Houston Style Magazine Vol 34 No 6

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Associate Publisher

Lisa Valadez lisa@stylemagazine.com

Managing Editor

Jo-Carolyn Goode editorial@stylemagazine.com

Social Media Editor/Videographer

Reginald Dominique reggiedominique@me.com

Sports Editor

Brian Barefield brian_barefield@yahoo.com

Food Writer

Alex Jack alexandriajack1991@gmail.com

Arts Editor Kathleen Coleman kathleen@stylemagazine.com

NATIONAL WRITERS

Jesse Jackson jjackson@rainbowpush.org

Roland Martin www.rolandmartin.com

Judge Greg Mathis www.askjudgemathis.com

Erynn Haskins editorial@stylemagazine.com

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©2022 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 2019 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 Supporters of Greater Houston Partnership(GHP)

PRESIDENT BIDEN’S STATE OF THE UNION

By Jesse Jackson, National Political Writer

Joe Biden’s State of the Union will feature good news. He has much to report – record job growth, record low unemployment, inflation down, and new efforts underway to rebuild our infrastructure, move to renewable energy and start to bring jobs back home.

What he won’t say, however, is that the United States has fallen behind. We are number one in the world in guns but trailing most industrial countries in basic social needs.

We are number one in military spending, arms exports, and conflicts abroad. We are number one in the number of guns, the number of gun deaths, and in prisoners per population.

According to the Social Progress Index, however, on 50 social progress indicators we are the only advanced industrial country to decline over the last nine years, and we rank now 28 of 163 countries measured.

We’re not even in the top 20 in nutrition and basic medical care (44th), in maternal mortality (73), in health and wellness (33) in personal safety (48, behind Bosnia and Serbia). We’ve witnessed decline in water and sanitation, in shelter and housing, in basic and advanced education and in personal rights and inclusiveness since 2011. Our life expectancy, which has been declining, now ranks about 46th in the world.

As reported by the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 14.5 percent of children are raised in poverty. Eleven million families pay more than half their income in rent. Twenty-eight million still lack health care. We are alone among advanced countries without a national paid leave policy, without

a universal childcare system. We spend twice as much per capita as most industrial countries on health care and get far worse results.

With Republicans now a majority in the Congress, few think much will get done in Washington. After running up over $7 trillion in deficits under Donald Trump without a murmur, Republicans are suddenly up in arms about debt –although not so concerned that they are willing to raise taxes on the very rich. To date, their announced plans focus mostly on partisan investigations, and obstruction – plus threats to default on our debt which would savage the economy.

Biden should use his address to lay out a plan – and to call the Congress to act. We need to invest in children, so every child has a chance. Extending the Child Tax Credit to low-income workers and the poor would be a good first step. We need to invest in workers. National paid family and medical leave, funding for childcare and early learning, a comprehensive

unemployment system, an increased minimum wage, empowering workers to organize – this and more are needed so workers share in the profits they help to produce.

Too many neighborhoods in our cities are blighted by poverty, violence, and despair. Police act as occupiers with tragic results, as we witnessed once more in Memphis. There’s talk of spending tens of billions in a Marshall Plan to rebuild Ukraine – but before we do that, we need a Marshall Plan to rebuild our own cities, to ensure safe water, affordable housing, public transport, good schools, public parks and more. We need to strengthen our democracy. Make voter registration automatic. Pass basic ground rules for elections to make voting easier, not harder. Put limits on big money in our politics. Revive the Voting Rights Act to protect the right to vote.

We are rich enough to afford this – Congress simply chooses not to do it, too often because members are more responsive to their donors

than their voters. America deserves better.

In his first two years, President Biden has launched a major turn in policy. He has discarded the failed bipartisan globalization policies that shipped jobs abroad. He has made the case for rebuilding America and for meeting the challenge of climate change. But a real change of direction requires action over a series of years. And it requires convincing Americans to support the change – over entrenched and powerful interests, and over our bitter partisan divisions. Biden’s speech offers an opportunity to make a clear and simple case for action – and give people a clear choice if the Congress refuses to act.

You can write to the Rev. Jesse Jackson in care of this Newspaper or by email at: jjackson@rainbowpush.org

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris

MEMORIAL PARK

S. PICNIC LOOP

MARCH 24-26 2023

FRIDAY - SUNDAY

10 AM TO 6 PM

FEATURED ARTIST DEWEY JAMES

■ 300 National & International Artists

■ 19 Disciplines of Art

■ 2 Entertainment Stages

■ Active Imagination Zone

■ Craft Beer & Wine Garden

■ Art Installations & Exhibits

■ Food Truck Park

■ VIP Hospitality Lounge

READING WITH A RAPPER CHALLENGES LOW LITERACY RATES IN TEXAS WITH NEW CAMPAIGN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

Reading With A Rapper™ (RWAR), the Houston-based literacy program, will announce their #TurnTexasYellow campaign in partnership with the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (MOCA), HTV, HISDTV and HCCTV at a press conference on Monday, February 6, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. at Houston City Hall.

"This partnership with Reading with a Rapper will enhance our ability to continue making a difference in literacy through the arts,” says Mayor Sylvester Turner. “This work is significant because low literacy affects the entire family and every area of the economy. We can make systemic changes and need organizations like this creatively impacting our youth while lifting up local musicians.”

MOCA, HTV and its affiliates will help amplify the efforts of RWAR through promotional and programming support via its broadcast channels.

A major contributor to the future of education since its inception in 2018, RWAR recently launched a series of PSAs through its social media channels on MLK DAY 2023. HTV, HISDTV, HCCTV will air the same PSAs starting February 2023. The partnership will last until January 2024.

MOCA has consistently advocated for individual artists and creatives and last year increased its focus within music, a rich, cultural asset for Houston.

HOUSTON

With such significance to who Houston is, MOCA created a Houston Music Directory and Houston Music Advisory Board to support these advocacy efforts. Partnering with RWAR aligns with the city’s literacy work and the music community's priority of support for local musicians.

Presented by non-profit organization Legends Do Live (501c3), the mission of the #TurnTexasYellow campaign is to bring awareness to Texas' low literacy rates and install the RWAR pilot program throughout the state within the next 3-5 years.

The #TurnTexasYellow PSAs airing on HTV and its affiliate channels and shared on MOCA social media channels further demonstrate the state’s

HOSPICE

low literacy rates and offer ways to combat them. Yellow is the program’s designated color for literacy and when a new school district, city or town adopts the RWAR curriculum, they are spreading the organization’s color creed across the state. The future of education is now.

The RWAR program offers compensation to both teachers and artists. For students, it also provides innovative resources, mental health support, plus relatable, engaging content and programming. Seven schools within the Houston area have adopted the RWAR program, and is slated to rollout this Spring in the following Houston and Alief Independent School Districts: Houston ISD

Kelso Elementary School

APPOINTS CORA GUINN ROBINSON

By StyleMagazine.com - Newswire

ring patients and families to hospice care earlier.”

Houston Hospice announced the appointment of Cora Guinn Robinson to its Board of Directors. Following this appointment, the Board will comprise of 15 members, four of which are officers and an additional six are advisors.

“Cora is an accomplished diversity and equity leader who has devoted her life to the service of others,” said Joyce T. Salhoot, MSW, MHA, board chair of Houston Hospice. “She will add tremendous value to Houston Hospice given her extensive background in management, corporate development, recruitment, and training experience as we continue to share the value of refer-

Cora Guinn Robinson served as Chair of the Western Area Nominating Committee of The Links, Incorporated from 2019-2021. As Chair, she also served as a member of the National Nominating Committee. Prior to being elected as WA Nominating Chair, Robinson served as Western Area Treasurer and Financial Secretary. She also served on the Western Area HBCU and Fund Development Committees. In 2021, Robinson served as a resource for the Western Area in the chartering of the most recent chapters.

She has been a member of the Houston (TX) Chapter of the Links Incorporated since 1994, where she has served in numerous leadership roles including Treasurer, Vice President of Membership and chair of Services to Youth and the International Trends and Services Facets. During the Western Area’s most recent Mission Trip to Haiti, she served as Resource Coordination

McGowen Elementary School

Piney Point Elementary

Cullen Middle School

Fleming Middle School

Madison High School

Worthing High School

Alief ISD

Holub Middle School

All HISD schools, except for Piney Point Elementary, are in Complete Communities. Complete Communities is Mayor Sylvester Turner’s signature initiative focusing on bridging the gap between equity and opportunity. Made up of ten historically under-resourced neighborhoods which together are home to one in six Houstonians, Complete Communities exists to ensure all residents can achieve success without barriers to opportunity.

TO BOARD OF DIRECTORS

and Management lead – establishing and building partnerships for the Links mission trip. Robinson is also a member of the Houston Alumni Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Incorporated; the Houston Chapter of Jack and Jill Inc., and the Houston Chapter of Carrousels, Inc., where she currently serves as Vice President and previously as Treasurer. She is on the Board of Directors of the Derrick Thomas Foundation and the Silverlake Homeowners Association. She is also on the Board of Directors of Crime Stoppers of Houston, Inc. and the Community Music Center of Houston. As a licensed realtor in the State of Texas, Robinson is a member of the Houston Association of Realtors and the Houston Black Realtors Association, where she also serves as a member of the Women’s Council. She is a member of the Texas Association of Realtors and the National Realtors Association.

Robinson holds a BA degree in Journalism from Texas Tech University and numerous certifications/special

designations in the area of diversity and inclusion. The latest of which is the National Association of Realtor’s “At Home with Diversity Certification”. Her experience as a leader in championing diversity and inclusion programs and initiatives spans more than 25 years. Career positions have included Assistant Director of the Houston Minority Business Council; Managing Director of INROADS Houston, Inc.; Senior Manager of Diversity at Sysco Corporation; and Senior Diversity Consultant at Marathon Oil.

Cora and Judson Robinson III (President and CEO of the Houston Area Urban League) have been married for 36 years and are parents of three adult children and grandparents of four. Judson and Cora were recently presented the Dr. Eddie B. Lane and Betty Lane “Unsung Hero Award” by This Woman’s Work. They are members of St. Mary’s Catholic Church. She enjoys reading, traveling, exploring restaurants with friends and volunteering in the community.

Cora Guinn Robinson

The way we meet and date on our quest for that one true love today is vastly different than it was 100 years ago. Back then, a couple didn’t find a mate by swiping left or right. A guy didn’t send a text to a lady to let her know he was outside to pick her up. Of course, it is because cell phones, apps, and advanced technology were not even figments of our imaginations. But that is not the only reason. Before couples were even allowed to "court," as it was called in the early days, a gentleman had to meet the family first to get approval to court a lady. Courting was very formal, as the man would be given approval to come into the family’s parlor after being vetted. In the parlor, the lady sat waiting to greet the gentleman. The lady would entertain the man with singing, playing the piano, and/or formal conversation. Her family stayed in attendance to supervise the proceedings. Everyone was dressed up in their finest attire, so it was all very formal and straightforward.That was the perfect date for the early 1900s.

Construction and entrepreneurship in the 1950s helped couples have a little more freedom in the act of courtship. The idea of courting started to lean more toward the idea of dating. The family was still heavily involved in matchmaking; however, the places in which couples got to know one another expanded as their world did. This freedom came because of the changing landscape. New construction had people moving about outside of their homes more, and the increase in popularity of the automobile helped them do it. In those days, men were the sole owners and drivers.With their automobiles, men were able to take ladies to dance halls, theaters, coffee shops, and soda shops for their date. The family was still involved and would still supervise the entire date.

Dating was all about the rules of etiquette. Guys were expected to meet a girl’s parents before their first date to gain their approval to date their daughter. Courting was not seen as a way to find perfect love but as a way to elevate the family’s stature and increase their wealth. Love would come later. Showing chivalry is a lost art today but was customary in those days, as it was a must that men open all doors for ladies. If a lady needed a jacket, a guy would take his off and offer it to her.The guys were expected to plan the date, take control, and pay for everything. A woman didn’t even order for herself at restaurants, as it

FROM COURTING TO DATING: WHAT MAKES THE PERFECT DATE?

By Jo-Carolyn Goode, Managing Editor

was seen as an act of humiliation for the man. Women had to abide by rules too. A big no was the application of makeup in public. No touchups at all. Kissing on the first date was also frowned upon. It is rare to hear about these traditions happening today.

In the 1960s, the language of dating changed. The word courting had been replaced with "going out." Dates were no longer stuffy with formalities. Dating has become less formal and more casual in attire and activity. Men and women met in social settings through family and friends. Families were supervised less. Couples began to do more than kiss, but they lacked sex education.Little was known about sex and contraception, so couples sometimes found themselves dealing with unwanted pregnancies, bringing shame to the expectant mother and her family. Dating activities were similar to those in the previous decade.

The seventies made way for the feminist movement. Women began to desire more for themselves than the roles of mother and wife.They wanted love, family, and a career. The self-discovery of women also made them more free with their bodies. Men and women learned more about their bodies, sex, unwanted pregnancies, and even STDs. With this knowledge, the rule of not kissing on the first date gradually gave way to something much more touching. Women knew they had a choice and didn’t have to blindly follow the man. They still expected common etiquette, but they did order for themselves and stop feeling inferior to the man. This attitude affected dating because women raised their standards as they demanded more for themselves.

Dates started to move from the basic dinner and a movie to more elaborate expressions of love. Dates were no longer chaperoned. Chivalry hadn’t died yet. The more popular term for dating was going steady. Fashion was on the

rise, so the first date look became super important. This trend continued well into the 1990s. People were still relying on family and friends to introduce them to their potential mates. Everyone was being introduced to the internet, making bars and coffee shops great places for first dates. Instead of relying on beauty or a built physique, potential mates began to look at the inner person to determine their good qualities.People talked to each other in person, as cell phones had not yet taken over communication.

The arrival of the 2000s and beyond marked the beginning of the technological age, which shaped dating as we know it today.Although Match. com pioneered online dating in 1995, it didn’t really take off since it was so new and different. Flowers were always great date gifts for a lady. The more meaningful ones became those that had a more personal touch, like the infamous mixtapes of the 1990s that evolved into the romantic playlist of a CD to set the mood. People were really embracing the internet, as long conversations were held on the phone until one of you fell asleep. Or you woke up the next day with bags under your eyes from hanging out in online chat rooms all night. Dating began texting more, leaving fewer voicemails to set up meetings, and meeting online first before meeting in person.

Read more at: StyleMagazine.com

Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis and Sheriff Ed Gonzalez have announced a gun buyback at Deussen Park on Saturday, Feb. 18, from 8 a.m. to noon. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner also attended the news conference. The event is part of Harris County’s initiatives to prevent gun violence. This is the third gun buyback co-sponsored by Harris County Precinct One in seven months, resulting in about 2,000 firearms being taken off the street. Residents will be able to turn in firearms in exchange for gift cards worth $50, $100, $150, or $200 at the upcoming

HOUSTON’S THIRD GUN BUYBACK SCHEDULED FOR FEB. 18TH AT DEUSSEN PARK

By Jo-Carolyn Goode, Managing Editor

exits at Deussen Park. Traffic around the park during the event should improve since lines of cars will not be on the street like previous events. It is a learning process, and each event helps the representative improve.

buyback, with no questions asked.

"We can’t bring a life back, but we can buy a gun back and make sure it never falls into the wrong hands and causes harm to someone. So, please do as much as you can to help make our community safer by spreading the word about this, our third gun buyback in Harris County," said Commissioner Rodney Ellis about the effort they are taking to prevent gun violence and make communities safer.

The first gun buyback resulted in taking 800 guns off the streets of Houston, while the second gun buyback

broke a record with over 2000 being collected. The success of these gun buybacks has placed Houston in a position to have the lowest drop in most serious crime in 2022.

Commissioner Ellis stated that with the third gun buyback, they hope to outnumber those in New York who have collected over 3800 guns. He believes Houston can do it since the first two programs were extremely successful.

From the July and October gun buybacks, officials learned they needed to improve their logistics with more lines and staffing. Those turning in guns will also note that there will be more entrances and

The process is simple. A person shows up and drops off their gun. No questions asked. The denomination of the gift card depends on the type of gun and its functionality. Law enforcement will then get rid of all guns in a safe and proper manner.

The federally funded program is a partnership with the city of Houston, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, and the Commissioners’ Court. It is part of the city's "One Safe Houston" initiative. Share information about this program with everyone. Make plans to attend, drop off your gun, get your gift card, and stay safe.

SAVE A LIFE LOCK UP YOUR GUNS

NAACP FREEDOM FUND ADVOCACY & AWARDS DINNER ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17TH AT THE HILTON AMERICAS HOTEL

By StyleMagazine.com - Newswire

The Houston NAACP is having their annual Freedom Fund Gala. With the theme, “Freedom Forward... Ensuring Justice and Equity for Future Generations,” this year’s dinner (the first since COVID) will mark the inauguration of the new date change of our annual event. We’ve changed our event from October to February, during the annual month of Black History Celebration.

This black-tie event will kickoff with a Reception at 7:00pm; followed by the dinner and Program at 8:00 p.m. We’re delighted that our NAACP National Board Member and Regional Vice President of Communication Workers of America, Mr. Claude Cummings, Jr, joined by his wife Dr. Ruth Cummings will serve as this year’s Dinner Chairs. Also, we’re delighted that our NAACP National Board Members, Attorney Gary Bledsoe and Mr. Leonard James will serve as Dinner Co-Chairs.

We are elated to announce that this year’s coveted Mickey Leland Humanitarian Award will be bestowed upon The Honorable Senfronia Thompson. For her five decades of civic leadership, human rights advocacy, fighting

to advance equality, equity and justice in Houston and our state, she deserves this honor.

We’re equally excited to announce the distinguished President’s Award recipients, Dr. Joseph Gathe, Jr (Healthcare Excellence Advocate of the Year), Argentina James (Economic Empowerment Advocate of the Year) and Mrs. Courtney Johnson-Rose (Housing Advocate of the Year). Lastly, our Houston NAACP will present

Freedom Forward Legends Awards to an amazing group of iconic individuals. Each one has generationally contributed to the progress of our community by impacting Houston, our nation and the globe through civil and human rights endeavors and through compassionate philanthropy. NAACP Legends Honorees include Mr. Dusty Baker, Mrs. Carol Mims Galloway, Tina Knowles Lawson, Mr. Ricky Anderson, Esq. and Pastors Rudy and

Juanita Rasmus.

Since May 1918, the Houston NAACP has been the steadfast civil rights organization, creating, improving, and fighting for policies related to civil and human rights, economics, education, fair housing, criminal justice, health, environment, and other areas where discrimination adversely impacts people of color in Houston, Harris and surrounding counties. We are asking you to sponsor our Freedom Fund Advocacy & Awards Dinner, (our branch’s sole fundraiser) that enables our branch to continue to carry out our mission which directly benefits thousands of Houstonians annually. Mark this event on your calendar.

Happy heart, happy life! So what’s the key to maintaining a healthy heart no matter your age? According to The American Heart Association, it all boils down to your lifestyle. While there are seven major independent risk factors for coronary heart disease:

Cigarette and tobacco smoke

High blood cholesterol

High blood pressure

Physical inactivity

Overweight or obesity

Diabetes

Diet

1. Burn baby burn

It all begins with knowing how many calories you should be consuming daily to maintain a healthy weight. While nutrition and calorie information on most food labels is typically based on a 2,000-calorie diet, you may need to make a few adjustments, more or less, depending on age, gender and level of physical

KEEP YOUR HEART HEALTHY AT ANY AGE

By BlackDoctor.org

activity. If you are trying to lose weight or maintain your current weight, “increase the amount and intensity of your physical activity to match the number of calories you take in,” says the AHA.

NATIONAL BLACK HIV/AIDS AWARENESS DAY

Regular exercise is key! Aim for no less that 150 minutes of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity each week.

2. Eat a balanced diet with an emphasis on

Eight or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day, such as colorful options including apples, lettuce, and carrots.

Whole grains and other high-fiber foods such as brown rice, whole wheat bread, popcorn, and old-fashioned oatmeal are easy ways to get more fiber daily.

Low-fat dairy products. Select fat-free (skim) and low-fat (1%) dairy

Skinless pultry and fish low-calorie and packed with protein.

Nuts and legumes are great options for an afternoon snack.

When preparing food, use non-tropical vegetable oils like canola, olive, or peanut oil. According to

AHA, replacing “bad fats (saturated and trans) with healthier fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) is better for your heart.”

3. Pass on the smokes

Smoking is the most preventable cause of premature death in the United States, reports the American Heart Association.

It decreases your tolerance for physical activity and increases your risk of developing blood clots. Smokers beware! Your risk increases if there’s a family history of heart disease.

Smoking is also an important risk factor for stroke.

Meanwhile, secondhand smoke produces several effects that damage the cerebrovascular system. Remember, it’s the overall pattern of your choices that counts. Start your journey to a happy, healthy heart and make a change today!

"Black communities have made great progress in reducing HIV NBHAAD is

community involvement,

treatment among Black communities "

Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. For some reason veteran hor/thr director M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense) has decided to put a lot of bad juju vibes out into the world. If you’re curious, read on.

It’s an unusual premise, but so what. Four strangers (Dave Bautista, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Abby Quinn, Rupert Grint) think really bad things will happen. They feel they’ve been called to stop catastrophes, natural disasters, carnage—and are convinced their mission is noble beyond reproach: “… the most important job in the history of the world.” The only way to stop the impending apocalypse is to ask a couple (Ben Aldridge, Jonathan Groff), who have a child (Kristen Cui), to make a huge life-or-death sacrifice. The messengers of gloom beg, plead

KNOCK AT THE CABIN REVIEW

By Dwight Brown, film critic for DwightBrownInk.com and NNPA News Wire

Bow down for Queen Bey! The Houston entertainer has just sent herself into the superstar stratosphere by winning the most Grammys in history! With a record 32 wins, she received her latest Grammy for best dance/electronic album for the record "Renaissance." Beyonce also took home Grammys for best traditional R&B performance for "Plastic Off the Sofa," best electronic dance for "Break My Soul," and best R&B performance for "Cuff It," respectively. She is, without a doubt, the GOAT of music!

Beyonce wasn't the only Houstonian to walk away with a Grammy. Lizzo won record of the year for "About Damn Time." She embraced the moment to recognize the people and experience that got her to the winners’ stage. First, she dedicated her award to the late purple musical genius Prince,

and manipulate. Says one: “I don’t have a scar, but if you look inside, you will see that my heart is broken.” So what?

The confrontation occurs in a remote wooded area in Pennsylvania. The menacing quartet knocks on the door of what is called a “cabin,” but looks more like a fancy wooden structure that would rent for a fortune in Bucks County. The married twosome is gay, which is about as forward thinking as the multicultural cast of interlopers. The casting doesn’t feel necessarily exploitative, more like a reflection of life.

However, the script, by Shyamalan, Steve Desmond and Michael Sherman, does over extract from the male/male subplot with way too many flashbacks. Background sequences include apprehensive parents, a gay

bashing incident and the loving adoption of their Asian daughter. None of it adds much depth to the story, and the frequent lookbacks don’t reveal anything an audience couldn’t already fathom. Also, if this film had stayed in the moment and chronologically developed the narrative bit-by-bit, minute-by-minute, it might have sustained momentum for a full 1h 40m (editor Noemi Katharina Preiswerk). It does not.

For horror fans hunting for the newest realm, forget it. Life here on earth is all you get. For sci-fi fans hoping for incredible special effects, a gigantic water plume is the only visual device of interest, and that’s an old trick. There is tension. There is bloodshed. Not like that in a gory slasher film. More in a generic thriller way dotted with repulsion as characters fight for their lives or bite the dust like champs.

It’s noticeable that the camera lens

likes to be intrusive, especially in the opening scenes. Closeups on the little girl as she collects grasshoppers and a stranger who approaches her are from mid forehead to chin. It’s an odd device that doesn’t draw you into the characters. It’s just invasive enough to make you notice the technique.

Interiors and exteriors (production design Naaman Marshall), cinematography (Jarin Blaschke, The Northman and Lowell A. Meyer, Servant), costumes (Caroline Duncan) and props (Robbie Duncan) don’t’ stand out. If anything, Herdis Stefansdóttir’s heavy bass musical score drones in a way that sounds like a whale dying and it is effective.

BLACK WOMEN RULE THE GRAMMYS

By Jo-Carolyn Goode, Managing Editor

with whom she had collaborated before his death. It was when she turned to thank Beyonce for being her inspiration that she could no longer hold back her tears. Beyonce, who was already on her feet to give Lizzo a standing ovation, was physically moved.

Grammy night was also stellar for the amazing talent Viola Davis, who

is now in that rare club of EGOT winners (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony). Her Grammy came curious of the audiobook project "Finding Me." Viola won the award for "best audio book, narration, and storytelling recording. She shared that she wrote the book in honor of her 6-year-old self. Viola previously made history when she became the first Black woman to win

an Emmy for best actress in a drama and the first Black woman to score three Academy Award nominations. Also smiling with two Grammys in her hands is jazz singer Samara Joy. She won best new artist and best jazz vocal album for "Linger Awhile." Her star started to rise shortly after she won the prestigious Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Competition in 2019. She also has a huge fan base on social media. Many of her videos have gone viral, including her take on Ella Fitzgerald's "Take Love Easy," which she recorded in gratitude for winning the Ella Fitzgerald Scholarship in 2020.

Read More at StyleMagazine.com

Lizzo

Viola Davis Beyoncé Samara Joy

THE HOUSTON MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURE ANNOUNCES THE FEBRUARY 11, 2023 BLAND, GEORGE, TOLAN LECTURE

Kathleen Coleman, Arts Editor

According to HMAAC CEO John Guess, Jr., “It seems like it takes another viral killing to restart the national conversation about police reform. That’s why we installed the Stairwell of Memory, and why we started the Bland, George, Tolan Lecture; we don’t want the conversation to get lost.”

HMAAC has had a long history of exhibitions and programs to insure police violence and reform remained part of a public conversation. Guess curated two exhibitions in 2018, Sandra Bland and Indifference, that drew thousands of visitors. In the case of the Bland exhibition, visitors were given a seat in a car to make them feel a part of the filmed Bland police stop, and a chapel was installed where many visitors were allowed to decompress, many of them crying. With Indifference, visitors were seated in a room where hours of film of police brutality toward Black women, men and children surrounded them. Most left the

room within minutes of experiencing the equivalent of hours of Tyre Nichols footage.

In September, 2021, Ava DuVernay as part of her Law Enforcement Accountability Project (LEAP) chose the Museum to be the first stop for the Delita Martin commissioned mural Blue is the Color We See When We Die, that chronicled the killing of Bastrop, Texas’ Yvette Smith by Sheriff’s Deputy Daniel Willis in 2014, the same year Michael Brown was killed outside of St. Louis. The mural subsequently was moved from the Museum to the Equal Justice Initiative founded by Bryan Stevenson. “Yet here we are again with the Lecture and Memphis,” Guess says, “asking broad questions about what we empower police to do, how to restore trust between law enforcement and communities they serve, and eliminating qualified immunity.”

The Houston Museum of African American Culture announced the February 11, 2023.

The Houston Museum of African American Culture (HMAAC) announces the February 11, 2023 Bland, George, Tolan Lecture by Dr. Biko Mandela Gray to take place at 2:00 pm. In 2021, HMAAC completed its Stairwell of Memory, highlighted by local artists Shawn Artis, Ted Ellis and Cedric Ingramportraits of Sandra Bland, George Floyd and Robbie Tolan for community memory, and to give comfort to mothers that their children will not be forgotten. The lecture will bring together Geneva Bland, Marian Tolan and Lezley McSpadden, the mothers respectively of Sandra Bland, Robbie Tolan and Michael Brown. The lecture could not be more timely.

On Jan. 7, less than three years after George Floyd was murdered, Memphis police officers stopped 29-year-old Tyre Nichols for a traffic violation and then beat him so viciously that he was hospitalized and died three

days later. It reminded us of so many such senseless beatings and shootings, including those of Trayvon Martin, Breonna Taylor, Michael Brown and locally of Robbie Tolan and Sandra Bland. Over the years, reports of these and other people beaten and killed by the police made the failures of our criminal justice system part of national conversations that ended within months. However, in 2020, when the world watched Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin murder Floyd, the conversation began anew and seemed different. Police chiefs around the country immediately and unequivocal acknowledged the Floyd killing and Floyd’s cry of “I Can’t Breathe” led to larger and racially diverse protests across the country and around the world. But then the protests died down, the brightly colored Black Lives Matter murals began to fade, and proposed national reforms were never enacted. Last year, in fact, police killed more people than they had in any year since experts began tracking these killings.

2023

HJack and Jill of America, Inc. 85th Anniversary

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HMembers of Jack and Jill of America, Incorporated celebrated their 85th Founders’ Day at various locations. The commemorative weekend began in Washington, DC with the ribbon cutting of their national headquarters. Mothers could be seen beaming with pride as their children took the lead in events. Under the theme, “Tell Them We Are Still Rising: Soaring To New Heights, Rooted In Tradition,” Offsprings set on panel discussions to voice about their experiences in the organization and their involvement made them better overall productive people.

2023

H HCDP FUNDRAISING RECEPTION

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The Harris County Democratic Party held their first fundraising event of the year at City Orchard on February 7, 2023. Odus Evbagharu, current chair of HCDP, delivered opening remarks. County Judge Lina Hidalgo, County Attorney Christian Menefee, and Precinct Four Commissioner Lesley Briones delivered speeches to those in attendance. Also in attendance: Chris Hollins, Amanda Edwards, Ivan Sanchez, and Obes Nwabara.

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As a master herbalist and a health & wellness coach for over 30 years, Tessy had a passion and deep understanding of holistic wellness. After his partner started losing her hair due to an autoimmune disorder, they started searching for remedies. They worked with best scientists, lab techs, and formulators to develop Nzuri Elixir Liquid Hair Skin and Nail Vitamins.

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