Houston Style Magazine Vol 34 No 3

Voices for the Heart Community-Based Event

For the Houston Area January 31, 2023, at 7:00 PM CST Attend Virtually NAMI –Greater Houston

Speaker: Dr. Olasimbo Chiadika, MD MPH FACC CMQ Associate Professor, Cardiovascular Medicine The University of Texas Health Science Center McGovern Medical School

Moderated by: Mrs. Angelina Hudson Executive Director, NAMI Greater Houston

Dr. Olasimbo Chiadika will be joined by a special guest, who will share hispersonal journey with a rare heart disease (transthyretin amyloidosis cardiomyopathy, or ATTR-CM)

Don Chaney NBA Hall of Famer

Publisher Francis Page, Jr. fpagejr@stylemagazine.com

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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MINORITY PRINT

CELEBRATING DR. KING

By Jesse Jackson, National Political Writer

The celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday generally focuses on his "dream" of an America in which children will "live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."

In celebrating King's dream, we should remember the challenge he put before the country. In many ways, Dr. King saw the civil rights movement as a symphony with three movements.

The first featured the struggle for equal opportunity, for ending segregation and providing equal access to schools, jobs, housing, health care, finance and more. This was a battle waged at lunch counters, in bus boycotts, in the courts and in the streets.

The second movement - one that suffered some of the worst murders and beatings - was the fight for the right to vote. It was waged in dangerous voter registration efforts, like that which witnessed the Freedom Summer murders of Goodman, Schwerner and Chaney near Philadelphia, Mississippi. And in marches and demonstrations like the march over the Edmund Pettus bridge in Selma, that was met with a police riot. It culminated in the passage of the Voting Rights Act, after Lyndon Johnson pledged that "we shall overcome."

The third movement, which King knew would be the most difficult, was the push for equality, for basic human rights for all people. "What good is the right to sit at a lunch counter," Dr. King asked, "if you can't afford to buy a hamburger."

Equal justice required the eradication of poverty for people of all races, a transformation of a system that has left us, as Dr. King

wrote, with "a gap of superfluous wealth and abject poverty," and has "created conditions permitting necessities to be taken from the many to give luxuries to the few."

Economic and racial equality, Dr. King understood, could not be achieved unless America curbed its growing and costly military adventures. So, Dr. King courageously spoke out against the Vietnam War, warning that the war on poverty was being lost in the jungles of Southeast Asia.

On his final birthday, Dr. King worked on putting together a Poor People's Campaign, a multiracial coalition of working and poor people to march on Washington to demand equal justice.

He understood that justice required fundamental reformsthe right to a job or a guaranteed income, a living wage, universal health care, the right to affordable housing, equal access to the courts. His assassination took him from us when his leadership was most needed.

The civil rights movement

transformed America and helped to further its ideals. We have come a long way. But Dr. King surely would be dismayed by how far we have yet to go. Today, legal segregation of schools has ended, but our schools are more segregated than ever. The right to vote has been extended, but conservative judges have gutted the Voting Rights Act, and voter suppression, partisan gerrymandering and dark money undermine our democracy. Inequality has reached new and obscene extremes. America has been enmeshed in endless wars throughout this century. The Pentagon consumes more than half of the annual spending Congress votes on. Gun violence, mass incarceration and police brutality still rob too many of life and liberty. Now catastrophic climate change poses a rising and deadly threat.

Lasting change is hard. Every reconstruction gets met with a reaction. Cynical politicians stoke racial and national fears. Economic insecurities make us more likely to turn on each other than to each other. Dr. King's example calls upon

us not to adjust to these realities nor to accept them, but to act boldly to change them. "There is no gain without struggle," he taught.

Dr. King held no public office, he amassed no personal fortune, he commanded no military forces - yet he led a movement that transformed the country. Politicians, he understood, adjust to prevailing winds. It is people in motion that generate the wind and set the direction. True leaders do not echo popular opinion, they mold opinion. Let us celebrate his birthday by following his example and mobilizing to fulfill the dream.

You can write to the Rev. Jesse Jackson in care of this

Newspaper or by email at: jjackson@rainbowpush.org

Martin Luther King Jr., right, walks with Jesse Jackson

Preserving local control will be a central issue this legislative session, San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg said at a conference Friday along with eight other members of the Texas’ Big City Mayors coalition. Mayors of the state’s most populous cities will “undoubtedly” oppose any upcoming legislation that would erode local authority, Nirenberg said.

“As mayors with the responsibility of managing services and operations that largely impact the daily lives of our residents, we believe we are best positioned to determine local policies,” he said.

San Antonio is the second-most populous city in Texas, with 1.4 million residents, and the seventh-most populous city in the nation. The bipartisan coalition is made up of 18 mayors who, combined, represent nearly one-third of the state’s population.

“All of us know what’s going on in our communities,” Arlington Mayor Jim Ross said. Mayor George Fuller of McKinney, a city of just over 200,000 people north of Dallas, said there has been a “degradation” of the relationship between the state and cities in recent legislative sessions.

“We’ve seen nothing short of an assault on local control,” Fuller said. “We need to right that ship. We at the local level are your partners in the state. We are boots on the ground.” The group didn’t specify the topics on which state versus local control has become an issue, but Fuller called for better communication

AS LAWMAKERS BEGIN A NEW SESSION, TEXAS MAYORS WANT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF LOCAL ISSUES

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and respect for one another this session.

This is chief among several major issues that the group says should be prioritized during this year’s legislative session, which began Tuesday.

Amarillo Mayor Ginger Nelson said the state needs to support competitive tools in economic development because city leaders are the ones to recruit companies.

“We’ve got to have tools like 380 and 381 agreements in order to keep competitive with other cities and other states,” Nelson said. Chapters 380 and 381 of the Local Government Code authorize municipalities to offer incentives to developers.

Nelson pointed to development in Amarillo, a city of 200,000 people, that is bringing in more than 4,000 new jobs in the next two years with manufacturing projects, including one that will assist the nation in developing computer chips — needed for smartphones and medical devices.

Many of the mayors emphasized the importance of a state corporate tax break program in bringing both jobs and development to their cities.

Chapter 313, the state’s program that incentivized companies like Tesla and Amazon to manufacture in Texas, expired at the end of 2022. House Speaker Dade Phelan called the decision “a little short-sighted” and said this session lawmakers can bring in a new program to stay competitive with other states.

Texas corporate tax break pro -

grams are another reason the state must adequately fund education from early childhood development to higher education, said Mayor John Muns of Plano, a city of almost 300,000 people in North Texas.

“Those incentives always include companies that want an educated workforce,” Muns said. “If we don’t have

those, I guarantee you those companies will move somewhere else.”

Disclosure: The Texas comptroller of public accounts has been financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.

The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.

MAYORS FROM THE STATE’S MOST POPULOUS CITIES PRESENTED THEIR LEGISLATIVE WISH LIST, INCLUDING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND WORKFORCE PROGRAMS, BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION.

Samantha Aguilar, Texas Tribune

SUPREME COURT OF TEXAS ALLOWS TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY TO TAKE OVER HOUSTON ISD

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the Commissioner's appointment of a board of managers,” the opinion read. It is not clear if TEA will use the decision to replace the Houston ISD board. "TEA is currently reviewing the decision," a spokesperson wrote.

two of the elected Houston ISD board members departed, the board hired a new superintendent, and Wheatley High School received a passing grade from TEA.

similar action in the future. Houston ISD argued TEA made procedural violations in the leadup to the takeover.

State -appointed managers can replace elected school board members in the largest district in Texas, according to a decision released by the state's Supreme Court Friday morning.

Justices overruled an appellate court's decision that had blocked TEA from taking over the district. The case isn't over, though. A lower court will hear further arguments.

“No basis exists to continue the trial court's temporary injunction against

The Texas Education Agency first attempted to seize control of the Houston Independent School District in 2019. The agency pointed to dysfunction at the school board, as well as years of what TEA deemed unacceptable academic performance at Houston ISD's Wheatley High School.

Invoking a 2015 state law, TEA argued the circumstances allowed education commissioner Mike Morath to appoint a group of managers in place of the elected school board trustees. While the takeover was stalled, all but

Trustee Judith Cruz was elected the same week that the takeover push was announced in 2019. "It’s important for the public — especially students and families — to know that school is going to continue no matter what happens," she said. "If there’s a change in any kind of leadership, all decisions should be made with students in mind and with the least amount of disruptions as possible.”

TEA said in court that the changes are irrelevant, and that the takeover should be allowed in order to preserve the agency's power to take

vancing climate security, infrastructure development, economic opportunity, environmental justice, and quality of life for people here in Lincoln and across our country,” said Mayor Gaylor Baird of Lincoln, Nebraska.

The Supreme Court of Texas agreed with TEA. "Under the governing law, the District's claims do not support a temporary injunction against the Commissioner of the Texas Education Agency and his appointed conservator," the opinion read. "We expect the parties to reconsider their positions and supplement the record in light of changes in the law and factual developments within the District. We remand the case to the trial court for further proceedings consistent with this opinion."

Read more at StyleMagazine.com

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the appointment of 15 new and 7 returning members to the Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC). The announcement came at a public meeting of the Committee, where members presented recommendations on implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

“Our partnerships with local governments are critical to EPA’s efforts to tackle the climate crisis and ensure that investments from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act reach the communities that need them most,” said EPA Administrator Michael Regan. “The recommendations provided by the LGAC today demonstrate the pride we take in prioritizing local voices, and I look forward to working with the new membership over the coming year.”

The 34-member LGAC will have an even split of female and male members, including 14 people of color, and representation from 29 different states and U.S. territories. The Administrator also appointed 13 new and 5 returning members to the LGAC’s Small Communities Advisory Subcommittee.

Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird of Lincoln, Nebraska will continue to as the LGAC’s chair, and Mayor Lucy Vinis of Eugene, Oregon will serve as the LGAC’s vice chair. Administrator Regan also appointed Ann Mallek, Supervisor of Albemarle County, Virginia, as co-chair of the SCAS. Mallek will join Commissioner Christine Lowery of Cibola County, New Mexico, who has held the position for the past year.

“I look forward to continued service on the EPA’s Local Government Advisory Committee and remain committed to the important work of ad-

Recommendations focused on the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants and included providing funding directly to local and tribal governments, prioritizing the decarbonization of buildings, supporting meaningful engagement with disadvantaged communities in climate planning, and coordinating IRA implementation across the federal family. Regarding the IRA Heavy-Duty Vehicles program the LGAC recommended that EPA support the decarbonization of government fleets and streamline applications. The recommendations will be finalized and sent to Administrator Regan later this month.

Members were chosen from a pool of more than 80 highly qualified candidates. Selections for the one- and two-year terms were made in accordance with the LGAC charter to achieve balance and diversity in terms of geographic location, gender, ethnicity, and stakeholder perspective.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael S. Regan has appointed Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee to the EPA’s Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC). County Attorney Menefee will serve alongside 33 other local leaders from across the country—including San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg—to provide advice and recommendations to Administrator Regan on critical environmental issues.

“I’m honored to join this group of local leaders and to tackle the environmental issues that most impact Harris County residents,” said County Attorney Menefee. “Harris County is uniquely positioned to contribute to the national conversation on environmental policy. We have neighborhoods with higher instances of cancer, asthma, heart diseases, and many other ailments. We’ve navigated plant explosions, water contamination issues, and just about every other major emissions event you can think of. My focus on this committee will be advocating for federal dollars to go directly to local governments, prioritizing environmental justice communities, and ensuring that everyone across Harris County has clean air and water. I look forward to working with the EPA and leaders from across the country.”

The Harris County Attorney’s Office has focused heavily on environmental issues, including suing Texas’s environmental regulatory agency over concrete batch plant permitting, joining with the City of Houston to take legal action regarding cancer clusters in historically black neighborhoods, and seeking penalties from chemical companies in wake of plant explosions and other emissions events.

Chartered in 1993 under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the Local Government Advisory Committee provides independent policy advice to the EPA Administrator on a broad range of environmental and related issues affecting local governments.

Statement From Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee

HARRIS COUNTY ATTORNEY CHRISTIAN D. MENEFEE APPOINTED TO EPA LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE

By StyleMagazine.com - Newswire

Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee

State-appointed managers can replace elected school board members in the largest district in Texas.

Dominic Anthony Walsh, HoustonPublicMedia.org

Houston ISD is getting an early start to the MLK holiday. The district held its 27th annual MLK Oratory Speech Competition on Friday. Twelve fourth and fifth grade students from different elementary schools across the district presented three-to-five minute speeches. This year’s theme was “What would Dr. King say to us

about hope for tomorrow.”

The competition was started by Foley and Laudner, law firm, in 1993 to inspire kids to learn about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. – but also develop their writing and speaking skills. The competition took a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.

"The purpose of the competition is to remember Dr. King," said Claude Treece, partner with the Foley Law Firm. "That’s the number one thing we want to make sure we do is [to] remember why we have the MLK day holiday – which is to honor Dr. King, remember the things we did."

Treece said about 24 schools participated in the competition and there was a winner chosen at each school. From there a semi-finalists competition was held which ultimately narrowed the competition down to the 12 finalists.

The 2021-2022 finalists were: Camila Alfaro, Sutton Elementary Masyn Mourning, Burrus Elementary Arianna Guillory, Blackshear Elementary

Joy Nsude, Valley West Elementary Keinner De Leon, Crespo Elementary Ellis Britton, Briarmeadow Elementary

Xavier Holmes, Jr. Windsor Village Elementary Kowin McCormick, Pleasantville Elementary

Zaria Jones, Thompson Elementary Marquise Ambers, Cornelius Elementary

Kandence Smith, Law Elementary Journey Sensley, Young Elementary

It was important for this competition to involve students so they can learn more about Dr. King, Treece said.

Read more at

FIFTH GRADER WINS HOUSTON ISD’S 2023

MLK ORATORY SPEECH COMPETITION

First place winner received a prize of $1,000

By Ashley Brown, Houston Public Media

COLLABORATIVE HEALTH INITIATIVE TO HELP HOUSTONIANS

PREVENT, BETTER MANAGE CHRONIC DISEASES

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On Wednesday, Mayor Sylvester Turner and Houston City Council approved $1 million over three years to fund establishment of the Texas Southern University’s Center of Transformative Health. The mission of the center is to use evidence-based practices to reconstruct, strengthen and enhance the conditions that promote health. We achieve this by building community capacity to ensure equitable health outcomes for all through research, engagement and education.

The initiative will represent a collaboration between TSU and the Houston Health Department. The center will help design an array of health projects giving at-risk Houstonians more opportunities to prevent or better manage chronic illnesses such as diabetes, obesity, heart disease and mental health.

Statistics have shown that Black and Brown communities and people living in urban settings were hit hardest and suffered the most during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Through the Complete Communities Health Equity Response (HER) Task Force, my administration

witnessed firsthand how the pandemic was a magnifier for common health problems underscoring the need for a public health agenda beyond COVID and necessitating ongoing and intentional planning to prevent and manage disease occurrence in order to transform lives and reduce impact on Houston’s economic competitiveness,” stated Mayor Sylvester Turner.

The agreement unanimously approved by City Council will enable the center to draw up blueprints and seek additional federal, state and private funding for projects that increase access to health education, disease self-management classes, healthy food options,

health screenings for chronic diseases and mental health resources in primarily underserved communities.

The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the need to tackle chronic illnesses, especially in Black and Hispanic communities. The two minorities were hit the hardest by the pandemic. People with chronic diseases are at higher risk of severe illness or death due to COVID-19 infection.

Obesity places these populations further at risk of chronic diseases. Thirty-nine percent of adults in the Houston area are obese with Hispanics at 43.5 percent and Blacks at 41.2 percent.

The initiative will take into consideration the lessons learned during the pandemic and prepare TSU to assist the health department in future public health emergencies. Focus areas for the center will include:

Infectious Diseases and Molecular Genetics

Preventive Health

Pandemic Surveillance and Response

Maternal and Child Health

Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics Mental Health, and Educational Programs.

The university will use a research-based approach to assist with public health disaster response through planning, outreach and training exercises. It will also provide clinical laboratory support and sponsor community symposiums and large-scale community engagement and health-related events.

SIGNS OF POSSIBLE SEX TRAFFICKING

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Sylvester Turner, Houston City Mayor

City Council approves $1M to partner with TSU to develop Center of Transformative Health

StyleMagazine.com - Newswire

After previously setting new records for any reporting period in a Houston mayoral race for number of donors, total contributions, and small-dollar contributions, Chris Hollins continues to deepen his grassroots support. Hollins reported raising $547,027.83 from 2,077 individual contributions, with 1,564 contributions of $100 or less.

The campaign has raised a total of $1,670,204.42 from 4,515 donations – the most contributions to any cam-

HOLLINS SHATTERS RECORD FOR MOST INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED BY HOUSTON

MAYORAL CANDIDATE

By StyleMagazine.com - Newswire

paign in Houston history. Over 3,000 of those contributions were $100 or less.

“When I declared my candidacy for mayor, I aspired to run a people-powered campaign that everyday Houstonians can see themselves in and be proud of. The historic number of individual contributions and local endorsements pouring into our campaign prove that we’re accomplishing this goal,” said Hollins. “I’m humbled by the grassroots support our campaign has generated in a short time, and look forward to continuing to expand our diverse coalition.”

Hollins made early investments in building a formidable grassroots operation that has hit the ground running. Hollins has a fully operational field team that will start knocking doors, phonebanking, and text banking this month. He also amassed the largest army of small donors ever in a Houston mayor’s race, and these donors will continue to make regular contributions throughout 2023.

Hollins was also heavily engaged in November’s Midterm Elec

tions, helping turn out voters who were key in securing a supermajority on the County Commissioners’ Court.

Hollins released his second campaign ad titled Grassroots, which offers a glimpse of the local support the campaign has garnered in such a short time. In addition to the supporters in the ad, here’s what other leaders are saying about Hollins: Mayor Steve Adler, Austin's 52nd Mayor and Trustee of the U.S. Conference of Mayors: “Chris Hollins is the only candidate in Houston’s mayoral race with meaningful executive experience, and he possesses the moral strength and ingenuity to lead Houston into the future—and help Texas compete globally.”

Texas State Representative Barbara Gervin-Hawkins: “Strong leadership in municipal government is essential to building a stronger Texas, and Chris is capable of rolling up his sleeves and delivering results.”

Texas State Representative Joe Deshotel: “The impact Chris had as Harris County Clerk was remarkable, eclipsing what some politicians have achieved in

By Stylemagazine.com

With the support of Mayor Sylvester Turner and approval by Houston City Council, Houston Public Library (HPL) will no longer charge late fines on overdue books and other borrowed items. This change is effective January 11, 2023. By eliminating late fines, HPL joins other public library systems across North America in lowering financial barriers to library access and creating more equitable services for all users.

Studies of libraries that have gone fine free found a higher rate of return on borrowed items, as well as an influx of users returning to the library with the barrier of late fees removed. Under previous fine-related policies, approximately 25% of HPL account holders owed fines, and 70% of those

fines were accrued before 2015. Fines are intimidating enough to block cus tomers from using library services. With the passing of this update to the standing ordinance, many Houstonians, including those who are in the most need of library services, will regain access to the vast resources available—from books and audiobooks to mobile hotspots and Wi-Fi-connected laptops.

"A fine free library system evens the playing field and incentivizes Houstonians to become lifelong users of our Houston Public Library," said Mayor Sylvester Turner.

Read more at StyleMagazine.com

Howard Jefferson, NAACP board member: “I proudly endorse Chris Hollins as Houston’s next mayor because he is a true social justice advocate with a record of uniting people.”

Terri Burke, former executive director of ACLU of Texas: “Our next mayor must maintain strategic focus in today’s political environment to safeguard the rights of Houstonians, and Chris is the only candidate who has demonstrated this capability on a major stage.”

Alexis Melvin, president of Transgender Foundation of America: "Chris truly embraces the rich diversity of Houston, and is the only candidate who I trust to build safer communities, strengthen our infrastructure, and effectively run our city.”

Lloyd Gite, founder of the Gite Gallery: “I’m confident that Chris Hollins will build on Houston’s rich legacy of art and culture and ensure our creative community continues to thrive as mayor.”

Chris Hollins

The housing market has always been bleak for African Americans. Homes are too expensive. Banks won’t approve loans for minorities. And then there are those who are in control who find new ways to discriminate against black and brown people. This activity has gone on for years, and instead of the situation getting better, with the advancements black culture has had, it keeps getting worse. In fact, the State of Housing in Black America report claims that the housing gap between black and white Americans is the widest it has ever been in 80 years.

Just take a drive through historic black neighborhoods in the Third Ward, Fifth Ward, Acres Homes, Sunnyside, and more, and it is easy to see the change. These neighborhoods, which were once hampered by the black elite of the 1920s, who were civic leaders, entrepreneurs, and influencers of their day, now contribute to the community's infrastructure. Over time, those people died, and their homes were sold. The few who remained were pressured by large corporations to sell their homes for less than market value, while others failed as a result of high property taxes and rising living costs. People were literally being pushed out of their homes. Another sector of black Americans moved away to the suburbs as they acquired more wealth and success. Gentrification became very real and very fast for these communities.

The character of the neighborhood became less black and more Hispanic. There are more renters

MAYOR TURNER ADDRESSING HOUSING CONCERNS IN HOUSTON

By Jo-Carolyn Goode, Managing Editor

he increased the number of beds in shelters and banned tent cities.

Mayor Turner supported the construction of the New Hope Housing at Berry, a 240-unit complex on Houston's northside. He also supported a $15 million project, The Fairways at Westwood.

than owners. Household incomes plummeted. City approved neighborhood improvements like street repair, schools, libraries, grocery stores, and other new construction happened in more affluent neighborhoods. Residents were struggling to survive.

The pandemic did not improve the situation. Many families lost their income and had to downsize or move in with family. Some Houstonians lost their homes altogether.

Mayor Sylvester Turner was well versed in the housing crisis in Houston. He has had a front row seat to the changes in neighborhoods as a native Houstonian and homeboy of Acres Homes. He also is familiar with the obstacles to obtaining home ownership because he helped his daughter purchase her first home. Being a mayor who was so acquainted with the problem made it much more than a political goal to end as part of his accomplishments; it was a personal issue to help his family, friends, and neighbors.

Mayor Turner has tried to address housing concerns throughout his time as mayor. Increasing the number of affordable homes, improving the infrastructure of neighborhoods, and ending chronic homelessness are among the goals he has before his term of office ends.

In 2017, he introduced "The Way Home" initiative, which was a collaboration of local governments, school districts, and nonprofits to provide permanent housing for the homeless population. In addition,

He has introduced the Complete Communities Initiative, which aims to revitalize the Bayou City’s poor and neglected areas. Mayor Turner added more to that goal by asking black professionals to return to the area to rebuild the community the way it once was.

Mayor Turner has aggressively attacked the housing issue in Houston with numerous projects and continues to do so. As a result, he has cut homelessness by more than half. He is pushing forward to end chronic homelessness before he leaves office. boards of the Nineteenth Street Baptist Church and the Faith & Politics Institute.

Jeffries and Johnson have seats at the table where decisions are made.

Read more at StyleMagazine.com

Sylvester Turner, Houston City Mayor

We must use time creatively in the knowledge that the time is always right to do right.”

Those words were written by Martin Luther King Jr. in 1963 and they still resonate with communities around the globe. They are particularly meaningful for the Cougars at the University of Houston, who work together to make our world a better place.

The late civil rights leader will be commemorated nationwide during Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Jan. 16. Although UH will officially be closed on this day, Coogs will celebrate MLK’s legacy throughout the month.

The theme of UH’s 2023 MLK Day celebration is Keeping the Dream Alive: A Call to Action. Activities will run through Jan. 27 and will include guest speakers, screenings, an exhibition, a poetry slam, an essay contest and community service projects.

“As UH honors the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we, as an academic community, are called to reflect on his life as a minister, philosopher, change-agent and servant,” said Tara T. Green, UH College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences Distinguished Professor and chair of African American Studies. “We might also pause and consider the progress that has been made in the city of Houston since his last visit in 1967 and how we should continue to make progress."

In addition to activities conducted on campus, UH will have a strong presence at the 45th Annual Original MLK Day Parade presented by the city of Houston and Black Heritage Society. The procession will roll through downtown Houston starting at 10 a.m., Jan. 16 with the UH float and performances from the Spirit of Houston Cougar Marching Band, Cougar Dolls and cheerleaders.

Cougar spirit also will flow during the 29th Annual MLK Grande Parade. Proud alumnus, entrepreneur

KEEPING THE DREAM ALIVE: UH EVENTS CELEBRATING MLK'S LEGACY THROUGHOUT JANUARY

By StyleMagazine.com - Newswire

and entertainment industry veteran

Rushion McDonald will serve as a grand marshal for this event that will move through Midtown starting at 10 a.m.

“Dr. Martin Luther King Jr was a powerful speaker. Known for his uplifting and convicting words, he could inspire legions of people into action and protest to fight for their equality,” said McDonald, who earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics before embarking on a career in comedy and television. “MLK Day reminds us that we all can make a difference and create change.”

Other highlights during UH’s monthlong observance of MLK Day include an exhibition presented by UH’s Center for Diversity and Inclusion. This installation features a gallery detailing King’s life and accomplishments. It will remain on view through Jan. 24 in the Student

Center South.

Additionally, UH will host a screening of Netflix’s “When They See Us” at 6 p.m., Jan. 24 in the Student Center South Theater. The series dramatizes the story of five young men (the Exonerated 5) falsely convicted of a 1989 assault in Central Park. Yusef Salaam, one of the Exonerated 5, is a noted author and prison reform activist and will serve as the University’s featured speaker during its MLK Day events. He will lead a discussion at 4 p.m., Jan. 25 in the Student Center South’s Houston Room.

UH’s MLK celebration will conclude with a day of service coordinated by UH’s Center for Student Involvement. This volunteer effort has become a much-anticipated event both on campus and within the community.

“It was Dr. King who said, ‘Everybody can be great because

anybody can serve,’” said Elwyn Lee, UH vice president for community relations and institutional access. “We at the University of Houston must be part of the solution in overcoming any challenges related to inequities within our community. We can demonstrate our commitment to doing just that through service to our community here in the Third Ward and throughout Houston.”

UH’s MLK celebration was coordinated by a committee that includes faculty, staff and students. A complete schedule of events is available online.

“UH’s monthlong celebration of Dr. King allows us to come together and reflect on the past and our potential future,” Lee added. “It also allows us to explore a range of subjects as Dr. King was very broad in his social justice concerns. These events will help us put those issues into focus.”

ARTS: PROMINENT LOCAL POLITICAL LEADER, PUBLIC SERVANT HONORED POSTHUMOUSLY WITH UH SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT

Coleman, ARTS Editor

Keith Wade began his journey of advising and mentoring local politicos at the University of Houston. Now, his legacy of service will live on through a new scholarship endowment at UH’s Hobby School of Public Affairs, where he was a longtime advisor and played an active role in helping to place students in government internships. The endowment will provide scholarships for Black students pursuing a degree in public policy at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

“In 1977, Keith became the first African American president of the UH student body,” said Renee Cross, executive director of the Hobby School

of Public Affairs. “He became one of Houston’s most influential political leaders, advising governmental leaders from the Capitol down to Houston City Hall. He always fought to ensure the disenfranchised did not get forgotten by those making public policy decisions. This endowment is a perfect tribute for a man who left a lasting imprint on Houston and UH.”

At the time of his death in 2020, Wade was a special advisor to Mayor Sylvester Turner. He served in the same capacity during former Mayor Annise Parker’s administration and worked as an aide to Congressman Mickey Leland before becoming a political strategist and advisor to many Houston and Texas

politicians.

“Wade was one of those people who quietly operated behind the scenes,” shared One World Strategy Group CEO Jeri Brooks, an organizer of the group creating the endowment. “With kindness and gentleness, he mentored many of us now serving in leadership positions throughout the Houston community.”

In addition to his steadfast loyalty to UH, Wade had a soft spot

HOUSTON SCHOOL FAIR AT THE ZOO TO BRING LEARNING OPTIONS, FREE FUN TO FAMILIES

in his heart for Hermann Park, where he walked almost daily. He served on the Hermann Park Conservancy Board and helped lead the revitalization of the park.

Wade will be honored on January 24 — his birthday — at Hermann Park’s McGovern Centennial Gardens. The event is also a fundraiser for the endowment. For more information, contact awhitmire@uh.edu.

Event to feature one-on-one application help, free admittance to zoo

By StyleMagazine.com - Newswire

Abilingual school fair at the Houston Zoo on Saturday, Jan. 21 offers families a chance to gather school information and enjoy special animal interactions, all in one morning.

With representatives from more than 50 local schools in attendance, the 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. fair at the zoo’s Masihara Pavilion will give parents easy access to learning about all types of K-12 education, including preparatory academies, Catholic schools, schools designed for children with dyslexia, and the largest public school system in Texas: the Houston Independent School District. To help streamline the submission of school applications, free, oneon-one school help will be available to attendees in English and Spanish.

Besides a robust array of local schools, the event will feature a bounce house, balloon twisting, a photo booth, a DJ, and free cotton candy and popcorn for the whole family. A lucky raffle winner will even win tickets to feed giraffes.

The first 600 people in attendance will receive free admittance into the zoo, making for a complete day of

fun and learning. Attending the school fair is free, but RSVPs are required at bit.ly/3GwCKFd.

This event is planned to coincide with the celebration of National School Choice Week (Jan. 22-28, 2023), which will feature tens of thousands of school choice celebrations across all 50 states. Additional flagship events in Texas include a school fair in Fort Worth and a School Discovery Day in San Antonio.

“It is an honor for the Families Empowered team to provide free bilingual search services for families

looking for schools,” said Colleen Dippel, Families Empowered Founder & CEO.

“Partnering with National School Choice Week to create in person school fairs is a great opportunity to meet families where they are and make the process of finding and applying to a school fun and easy. Together our organizations are closing the opportunity gap for thousands of families.”

The Houston Zoo is located at 6200 Hermann Park Dr. Families unable to attend in person are invited

to use applyhouston.org to find schools and access application links.

This event is organized by Families Empowered, a non-profit parent service organization which brings families information so they can choose the education that works best for them.

For more information, contact Ayla Dehghanpoor at adehghanpoor@ familiesempowered.org or (832) 9557664.

National School Choice Week (NSCW) informs, inspires, and empowers parents to discover the K-12 education options available for their children, including traditional public, charter, magnet, online, private, and home schooling. Every January, tens of thousands of schools, organizations, and individuals plan unique events and activities to shine a positive spotlight on effective education options in their communities. The Week is a project of the nonpartisan, nonpolitical National School Choice Awareness Foundation.

Kathy

The City of Houston Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (MOCA) is awarding $11,520,344.70 in grants to 57 individuals, 131 arts and culture nonprofit organizations and fiscally sponsored projects offering public exhibitions, presentations, and performances in 2023.

The funds are awarded via the Support for Organizations, Festival, and Support for Artists and Creative Individuals grant programs, which support individuals, nonprofit organizations, and fiscally sponsored projects with annual arts and cultural programming that is available to Houston residents and visitors.

“This massive investment into the arts sector highlights how important the arts are to the City of Houston,” says

, ARTS Editor

Mayor Sylvester Turner. “The arts help shape our city’s identity and we foster the creativity of our residents for the benefit of every Houstonian. I want this support for the arts to be a part of my legacy as Houston’s mayor.”

These competitive grant programs are managed and administered annually by the Houston Arts Alliance (HAA) and are funded by a portion of the city’s Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT). More information about HOT funding is available here.

All applications received by the published deadline are reviewed through a two-step process and reviewed by 50120 panelists. To learn more about the process, visit HAA’s website or MOCA’s website.

LOCAL : HOUSTON SPCA HOSTS UHD GATORSERVE FOR MLK NATIONAL DAY OF SERVICE

University of Houston-Downtown’s GatorServe for the MLK National Day of Service at Houston SPCA, the iconic nonprofit dedicated to the welfare of animals.

More than 50 GatorServe volunteers spent the day at the Houston SPCA to walk dogs and provide animal care for cats; clean windows, build wildlife release cages and more. Their areas of service included the Adoption Center, Equine and Farm Animal Center and Wildlife Center. The event was sponsored by UHD’s Center for Community Engagement & Service Learning.

Service to others is a hallmark of the University of Houston-Downtown, and GatorServe is a UHD tradition. GatorServe brings together UHD students, staff, faculty, friends, families, and community partners to complete projects in service to its neighbors for the two National Days of Service in remembrance of 9/11 and to commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr.

In memory of the civil rights leader’s tremendous life and legacy, UHD students, staff, and faculty will volunteer at Houston SPCA this National Day of Service.

An installation by artist JD Pluecker, a Support for Artists and Creative Individuals grantee

Kathy Coleman

By StyleMagazine.com - Newswire

Nia's Daughters Collective, a Support for Organizations grantee

GHFC MLK’a Scholarship Program

The annual Greater Houston Frontiers Club’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Scholarship Program was held under the theme “Bridging Generations Through Education and Community Action.” This year’s virtual event that was emceed by KHOU’s Len Cannon and Mia Bradford included participants GHFC President Donnell Cooper, Mayor Sylvester Turner, Congressman Al Green, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, TC Feaster, John Fain, Shirley Carter-Williams, Tiffany Goodlow, Ashton White, Charlene James, Randi Plair, Shirley Williams, James Smith, Arthur Hendon, Jr. GHFC President Sabria Willis, Ariel Etienne, Antonio Etienne, Stacia Franks, Zoie Blanton, Devin Fox, and event co-chairs Dr. Novella Washington and Pastor Jamail Johnson. Thomas Robinson and Dieuyen Nguyen received scholarships. Dr. Lesia Crumpton-Young received the Drum Major award. Janice Weaver and Jerome D. Love received the Community Spotlight award. Entertainment was provided by Denice Michelle Lee, Gregory “Lil Saxman” Daniels, II, Brian Courtney Wilson, Angela Moten, and the Texas Southern University Choir., Several event sponsors spoke including H-E-B’s James Harris, Comerica’s Vanessa T. Reed, and more.

New Alief Neighborhood Center

On January 14, 2023, the city of Houston celebrated the new Alief Neighborhood Center with an open house event which featured remarks from Mayor Sylvester Turner and Councilmember Tiffany D. Thomas, District F, along other local leaders. Situated on Alief Park, the new houses three COH Departments: Houston Health Department, Houston Parks and Recreation Department (HPARD) and Houston Public Library (HPL). The new park development has an event lawn and game area, a swimming pool, walking paths with distance markers, tennis/pickleball courts, a basketball court, a skatepark, soccer fields, practice field and futsal courts.

Houston Marathon

women’s race featured a national record chase, the return of a defending champion and athletes from around the world hoping to run national or Olympic qualifying standards. The men’s field was one of the fastest in race history featuring six men with personal bests of 2:08 or faster.

The 51st Chevron Houston

MLK Parade

Marathon

Mayor Sylvester Turner and the Black Heritage Society hosted the 45th Annual Original MLK Jr. Day Parade in the heart of Downtown Houston. This year's theme was "Climbing the Mountain to a Better Future." The Black Heritage Society selected Mayor Turner as the 2023 Grand Marshal.

CHANGE Real IS ROOTED