Houston Style Magazine Vol 34 No 21

Voices for the Heart: Coommunity-Based Event

For the Houston Area

May 31, 2023, at 07:00 PM CT

Attend Virtually African American Male Wellness Agency

Registration Information >

Speaker: Dr. Olasimbo Chiadika, MD MPH FACC CMQ

Associate Professor, Cardiovascular Medicine

The University of Texas Health Science Center McGovern Medical School

The event will be moderated by:

Jamail Johnson

Executive Director

African American Male Wellness Agency Houston

We will be joined by a special guest, who will share their personal experience with ATTR -CM

Don Chaney​

NBA Hall of Famer​

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FOOTBALL LEGEND JIM BROWN PASSES AWAY AT 87

By BlackDoctors.org

Jim Brown, arguably one of the greatest professional and college football players of all time, has passed away. He was 87.

His wife of the last 23 years, Monique, announced Brown’s death in an Instagram post Friday afternoon. She said Brown “passed peacefully” Thursday night in their home in Los Angeles.

“It is with profound sadness that I announce the passing of my husband, Jim Brown…To the world he was an activist, actor, and football star,” the post stated. “To our family he was a loving and wonderful husband, father, and grandfather. Our hearts are broken…” Brown spent the entirety of his nine-year NFL career with the Cleveland Browns, and he was arguably the league’s best running back in

every single one of those seasons. He led the NFL in rushing yards in eight of his nine campaigns, and led the league in both yards and touchdowns in five of them. He won league MVP three times and was named a Pro Bowler in each of his nine seasons and a First Team AllPro in eight of them before abruptly retiring from the game in 1966 at the age of 30.

At the time of his retirement, Brown owned most major NFL rushing records and was widely considered the best running back and arguably best player in the history of the sport. He is still the only player in NFL history to average at least 100 rushing yards per game. He was eventually enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and was named to the NFL’s 1960s All-Decade Team as well as its 50th, 75th, and 100th Anniversary All-Time Teams. The Browns released the following statement in the wake of his passing:

story.

His commitment to making a positive impact for all of humanity off the field is what he should also be known for. In the time we’ve spent with Jim, especially when we first became a part of the Browns, we learned so much from him about the unifying force sports can be and how to use sport as a vehicle for change while making a positive impact in the community.

Jim broke down barriers just as he broke tackles. He fought for civil rights, brought athletes from all different sports together to use their platform for good.

Many thought Jim retired from football too soon, but he always did it his way. From the football field, to Hollywood, to his work in athlete activism, Jim always played the leading role.

©2023 Houston Style Magazine, a Minority Print Media, L.L.C. Company. All Right Reserved. Repro duction 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)

Jim Brown is a true icon of not just the Cleveland Browns but the entire NFL. He was certainly the greatest to ever put on a Browns uniform and arguably one of the greatest players in NFL history. Jim was one of the reasons the Browns have such a tremendous fan base today. So many people grew up watching him just dominate every time he stepped onto the football field but his countless accolades on the field only tell a small part of his

His devotion to fighting racial injustice, improving education for youth and positively impacting the many lives he has through his Amer-I-Can Program has left a lasting legacy well beyond all he accomplished on the field.

Read more at

TIME FOR BIDEN TO INVOKE THE 14TH AMENDMENT

By Jesse Jackson, National Political Writer

So it has come to this. House Republicans are about to force the U.S. government to default on paying its debts – obligations that the Congress voted to make. They bluster that they will blow up the economy, tank the dollar, and destroy America’s good faith and credit unless they get their way –even as they are bitterly divided about what “their way” means. The stakes are unfathomable – and so it is worth being clear about what is happening.

According to the Treasury secretary, June 1 is the likely date when the U.S. will hit the so-called “debt ceiling” unless Congress acts. The debt ceiling is a silly gimmick that limits what the U.S. can borrow, even to pay the obligations that the Congress has already committed. Under Donald Trump – who ran up a staggering percentage of the U.S. national debt because of his tax cuts and military and pandemic spending – Democrats agreed to raise the debt ceiling repeatedly without any conditions. What they should have done was repeal the debt ceiling completely.

Now House Republicans want to use it as a weapon of mass destruction to get their way. Since they know that Americans can be scared about debt and deficits, they claim to be concerned about rising deficits, although deficits have been coming down since Trump left office and the pandemic relief measures expired.

In reality, they are more passionate about tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations than they are about reducing deficits. They refuse to consider any package that asks the rich and corporations to pay their part.

They are also more passionate about military spending than they are about curbing “out of control” spending. So they focus on cutting programs for the most vulnerable, even though it is the military budget that has been rising the fastest, and is the biggest source of waste, fraud and abuse in the government.

In the end, their extortion isn’t about debt or deficits but about priorities. They favor tax breaks for the rich and corporations and cuts and punitive measures on any program that provides aid to the vulnerable – Medicaid, student aid, income support, aid for women with dependent children, housing, schools. They demand a complete roll back of Biden’s efforts to address climate change. They would revive billions in tax breaks for oil companies and repeal incentives for renewable energy or elective vehicles. They demand a roll back of Biden’s initiatives to reduce the price of drugs – a gift to the Big Pharma lobby. They even want to roll back funding for the IRS to crack down on tax avoidance and fraud by the wealthy – which would

provide billions for deficit reduction.

To add insult to injury, they can’t even agree if they want to negotiate. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has insisted on a negotiated deal before raising the debt ceiling. But the House Freedom Caucus –dozens of members who were key to his election as speaker – demand no negotiations – calling for default unless their entire program is accepted, including measures that they couldn’t even get through the Republican House.

The House zealots are emboldened by Donald Trump who argues they should just default on the debt if they don’t get their way. He clearly figures that if they blow up the economy under Biden, he will benefit politically. Remarkably, the supposed Republican adults in the room – Senate leader Mitch McConnell, former Wall Street mogul Sen. Mitt Romney, presidential wannabes, including Senators Tim Scott, Josh Hawley, Ted Cruz – are AWOL – absent without leave.

President Biden initially

said that while he was prepared to negotiate over next year’s budget to increase deficit reduction, he wasn’t going to give into extortion over debt default. Then he foolishly agreed to negotiations, only to see the Republican extremists in the so-called “Freedom Caucus” demand an end to negotiations and capitulation to their full wish list. Inevitably, the more he bends, the more they demand – even though their demands are offensive to the vast majority of Americans.

It is preposterous to empower the zaniest extremists of the House with the power to default on the national debt, tank the stock market, discredit the dollar and drive the economy into a recession or worse unless they get their way.

There is an alternative. The 14th Amendment to the Constitution – passed at the end of the Civil War – provides that the “validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law … shall not be questioned.”

It is time for President Biden to stand up for the good faith and credit of this country. He should invoke the 14th Amendment, denounce the extortion over the debt ceiling as a violation of that constitutional pledge, and instruct the Treasury secretary to pay America’s debts. Republicans will howl and stomp and go to court. So be it. Better that than to enable fools and zealots to hold the country hostage.

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

Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, R- Calif., walks in the Capitol Rotunda on Capitol Hill in Washington, Sunday, May 21, 2023.

STATE: BLACK LAWMAKERS IN TEXAS CRITICIZE BILL THAT SEEKS TO BAN DEI OFFICES IN HIGHER EDUCATION

By Nicole Chavez,

TheTexas House passed a bill Monday aimed at banning diversity, equity and inclusion offices in public colleges and universities, a move that Black leaders say will halt progress and stifle future research funding.

The legislation passed in an 83-62 vote and now heads back to the state Senate due to changes made by the House. If the bill passes and is signed by Gov. Greg Abbott, Texas will join other states including Florida and North Dakota that passed laws earlier this year targeting DEI programs, training and funding.

Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins, a Democrat representing San Antonio and vice chair of the Texas Legislative Black Caucus, said the legislation would take away resources from students and “put in jeopardy billions of dollars in grant/research funding that will exclude us from necessary discovery and industry-leading innovation.”

“Today, instead of moving forward, we have regressed detrimentally in our state,” Gervin-Hawkins said in a statement. “We must recognize that diversity is not a threat but a strength.”

The group’s chairman, Rep.

Ron Reynolds who represents Missouri City, said in a statement that the passage of the legislation shows lawmakers are “out of touch with the future” of the state and will halt the state’s progress in becoming a leader for top talent and academic innovation.

The caucus said another consequence of the legislation would be potentially losing students and prospective students.

“What kind of message are we sending to African Americans, to Hispanics, to Asians, to the disabled, to veterans that will be adversely impacted by this piece of legislation?” Reynolds

said on the House floor Monday. The legislation, Senate Bill 17, would ban public colleges and universities in Texas from having DEI offices, DEI statements and prohibit them from implementing mandatory DEI training.

The bill’s author, Sen. Brandon Creighton, a Republican representing Conroe, has described DEI offices as “divisive” and said their work has made no progress on advancing or increasing diversity.

“With this bold, forward-thinking legislation to eliminate DEI programs, Texas is leading the nation, and ensuring our campuses return to

focusing on the strength of diversity, promoting a merit-based approach where individuals are judged based on their qualifications, skills, and contributions,” Creighton said in a statement after the bill passed in the Senate last month.

In recent months, the term DEI has become the latest target among conservative politicians, echoing the debate over critical race theory in schools and students’ access to books relating to race, racism and LGBTQ issues.

In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation earlier this month to defund diversity, equity and inclusion programs at all state universities.

“This is better viewed as standing for discrimination, exclusion and indoctrination, and that has no place in our public institutions,” DeSantis said at a news conference in Sarasota.

Under the law, Florida state universities are barred from spending state or federal funds to promote, support or maintain any programs that “advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion, or promote or engage in political or social activism.”

Rep. Reynolds, Ron District 27

Houston City Council Member Edward Pollard, 38, represents District J, the southwest Houston areas of Galleria, Gulfton, Sharpstown, Braeburn, and Alief. Each of these areas is completely different, with a wide range of different ethnicities and political ideologies.

STATE: A

POLITICS: POLLARD PROVES RACE DOESN'T MATTER

By Burt Levine, Political Writer

is represented by the only elected black male on the 16-member Houston City Council.

What Pollard has proven through his conscientious concern for his neighbors, who are his constituents, is that race does not matter in earning support, which is rare in politics today. Usually, what we see is people voting only for candidates who look, speak, and think just like they do. But Pollard only speaks English, looks different than many of his constituents, and is an Independent who stays far away from party-identity politics.

AFTER THE

By

Brett Cross and his wife, Nikki Cross, have been coming to the Texas Capitol every week since January.

They've spent hours talking to reporters. More hours talking to lawmakers. And even more hours hearing that the politicians are thinking of and praying for them.

"I've been here almost every Tuesday since session started," Nikki Cross told a group of gun control advocates protesting in the Texas Capitol rotunda earlier this month. "I'm angry, and I'm not going to give up."

The Crosses lost their 10-yearold son Uziyah in the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde last year. This is personal for them.

That's why both Brett and Nikki, along with the family members of the other Uvalde shooting victims, have been calling all year long on lawmakers to raise the minimum age to buy a semiautomatic rifle from 18 to 21.

For 11 months they didn't hear any positive news — in fact, they mostly heard from lawmakers, like Gov. Greg Abbott, who told them changing the age was unconstitutional and a nogo.

But earlier this month, something surprising happened. A Texas House committee passed a measure

District J is the most diverse community in this country, with more than 80 languages spoken and 75 percent of the more than 200,000 people who live there speaking something other than English as their first language. What you will not find in District J is a predominately black single family residential neighborhood, yet District J

The reason Pollard, a dedicated husband and father to a young son and daughter and owner of a local small business in District J, has earned so much support in his diverse district is because he listens, he always shows up, and he gets results. When you can count on your elected official to be present, be open-minded, and resolve your issues

SHOOTING, TEXAS’ GUN LAWS REMAIN THE SAME

and concerns, race goes out the window. Many believed Pollard was going to run for City of Houston Mayor this year because of his hard-earned support that spans such different economic, age, and ethnicity areas, but when asked why he decided to run for re-election to represent District J, he said, "I feel a genuine privilege and am honored to represent the people that call District J home. We have achieved much together but have far more work to do."

Pollard has been a breath of fresh air with his partisan-free approach to governing, and he is a true public servant for his district and a true asset on City Council. He has proven that race does not matter when you provide great leadership. He has proven he has earned election to another term in the upcoming Tuesday, November 7 election.

To learn more about Council Member Pollard, visit www.pollardforhouston.com

that would have increased the minimum age.

Berlinda Arreola, the step-grandmother of 10-year-old Uvalde victim Amerie Jo Garza, celebrated the vote.

"It was just overwhelming," she told reporters. "It was a huge, huge success for us."

But that celebration was shortlived.

Even though the House com-

mittee passed the bill, the legislation missed a key deadline — so, barring any significant legislative maneuver, it's presumed dead.

Rep. Ryan Guillen, R-Rio Grande City, told reporters recently the measure faced the biggest challenge a measure can face.

"The support is not there in the Legislature, and that's what happens with bills that don't have the support in the Legislature," he said.

Guillen says he believes there are other solutions to gun violence.

"I'm for taking guns away from bad people, not from good ones," Guillen said. "We gotta find that balance to where we are taking them away from bad people and not from the good."

Other Republicans have said raising the age is the right thing. Still, not enough of them are on board, and without them, changing the state's laws around gun safety is impossible.

That hasn't deterred the Uvalde families from continuing their fight.

Brett Cross, the father of Uziyah Garcia, promised to keep pushing for changes.

"We are not tiring out," Cross told The Texas Newsroom recently. "We lost our damn children. We have fight!" And part of that fight, the families say, is to go to the ballot box.

Manuel Rizo, the uncle and godfather of 9-year-old Uvalde shooting victim Jackie Cazares, said the focus –once the Legislature adjourns later this month – should turn to the politicians who have not supported changes to the state's gun laws.

"We understand where they stand," Rizo told The Texas Newsroom. "We are going to do everything that we can to vote them out."

YEAR

UVALDE

ANGRY, AND I’M NOT GOING TO GIVE UP,” NIKKI CROSS, THE MOTHER OF 10-YEAR-OLD UVALDE SHOOTING VICTIM UZIYAH, RECENTLY TOLD A GROUP OF GUN CONTROL ADVOCATES.

Sergio Martinez-Beltran, The Texas Newsroom

Uvalde Parents Still Waiting For Action

City Councilman Edward Pollard

After more than 30 years of service, Dr. Rudy Rasmus and Pastor Juanita Rasmus announced their transition from Senior Pastors of St. John’s Downtown Church. Dr. Rudy will join Bread of Life, Inc. as Executive Director.

“This is not a retirement, but rather a ‘rewirement,’” said Dr. Rasmus. “While my chapter at St. John’s ends, I will not stop serving this community. I’m excited for how the Lord will use me in a new full-time role at Bread of Life to continue my calling to help those in our great city and beyond.”

Bread of Life, Inc. is a non-profit organization with a mission to tackle barriers together with compassion to restore hope for Houston. It was founded by Dr. Rasmus and wife and Co-Senior Pastor Juanita in 1992 with a simple mission to serve hot nutritious meals to homeless men and women in the downtown Houston area. Nearly 30 years later, Bread of Life, Inc. is still focused on supporting underserved communities and restoring hope in Houston through four program areas: homeless outreach,

LOCAL: DR. RUDY RASMUS AND PASTOR JUANITA RASMUS “REWIRE” WITH TRANSITION

FROM ST. JOHN’S DOWNTOWN CHURCH

DR. RUDY RASMUS TO JOIN BREAD OF LIFE, INC. AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR By

social justice and equality. They arrived at St. John’s in 1992 when it had only nine members. Under their leadership, the church grew to a congregation of thousands and has become a beacon of hope for those in need. They are often referred to as Beyonce’s pastors because of the Knowles family’s involvement in the church.

Following her retirement as Co-Senior Pastor of St. John’s, Juanita will concentrate on a national public speaking tour and her books, including her most recent “Learning to Be: Finding Your Center After the Bottom Falls Out.”

St. John’s “We Serve Theatre” will host a celebration for Dr. Rasmus

and Pastor Juanita with a night of jazz on Friday, May 26. The concert, hosted by Amanda Sapp of “The Amanda Sapp Morning Show” on The Amazing 102.5FM, will feature live performances by Jazz Saxophonist Marion Meadows, Comedian Marcus D. Wiley and Jazz Pianist Alex Bugnon. All proceeds from the ticketed event will benefit the Juanita and Rudy Rasmus Scholarship Fund, which assists young people aging out of foster care, previously homeless individuals, and second-chance students in taking the next step in life through learning through the Bread of Life Academy. Tickets are available on EventBrite. Dr. Rasmus and Pastor Juanita’s last Sunday at St. John’s is May 28.

health outcomes, hunger relief and the community radio station KMAZ The Amazing 102.5 FM.

In 2022, Bread of Life, Inc.:

Donated $3.5 million to Houston families in need, Provided 44,376 individuals with food and supply boxes, Acquired $30.1 million worth of donated products and supplies to give to Houston communities, Engaged 1,827 individuals by community health workers, Distributed $66,000 worth of fresh food to in-bound seniors, and Graduated 47 students from the Bread of Life Academy.

“We won’t stop until every man, woman and child has consistent food resources, shelter is accessible to those that have no other place to go, and medicine is in the arm’s reach of those that need it most,” said Dr. Rasmus.

The Rasmuses have been prominent figures in the Houston community, using their platform to advocate for

Dr. Rudy Rasmus and Pastor Juanita Rasmus

THE LITTLE MERMAID

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

He’s a human!” Bellows Triton (Javier Bardem), an underwater sea god, who mistrusts those who live on land. “That doesn’t make him our enemy.” Exclaims Ariel (Halle Bailey), his mermaid daughter as she defends her love for a prince who is a mortal.

“Our worlds were never meant to be together!” Declares Queen Selina (Noma Dumezweni) to her open-minded son Prince Eric (Jonah Hauer-King). He responds to her phobia affirming his liking for merpeople and the need for their kingdom to be progressive: “I’m trying to reach out to other cultures, so we don’t get left behind.”

The characters, dialogue and narrative are extensions of Disney’s brand, which champions love and inclusion, as opposed to fear and exclusion. And so, this live-action adaptation, of the 1989 animated Oscar-winning film, dives deep into current culture wars. It encourages audiences to be accepting of people who are different from the ones they know. A fitting epilogue to Disney’s 1960s theme “It’s a Small World After All.”

Ariel is an 18-year-old mermaid who lives somewhere under the Caribbean Sea with her many sisters and widowed father King Triton. She roams around the local waters with her fishy sidekick Flounder (Jason Trembly, Room), a flighty, dizzy seabird named Scuttle (Awkwafina) and a Jamaican crab named Sebastian (Daveed Diggs), who is an advisor and a spy for her father.

Up above, a ship in a storm is wrecked by winds and waves. A gallant fellow, Prince Eric, is thrown overboard. Ariel saves his life and brings him ashore. He is semiconscious but able to feel her presence and hear her bewitching singing. He is taken, mesmerized and haunted by her beauty and voice. Ariel is smitten too. So much so that she makes a deal with her evil Aunt Ursula (Melissa McCarthy), a sea witch. She can become a human with legs, visit the surface land and

pursue the one she loves, Prince Eric. But it’s an agreement that comes with poisonous tentacles attached from her cunning, duplicitous, octopus-looking auntie. Watch out!

Director Rob Marshall (Chicago) and the film’s producers have pulled together a stellar tech crew that makes the “merpeople’s” swimming as thrilling as Superman flying. Speedy, graceful, and mercurial movements that capture the eye. Also, the pastel colors in Ariel’s fins are captivating and watching her swim is as thrilling as viewing Avatars in Avatar. Seamless VFX and SFX technology is on display.

Anyone connected to the visuals should be proud: cinematogra-

pher Dione Beebe, production designer John Myhre, art director Lauren Briggs-Miller, costume designer Colleen Atwood and set decorators Diana Samuila and Gordon Sim. Alan Menken’s original songs and music from the animated film hold up well. Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote a clever, catchy rap tune for Scuttle, called “The Scuttlebutt,” which is about hot gossip. And for 2h 15m, editor Wyatt Smith keeps your attention glued to the screen with only a few lapses.

Bailey’s casting was a genius choice. Sweet voice, angelic look, loving. McCarthy dials her mean bitch factor up to the max. She’s campy, hysterical and devilish all at once. It’s fair to say that this very multiracial, mul-

ticultural version has strayed far away from its original 1837 source, a Danish fairytale written by Hans Christian Andersen. The interracial mix of the sisters and entire cast speaks for itself. The ensemble moves around nonchalantly like having a Black queen, white prince, an Asian bird, a Spanish sea god, a Pakistani butler (Art Malik) and a crab with a thick Jamaican patois is normal. And it is. It’s the new normal.

David Magee’s (Finding Neverland) thoughtful script is filled with father/daughter tension. Mother/son misunderstandings. Fear of the unknown. Befriending others. Love between different people. Warnings about humans wrecking the ocean. Lots of teachable moments. Lots of things to see, discern, digest, and learn. Life lessons that entertain and may prepare kids for the new world. Cautionary tale’s parents should heed if they want to stay relevant.

Families looking for a PG movie that’s as illuminating as it is fun will appreciate the joy, love and wisdom of this parable. It’s an enlightening exploration of what might happen if people reached out, accepted others and didn’t get left in the dust.

Halle Bailey

Derek Robinson, Vice Chair for XULA Board of Trustees and Guest Speaker, Kimberly Reese, AVP Institutional Advancement, Philip Adams VP Institutional Advancement, Dr. Verret, XULA President, Teal A. Holden Houston Alumni Chapter President, National Alumni Association 2nd VP with James Dirden and Dr. Kristi Moore – Jazz Brunch Co-Chairs.

Ludacris Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame, LL Cool J & Vin Diesel Viola Davis is HAUTE!

Jason Momoa & Vin Diesel

LINKS of Houston - Gulf Coast Chapter Texas Black Expo Earvin MAGIC Johnson Jack and Jill Houston Journey of

TWINS: Alexus & Ana Learmann

Who Ready for Renaissance World Tour??? Beyoncé – Performing in the UK

Rihanna

COUNTY: Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee Statement On Texas Legislature’s Initial Approval of Voting Restrictions

Texas Black Expo celebrates 20th anniversary during its 2023 Summer Celebration.

By StyleMagazine.com – Newswire

“Republican legislators are again targeting Harris County, singling us out to score cheap political points. This sets a dangerous precedent, and we all know the legislators in Austin won’t stop here – this will lead to more attempts to remove local officials in the state’s most diverse counties,” said County Attorney Christian D. Menefee.

“I want to be clear: this fight is not over. We are evaluating our legal options and expect to share more later this week. We cannot and will not allow the state to illegally target Harris County.”

Dear Friends, May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time when we come together to bring attention to emotional wellness and the importance of seeking support when we need it.

The Texas House of Representatives is in the final stages of passing Senate Bill 1750, which would abolish the Elections Administrator office in only Harris County, and Senate Bill 1933, which would allow for Secretary of State oversight of elections in only Harris County. These bills – which have already been voted out of the Texas

Senate – are expected to receive their final vote approval in the Texas House tomorrow.

Senate Bill 1750 bars Harris County from using an elections administrator system, sending the elections administration duties to the County Clerk, and the voter registration duties to the Tax Assessor-Collector.

Senate Bill 1933 creates a process by which certain persons can file election complaints and trigger Secretary of State oversight on Harris County elections.

www.cao.harriscountytx.gov/

This begins with acknowledging how deeply personal our mental health can be. No two people will experience depression, anxiety, or grief in the same way. When a person is struggling, it can be a highly individualized – and isolating – experience.

Harris County invests in multiple programs to help people experiencing mental health crises and increase access to care and support, including its partnership with the Harris Center’s Healthy Minds, Healthy Communities initiative. Through this program, you can take free classes and access resources that promote emotional health and wellness in your community.

Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee

It's summer in Houston and the performance calendar is on fire at Miller Outdoor Theatre (MOT). With daytime performances for children and their people and evening performances to captivate the entire family – Miller is your destination for non-stop fun all summer long. View the entire 2023 performance and event calendar and details on how to obtain FREE tickets for the covered seating at milleroutdoortheatre.com. As always, for the past 100 years all MOT performances are free and open to the public. Staying home? Remember, most evening performances are livestreamed and available free at the Miller Dream Stream link on the website.

Evening Performances

June 2, 8:30pm

Classic Albums Live Performs Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band featuring the Houston Symphony A not-to-miss performance, Classic Albums Live partners with the Houston Symphony to recreate the epic 1967 Beatles album with “note for note, cut for cut accuracy” according to founder Craig Martin.

ENTERTAINMENT: JUNE PERFORMANCES ARE SIZZLING AT MILLER OUTDOOR THEATRE

The evening length program also features choreography by Kia Smith and Carmen Cage.

June 10, 8:30pm

Loveletter & Radio Rewrite produced by Aperio, Music of the Americas

A grooving program of minimalist music and Lo-Fi jams perfect for a summer evening, featuring a live orchestral performance of DJ Sun’s latest release, Loveletter.

Read more at StyleMagazine.com

June 3, 7pm

The 34th Annual Accordion Kings and Queens produced by Texas Folklife

The accordion takes center stage with the sounds of Polka, Conjunto, and Cajun, Creole, and Zydeco music will delight the crowd. Enjoy and dance to music by Alex Meixner Band; Grupo Imagen; and Cedric Watson et Bijou Creole. Winners of the statewide 2023

Big Squeeze youth accordion contest perform as well.

June 9, 8:30pm Restore produced by Houston Contemporary Dance Company

New and signature dance works from this sensational new Houston company. Works from the past four seasons will be presented with guest performances from: McKinley Willis, Peter Chu, and Alexander Anderson.

There’s a little bit of all of us at Miller...

For 100 years, Miller Outdoor Theatre has delighted generations with the best in performing arts entertainment. And every performance free.

Photo By Kevin Zhang

Texas is on the precipice of giving new moms a full year of health care coverage, after the Senate unanimously passed a bill to extend Medicaid coverage. The bill has already passed the House, but due to a last-minute anti-abortion amendment, it will now return to that chamber to reconcile the different versions.

Supporters of the bill have called for the Legislature to pass a “clean bill,” without amendments, to ensure the federal government quickly approves Texas’ request to extend Medicaid coverage. A version of this bill that passed last session, extending coverage to six months, was deemed “not approvable” by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid.

But on the Senate floor Sunday night, bill sponsor Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, introduced an amendment and intimated the bill wasn’t going to pass the Senate without it.

“I’ve been on the phone all day,” Kolkhorst said. “My goal is to get this bill over the goal line and allay some of the … concerns of members on this floor…I think that this is a compromise that is best.”

At issue is boilerplate Medicaid language that says the year of coverage begins on the last day of pregnancy. It does not specify how that pregnancy has to end, which has led some anti-abortion groups and conservative lawmakers to claim it encourages abortion.

Kolkhorst introduced an intent amendment noting the purpose of the legislation is to “carry out the state’s profound respect for the lives of mothers and the unborn” by extending Medicaid to

TEXAS SENATE OKS EXTENDING POSTPARTUM MEDICAID — WITH AN ANTIABOTION AMENDMENT

THE SENATE PASSED SUN-

DAY. A LAST-MINUTE ANTI-ABORTION AMENDMENT MEANS THE BILL WILL GO BACK TO THE HOUSE

By Eleanor Klibanoff, TexasTribune.org

coverage for new moms.

But now, in the wake of the overturn of Roe v. Wade, and with maternal deaths and injuries continuing to accelerate in Texas, a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers and advocacy groups have pushed the bill nearly to the finish line. Texas is one of just 11 states that has not expanded Medicaid, leaving one in four women of childbearing age without health insurance. It’s easier to qualify for Medicaid during pregnancy, and fifty percent of births in Texas are paid for by the federal program.

women who give birth or suffer “natural loss of the child. This does not include pregnancies that end through elective abortion.”

Sen. Nathan Johnson, D-Dallas, said including this language was unnecessary considering the near-total prohibition on abortion in Texas. Speaking to the members Kolkhorst said this amendment was intended to appease, Johnson noted that women who had illicit abortions were unlikely to try to seek Medicaid coverage after the fact. “In the meantime, the entire program is vulnerable to not being approved by [the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid] precisely because of this language,” Johnson said. “I don’t want to gamble with women’s lives…so I wish you’d take these words out.”

“I respect that,” Kolkhorst said in response. “I’m really working through something that’s very complicated on this floor with a number of members … This is where we are tonight.”

Kolkhorst said her amendment served to quash other amendments that senators intended to try to attach to the bill, which would have “jeopardized” Texas’ application. Sen. Kelly Hancock, R-North Richland Hills, who Kolkhorst said she spoke with at great length on Sunday, pinned the issue on the federal government.

“It's my opinion that as Texans we're reaching out more than halfway to address the concerns of the federal government,” Hancock said. “If they fail us on this one, then they're failing the women in the state of Texas.”

The bill, with amendment

attached, will now go to the House, which can either accept it or go to a conference committee to negotiate the difference. Gov. Greg Abbott has said he supports the legislation.

This bill has been years in the making, as the state’s own maternal mortality task force has called again and again for a full year of Medicaid

But under current state law, those new moms lose their health insurance just two months after giving birth. At that point, many women are still dealing with birth complications and postpartum depression, and a full quarter of all maternal deaths in Texas in 2019 occurred after that period of coverage would have expired.

Read more at StyleMagazine.com

TRAVEL: NAACP ISSUES TRAVEL ADVISORY IN FLORIDA

the NAACP Board of Directors, Leon Russell. "We will not not allow our rights and history to be held hostage for political grandstanding. The NAACP proudly fights against the malicious attacks in Florida, against Black Americans. I encourage my fellow Floridians to join in this fight to protect ourselves and our democracy."

The NAACP Board of Directors issued a formal travel advisory for the state of Florida. The travel advisory comes in direct response to Governor Ron DeSantis' aggressive attempts to erase Black history and to restrict diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in Florida schools.

The formal travel notice states, "Florida is openly hostile toward African Americans, people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals. Before traveling to Florida, please understand that the state of Florida devalues and marginalizes the contributions of, and the challenges faced by African Americans and other communities of color."

"Let me be clear - failing to teach an accurate representation of the horrors and inequalities that Black Americans have faced and continue to face is a disservice to students and a dereliction of duty to all," said NAACP President & CEO Derrick Johnson. "Under the leadership of Governor Desantis, the state of Florida has become hostile to Black Americans and in direct conflict with the democratic ideals that our union was founded upon. He should know that democracy will prevail because its defenders are prepared to stand up and fight. We're not backing down, and we encourage our allies to join us in the battle for the

soul of our nation."

The travel advisory was initially proposed to the Board of Directors by NAACP's Florida State Conference. NAACP's collective consideration of this advisory is a result from unrelenting attacks on fundamental freedoms from the Governor and his legislative body.

Following Gov. DeSantis' socalled leadership in driving the state to reject students' access to AP African American studies course in March, the NAACP distributed 10,000 books to 25 predominantly Black communities across the state in collaboration with the American Federation of Teachers's Reading Opens the World program. The majority of the books donated were titles banned under the state's increasingly restrictive laws. The NAACP continues to encourage local branches and youth councils to start community libraries to ensure access to representative literature.

For more information, please visit haul.org/eodgala or contact Brandi Ledet | bledet@haul.org | 713-393-8783

Chair - Myrtle Jones, Halliburton

"Once again, hate-inspired state leaders have chosen to put politics over people. Governor Ron DeSantis and the state of Florida have engaged in a blatant war against principles of diversity and inclusion and rejected our shared identities to appeal to a dangerous, extremist minority," said Chair of

The NAACP encourages Florida residents to join this effort to defeat the regressive policies of this Governor and this state legislature. Interested residents and supporters can visit www. naacp.org for additional information and updates.

HEALTH: NEW STUDY REVEALS EXCESS MORTALITY AND YEARS OF POTENTIAL

LIFE LOST AMONG THE BLACK POPULATION IN THE US FROM 1999-2020

By Stacy M. Brown, BlackPressUSA.com

Ahe new study shows that after some progress, the number of deaths and years of possible life lost among America’s Black population stopped going down and then started going up again.

The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) said their results show that new ways of doing things are needed.

JAMA looked at statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which showed that when the coronavirus pandemic hit the world in 2020, the number of deaths and years of potential life lost went up.

Compared to white people, 1.63 million more Black people died than they should have.

Experts said that’s the equivalent of 80 million years of potential life during the study period, which took place from 1999 to 2020.

“After a period of progress in reducing disparities, improvements stopped, and differences between the Black population and the white population got worse in 2020,” JAMA experts wrote.

Because of the pandemic, experts stated that years of growth had

ended.

They said the pandemic affected Black Americans more than other groups.

Herman Taylor, one of the study’s authors and head of the cardiovascular research institute at the Morehouse School of Medicine, said, “The study is very important for about 1.63 million reasons.”

“Real lives are being lost. Real families are missing parents and grand-

parents,” Taylor declared.

“Babies and their mothers are dying. We have been screaming this message for decades.”

Clyde Yancy, an author of the study and chief of cardiology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, told reporters that high death rates among Black people have less to do with their genes. However, it has more to do with the country’s long history of dis-

ART: LONGTIME UHD PROFESSOR OF ART FLOYD NEWSUMRECEIVES FIRST MAJOR RETROSPECTIVE ATMADISON MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART

CO-CURATED BY THE HUNTINGTON’S LAUREN CROSS AND UHD’S MARK CERVENKA

By StyleMagazine.com - Newswire

crimination, which has hurt generations of Black people’s chances of getting an education, a good place to live, and a good job.

Yancy said that Black areas redlined in the 1930s, meaning that mortgages and other investments were too “high risk” for them, are still poorer and sicker today.

Yancy remarked that there were also more COVID infections and deaths in ZIP codes that used to be redlined. “It’s very clear that we have an uneven distribution of health,” Yancy said. “We’re talking about the freedom to be healthy.”

In 2021, non-Hispanic white Americans could expect to live to 76 years old, but non-Hispanic Black Americans could only hope to live to 71 years old.

A big reason for this difference is another study that showed that non-Hispanic Black babies are 2.5 times more likely to die before their first birthday than non-Hispanic white babies. Non-Hispanic Black mothers are more than three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related problem than non-Hispanic white moms.

Professor of Art at the University of Houston-Downtown (UHD) for 47 years and Project Row Houses

Co-Founder Floyd Newsum is presenting his first large-scale retrospective, Evolution of Sight, at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art in Madison, Wisconsin, from May 20 through October 8, 2023. The exhibition is organized by guest curators Dr. Lauren Cross, Gail-Oxford Associate Curator of American Decorative Arts at The Huntington in San Marino, California, and Mark Cervenka, UHD Professor of Art and O’Kane Gallery Director.

Evolution of Sight will reflect on the artist’s entire practice, including paintings and models of public art commissions, such as sculptures and relief installations. With a career spanning nearly 50 years, Memphis-born Newsum invites viewers to look closely at his works to investigate the personalized signs and imagery he uses. Each work captures the deeply personal history of the artist with family photographs

and symbols veiled by richly layered color and textures that create tactile surfaces. As Newsum explains, "My career covers 50-plus years of creating works of art that are exploring color, marks, and surfaces in various mediums. I call my evolution in creativity a problem-solving event of expression of the soul."

The exhibition is on view May 20 through October 8, 2023, in the Museum’s Main Galleries, with an

opening reception May 19, 2023, from 5-8 p.m. Newsum will present an artist talk at 6 p.m.

Cross and Cervenka organized the exhibition by engaging in a dialogue that reflects on the depth and extent of the artist’s production. Rather than curating a traditional retrospective, Cervenka looked back to Newsum’s foundational pieces, and Cross is bringing attention to work made in the last few unprecedented

years. This collaboration has resulted in a nesting exhibition of early works in conversation with the artist’s most recent series.

"Floyd Newsum is a leading artist whose work has been shown and represented in major institutions and collections across the United States," said Cross. "Newsum’s powerful message of hope transcends time and space and has remained relevant both historically and into the present. In this way, I am excited to connect Newsum’s dynamic work and practice with the Madison community through this survey of his work. The interrelationship between Newsum’s style over time: his past figurative works, public art career, and metaphorical abstract paintings all tell different stories that I believe visitors will connect with today.

Read more at StyleMagazine.com

SPORTS: HOUSTON TO HOST REAL MADRID VS. MANCHESTER UNITED IN 2023 SOCCER CHAMPIONS TOUR AT NRG STADIUM MATCH ON JULY 26 PART OF COPA DE LONE STAR SERIES

By StyleMagazine.com - Newswire

Soccer Champions Tour announced the launch and schedule for a new series of games featuring six of the world’s most iconic soccer clubs to be played this summer in major markets across the United States. As part of this series, organizers announced today that La Liga powerhouse and reigning UEFA Champions League Champions Real Madrid CF will face off against English Premier League titans Manchester United on Wednesday, July 26, 2023 at NRG Stadium.

The 2023 match is the first time the two clubs are meeting in Houston and the first time they have met since 2018. Real Madrid’s only other visit to NRG Stadium was in 2019 against Bayern Munich, while Manchester United returns to NRG Stadium for the third time and first since they faced Manchester City at the venue in 2017.

“It’s incredible to welcome back these two iconic clubs in Real Madrid and Manchester United to NRG Stadium this July,” said Lone Star Sports and Entertainment General Manager David Fletcher. “This match is a rare opportunity for fans to see this caliber

of talent in-person and another chance to showcase Houston as a premier destination for soccer in the world.”

In advance of the 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup, American audiences are clamoring for new opportunities to engage with the global game. With the Soccer Champions Tour, a new competition featuring the biggest clubs in the world takes the spotlight. Leveraging commitments from partner clubs to compete in the U.S. every summer from now through 2027, the Soccer

Champions Tour brings Real Madrid CF, FC Barcelona, Juventus, AC Milan, Manchester United, and Arsenal together to square off in America's premier stadiums. The eight fixtures will take place in host market stadiums in Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Orlando, and San Francisco.

The Houston stop on the tour is a Copa de Lone Star event. Copa de Lone Star hosted Manchester City and Club America in its inaugural match in 2022 in front of over 60,000 fans

at NRG Stadium. The event focuses on providing fans world-class soccer matchups at NRG Stadium and is operated by Lone Star Sports and Entertainment. The 2023 Soccer Champions Tour is being produced in partnership with AEG, the world's leading sports and live entertainment company, and in partnership with Sixth Street and Legends.

Exclusive pre-sale tickets will be available starting Tuesday, May 16, with the general on-sale ticket access beginning on Friday, May 19. For access to the exclusive pre-sale, fans are invited to join the waitlist at www.LSSE.net. More information is also available at the tour website, www.soccerchampionstour. com, and fans can follow @TheSCTour on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter for updates.

Team Manchester United

Team Real Madrid

ART: HOUSTON BALLET ANNOUNCE “DIVERGENCE” AND “SWAN LAKE"

Houston Ballet closes out the 20222023 season with two final blockbuster productions: Divergence, May 25 – June 4, and Swan Lake, June 8 – 18. Divergence features three ballets from world renowned choreographers, Aszure Barton, Stanton Welch AM and Justin Peck, each with their own distinct style. Then the Company will finish the season with one of ballet’s most iconic works, Swan Lake. In Stanton Welch’s opulent production, the main characters are imbued with greater psychological complexity, giving the work a twenty-first-century pace.

Divergence

Angular Momentum | Choreog-

rapher: Aszure Barton | Music:

Mason Bates

Divergence | Choreographer: Stanton Welch AM | Music: Georges

Bizet

Under the Folding Sky (World

Premiere) | Choreographer: Justin

Peck | Music: Philip Glass

May 25 – June 4, 2023

Aszure Barton’s Angular Momentum returns to the stage for the first

time since its premiere in 2012, paying homage to Space City with influences ranging from the city’s architecture to the moon landing. With otherworldly costume design by Fritz Masten, a Houston-inspired set by lighting and scenic designer Burke Brown and Mason Bates’ hybrid orchestral-electronic score featuring archival NASA recordings, Angular Momentum takes the audience out of this world. Stanton Welch’s Divergence, the popular, unexpected, and explosive audience-favorite, is back on stage as a complete work for the first time since 2012. Divergence has become one of Houston Ballet's signature works, earning critical acclaim and delighting audiences around the world with its bold and innovative

choreography.

“It’s wonderful to bring Divergence back to the stage after such a long time. This work is one of my first ballets and still, 30 plus years later continues to challenge dancers and hopefully thrill audiences. It’s going to be an exciting adrenaline rush for all.” – Artistic Director Stanton Welch Rounding out the program is a world premiere from Tony Award-winning choreographer Justin Peck. His second commission for the Company, Under the Folding Sky is inspired by James Turrell’s Twilight Epiphany Skyspace at Rice University. Famed composer Philip Glass's opera "The Photographer" sets the musical stage for designs from frequent Peck col-

laborators, costumes by design duo Reid Bartelme and Harriet Jung of Reid & Harriet, lighting by Brandon Sterling Baker and scenic design by Rice University alum Karl Jensen. Divergence showcases the full company at its best. Houston Ballet’s performances of Divergence are underwritten by Stephanie & Frank Tsuru and Phoebe & Bobby Tudor, and funded in part by The City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance.

Swan Lake

Choreographer: Stanton Welch AM | Music: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky June 8 – 18, 2023

One of the world’s greatest love stories told through dance, Stanton Welch’s Swan Lake tells the iconic tale of the everlasting love between Prince Siegfried and maiden-turned-whiteswan, Odette, as they are tested by evil knight Rothbart and his black-swan enchantress, Odile.

Read more at StyleMagazine.com

ART: COMMUNITY ARTISTS’ COLLECTIVE AND COMMUNITY MUSIC CENTER OF HOUSTON CELEBRATES BLACK MUSIC MONTH WITH THEIR 7TH ANNUAL LEGACY PROJECT

The opening reception will be held on Saturday, June 3rd from 4:006:00 P.M. at Community Artists’ Collective, 4101 San Jacinto St. Suite 116, Houston, TX 77004. The musical tribute will be held on Sunday, June 4th from 4:00- 6:00 P.M. at Pilgrim Congregational United Church, 3115 Blodgett St, Houston, TX 77004 from 4:00-6:00 P.M.

Community Artists’ Collective and Community Music Center of Houston are proud to announce the 7th Annual Legacy Project, a month- long celebration of Black Music Month. The Legacy Project honors local and national individuals' contributions to music and seeks to create a sense of community through music.

Get Ready for the 7th Annual Legacy Project: A Celebration of Black Music Month!

Join us as the Community Artists’ Collective and Community Music Center of Houston proudly present the 7th Annual Legacy Project, a tribute to Black Music Month. Immerse yourself in the vibrant contributions of Black musicians to American music, culture, and history throughout June.

This year, we’re honoring Dr. A. Jan Taylor, an accomplished pianist, singer, and choral conductor who has passionately served as the Director of Choral Music Activities at Prairie View A&M University.

Mark your calendars for the opening reception of the month-long art exhibition with Dr. A. Jan Taylor on Saturday, June 3rd, from 4:00-6:00 PM at the Community Artists’ Collective at 4101 San Jacinto St, Suite 116,

Houston, TX 77004.

But wait, there’s more! Don’t miss the musical tribute on Sunday, June 4th, from 4:00-6:00 PM held at Pilgrim Congregational United Church, 3115 Blodgett St, Houston, TX 77004; that will include performances by talented musicians and vocalists from all over the Houston area, including the chorale group Voices of Houston.

Best of all, these events are FREE and open to the public!

"We're thrilled to celebrate Black Music Month with our 7th Annual Legacy Project," said Ron Scales Managing Director of the Community Music Center of Houston. "Music has the power to bring people together, and we hope that our events will inspire our community to celebrate the contributions of Black musicians to American culture and history."

The Legacy Project is about fostering a sense of community and celebrating the rich musical heritage of Black Americans. Music can unite, uplift, and inspire positive change in our communities. Take advantage of this unforgettable celebration!