’ve seen how a Republican minority in the Senate, constructed significantly of Senators from the southern states,
can obstruct sensible reforms, from raising the minimum wage to paycheck fairness to allowing refinancing of student loans at a lower rate. This Republican Party could block steps to strengthen civil rights laws, enforce labor laws, or provide a helping hand to the poor. If the New South is to be revived, the battle must be fought at the state and local level. As Dr. King taught us, only the victims of oppression can stop their own victimization. A new movement of poor working people -- joining across lines of race or gender -- must rise to challenge the new reaction. When that movement builds, people of conscience across the country will respond. In North Carolina’s Moral Monday demonstrations, we may be seeing the beginnings of that movement. It is spreading to Georgia and South Carolina. Once more, the battle for the future of the South is joined. We all have a stake in its outcome. You can write to the Rev. Jesse Jackson in care of this newspaper or by email at jjackson@rainbowpush.org. Follow him on Twitter @RevJJackson. Share this story online at www. stylemagazine.com.
Missouri City Juneteenth is the Country’s Biggest
uneteenth, the celebration of the announcement in Texas of President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, is celebrated in Missouri City each June with more scholarship, parade participation, family festivities and gala jubilation, bigger than anywhere else in the country. “During the fall of 2002, I involved residents, committed civic, religious and businesses leaders from throughout Missouri City in collaboration to bring an event of purpose and substance to their community. The Missouri City Juneteenth Celebration Foundation was founded to highlight and honor the significance of the Emancipation Proclamation as it related to the State of Texas and the long-awaited pledge of freedom it carried for the slave population confined within that territory,” City Council Member and Missouri City Juneteenth Celebration Founder Don Smith told Mayor Allen Owen and fellow Council Members at Monday’s Council Meeting. “With the mayor’s support we came together 12 years ago to honor Juneteenth by creating and supporting events to positively teach, recognize and demonstrate this pivotal point in
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that Democrats would lose the South for a generation. Under Nixon, the Republican Party adopted a southern strategy, making itself the party of white sanctuary, displacing conservative Democrats. Slowly, Republicans began picking up seats and consolidating their position, even as the country grew more diverse. Barack Obama’s election shocked many white southerners, accelerating the process. Now Republican governors and legislatures across the South are chipping away at the progress that has been made. Emboldened when the Supreme Court overturned key parts of the Voting Rights Act, they are passing legislation that makes voting harder for working and poor people, disproportionately minorities. And when the Supreme Court affirmed state rights over the expansion of Medicaid in health care reform, Republican governors and legislatures across the South blocked the expansion, depriving millions of poor working families of decent health protection. Where governors once sought to stand in the schoolhouse door, now they stand at the hospital door. These states are not opposed to federal money. Of the top 10 states with budgets containing the highest percentage of revenue from the feder-
Mayor Allen Owen and Council Member Don Smith
our Texas and American History. My vision is and continues to be for Missouri City’s Juneteenth to create culturally relevant events and activities for all the community to positively portray modern African American life by developing programs designed to identify, nurture and showcase talented, deserving students and young adults in our community by bringing together individuals from all social demographics to share and understand many benefits of good family living all presented in an atmosphere of wholesome family values,” Smith said.
June 19- June 25, 2014
Owen said he is proud of what the Missouri City Juneteenth Celebration Foundation has meant for the City of Missouri City and is thankful to Smith for spearheading the herculean effort. This year’s festivities include the Community Service Awards Gala on Thursday, June 19th at Quail Valley City Centre, featuring speaker State Rep. Sylvester Turner; Family Fun Day in the Park and Night Out on Friday evening at Hunters Glenn Park featuring the movie Lee Daniels’ The Butler; followed by Saturday’s The Miles of Smiles Parade on Texas Park-
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way and The Battle of the Bands at Thurgood Marshall High School. Smith added that they were starting with the Juneteenth Golf Tournament; this is the largest of its kind in the nation. “Last year’s celebrations were great but we expect 2014 celebrations will be even better. We’re on target to bring positive attention to African Americans and all those that call Missouri City and Fort Bend home while celebrating the Emancipation Proclamation,” he said. Missouri City’s State Rep. Ron Reynolds said he will always be grateful to his fellow State Rep. Al Edwards for sponsoring House Bill 1016 that made June 19th (Juneteenth) a state holiday. “The bill passed in 1979 and the MCJCF, along with many other grateful organizations and citizens throughout Texas thank Representative Edwards for his tireless effort that made Juneteenth an official state holiday. There are many African American holidays and many American holidays but this is genuinely our Texas African American holiday,” Reynolds said.
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LOCAL BRIEFS
would give fire fighters a 4% raise. Members stated restrictions in contract were too rigid. So it is back to the drawing board for both sides.
back in 2010 for laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering in association with his 2002 campaign and found guilty. Later, a judge overturned those charges. District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg brings DeLay before the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in attempt to reinstate the 2010 conviction and three-year prison sentence.
H
ouston City Council has officially the budget for the 2015 fiscal year after eight hours of debate. The 5.2 billion dollar plan includes $10.7 million to repair potholes; $2.6 million to add animal control officers at BARC’ and $20 million for the Rainy Day Fund. The department that handles building permits will get more employees. There was also money allocated to hire an expert to look at staffing within the Houston Fire Department and for additional camera to stop illegal dumping in the city. For more information, visit houstontx.gov.
Robbie Tolan
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Tolan Gets His Day in Court
obbie Tolan’s case will finally go to trial. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decided this past Tuesday to send Tolan’s case to trial court. The ordeal began in 2008 when Sgt. Jeffrey Cotton, white male, shot the unarmed Tolan, black, in the driveway of his parents’ Bellaire home. Cotton was found not guilty of charges of aggravated assault by a public servant in 2010. Tolan and his family are suing Cotton, fellow officer John Edwards, Bellaire police chief and the mayor for violation of Tolan’s civil and constitutional rights.
T
Houston Fire Fighters Reject Mayor’s Proposal
he ongoing discussion between Houston Fire Fighters and the City of Houston we thought had been resolved. However, the recent vote by the Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association suggests otherwise. With 93% of the membership voting no, the fire fighters rejected the 30-month contract that
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Houston City Council Passes 2015 Budget
Tom Delay
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Money Laundering Charges Haunt Tom DeLay Once Again
ormer U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay is back in court as prosecutors try to make charges of money laundering stick for good. DeLay was tried
June 19- June 25, 2014
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ENTERTAINMENT Houston Appreciates Drake By Taylor Berry, Editorial Intern and Brandon Caldwell, Online Editor
Drake
D
rake loves Houston and the city loves him right back. The love fest also known as Houston Appreciation Weekend (HAW) kicked off this past weekend as rapper Drake showed his gratitude for the city that gave him so much with a 3-day celebration. Drake kicked off the weekend event with an appearance at Minute Maid Park, where he hosted 50 kids from the Astros Urban Youth and RBI program for a meet-and-greet. Drake provided the kids with dinner and tickets to the game. Prior to the start of the game between the Houston Astros and Arizona Diamond backs, Drake addressed the crowd saying,
“Houston is really important to me… I have it tattooed on my skin and in my heart,” said Drake. After Drake addressed the crowd, he was awarded a proclamation claiming June 12th Drake Day. In addition, Drake held a free concert and a charity basketball game. He teamed up with Rockcorps, an organization that allows you to give four hours of community in exchange for a free concert ticket. Volunteering with this organization was the only way to attend Drake’s performance. It’s one thing to see Drake pull off a “with friends” show. It’s another to see him re-create the Houston rap landmark in the Screwed Up Records & Tapes shop and allow Houston legends such as Lil Keke, ESG (“Swang & Bang”, Yungstar (“June 27″), Trae Tha Truth (H.A.W.K.’s verse on “Swang”), Slim Thug & even Lil Flip (“The Way We Ball”) of all people perform their tracks and get their own bit of shine. Even Slim could have felt overwhelmed by it all by mixing up his “Before Da Kappa” freestyle and the “3 Kings” version he used for his Already Platinum album. It literally felt like a mosh pit, a sweaty oasis of faded SUC glory with dashes of the Northside tossed in. For two and a half hours, we revisited his entire career up to this point. We sat back and swayed to So Far Gone material, “Bria’s Interlude” & “A Night Off” making it seem like we all had personal missions to run back home to our significant others to finish a job. The Thank Me Later arc, complete with those insane lighting aspects for “Over”, “Show Me A Good Time” and more caused more pushing, more shoving and undercover HPD and security to arrive to breakup a protest mid-show.
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When you’ve got some 40+ tracks to cover, you’re going to slip. Drake, for all of his rehearsal and practice (no pun intended) did so during “Find Your Love” but regained footing around a performance of a reggae song. We long cracked jokes about his singing but he’s far too confident to sit back and let it get to him now. This isn’t 2010 Drake. The 2014 version is a cocksure monster with a toothy grin who knows he can’t do wrong. Every loosie, every song that had pulsated and pushed around in our heads through the course of his five (okay, seven) year career was unleashed. He delivered anecdotes about how “Marvin’s Room” cost him a lot of money due to a lawsuit, but didn’t mention how minor pettiness over Rihanna’s “Take Care” feature (and their breakup) led him to play the entire song cutting her parts. Everyone got a slice of the fun, including guests Tinashe (I almost proposed, Twitter knows this), Travi$ Scott, Wiz Khalifa, YG & Big Sean, whose verse on “All Me” from Nothing Was The Same damn near incited a riot. There were teases, plenty of them throughout the night. People guessed Nicki Minaj would show up for “Up All Night”, that Bun B would drop his Gumball activities to join him for “Miss Me”, that Lil Wayne would appear at least for “Believe Me” near the end of the show. None of that came to pass, even if we enjoyed getting a Z-Ro “Mo City Don” freestyle before closing with “November 18th”. Houston Appreciation Weekend now has things to live up to. Search Taylor Berry and Brandon Caldwell on stylemagazine.com to read the full story.
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CULINARY By Family Features
Unexpected Summertime Toppings for Your Oatmeal As Creative Oatmeal Officer, Stephens has partnered with Quaker to help nourish families in New York City and across the country with creative tips and innovative recipes filled with delicious flavors. She discovered her love for all things oatmeal in college and since then has devoted her life to sharing her passion, creativity and appreciation of oatmeal with everyone. Two of her favorite summer recipes can be found below. In fact, oatmeal shouldn’t be limited to just the breakfast table. It can be a healthy, budget-friendly option for families also looking for delicious snack, lunch or dinner options. There are numerous ways to use simple ingredients to create both savory and sweet dishes for the whole family. Visit www. oatmealchefsam.com for more inspiration.
Red Fruit Trio Oatmeal
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f you think of oatmeal as old fashioned, it’s time to think again. Whole grain oats are one of the most versatile breakfast staples and provide a perfect blank slate for this summer’s seasonal ingredients. Most produce is at its best during the summer months; fruits like cherries, raspberries and nectarines or vegetables like corn, tomatoes and zucchini are great additions to turn oatmeal from a typical winter dish into a fresh, summer treat. “It’s amazing how toppings found at the grocery store or farmers market can transform a traditional bowl of oatmeal into a culinary delight,” says Sam Stephens, owner of OatMeals, the world’s first oatmeal bar, which opened its doors in New York City in 2012. “Ingredients like fresh figs and blueberries or even tomatoes and basil can help boost the dish’s flavor to the next level and change the way we typically enjoy oatmeal.”
Red Fruit Trio Oatmeal Servings: 1 1/2 cup Quaker Oats (quick or old fashioned) 2 tablespoons diced strawberries 4-5 fresh raspberries 3 pitted and halved fresh cherries (or 1 tablespoon dried cherries) Drizzle of honey Prepare oatmeal as directed. Top with fruit, drizzle with honey and enjoy. Also try adding 2 teaspoons of dried currants or dried cranberries to create a more flavorful red fruit experience.
1 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 cup diced pancetta (or bacon, prosciutto or ham) 2 cups corn (approximately 3 ears, fresh or frozen and thawed) 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes 1 tablespoon butter 2 diced whole small shallots (optional) 2 diced whole garlic cloves (optional) 1 cup Quaker Steel Cut Oats 4 cup low sodium chicken stock Freshly ground black pepper to taste Grated Pecorino or Asiago cheese In large saute pan, heat olive oil at medium heat. Add pancetta, corn and cherry tomatoes, and cook for five minutes. Remove mixture from pan and place in bowl; set aside. In same pan, add butter, shallots and garlic, and cook for two minutes at medium heat. Add steel cut oats and stir continuously for two to three minutes, until lightly toasted, golden and fragrant. Add chicken stock and stir to combine. Cover pan and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until oats are al dente. Add pancetta, corn and tomato mixture to the cooked oats and stir to combine. Season with black pepper to taste and top with grated Pecorino cheese.
Steel Cut Oatmeal with Sweet Corn, Tomato & Pancetta Servings: 4
Enjoy
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June 19- June 25, 2014
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STARTS FRIDAY, JUNE 20
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FEATURE By Jo-Carolyn Goode, Managing Editor
HAUL: Spreading Hope for Empowered Communities for 46 Years
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t is amazing how powerful four letters can be for someone. When taking the letters h, o, p, e and putting them together the word hope is spelled. Giving a person just a glimmer of hope can mean the world for them. Hope will change a person’s mindset, confidence, opinion of themselves, and give them life for the future. Hope is what the Houston Area Urban League has given the greater Houston community for 46 years. Through an array of services and programs HAUL has literally empowered people to change their lives. Founded by a group of business professionals who simply thought that people needed somewhere to go to gain advice and knowledge on acquiring and protecting a home, generating and building wealth, and other information to take them from point A to point B. HAUL began making its impact. Among that group was Judson Robinson, Sr., grandfather of HAUL’s current President and CEO Judson Robinson, III. Today shadowing the steps of his grandfather, Robinson, III continues the vision and dreams of 1968. Keeping the same central focus HAUL has just made adjustments to keep up with the needs of the community. “In the modern society we are needing to be more accessible to people so we are trying to be a little more aggressive in how people have access to the urban league,” said Robinson III. Increasing their accessibility and their reach to people takes funding. It is because of their proven track record of results that companies, organizations and people have not only believe but wholeheartedly supported the goals and ideals of HAUL with generous gifts and donations. This is golden to the folks at HAUL. Proper funding allows HAUL to offer topnotch education at little to no cost to advance people from one level to the next phase of their life and generate wealth. Annually HAUL honors special donors at the Equal Opportunity Day Gala. “We take just a moment to say thank you to the hundreds that help our organization, “ said Robinson III. At the 2014 gala, HAUL will honor five companies and community leaders that have given of their heart. The honorees are: Southwest Airlines – Quentin Mease Community Service Award Recipient; John Hofmeister – Marguerite Ross Barnett Leadership Award Recipient; UPS – Gerald Hines Corporate Award Recipient; Chip Carlisle – Whitney M. Young Humanitarian Award Recipient; and Allstate Insurance – Heritage Award Recipient. Ric Campo, President and CEO of Camden and Chairman of Houston First Corpo-
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June 19- June 25, 2014
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ration’s Board of Directors, is the 2014 Honorary Chairman. Although the gala is a great party, it serves a greater purpose. It is HAUL’ signature fundraising affair. Robinson III said ideally HAUL’s gala fundraising goal is half a million dollars. This will allow HAUL to make more partnerships with organizations like 5th Ward Enrichment, the Boys and Girls Clubs, and family community centers “to really make sure we are bringing the resources and expertise to those organizations that need to help enhance and strengthen their programs in the communities they serve.” The expansion of partnerships and services is part of HAUL’s reorganizing initiative to serve more of the greater Houston area in addition to the fixed community areas they currently serve. Robinson III said, “We want to train people for today’s jobs that are paying minimum wages. We want to educate people about how to build and maintain wealth. We want communities to be self-sufficient as best they possible can so we do that by prevention. We do that by advocacy... We do that by reaction… The more people that HAUL can get involved on the deepest level possible the better likelihood the community overall being stronger and more self efficient.” Just this past week HAUL was able to secure employment for 450 youth at the City of Houston. For many this will be their first job and their first lesson in learning how to build wealth. A fire will erupt in these youth to want to know more about maintaining wealth and set them on track to a brighter future and give them hope for better tomorrow. This kind of fire will then spread and will ignite in their family and friends changing a community. This is the legacy that HAUL leaves in the lives they touch. Discover more of the amazing works of HAUL by visiting haul. org. There are programs about First Time Homebuyer’s Workshop; Veteran’s Housing Assistance; Construction Training/Job Placement; Project Ready Early Education; Workforce Development Training and the Small Business Entrepreneurship Program. After learning more about HAUL, support it. Give a little hope with a gift or donation. No donation is too small. Then join HAUL at the EOD Gala on Saturday, June 21st at the Hilton Americas-Hotel. The mix and mingle reception starts at 6pm and dinner and program starts at 7pm. For tickets visit haul.org.
BOOK REVIEW The Man from Essence: Creating a By Terri Schichenmeyer, Literary Writer
I
Magazine for Black Women
t’s never been done before. It’s never been done, it’s never been tried. Maybe it’s never been thought of, either, but that hasn’t stopped you. Once a valid idea pops into your head, it’s not long before the idea becomes more. You’ve been around long enough to know, however, that the road to success can be paved with spikes and nothing ever happens smoothly. In “The Man from Essence” by Edward Lewis (with Audrey Edwards), you’ll see that that phenomenon crosses all industries. By age 28, Edward Lewis had already endured his share of awkwardness: he’d lost a football scholarship at one college and had flunked out of law school at another. He was, however, able to find and keep a good job at a major bank in Manhattan, which led to an opportunity that would “transform” his life. The vice president of a New York investment firm invited a ‘bunch of… young bloods” to a think-tank meeting, promising them financing if they came up with a business idea that would work. One of the attendees mentioned that his mother always dreamed of a magazine specifically for “Negro” women and, offhandedly, the
investment VP paired him and two others with Lewis, who knew “something about finance.” Eager to own their own business, the four men – Clarence Smith, Jonathan Blount, Cecil Hollingsworth, and Lewis - set up a partnership in March, 1969, and began looking for an editor for their new magazine, even though they “knew a little more than zip about Negro women and the consumer market…they comprised.” There was, of course, a learning curve – including a disastrous almost-name of the magazine, staffing problems and many wars of words – but in the spring of 1970, Essence magazine debuted. Despite an initial problem with funding, a revolving editorial door, plenty of in-fighting, lawsuits, ousting of partners, and “out-of-control behavior,” the magazine thrives with a readership that today “remains ever faithful.” And of the original four partners, Lewis was the “last man standing” when Essence Communications Inc. was sold to Time Warner in 2008. This story of a magazine as told by “The Man from Essence” is a good one. It’s filled with advice, insight, and hot-button gossip, but that’s
not all. It also includes stories about people who probably won’t like those stories told. Indeed, author Edward Lewis (with Audrey Edwards) leaves nothing unsaid in this business memoir and I found that completely irresistible. Here, readers learn a bit of background on what it takes to launch a successful magazine – what to do and definitely what not to do – and we get a behind-the-scenes taste of a business like this. Along the way, Lewis gives us a sense of the times and attitudes in which this iconic magazine was launched and incubated, which is both entertaining and informative. That makes this book a nice surprise, and not just for fans of the magazine. If you’re up for an advice-dispensing business biography that also dishes dirt, in fact, “The Man from Essence” is a book to try.
by Edward Lewis with Audrey Edwards, foreword by Camille O. Cosby
c.2014, Atria $25.00 / $29.99 Canada 311 pages
Welcome
TO YOUR FUTURE PROMOTION. register today for summer/fall classes. hccs.edu
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HEALTH
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By Family Features
Uncovering the Truth Behind Nutritional Studies
o you often feel confused by the multitude of sensational nutrition studies in the media? When it comes to feeding your family, being able to break down the scientific research process to make informed nutrition choices is essential.
Conflicting information It’s only natural to wonder about nutrition studies mentioned in headlines. One moment a study recommends eating fish or butter and not long after that, another study contradicts the very thing we just added to our grocery cart. “As consumers hungry for good health, it’s easy to get caught up in and sometimes discouraged by studies that promise the newest improve-your-health food,” said Carolyn O’Neil, a registered dietitian for Best Food Facts. “Who among us doesn’t want to feel and look better as a result of eating? With headlines promising miracle results, and then those promises don’t work out, it’s easy to get discouraged.” Understanding the process Rather that doubting yourself, O’Neil advises to better understand the research process behind the headlines. The next time you read one that touts the next food trend, you’ll be able to decipher whether it’s a good option for your family. “Just because you read it in the paper doesn’t mean you should change your eating habits overnight, because that’s not the way we in science typically operate,” explained Dr. Michael Doyle, director of the Center for Food Safety at the University of
FINANCE By Wells Fargo
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Georgia. Steps for quality research These are the three main steps for conducting thorough research. Along with being peer reviewed and published, research that fits within these categories is recognized as the gold standard. Transparency: Reliable research includes communication that’s honest, open and easy to understand. Reproducibility: Different scientific researchers participate in studies that come to the same conclusion. Meta-Analysis: There is an ability to contrast and combine results from different studies to look for differences or agreement. If these three steps cannot be successfully
Further review Once a study successfully meets the steps of transparency and reproducibility, the research is turned over to scientists who were not involved in the initial research for an independent evaluation. These scientists perform a meta-analysis, contrasting and combining results from different studies and looking for differences or agreement. Only after going through this process can research be considered scientifically verified. If you don’t have time to dig deeper into the research, O’Neil recommends visiting www.BestFoodFacts.org, a website featuring information from more than 170 university-based food system experts with blogs, infographics and videos on all things food.
Photo courtesy of Getty Images (woman grocery shopping)
Eight in Ten Millennials Say Great Recession Taught Them to Save Now
s millennial Americans have experienced the effects of the Great Recession of 2008, a strong majority (80%) say it has taught them they have to save now to survive economic problems down the road. Despite this generation’s reported lesson, 45 percent are not saving for retirement, while slightly more than half (55%) are saving. The savings picture varies by gender with 61 percent of men and 50 percent of women reporting that they are saving. This difference in saving rates may hinge on the fact that the median annual household income reported by millennial men is $77,000 versus $56,000 for women. For college-educated millennials, median annual household income is reported to be $83,000 for men and $63,000 for women. About half of all millennials report they are satisfied with their savings at this point in their lives, but the gender discrepancy is pronounced, with 58 percent of men feeling satisfied, versus 41 percent of women. These findings are part of the 2014 Wells Fargo Millennial Study, conducted online by Harris Poll on behalf of Wells Fargo, released at a Women’s Institute For A Secure Retirement (WISER®) forum in Washington, DC. The survey was conducted among over 1,600 U.S. adults aged 22-33 (millennials), and among over 1,500 U.S. adults aged 49-59 (baby boomers). The silver lining of the recession that started over five years ago is that a majority of millennials get that saving is a necessity and even equate it
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completed, testing will continue until multiple scientists determine the same result. Unfortunately this kind of process promises no immediate results. This is yet another reason why it’s important to take those in-your-face nutritional studies with a grain of salt until further studies are completed.
with surviving tough times. But millennial women are starting out their working lives making far less than men and, as a consequence, are saving less and feeling less contentment at the start of their working lives, said Karen Wimbish, director of Retail Retirement at Wells Fargo. The Pressure of Debt Millennials are struggling under the pressure of debt, with 42 percent saying “it is their biggest financial concern currently. Four in ten say their debt is “overwhelming” versus 23 percent of baby boomers. Forty-five percent of millennial women feel overwhelmed by debt, versus 33 percent of millennial men. Perhaps due to big debt obligations, over half of the millennials (56%) say they are living paycheck to paycheck, regardless of gender. What Kind of Debt? When asked to rank their number one financial concern after paying day-to-day bills, millennials cite paying off student loans (29%) as their top concern, whereas boomers cite saving for retirement (44%). When asked to estimate certain categories of debt as a percentage of monthly pay, millennials report their debt breaks down, on average, as follows: credit card debt, 16 percent; mortgage debt, 15 percent; student loan debt, 12 percent; auto debt, 9 percent; and medical debt, 5 percent. Among all millennials, 47 percent are allocating 50 percent or more of
June 19- June 25, 2014
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their paychecks to these types of debt. “People have to closely examine what they are spending their money on and figure out the best way to comfortably manage debt and savings levels”,said Wimbish. Read the full story online at www.stylemagazine.com.
Drake Kicks Off HAW Photography By Semetra Samuel
n Thursday, June 12, 2014, Houston Style Magazine was on hand at Minute Maid Park O as Grammy Award-wining artist Drake kicked off his three-day Houston Appreciation Weekend (HAW). Before the Houston Astros took on the Arizona Diamondbacks, Drake
hosted over 50 kids from the Astros Urban Youth Academy and Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities for a pre-game meet and greet complete with dinner and game tickets. Fans who were lucky enough to get seats in the special Drake section at the stadium received exclusive Houston Appreciation Night t-shirts, with a portion of each ticket sale benefitting a local charity of Drake’s choosing. Additionally, Drake raffled off five different autographed Astros gift packs, with all proceeds going towards the Astros Foundation. Later, Drake addressed the Astros crowd and received the honor from the City of Houston proclaiming June 12th as Drake Day.
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Kyssi Andrews’ Honorary HPD Ceremony Photography By Vicky Pink
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n Wednesday, June 11, 2014, Houston Style Magazine was on hand as little Khyrstin “Kyssi” Andrews became an honorary officer of the Houston Police Department. HPD Chief Charles A. McClelland, Jr. did the honors himself of swearing Kyssi in. Being a HPD officer was one of Kyssi’s dreams. Kyssi was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in 2012. Since then she has gone in remission and has been re-diagnose with the same form of cancer four times. The community is asked to continue to pray for the health of Kyssi, the strength of her mother, and all those taking care of her.
Fundraising Reception for Rhonda Skillern-Jones
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Photography By Vicky Pink
n Wednesday, June 11, 2014, Houston Style Magazine was on hand at the Commerce Towers for the Fundraising Reception for Rhonda Skillern-Jones. Many supporters gathered to support the reelection of Skillern-Jones to the HoustonISD Board of Education including Senator Sylvia Garcia, Senator John Whitmire, Representative Alma Allen, Representative Harold Dutton, Representative Borris Miles, Representative Ron Reynolds, Representative Armando Walle, Constable Ruben Davis, Constable Alan Rosen, Trustee Zeph Capo, Gayle Fallon, HFT, Melvin Hughes, H.O.P.E., Attny Ben Hall, Attny Rusty Hardin, Attny Chris Trittico, Rev. Reginald Lillie, Howard Jefferson, and Campaign Treasurer Carol Mims-Galloway.
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BUSINESS BRIEFS
Ronald Green
will now have one voice when seeking visitors from around the world. With the merger no one will be fired. Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau will switch over to become HFC employees. Plus GHCVB will keep its current board of directors and executive committee and recommend others for the HFC Board to Mayor Annise Parker. For more information, visit houstonfirst.com
Bond Deal Continues Houston’s Pattern of Saving Money
You’re invited:
H
ouston City Controller Ronald Green announced that a June 12 bond sale of $547.9 million by the City’s Combined Utility System to re-finance previously issued bonds and commercial paper will generate approximately $34.8 million savings for the System. The sale also encompassed $75 million in new money for projects. The deal makes Houston the top issuer in the state of Texas for the first half of 2014.”We had not anticipated a sale this large, but the market was very favorable, and that also allowed us to add the $75 million new money component,” says Controller Green. For more information, visit houstontx.gov.
We’re opening doors for homebuyers New App at Marriott Hotels Gives Guests a Way to Meet Up
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t is just Six Degrees of separation for guests at Marriott Hotels. At least, they hope so. The hotel chain is trying out a new app that allows hotel guests staying at the same Marriott with similar interest to connect. Using guests Linked In profiles, the app matches guests on their similarities when they sign in. Currently only available at a Marriott near the MIT campus, the chain hopes to have the app available at all their US hotels. For more information, visit Marriott.com.
H-E-B Brings More Whataburger Items to Store Shelves
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hose who love Whataburger can bring the flavor of the restaurant home with them courtesy of H-E-B by purchasing the fast food chain’s popular line of products. Currently sold on H-E-B’s shelves are Whataburger’s Ketchup, Mustard, Spicy Ketchup, Whatafries, and pancake mix. Two more products, Whataburger’s honey butter and premium pork sausage, now are being sold. Honey butter will come in a 16oz bottle and the pork sausage will be in a 1 lb. roll. For more information, visit heb.com or Whataburger. com.
Houston First Corp and Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau Merge
Jeff Bezos
Amazon Puts Smartphone Industry on Fire with New Phone
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mazon’s CEO Jeff Bezos unveiled the Fire Phone at a recent event in Seattle. Already it is proving to be fierce competition for Apple and Samsung. AT&T is the exclusive carrier of the phone that is based priced at $200 for 32 gigabytes. Outstanding features include 3-D imaging, X-Ray, and Mayday. Purchasing your favorite Amazon products will be made easier with the camera that allow users to photograph bar codes book titles and more and then guide you to purchase the item on Amazon. For more information, visit amazon.com.
Texas Legislator Honors Caribbean Businesses
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ffective July 1st, Houston First Corp (HFC) and Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau (GHCVB) will officially merge as one company, Houston First Corp. Houston
Saturday, June 28 , 2014 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Houston Community College Southwest Campus 5601 West Loop South Houston, TX 77081
n honor of Caribbean Heritage month, State Rep. Dr. Alma Allen praised Caribbean businesses at the 2nd Annual Caribbean Heritage Month Open for Business & Non-Profit Reception. Dr. Allen presented the community with the Texas House Resolution proclamation of Caribbean Heritage Month in the state of Texas and presented four Texas Caribbean businesses with the
For many, owning a home is a stepping-stone to financial well-being. Get started on your path to homeownership — attend this educational event in your community.
Whether you’re thinking about buying your first home, or you want to buy again but aren’t sure of your options, this event features something for everyone:
Join us — make the most of your opportunity
• A panel of industry professionals — ready to answer your questions on-the-spot
At this special homebuyer event — brought to you by Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Houston Area Urban League (HAUL) and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Houston branch during National Homeownership Month — you’ll get answers to your specific questions in a convenient, informal setting.
• Networking opportunities — with local professionals at the resource fair • Information on Downpayment Assistance Programs (DAPs) — to help you with down payments and closing costs, which are common barriers for many homebuyers
You may be closer to buying a home than you think — and we’re here to help you! Register today at: wellsfargo.com/RSVP, access code: homeforum or by calling: 713-393-8700 Information is accurate as of date of printing and is subject to change without notice. Wells Fargo Home Mortgage is a division of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. © 2014 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. NMLSR ID 399801. AS1022951 Expires 8/2014
2014 Caribbean Heritage Month Landmark Business Recognition to Patrick Lewis, Houston Caribbean Festival; Sylvanus Donaie, One Love Caribbean newspaper; and Tony LeBlanc,for his businesss in Baytown and Cool Runnings Jamaican Grill. Richard RoDr. Alma Allen driguez from the Braes Oaks Management District made a presentation of the developments taking place in the Braes Oaks community and announced that the 2014 Braes Oaks Management Business of The Month will be Cool Runnings Jamaican Grill. For more information, visit caribbeanheritagetx.org.
New Technology Revolutionizes Event Photography in Houston Market
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apSnap Phototainment, the next generation digital photo technology revolutionizing event photography through social media, is making a huge footprint in the Houston market via franchise owners Brian and Trellis Thompson of Pics Entertainment, LLC. TapSnap encourages guests to pose in front of an innovative, interactive touch screen with a series of backgrounds and props depending on their
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tastes and pose for the digital camera. Instantly, guests can share their pictures on social media outlets including Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by tapping the interactive touch screen hosting their images. For more information, visit facebook.com/ Tapsnap1041.
Washington Redskins Trademarks Canceled By Feds
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ashington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder is feeling the heat after the U. S. Patent Office deemed the nickname Washington Redskins was offensive to Native Americans and that all trademarks must be canceled. Synder, trying to hold on to tradition, doesn’t want to change the name since the football has been known as the Redskins since it registered the name in 1967. However, Snyder has felt major pressure from President Barack Obama on down the ladder to Daniel Snyder change it. For more information, visit redskins.com.
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Prices Good Wednesday, June 18 Thru Tuesday, June 24, 2014 At Your Neighborhood H-E-B Stores.
Some items may not be available in all stores. Items not valid at Central Market. Due to the popularity of our Extra Low Prices Every Day, we reserve the right to limit quantities. Limit Rights Reserved. We Accept Lone Star Card, WIC And Manufacturers’ Coupons. ©2014 HEB, 14-1611 visit www.heb.com
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