Houston Style Magazine Vol 33 No 39

Publisher Francis Page, Jr. fpagejr@stylemagazine.com

Associate Publisher Lisa Valadez lisa@stylemagazine.com

Managing Editor Jo-Carolyn Goode editorial@stylemagazine.com

Social Media Editor/Videographer Reginald Dominique reggiedominique@me.com

Sports Editor

Brian Barefield brian_barefield@yahoo.com

Food Writer

Alex Jack alexandriajack1991@gmail.com

NATIONAL WRITERS

Jesse Jackson jjackson@rainbowpush.org

Roland Martin www.rolandmartin.com

Judge Greg Mathis www.askjudgemathis.com

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Vicky Pink vhpink@gmail.com

William Ealy Williamealy1906@gmail.com

Mike Munoz artrepreneur91@gmail.com

Robert Franklin editorial@stylemagazine.com

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H-E-B Launches Debit Card That Offers Cash Back on H-E-B Brand Products and Other Perks

By StyleMagazine.com Newswire

H-E-B Debit account offers a spending and savings account with no monthly fees to main tain the account. At H-E-B, it pays to be a Texan. H-E-B has launched a Debit Account program that gives customers five percent cash back on the purchase of qualifying H-E-B brand products.

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©2022 Houston Style Magazine, a Minority Print Media, L.L.C. Company. All Right Reserved. Reproduction in whole or within part without permission is prohibited. Houston Style Magazine has a 2019 Audit by Circulation Verification Council (CVC). Houston Style Magazine is a member of the Texas Publishers Asso ciation (TPA), Texas Community Newspaper Association (TCNA), National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), Independent Free Paper of America (IFPA), Association of Free Community Pa pers (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 Great er Houston Partnership(GHP)

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The cash back program is only available for purchases of eligible items at H-E-B stores and heb.com for Curbside and Home Delivery orders.“At H-E-B, we’re always looking to provide Texans more ways to save,” said Ashwin Nathan, H-E-B Group Vice President of Marketing. “With the H-E-B debit card, customers can have a more rewarding shopping experience that allows them to keep more money in their pockets while enjoying valu able benefits and perks.”Customers can conveniently add funds to their Debit Account by linking another debit card to get funds in minutes, another bank account, adding cash at your nearest H-E-B, or by enrolling in direct deposit to get paid up to two days earlier.

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COMMENTARY

RIP FRANK WATKINS

By Jesse Jackson, National Political Writer

When we think about move ments that change the course of history, we naturally think of their leaders. Yet every movement is dependent on unsung heroes - cre ative, dedicated and passionate people who devote their energy to the cause, beneath the glare of the camera. With the passing of Frank Watkins this week, RainbowPush lost one of the greatest of its heroes - and I lost a piece of my soul. Frank was more than a friend; he was my brother for 52 years in the struggle.

A graduate of divinity school, Frank joined me in 1969 as we were putting together Operation Breadbas ket in Chicago. He helped to develop the corporate covenants that we signed with major corporations, getting them to commit to hire more Blacks, diversify their managerial ranks, invest in the Black and brown communities, and employ Black-owned banks. We also urged African Americans to patronize minority-owned businesses. It was no accident, Frank later noted, that Chi cago is considered the center of Black business."

Frank was indefatigable, filled with ideas and energy and willing to work. A skilled college athlete, he was immediately invited to join our "Grapefruit League," a regular pickup basketball game that we played weekly to blow off steam. By 1975, he became the spokesperson and communications director for PUSH - People United to Serve Humanity. He was far more than that. He was the indispensable right hand. A demon researcher and public scholar, he drafted press releases and worked on speeches and reports. He helped organize me - no small task. He was a constant source of ideas and

memos on what comes next - how we should organize to best be effective.

In 1984, he was a critical part of my first presidential campaign, part press secretary, part strategist, part speechwriter, part researcher. He un derstood how vital the campaign was in registering new voters - Blacks, the young, the poor. In the 1988 campaign, his role expanded as did the campaign. Then he helped conceptualize the cre ation of RainbowPush and the effort to build a new progressive politics that would make America better.

Along the way, Frank somehow found the time to help write and edit several books. He helped edit "Straight from the Heart," a 1987 collection of my speeches, articles and columns that he had often worked on in early drafts. After the 1988 campaign, he combined with Frank Clemente to edit "Keep Hope Alive: Jesse Jackson's 1988 Presidential Campaign" which brought together the message, the agenda, and the strategy of what was an historic campaign.

In 2002, Frank moved to Wash ington, D.C., to become the commu

nications director and press secretary of my son, Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. He joined with Jesse to write "A More Per fect Union: Advancing New American Rights."

That book provides the best example of Frank's conceptual, politi cal and strategic sense. He and my son traced the intertwined history of racial division and economic inequality. They then made the case for movements that would drive the call for new consti tutional amendments grounded in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, arguing that organizing around princi ples unleashed passion in a way that simple policy debates did not. A chapter was devoted to each of the basic rights - to quality health care, to housing, to education, to a clean environment, fair taxes, the right to a decent job, equality for women and the right to vote.

Steeped in the tradition of Martin Luther King, Frank was passion ate about the importance of the right to vote - not only essential to any democ racy, but also to any hope of building a more perfect union. He was astounded

that the Constitution did not guarantee a right to vote - and that the states could control how legislators were chosen. Now, as Republicans echo Trump's big lie that the 2020 election was stolen and systematically seek to pass measures to make voting more difficult, and to give legislatures power to overturn the results of elections that they don't like, we all are coming to realize once more the importance of Frank's passion.

Growing up in St Louis, Frank did not come from a family of radicals. His passion for justice, his deep sense of faith, his experience with the civil rights movement brought him to the indispensable roles he played. In the beginning, his parents had doubts about his course. Over time, however, Frank convinced them - as he did so manyabout the justice of his cause and the importance of his commitment.

Frank was active, creative and engaged to the terrible day when a combination of COVID and pneumonia proved too much. His spirit remains with us all: his faith in Americans, his fierce dedication to fighting for justice, his love for his country. A true hero and a true friend, he will be terribly missed.

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

HBCUs are more than a place for higher education are a legacy, a place you become your true self and where past generations uplift to your destiny. It's your family's history and your community’s future. It's your HBCU. finity the legacy, harmony, necessity, and impact of HBCUs. And as the world the more remain connected to the culture. Just say, "Black Experience," into finity to experience more HBCU. to learn

Plumshuga: The Rise of Lauren Anderson

By Jo-Carolyn Goode, Managing Editor

pistol,” by the New York Times. The pinnacle moment of her career when she got to tell everyone, “nev er tell me what I can’t do,” came in 1990 when she made history as the first African American principal dancer at the Houston Ballet.

Having had danced her way into the history Anderson retired from performing in 2006. Before leaving the stage, she let fans in on a secret that she had been battling for a long time. She was an alcoholic. Her battle with the bottle begins in the same year that she made history. Years of pressure weighed heavily on her, and she was about to crack. Drinking became her plaster to fix the tears.

In a KPRC 2 interview, An derson said she never danced drunk but was hung over. Drinking led to drug use. The birth of her son almost saved her as stopped her alcohol and drug use when she became pregnant. However, she returned to her vices after his birth. Her eye-opening mo ment…going to jail.“I tried to justify in my head, that every fairytale has some conflict. But before I knew it, I was more than a dreaming prin cess. I was an unconscious victim teetering on the brink of death,” said Anderson.

a court-ordered 12-step program, performed community service, par ticipated in an outpatient treatment program, and went alcoholic anon ymous meetings. She hasn't missed a meeting since 2009 and constantly fights her addiction.

Stages explore the ups and downs of Anderson’s life in the new production, Plumshuga: The Rise of Lauren Anderson. Houston Poet Laurette Deborah D.E.E.P Mouton composed the production that blends spoken word, dance, music, and the ater. In this intimate portrayal of a conversation with Anderson at home, DeQuina Moore, another amazing Houston born talent, stars in the character role that goes behind the fourth wall while artists showcase the memories though dance and with music.Houston Ballet and Urban Souls Dance Company partner for this production that stars various versions of Anderson throughout her life.

The lights and glitz of a celebrity's life can have one blinded to the hard times that happen when the lights off. We don't see their strug gles, temptations, and the downside to fame. Prima ballerina Lauren An derson twirled and leaped on some of the world's most renowned stages all while hiding behind dark clouds of body shaming, discrimination, and her personal demon, alcoholism. In Stages Theatre's groundbreaking production, they explore Anderson's secret addition to alcohol that almost ended her career and took her life.

As a young child, Anderson knew the performing arts was her thing. Her parents, Lawrence An derson and Doris Parker-Morales enrolled her in music classes to learn how to play the violin and dances classes. When taking lessons for both art forms got to be too much for the family’s budget, Anderson chose to focus on ballet thinking she could pick up the violin later in life.

Even though, Anderson hadn't seen many ballerinas that looked like her growing up, she knew she wanted to become one. That dream grew bigger after she was blown away by an Arthur Miller production performed by the classically trained Dance Theatre of Harlem. "Who are they?" "How did they do that?" "How can I dance like that?" There were just a few of

the many questions that flooded her mind. Soon thereafter, at the age of seven, Anderson started training at Houston Ballet's Ben Stevenson Academy. One of her first perfor mances with the company was as a mouse in the unforgettable, The Nutcracker.

Under Stevenson's telugu, Anderson was given news that tugged at her self-confidence. Ste venson told Anderson that although she was talented, she would not be successful in the industry because her large, muscular physical features and she should consider musical theater. Anderson’s up and down spiral begin. She became obsessed with trying to lose weight with a meatless diet, reducing the size of her butt, and toning down the size of her legs. While some considered her body a work of chiseled art others saw went against the grain of the tall, slim, no curves, childish look of the traditional ballerina.

Despite everything, Ander son broke through barriers to join the Houston Ballet Academy in 1983 at 18. She would wow audiences here at to those across the waters. Sweet rewards came for Anderson when Stevenson humble himself to appre ciate Anderson the dancer, the talent and the person by creating a ballet just for her. He then started referring to her as a “bombshell” and a “fiery

One night Anderson was pulled over for speeding and to her surprise she had numerous unpaid tickets and there was a warrant for her arrest. Plus, she had some drugs on her person. She cuffed, booked, and spent 10 hours in the Harris County Jail. She set in a dark cell, on a cold bench, looked at her sur roundings and thought, “ Oh, I don’t belon here.

How did I get here, how did I get here?” She was down but she didn’t stay there. She completed

Along with Moore, Kellen Hornbuckle, Kalen Wright, and Da nae McGlothen portray Anderson. The most expensive show in Stages history, Plumshuga features original choreography by Houston Ballet artistic director Stanton Welch and Urban Souls Dance Company artistic director Harrison Guy performed by dancers from Houston Ballet, music by Jasmine Barnes, and original lyr ics by Mouton.

“How I wanted to be is a sugarplum…date-dark skin dusted in my own purple shine,” said An derson.

Lauren Anderson and DeQuiana

Moore,

Photo by Stages

Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton, Photo by Stages

By Dwight Brown,

The mighty women of the Agojie were warriors. From the 1600s to1800s in the West African Kingdom of Dahomey this all-female military regiment gallantly fought their empire’s enemies.

Film fans first glimpsed the Dahomey Amazon legacy in the Marvel movie Black Panther, where the Dora Milaje special forces in the fictional nation of Wakanda were modeled after those fighters. So, an introduction has already been made.

On a visit to Benin in 2015, actress/producer Maria Bello encoun tered the legend of the Agojie, fath omed a movie and with screenwriter Dana Stevens, crafted a fictionalized story of true-life female combatants. Other corroborators include filmmak er Gina Prince-Blythewood, who re searched the women, culture and era, adding her insight; Oscar®-winning actress Viola Davis and her produc tion company; and producer Cathy Schulman (Crash). The project is

largely a female and POC effort.

In 1823, in a region that is now Benin, General Nanisca (Davis) leads a military regiment that serves at the pleasure of young King Ghezo (John Boyega). Her women and girls help protect the embattled kingdom of Dahomey from neighboring ad versaries like the Oyo Empire, led by the murderous Oba Ade (Jimmy Odukoya) and from white Brazil

ian enslavers, commanded by Santo Ferreira (Hero Fiennes Tiffin). Their mission also includes freeing and re leasing captured Africans headed for slave ships.

The wise Nanisca is aided by her top officers, the courageous Izo gie (Lashana Lynch, No Time to Die) and very nurturing Amenza (Sheila Atim, The Underground Railroad). Girls and women vie to enlist in their

army. Nawi (Thuso Mbedu, The Un derground Railroad), an abused and orphaned adolescent, is among the candidates competing for a position in a troop that’s comprised of virgin women who eschew marriage and men. Nanisca eyes the rebellious aspirant, who doesn’t always follow orders but shows no fear and exhibits leadership qualities. The two spar physically and verbally. Nawi: “They say that the soldiers are magic. But you look like an old woman to me.” Conflict and warfare rages around them.

The script sets the premise, time and location. The soldiers, kings and enslavers are large on the page, and even grander on a movie screen. Bigger than life. The rivalries, be

Learning about how Covid 19 spreads and the factors that can increase that risk can help you make informed choices.

You can ask yourself about past and future interactions with others to help

HEALTH: COVID 19 VIRUS-UNDERSTANDING YOUR RISKS

By StyleMagazine.com Newswire

Those who stuck with at least four of the six healthy lifestyle factors cut their odds of dying from prostate cancer by 45%, versus men who adhered to few or none. So which lifestyle has the highest chance of lowering your risk?

For more info, visit houston

Restaurant Review: Enjoy Spicy Beef Rib Noodles and Bold Sichuan Flavors at Mian!

By Culinary Writer

tifully crafted experience. It is a classic Sichuan cold dish that embodies all of the elements of pungent, chewy, gar licky, and, most of all, spicy! As a lover of textured experiences, I enjoyed the chewiness of the wood ear mushrooms. It was an adventure on a plate.

in Sichuan had many textures and sweet flavors. It was a lovely "rescue" from the delightful tingling I experienced from the rest of the meal.

MIAN, which means noodles in Chinese, serves bold, mouth-tin gling flavors and authentic Sich uan noodles in the heart of Houston's Chinatown. James Beard nominated Chef Tony Xu, who created this casual dining concept, as the sister to his first concept Chengdu Taste. Both restau rants originated in California and are both in Houston!

I was invited to this unique noodle restaurant to try their critically acclaimed Sichuan noodles. The deep red hue of their broth drew me in before going, and I knew there would be some spice involved in this experience! As a lover of all things chili oil-related, I had

to try them.

The meal started with the Cab bage appetizer and their Mung Bean Tea. The Cabbage was a cold, pickled dish that had a beautiful crunch and was laced with chili oil. Sichuan flavors have spicy and pungent elements. Having the lightly sweetened and earthy taste of the Mung Bean Tea allowed the tongue to cool after the Cabbage, which was the prelude to the more bold, more adven turous flavors that were to come.

The next appetizer brought out was not something I would have ordered right off hand, but it is definitely on my list of favorite things from MIAN. The Spicy Black Fungus was the most beau

With appreciation for the flavor experiences of the prior dishes, I braced myself for the main dish I had anticipat ed since the moment I saw the pictures, the Spicy Beef Rib Noodles. This dish was visually pleasing, and the taste was explosive. At first sip, the broth was so spicy yet hearty from the bold, beefy flavors. When "spicy" is used, I mean sinus-clearing spicy, but not in the un pleasant way you may think. This was more of a calming spiciness in a soup of this caliber. The broth against the noodles was an excellent coupling that cradled the tender beef rib. The dish's main ingredients, broth, noodles, and beef rib, could stand alone and be tasty, but together they created harmony.

The last dish they brought out was the Sweet Ice Jelly Dessert. This de lightful sweet treat is topped with white sesame seeds, fermented rice, green raisins, brown sugar, hawthorn flakes, and crushed peanuts. A traditional snack

I enjoyed this adventurous meal so much that I returned after my first visit. MIAN is a great place to go if you are looking for something a bit out of the ordinary and full of bold flavor. MIAN is located at 9600 Bellaire Blvd #102b in the Dynasty Plaza. Take a little voyage to MIAN, and experience the Sichuan taste and some of the best "Mian" in Houston.

For more information, visit: MianHouston.com

LEGAL NOTICE

Notice of Destruction of Special Education Records

The Records and Information Management Department of the Houston Independent School District is preparing to destroy personally identifi able information which was maintained to provide educational services for qualifying students. This information includes referral data, notice/ consent documents, assessment reports with supporting data, ARD com mittee deliberations and IEP documents. Records are destroyed 5 years after cessation of services. Cessation of services results when a student graduates, is dismissed from Special Education Services, moves out of district, or drops out of school. Records currently being destroyed are for Special Education students whose services ceased in the 2016 – 2017 school year.

Parents/Guardians of these students or the adult student (aged 18 or over), may contact the Records and Information Management Depart ment at 713-556-6055 before November 18, 2022, should they wish to obtain the record being destroyed. These records may be needed in the future for Social Security benefits or other purposes. ISD 4400 W. 18th Street B Houston, Texas 77092

ARTS: Presents

By

Tickets are on sale now for Houston Ballet’s Good Vibrations. The stage is set with a triple bill full of energy, elation and a long-awaited world premiere.

In The Letter V, created by famously musical choreographer Mark Morris on Houston Ballet in 2015, dancers move to the music of Joseph

Haydn’s Symphony No. 88 in G Major. Stanton Welch’s Red Earth celebrates Australian artistry, transporting audienc es to a world where adversity and emo tions are expressed through movement, accompanied by an original score from Peter Sculthorpe and artwork from set designer Kevin “Pro” Hart.

Audiences may also look forward to the world premiere of Christopher Austin by internationally acclaimed choreog rapher, Arthur Pita.

Originally set to debut in the 2019-2020 season, this work marks the first time Pita has choreographed on Houston Ballet. Set to a commissioned

score by Christopher Austin, with ref erences to The Beach Boy’s legendary song 'Good Vibrations', this program is not to be missed. The production runs from September 22-October 2, 2022, with tickets starting at $25.

For more info, visit houstonballet.org

Visit us at frostbank.com or call (800) 51-FROST.

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Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

The Leader of Houston’s New Majority®

Commentary By Ben Jealous, Special to StyleMagazine.com

Truth is a threat to authoritarianism. Reading is a path to truth. That’s why the freedom to read is essential to the freedom to learn. And that’s why the freedom to learn is often attacked by those who abuse power and those who cling to it.

Every year, the American Library Association and partner orga nizations observe Banned Books Week to highlight and push back against these threats. This year’s Banned Books Week runs from September 18-24 amidst a wave of book bans and other attempts to restrict what people can learn.

Before the Civil War, many slave states made it a crime to teach enslaved people to read. Slaveholders feared that being able to read might help enslaved people gain their freedom or organize rebellions. In Virginia, a judge could order that any slave or free person of color caught learning to read or write be whipped. In our day, attacking the freedom to read is once again a political strategy for those seeking to take and keep power. And once again, Black people are a primary target.

State legislators and governors are making it illegal to teach honestly about the history and reality of racism in our country. Far-right activists are trying to purge schools and libraries of books that feature Black people, LGBTQ people, and others they deem

about racism and sexuality have led to what the American Library Associa tion’s Office of Intellectual Freedom has called an “astronomical” increase in challenges to books. That’s why the an nual celebration of the freedom to read that is Banned Books Week is especially meaningful this year. In addition to the librarians, authors, booksellers, teach ers, and other anti-censorship activists who lead Banned Book Week activities, all of us have a role to play in ensuring the voices of our communities are not silenced.

Books by and about Black peo ple and other people of color—and by

challenged books. This year’s honor ary chairman, George Johnson, is an award-winning Black author whose “All Boys Aren’t Blue” is high on the list of books most challenged last year, along with others dealing with racism, racial identity, and sexuality.

“This is a fight for the truth that has always existed even if it rarely gets told,” Johnson says. “When the youth are empowered with stories about the experiences of others, they become adults who understand the necessity for equity and equality and have the tools to build a world the likes of which we have never seen.” But farright activists tell parents that words like “equity” are code for Marxism

and something they should fight. Trump Republicans are encouraging MAGA activists to take over their school boards by running propaganda campaigns about “critical race theory.”

Trumpish state legislators are introduc ing laws to make it illegal to teach any thing that might make White students experience “discomfort.” One Texas lawmaker demanded information from schools on 850 books he thought were suspect; his list included works on his tory and human rights. In Virginia, Gov. Glenn Youngkin set up an email hotline for people to report teachers suspected of “divisive” practices. Books targeted in the current war on truth include a memoir by Ruby Bridges, which tells the true story about her walking through angry mobs when she was a six-year-old who became the first Black student to attend a New Orleans elementary school that had previously been off-limits to non-White students.

This is an important part of our history. We cannot build a future togeth er if we are not willing to honestly face the truth about our past and our present. Banned Books Week is a good time to commit ourselves to defending the freedom to read, teach, and learn about our history—and to opposing those who want to make it illegal to teach about that history or make it impossible for ed ucators to do so without being smeared and harassed.