Houston Style Magazine Vol 33 No 43

Modeling the Spirit of Democracy

Ben Jealous

Jesse Jackson

and Albertsons Merger

Words By Jeremy Schwartz and Photography By Miguel Gutierrez Jr., The Texas Tribune

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COMMENTARY OPPOSE KROGER AND ALBERTSONS MERGER

By Jesse Jackson, National Political Writer

to wage the legal war. This is part of a bigger story. Today, American wages aren't keeping up with rising prices, while corporations - particularly in in dustries dominated by a small number of companies - pocket record profits.

Reacting to inflation, the Feder al Reserve is doing what it always does to lower prices - hike interest rates to slow the economy, throw millions out of work, and force wages down.

Think the cost of food is high? Just wait. Last week, Kroger announced plans to acquire Albertsons in a staggering $24.6 billion deal. If the deal goes through, it will merge the num ber one and number two stand-alone grocery chains which together operate nearly 5,000 stores around the country and generate more than $200 billion in revenue each year. If you think this doesn't affect you, think again. Kroger and Albertsons are holding companies as well as brands. Kroger brands include Ralphs, Dillons, Fred Meyer, Harris Teeter, King Soopers and several more. Albertsons operates under the names of Safeway, Haggen, Jewel-Osco, Shaws, Pavilions, Vons and several others.

Well versed by their financial advisers, the companies' CEOs are saying all the right things. The merger, they maintain, will allow major savings and efficiencies, some of which they will reinvest, much of which they will return to consumers in lower prices. And if you believe that, there is a bridge in

the Utah desert that they'd like to sell you. In reality, the merger will further consolidate the grocery store market. Right now, before the merger, according to the National Grocers Association, five companies control a stunning 60 percent of all U.S. grocery sales. After the merger, the combined company plus Walmart, by far the largest food seller, would control nearly 50 percent of the market.

That kind of concentration will lead to the loss of jobs for work ers, rising prices for consumers and monopoly profits for the companies.

Working families are already stretching to meet their food needs, as food prices are rising rapidly. Eggs are up over 30 percent for the year; chicken over 17 percent, and coffee over 15 percent. As the American Economic Liberties Proj ect summarized, this merger "would be disastrous for market competition, small businesses, and especially consumers' pockets."

There are a lot of factors hitting

food prices these days - the Ukraine war, drought in large portions of the U.S. and in China, an avian flu epidemic, and more. But, as David Dayan of the Amer ican Prospect reports, one contributing factor is that consolidated companies take advantage of the moment to raise their own prices and profits even more. Dayan quotes Kroger CEO Rodney Mc Mullen, who will head the merged com pany, saying that "a little bit of inflation is always good in our business" because "customers don't overly react" - that is, blame the companies - to increases in prices.

Happily, Joe Biden has chosen anti-monopoly advocates to lead the agencies that police mergers, like the Federal Trade Commission that over sees grocery chains. The FTC head Lisa Kahn will surely challenge this merger. What the companies are counting on is that conservative judges will overturn the agencies and give the merger a pass. No question with billions at stake, they will have the best lawyers in the world

But workers' wages aren't driv ing inflation. What's needed instead is a concerted effort to straighten out supply chains (and bring more manufacturing home), rebates to consumers paid for by taxes on oil and drug companies that are driving prices up, and an aggressive anti-trust effort to challenge the excess profits exacted by CEOs in concentrat ed industries. Not surprisingly, a lot of money goes into convincing politicians to ignore large mergers. And a lot of money goes into grooming conserva tive judges to frustrate efforts to police mergers. Sen. Bernie Sanders has called the proposed merger an "absolute disas ter," but few politicians are sufficiently independent to challenge the big money behind the proposed deal.

So, it is vital that this not be left to the politicians and the judges. Lead ers of communities - particularly rural and urban communities with poor and lower wage families - should demand to meet with the CEOs of Kroger and Albertsons to express opposition to the merger. This merger will end with more parents unable to afford the food their children need. It must be stopped.

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

PRESIDENT BIDEN ANNOUNCES FIX TO FAMILY GLITCH IN OBAMACARE SUBSIDIES

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

an estimated

lion people falling into the so-called family glitch –primarily children and women – the Biden administration has issued a rule that makes it easier for those with employer-sponsored health plans to get Affordable Care Act subsidies.

The rule, which comes from the Internal Revenue Service, fixes the glitch that prevented family members from receiving Obamacare subsidies if a household member had access to employer-sponsored health care coverage that meets specific requirements identified in the law. Obamacare required that employer plans be affordable for employees. Unfortunately, it didn’t offer that same protection for family members.

“Health care should be a right, not a privilege. But for many Americans caught in the so-called family glitch, the peace of mind that

The Urban Institute estimated that eliminating the family glitch would decrease employer spending by roughly $2 billion annually.

health insurance brings has remained out of reach,” President Joe Biden offered in a statement. “Because of this glitch, employer-based health insurance has been considered ‘af fordable’ if the coverage is afford able for the employee even if it is not for their family members – making those family members ineligible for Affordable Care Act subsidies

even though they need them to afford quality coverage.” In April, the presi dent announced a proposal to fix what the administration called a regulatory flaw. Beginning in November, families can sign up to take advantage of the change. The White House said about 1 million Americans would either gain coverage or see their insurance become more affordable because of the new

rule. “This marks the most signif icant administrative action since the law was first put into place,” Biden asserted. “It builds on our progress so far, which has brought the rate of uninsured Americans to a record-low eight percent. My administration will continue work ing every day to lower costs and expand quality, affordable health coverage to all Americans.”

The Urban Institute esti mated that eliminating the family glitch would decrease employer spending by roughly $2 billion annually.

Read more at: StyleMagazine.com BlackPressUSA.com

MODELING THE SPIRIT OF DEMOCRACY

By Ben Jealous, Special to StyleMagazine.com

Some things are unthinkable—until they happen. For Jamie Raskin, a congressman and father, the first unthinkable thing was the loss of his beloved son Tommy to suicide on New Year’s Eve 2020. As a father myself, my heart breaks when I imagine the grief experienced by Raskin and his family.

The second unthinkable thing happened less than a week later. En raged supporters of the defeated Pres ident Donald Trump attacked the U.S. Capitol and hunted for members of Con gress to prevent them from affirming the results of the presidential election.

Raskin was at the Capitol that day—the day after his son was buried—to do his duty. And that meant he and the family members who were there to support him had to live through the terror of the attack and evacuation. After all that, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi asked Raskin to lead an effort to impeach Trump for his role in the insurrection. Raskin said yes. He did a brilliant job. It was a remarkable show of strength and resilience. The House did vote to im peach Trump for a second time, though most Senate Republicans refused to convict him.

Raskin wrote a book about that 45-day period between the loss of his son and the impeachment of Trump.

“Unthinkable: Trauma, Truth, and the Trials of American Democracy,”

is powerful and surprisingly hopeful.

I recently had a chance to talk with Raskin when he spoke with People For the American Way’s new online book club. I asked him about the grounds for his hope. How, given the rising threats to freedom and democracy, does he continue to consider himself a “consti tutional optimist?” What makes the U.S. exceptional is not that we are somehow

immune to the erosion of democracy, he said. What makes us exceptional is the progress we have made together. We can take hope and strength from our own history, and the example of courageous people around the world. “We are not the first generation to face authoritarianism.”

He reminded all of us that the spirit of freedom and democracy lives in people’s hearts even in the face

of repression and attempts to snuff it out—and efforts by far-right strategists to smother it.

Raskin has modeled that spirit of democracy as a member of the House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection and all that led up to it. In the face of every effort by Trump and his allies to stall, stonewall, and shut down the investigation, Raskin and his colleagues refused to back down. They have dug out evidence and presented it to the American people.

Without the committee’s inves tigations, we would know far less about the effort by Trump and his henchmen to overturn the election. Without the com mittee’s truth-telling, there would be no hope for holding them accountable. The threat to democracy is real. Conspiracy theories are helping drive a right-wing turn away from democratic values and toward repressive authoritarian rule.

At this moment, Americans face a choice: do we go back to the worst of the past, to voter suppression and political violence fueled by racism? Or do we move forward, building on the progress we have made in becoming a multiracial, multiethnic, multireligious democratic society? It’s up to us. As Jamie Raskin reminded us, “Democracy is always unfinished.” Share this story online at StyleMagazine.com

DR. BAXTER MONTGOMERY HOSTS STAR STUDDED CELEBRITY HEART & SOUL OF A CHAMPION GALA AND SYMOSIUM FOR HEART HEALTH

By Jo-Carolyn Goode, Managing Editor

You want a wake-up call about your health? How about the fact that the life expectancy of Americans has decreased by 2.6 years due to the way we live, and this is the number before COVID-19. Why has this happened?

According to board certified cardiologist Dr. Baxter Montgomery, it is because of the food we eat. He is surprised that we are not sicker than we are with all the food we consume that is loaded with preservatives and chemicals. It all is enough to make you sick just thinking about.

“We are in a healthcare crisis,” exclaimed Dr. Montgomery. “We all need to standup and take control of our health. We have to think about the kids. We are leaving a generation of sickness and illness and we are passing it down. We have to think about the legacy that we’re leaving. We are leaving a polluted environment. A polluted process of the nourishing the body. It’s just a disaster. Sickness is the new norm.” Luckily, Houstonians have Dr. Montgomery and his Montgomery Heart & Wellness clinic (MHW) to help people take better care of their heart. His passion for heart health coupled with the desire to educate Americans about their heart led him to open MHW in 2006. The state-of-the-art wellness facility has all the technology and resources to provide comprehensive medical and wellness care complete with a grocery store, meal delivery ser vice, restaurant, and exercise training ground. It is Dr. Montgomery’s mission to reverse and prevent life-threatening illness. He is doing all this by letting his heart and soul guide him.

Dr. Montgomery once was a physician who relied heavily on pre scribing prescription medicine and various procedures to treat his patients.

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However, over the years he has done extensive research that has evolved him to approach treatment of patients with a more natural intentional approach. This new method of treating heart disease is the inspiration behind upcoming Heart and Soul symposium. It is a four-day conference to revitalize your heart with speakers, tour of MHW, and a star-stud ded gala from October 19th-22nd.

The highlight of the weekend will be the Heart and Soul of a Cham pion™ Gala on Friday, October 21st starting at 5 p.m. at Rice University Faculty Club: The Cohen House. Red carpet guests include celebrities from the medicine, sports, culinary and en tertainment worlds. Coming down the red carpet will be Dr. Kim Williams, nationally acclaimed cardiologist, for mer president of the American College of Cardiology and current chair of the University of Louisville Department of Medicine; Dr. Pam Popper, renown naturopath, author, health, nutrition, and medicine expert; Chef Babette, celebrity vegan chef, restauranteur, fitness expert and Instagram influencer; John Salley, former NBA star, wellness advocate, ac tor, plant-based business entrepreneur; David Carter, a.k.a. The 300-Pound

Vegan, former NFL star and food justice activist; and, the man of the hour, Dr. Baxter Montgomery, MHW founder, cardiologist extraordinaire and lifestyle expert.

The highlight of the night will be the premiere of the new docuseries Heart and Soul of a Champion. The first season will have guest athletes that have gone through the program of the same name at MHW. Speaking about their experience will be Darrell Green, NFL Hall of Famer; Wendell “Air” Mosely, University of North Texas quarterback; Raymond Waddy, Washington Red Skins cornerback; and Kenny Banks, All-American high jumper. For more information to RSVP, tickets, Dr. Baxter and/or MHW visit events.montgome ryheart.com.

The VOTING GUY is calling on us to DEFEND DEMOCRACY once again.

Chris Hollins led the historic 2020 elections effort in Harris County. As County Clerk, Chris gained national acclaim for protecting and expanding voting rights for 2.5 million Houston-area voters during the most important election in our lifetime.

Today, election deniers and their MAGA supporters are backing a slate of Republicans to take control of our county government. We cannot let that happen. Join Chris by going all the way down your ballot to vote for Democrats Lina Hidalgo, Adrian Garcia, and Lesley Briones.

Learn more about Chris and his campaign for Mayor: ChrisHollins.com ÍÎÚ @CGHollins

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Chris Hollins Campaign

Dr. Baxter Montgomery, Founder and CEO of MHW

ANNOUNCE DIA DE LOS MUERTOS EXPERIENCES

By StyleMagazine.com - Newswire

Hyatt Regency San Antonio River walk and Grand Hyatt San Antonio River Walk, welcome Spiritlandia, one of the largest Day of the Dead cele brations in the nation, with special offers and events for hotel guests and local residents. In honor of the Spiritlandia river parade on October 27, Hyatt Re gency San Antonio Riverwalk is hosting a pre-parade event featuring delicious food, live music, local artisans, and premier riverfront seating for the parade.

“Spiritlandia is a truly remark able event and we are very excited to welcome our local guests and travelers from around the world as they experi ence a one-of-a-kind celebration here on the San Antonio River Walk,” said Philip Stamm, Area Vice President and General Manager for Hyatt Regency San Antonio

Riverwalk and Grand Hyatt San Antonio River Walk.

Spiritlandia will take place on October 27, 2022. That afternoon starting at 5 p.m., Hyatt Regency San Antonio Riverwalk is partnering with Mad Dogs British Pub and On the Bend Oyster Bar & Cigar Lounge to host a riverfront cel ebration before the big parade. The event will take place on the hotel’s river level and will feature a delicious buffet, live music, and Dia de los Muertos-themed face painting, extravagant décor, carica ture artists, stilt walking performances, displays from local artisans, and more. Entry to the event also includes premier

riverfront seating for the Spiritlandia parade which begins at 7 p.m. More in formation and pricing details on the event can be found by visiting SpiritLandiaMad Dogs British Pub/ Hyatt Regency / On The Bend Oyster Bar Tickets, Thu, Oct 27, 2022 at 5:00 PM | Eventbrite At Grand Hyatt San Antonio River Walk, the hotel will feature Dia de los Muertos décor throughout the week with every thing from decorative skulls and papel picado to marigolds and other flowers. The hotel will also provide riverfront seating opportunities for the Spiritlandia parade.

at:

Hyatt Regency San Antonio Riverwalk

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Photo Credit: Fili Santillan

In honor of the company’s environ mental commitment to Our Texas, Our Future, H-E-B’s gift will help engage all Texans in discovering and experiencing state parks in 2023.

To kick off an effort to celebrate public lands across the state, H-E-B made a $1 million gift to commemorate 100 years of Texas State Parks. As the presenting sponsor for the centennial celebration, H-E-B’s donation will support programming aimed to engage all Texans in discovering and enjoying the nearly 90 state parks in Texas.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation will launch the centennial celebration, which will begin in January 2023. As part of the Texas Parks, there’s more than 640,000 acres

H-E-B DONATES $1 MILLION TO SUPPORT 100 YEARS OF TEXAS STATE PARKS

By StyleMagazine.com - Newswire

of owned or leased land, which includes 89 state parks, historic sites, and natural areas. Among these areas are 11 unique ecoregions that are home to nearly 800 species of fish, 634 species of birds, and over 4,600 species of native plants.

Through Our Texas, Our Future, H-EB’s mission is to increase awareness and education of the environmental steward ship state parks provide to preserve land, water, and air in Texas.

Along with its donation, H-E-B will support the year-long effort through initiatives such as product releases, cooking tips, in-store activations, and more. “In a state rich with majestic landscapes, our support of this effort aims to provide access to our parks

and the beauty of our great state for all Texans to enjoy,” said Winell Herron, H-E-B Group Vice President of Public Affairs, Diversity and Environmental Affairs. “Only a fraction of land in Texas is public land, and it’s our commitment to work with our longtime partner Tex as Parks and Wildlife Foundation and many other dedicated organizations to protect these precious resources, so Texans can use them for generations to come.”

As part of H-E-B’s Our Texas, Our Future mission, which reinforces the company’s longstanding commit ment to environmental sustainability, H-E-B along with Field & Future by H-E-B, the retailer’s environmentally

EVERYTHING IS ON THE LINE

minded brand of household and personal care products, supports Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation in efforts such as coastal conservation along the Texas Gulf Coast, Black Bear restoration in West Texas, and the establishment of Palo Pinto Mountains State Park. The first new state park to be opened in North Texas in 25 years, Palo Pinto Mountains State Park is located on 4,871 acres of scenic, undeveloped land approximately 75 miles west of Fort Worth and 75 miles east of Abilene. It’s expected to open to the public in late 2023.

Read more at: StyleMagazine.com HEB.com

BETO O’ROURKE WILL fiGHT FOR US

EXPAND MEDICAID to create jobs, lower property taxes, and ensure all Texans can afford to see a doctor.

FULLY FUND OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS and raise teacher pay to fill the teacher shortage and improve our kids’ education.

PROTECT OUR FREEDOM TO VOTE by reopening polling places in our communities and making it easier to register and vote.

BETO

H-E-B donates $1 million to support 100 years of Texas State Parks

METRO unveiled a bus shelter at Northside High School me morializing Near Northside resident Josue Flores and commem orating what would have been his graduation from the school in May of 2022. Josue's family, Northside High School faculty and students, commu nity partners and METRO leadership attended the event to celebrate Josue's life and legacy.

"It has been more than six years since 11-year-old Josue Flores was killed while walking home from

METRO UNVEILS BUS SHELTER MEMORIAL AT NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

By StyleMagazine.com - Newswire

school," said METRO Board Chair Sanjay Ramabhadran. "It was a nightmare that no parent should

have ever experienced and no com munity should have ever endured." The bus shelter project began after

an administrator at the school con tacted METRO about getting bus passes for students, which became a larger endeavor through the AdoptA-Stop Program. Participants in the program volunteer to pick up litter in the area and have the option to make general improvements around their stop.

Read more at: StyleMagazine.com RideMetro.org

Josue's family, METRO leadership and community

Bus Stop in honor of Josue Flores

ELECTION ADMINISTRATORS ARE UNDER ATTACK IN TEXAS HERE’S WHAT THAT MEANS FOR THE MIDTERMS

By Jeremy Schwartz, The Texas Tribune

With the 2022 midterms less than a month away, election admin istrators in Texas and elsewhere continue to face a level of harassment and threats that experts say had never been experienced before the November 2020 presidential election. In August, the entire staff of the elections office in Gillespie County, about 80 miles west of Austin, resigned, citing threats, “dangerous misinformation” and a lack of resources. The same month, Bexar County elections administrator Jacque Callanen told KSAT, a San Antonio news station, that her department was confronting similar challenges.

“We’re under attack,” Callanen said.“Threats, meanness, ugliness.” She added that staff members were drowning in frivolous open-records requests for mail ballots and applications. Texas is one of several states targeted by rightwing activists who are seeking to throw out voter registrations and ballots, ac cording to The New York Times.

Last month, angry activists dis rupted a routine event in which officials publicly test voting equipment outside of Austin, swarming the Hays County elections administrator and Texas Sec retary of State John Scott, a Republican, while alleging unproven election law violations.

The instances follow reporting from ProPublica and The Texas Tribune, which last year detailed the case of Mi chele Carew, an elections administrator in Hood County, a staunchly Republican area an hour southwest of Fort Worth. Then-President Donald Trump received 81% of the vote in Hood County in 2020. But Trump loyalists mounted a monthslong effort to oust Carew, a Republican, alleging disloyalty and liberal bias. Carew defended herself from the attacks, surviving a motion to terminate her, before resigning from the position in October 2021.

Elections officials like Carew are increasingly feeling pressure to pri oritize partisan interests over a fair democratic elections process, according to a study released last year by the non partisan Brennan Center for Justice and the Bipartisan Policy Center. The study, which interviewed more than three dozen elections administrators, found that 78% believe misinformation and disinformation spread on social media has made their jobs harder, with more than half saying the position has become more dangerous. In Texas, about onethird of election administrators have

left their jobs in the past two years, according to surveys conducted this year by the secretary of state’s office. State officials said data prior to 2020 is less reliable, making it difficult to compare the rates over time. Get our biggest scoops and breaking stories, delivered to your inbox

The levels of distrust that have come to dominate the political landscape in Texas, a state that Trump carried with relative ease, should be cause for concern, says David Becker, the founder and executive director of The Center for Election Innovation & Research, a nonprofit focused on en suring accessible and secure elections for all eligible voters. He previously directed the elections program at Pew Charitable Trusts, where he led devel opment of the Electronic Registration Information Center, which has helped 33 states, some led by Democrats and others by Republicans, update millions of out-of-date voter records. Before that, Becker helped oversee voting rights enforcement for the Department of Justice under Presidents Bill Clin ton, a Democrat, and George W. Bush, a Republican.

I recently sat down with Beck er, the coauthor of the book “The Big Truth: Upholding Democracy in the Age of the Big Lie,” to talk about the realities facing elections administrators in Texas and across the country ahead of the 2022 midterms. When we talked

a year ago about Michele Carew, you said Texas’ new voting restrictions, a push by GOP activists to seize control of local party precincts and efforts to dele gitimize the elections process in places like Hood County could have a chilling effect that drives out a generation of in dependent elections administrators. Do you feel like that is coming to fruition?

I think the risk definitely is still there. It is very difficult to get hard quan titative data on this, mainly because the definition of an election administrator is not always consistent across the states. We won’t really get a good sense of that until after the [2022] election. What I do know is, on a state-by-state basis, I’ve heard pretty good evidence that states like California, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and several other states are seeing unprecedented departures of chief county election of ficials. In some cases, somewhere in the range of around 30% or 45% are leaving in a two-year period. That’s very, very high. I know from talking to election officials privately that many of them are considering whether or not they can stay in these jobs, because the harassment is so great.

Being an election official is not a path to fame and fortune. People don’t become election officials because they see something in it for them. In fact, if you ask most election officials how they got into being an election official, they’ll tell you it was by accident. They applied

for a job, and it just looked like a pretty good job. And they stayed because they found a calling. That’s true of conserva tive Republicans, liberal Democrats and everything in between.

The best-case scenario for elec tion officials on the Wednesday after an election is anonymity. No one’s talking about the election because everything went smoothly and everyone’s moved on. We’ve been in a position where election officials actually achieved prob ably the greatest success in American democratic process in history [in 2020]. They somehow managed the highest turnout we’ve ever had, during a global pandemic, and withstood incredible scrutiny. And, despite that success, the exact opposite has been spread about them. They are suffering an enormous amount of stress and harassment and abuse, and in some cases threats. So it’s normal for them to ask, “Should I keep doing this? Can I do this to my family?”

Read full story at: TexasTribune.org

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

Voters wait in line at a polling site at Austin Oaks Church in Austin, Texas, on Oct. 14, 2020.

Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune

TSU AWARDED $200,000 AFLAC CAREGRANT TO ADVANCE HEALTH EQUITY

By StyleMagazine.com - Newswire

Aflac and Texas Southern Uni versity's Center for Biomedical and Minority Health Research (CBMHR) announced the awarding of a $200,000 Aflac CareGrant. The grant will help to advance health equity for diseases that disproportionately impact underrep resented communities and will be split between community support/education and health-related research.

Aflac selected Texas Southern University for its CBMHR, which over sees robust research and community-level initiatives that support underrepresented communities both locally and nationally.

Following a check presenta tion, Aflac's incoming president, Virgil Miller, and TSU President Dr. Lesia Crumpton-Young also unveiled TSU’s Aflac Park Bench, a natural space of rest, reflection, peace and comfort for the Tex as Southern University community. The bench, which is bright blue and designed with the famous Aflac duck mascot, is located at the start of the TSU fitness trail

behind Durley Stadium.

"The impact of this partner ship with Aflac is felt in the lives of our students and also in the life of our community," said Dr. Crumpton-Young.

"It gives us an opportunity to focus on transforming the lives of our students and our faculty who will be engaged in the partnership activities. It allows us to tranform the lives of many individ uals from the quality research we will conduct. We want to thank Aflac for

coming to TSU to join us in the mission of transforming lives."

Aflac’s CareGrants program supports the company's commitment to supporting organizations that are help ing close the gap for individuals and communities currently suffering from or highly exposed to medical debt. The program is informed by the Aflac Care Index, a nationwide study examining Americans’ awareness of and exposure to debt resulting from medical bills not cov

ered by insurance. The Aflac Care Index identified 11 U.S. states that over-index for vulnerability to medical debt due to lack of savings; Texas was among the 11 states identified as having the most medical debt exposure.

"We are here today to honor and advance the work of TSU’s CBMHR, including its important research into diseases that disproportionately impact underrepresented populations and its crit ically important support of the local com munity," said Miller. "Providing support to organizations like TSU helps ensure people get the care they need, when they need it. This shows the common vision between Aflac and TSU - helping to close the medical gap that many Americans face, especially here in the local commu nity."

Read more at: StyleMagazine.com TSU.edu

TSU and Aflac leaders pictured during check presentation on October 12, 2022.

By Alexandria Jack, Culinary Writer

Fogo de Chao's newest location is now open in Friendswood at the premier shopping destination, Baybrook Mall. To celebrate the new site, they invited some of Houston's elite to join in on the festivities, like Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and Friendswood Mayor Mike Foreman, along with Fogo de Chao CEO Barry McGowen. To officially wel come guests to the new location, Fogo de Chao Friendswood's General Manager, Raido Ramos, sliced the ribbon with a knife in true Gaucho fashion! And now they want to invite you to Friendswood to experience luxury churrasco dining, one-of-a-kind cocktails, and top-of-theline fire-roasted meats carved table side.

When dining at this location, you not only get quality food but enjoy their well-thought-out interior design. You walk into a grand yet intimate low-lit space making it perfect for your next date night or gathering. As you walk in, you will see their Bar Fogo area with lounge seating to enjoy their all-day happy hour menu. This location is unique because you can enjoy their al fresco dining in their beautiful expansive dining area overlooking the beautiful green lawn. When having the full dining experience, you can sit in the most luxurious seating,

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which is perfect for relaxing as you devour the most delectable meat selec tions.

You have so many meats to

choose from, like many cuts of steak, chicken, and pork, or if you feel extra fancy, you can try out their Indulgent Cuts of meat which include Wagyu

New York Strip, Wagyu Ancho or DryAged Tomahawk Ancho. Wagyu is a premium cut of meat that is perfectly marbled and will melt-in-your-mouth. It's one of the most sought-after cuts of beef done the Fogo way! In addition to the delicious cuisine served at the table, make your way to the Market and Feijoada Bar, where you will find sea sonal salads, exotic vegetables, imported cheese, soup, and so much more.

While dining, do not forget to try some of their signature South Amer ican cocktails, like Brazil’s national cocktail, Caipirinhas, in your choice of flavor of lime, strawberry hibiscus, or passion fruit. Another fabulous cocktail is the Samba Squeeze Martini made with Grey Goose Le Citron Vodka, St-Ger main, blood orange vodka, and guava.

When dining at Fogo de Chao, you know that service is impeccable, and they leave no stone unturned when it comes to grandeur dining. Be sure to stop by for their dinner, lunch, brunch, or all-day happy hour menus.

Visit fogodechao.com to learn more about their offerings and specials.

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FOGO DE CHAO HOST VIP DINNER AND RIBBON CUTTING IN CELEBRATION OF THEIR NEW FRIENDSWOOD LOCATION!

General Manager Raido Ramos, Houston Mayor Turner, Friendswood Mayor Foreman, CEO Barry McGowan

VANESSA GILMORE OPENS TEA WITH JUDGE V IN KING DAVID HOTEL IN HISTORIC RIVERSIDE

By Kathleen Coleman, Arts and Entertainment Writer

be highlighting local and woman-owned tea vendors and winemakers.

Tea with Judge V is located at 2615 Riverside Drive and will be open Friday - Sunday, from 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. Reservations are online at www.teaw ithjudgev.com.

Judge, author, and entrepreneur are some ways to describe Judge Gilmore. When she was sworn in as a federal judge in 1994, she was the youngest sitting federal judge in the nation. Now retired from the bench as a United States District Judge after 28 years of service, the is a sought-after speaker, a voice-over artist, and the author of four books. This month she adds entrepreneur to her resume with

the opening of her new business venture, Tea with Judge V. It is set to open this month inside the Hotel King David, a unique boutique hotel, on the historic Riverside Drive in Houston, Texas.

Inspired by her desire to con nect with her community, Judge V began hosting a weekly afternoon tea in her chambers for children. Over the years, she has entertained lawyers, students, scout troops, community leaders, and

friends with her legendary afternoon teas. When asked why tea was the per fect way to connect with others, Judge V said, “Afternoon tea is relaxing and civilized. It allows you to live in the moment, eat great food and temporarily escape from the cares of the day.”

Judge V also hopes to use her tearoom to educate her guests about different varieties of teas and the many health benefits of tea. In addition, an essential aspect of Tea with Judge V will

Tea With Judge V

Outside of Tea With Judge V

A HOUSTON DAY OF THE DEAD TRADITION: CALAVERA CON CALAVERA

By StyleMagazine.com - Newswire

Grupo de Teatro Indigo (Indigo Theater Group) will present the 9th season of their Day of the Dead play, “Calavera con calavera” (Skulls) on October 28th at 7:30pm at Miller Outdoor Theater. They will make histo ry once again being the first local theater group with Latino immigrant members to present for third consecutive year an all-Spanish play (With English subtitles) at one of Houston’s iconic and historic stage. Last year they had an audience of 4,000 attendees to this spectacle. This will happen thanks to a grant awarded by the Miller Advisory Board.

Along with Houston’s wellknown organization FLAS (Fundación Latinoamericana Acción Social), with more than 28 years serving our commu nity, Grupo de Teatro Indigo is working to bring this cultural spectacle for all audiences in Houston. Also joining this performance are Mariachi Los Caimanes from University of Houston Downtown, Houston Ballet Folkloric, Danza Chicawa Dance, and singer Nancy Iliria. The General Consulate of Mexico has made this event part of their celebration of the Day of the dead.

The show will be showcased Facebook Live @milleroutdoor and Youtube @milleroutdoor.

“Calavera con Calavera” has been presented for 8 consecutive years, and thousands of people have had the opportunity to experience the vibrant colors of Día De Muertos through this theatrical play. In 2019 Houston’s Mayor, Sylvester Turner, presented a proclamation making November 3 rd , Calavera con Calavera Day in our city. The Government of Mexico recognized it by making it part of the Semana Global (World Wide Week) to represent Houston, along with other Day of the Dead events around the world in 2019, 2020, and 2021 and the General

Consulate of Mexico in Houston gave full support, due to the highly cultural content representing Mexico.

Synopsis: It is Day of the Dead, and the Burgos Family is getting ready to celebrate this important date to them. It is a yearly tradition in Hacienda Calvario where they get together to celebrate this festivity. As they share how this celebration has been of great value in their lives, they also explain the meaning of every element presented; like, why altars are made, what objects can decorate them, the food that is eat en, why it is important to have candles,

the traditional “calaveritas” (verses that rhyme), La Catrina (Death) roams around, reminding us that life is beau tiful, and we need to take advantage of it. Where do we go after we die? That is the main question each character asks among them. It’s a story between life and death where the ending will surprise the audience.

More information at StyleMagazine.com www.grupodeteatroindigo.com

H-E-B Thanksgiving Day Parade to be Led by Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson

By StyleMagazine.com - Newswire

bands in the history of the parade," said Mayor Sylvester Turner. "We are thrilled to host this wonderful tradition downtown again, and I look forward to seeing smiles on the faces of children and adults enjoying the parade made possible by our wonderful sponsors."

Mayor Turner and the City of Houston are thrilled to announce official plans for the 73rd An nual H-E-B Thanksgiving Day Parade. This year’s parade will kick-off the holiday season by celebrating Houston and those who make our city a great place to live. The parade’s 2022 Grand Marshal Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson along with Mayor Turner, Honored guest

2021 Grand Marshal, Dr. Peter Hotez and H-E-B will lead the parade on the iconic Tom Turkey float.

"As we celebrate our blessings this year, let us reflect on Houston as a vibrant and welcoming global city that values diversity and inclusion. This year's Thanksgiving Day parade will highlight some of the most in credible talent, floats, and marching

The 73rd Annual H-E-B Thanksgiving Day Parade will take place on Thursday, November 24th at 9 a.m. in downtown Houston. The parade will include a special performance by local rapper Bun B. Additional acts will include Theatre Under the Stars’ (TUTS) Mary Poppins coming to Hous ton in December and the iconic Apache Belles celebrating their 75th anniver sary and 26 years participating in the Thanksgiving Day Parade. Fans will also enjoy high-flying balloons, colorful and unique floats, high-stepping march ing bands, drill teams, and more!

“Whether it’s leading a fantastic parade through downtown, sharing with those in need during challenging times

or filling holiday tables with the fresh est and most flavorful foods available, H-E-B is thankful for the privilege to celebrate with our fellow Houstonians and continue this holiday tradition,” said Lisa Helfman, Senior Director of H-E-B Public Affairs, Houston.

The 73rd Annual H-E-B Thanks giving Day Parade is free and open to the public. A limited number of premium seats are available and can be purchased at houstonthanksgivingparade.org for $28.25 each, including service fee. Curb side space along the route for lawn chairs and blankets will be plentiful. Easy access parking is available along the route, and Metro buses will be running on a holiday schedule. For route and schedule information, please visit www. ridemetro.org

For more Information,Visit

Curtis James Jackson III aka 50 Cent

MEDICARE RECIPIENTS ELIGIBLE FOR FREE BENEFITS COUNSELING FROM HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S AREA AGENCY ON AGING

By StyleMagazine.com - Newswire

The Harris County Area Agency on Aging (AAA), a division of the Houston Health Department, will offer free help for beneficiaries signing up for Medicare options during open enrollment beginning October 15. Ben eficiaries can compare all their Medicare options and make changes to their health or prescription drug coverage for 2023.

“Lower premiums and copays are welcoming news to seniors this year as inflation costs keep rising leaving many seniors on fixed incomes cutting back on necessary items,” said Rose Ortega, a benefits counselor with the agency. “Seniors will see a slight de crease in their Medicare costs that they can apply elsewhere in their monthly budget.”

Face-to-face meetings are offered to clients unable to meet in per son. Clients can still receive guidance by scheduling virtual appointments via Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and by tele phone. Clients need the following items on-hand during appointments:

Medicare card (if changing current benefits)

A list of current medications

Award letter from Social Security or proof of income

Proof of current health insurance

Open enrollment for most beneficiaries may be the only time they can make changes to their Medicare coverage. They can:

Change their Medicare health or prescription drug coverage for 2023;

Change from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan.

Change from Medicare Advantage plan back to Original Medicare.

Decide which plan will meet their needs for 2023;

Check for changes in their plan such as costs;

Check drug coverage; and Check if they will be able to see their preferred doctor or pharmacy.

Beneficiaries have options to save on costs with the Medicare Sav ings Programs (MSP) and Extra Help or Part D Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) programs. The programs assist with

premiums, deductibles, coinsurance, and copays. The LIS program helps reduce the cost of medications.

Enrollment ends December 7, 2022, and new coverage begins January 1, 2023. For more information visit: medicare.gov.

The Ensemble Theatre’s 45th Anniversary Gala “A Reflection of Art and STEMulating Entertainment”

Gala was a night to celebrate the return of artistic excellence. Hous ton Mayor Sylvester Turner hosted a reception held before gala. The Ensemble Theatre’s Gala honors Reverend William A. Lawson with the Legacy of Leadership Award, Dr. Janice Beal with the Commu nity Care Award and Dominique Perry with the Rising Star Award. The Gala featured celebrity guest Olympian Carl Lewis and included performances by The Ensemble Theatre mainstage Actors and pres tigious Young Performers.

2022 ALH Gala: LUMINARIES (Photos courtesy of ALH/Alex Barber)

The ALH Gala "Luminaries" was held on Friday, October 14, 2022 at the Post Houston. For over three decades, Art League Houston (ALH) has honored the brightest lights in the arts community in the state of Texas. The 2022 Honorees: Letitia Huckaby, Earlie Hudnall, Jr., Melanie Lawson, John Guess, Jr. Some of the attendees included Clarice Freeman, Dr. Alvia Wardlaw, Mark Francis, Lester Mark, Seba Suber, Vicki Meek, Robert Hodge, Ray Carrington III, and Kathleen Coleman.