Issue 04, Volume 84 by The Cougar

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Issue 4, Volume 84

Remembering the storm

NEWS

Aid for victims

Hurricane Harvey made landfall on Aug. 25, 2017, leaving the city of Houston in turmoil. The year that since passed has seen recovery efforts by Houstonians ranging from business owners to lawyers.

OPINION

Honoring real heroes

Surrounded by exemplary citizens who stopped at nothing to help the community recover after Harvey, why honor Joel Osteen?

| PG. 14

2 | Wednesday, September 5, 2018

NEWS

MICHAEL SLATEN, EDITOR

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NEWS@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM

ACADEMICS

Mental health impacts of Harvey linger a year after the storm C. MCRAE PEAVY

‘Getting replayed' Mental health problems are difficult enough for adults to tackle in the wake of a disaster, but children, who do not perceive events in the same rational manner as adults, can have an even harder time coping. “Every time they hear rain, it’s probably getting replayed in their mind,” said UH College of Nursing professor Shainy Varghese, a pediatric nurse practitioner. “I have talked to some children and parents. They have the common fears when they hear thunder, like: ‘Are we going to lose power again? Do we have to go to a

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A year after Hurricane Harvey devastated the Houston area, individuals impacted by the storm are still in the process of healing, which includes working on the restoration of their mental health. According to a survey by the UTHealth School of Public Health conducted four months after Harvey, 18 percent of those surveyed experienced severe psychological distress — more than four times higher than the 4 percent recorded before the disaster. “The severity of mental health disturbance after potentially traumatic events, like natural disasters, is directly related to the severity of impact or exposure,” said professor Anka Vujanovic, a licensed clinical psychologist and Director of the UH Department of Psychology’s Trauma and Stress Studies Center. “People who were more directly impacted are at greater risk of mental health consequences.” The majority of people impacted by a disaster like Harvey do not develop mental health issues, but those who do may suffer from anxiety, depression, PTSD or problematic alcohol or substance abuse, Vujanovic said. “People more at risk are often the same people who may have had mental health issues or trauma histories predating the storm, which were exacerbated by the events of Harvey,” Vujanovic said.

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COPYRIGHT No part of the newspaper in print or online may be reproduced without the consent of the director of Student Publications.

ISSUE STAFF CLOSING EDITORS

Jasmine Davis Cristobella Durrette COPY EDITING

Morgan Horst COVER

Fiona Legesse

i Heavy storms and thunder, like the one that came through Houston Monday, can cause anxiety in children who had a tramautic experience with Hurricane Harvey. Children will experience feelings that remind them of the disaster. | Michael Slaten/The Cougar

“The kids who have lost everything, for them it's a post traumatic stress disorder.” Shainy Varghese, associate professor shelter? What are we going to eat? When are we going to come back if we have to go?’” The mental health ramifications of a disaster for children also depend on the severity of the loss they experienced, Varghese said. “The kids who have lost everything, for them it’s a post traumatic stress disorder,” Varghese said. “Have they lost some family members, or just some material (things)? It depends on that too.” The process of mental recovery from a disaster in children always depends on a particular child’s age, Varghese said, and it starts with how the parents react. If they are paranoid or anxious during future storms, it can have a negative effect on a child. “For little children, spending time with them is the best thing. Reassure them that Mama is going to be there,” Varghese said. Trauma in kids can usually be dealt with at home, Varghese said, but those who experience prolonged anxiety due to thunderstorms may require professional attention.

“Sometimes kids don’t know how to express their feelings, so talking to an expert will help them to express (them),” Varghese said. “The most important thing is being with your children.”

Impact on adults For adults, negative mental impacts just after a disaster like Harvey are to be expected, Vujanovic said. “It is so important to remember that feeling fearful, sad, or angry during or immediately following a natural disaster is normal,” Vujanovic said. “In the longterm, some people may re-experience some of those feelings when reminded of the disaster.” If those feelings are brief and do not interfere with daily life, Vujanovic said, it can be considered a normal reaction. However, if people experience “excessive, draining, or allconsuming” anxiety during a storm or when they are expecting one, it could be a sign of the necessity of seeking treatment. “Such reactions may be

indicative of post traumatic stress, anxiety or mood disorders,” Vujanovic said. Mental health issues in those affected by a disaster will manifest in symptoms like appetite changes, sleep disturbances, concentration problems or irritability, Vujanovic said. “Taking the time to get rest, eat well, exercise and connect with others on a regular basis is a good practice that can help prevent physiological or psychological issues,” Vujanovic said. “Staying in the present moment or present day can be a beneficial strategy.” Vujanovic also recommends a strategy called balanced thinking. Those who experience mental health effects following a disaster should be aware of their thought processes and realize that thoughts are perceptions of reality, not necessarily the truth of it. “For example, overly negative thoughts, such as, ‘Things will never get better,’ if wholeheartedly believed, can lead to or maintain mood or anxiety problems,” Vujanovic said. “Sometimes, simply creating a mental buffer between ourselves and such thoughts can make a difference in anxiety and mood symptoms.” news@thedailycougar.com

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MICHAEL SLATEN, EDITOR

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NEWS

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Bond approval brings Brays Bayou watershed improvements Harris County voters in August approved a $2.5 billion flood bond to improve flooding control in the area, one year after Hurricane Harvey put the city underwater. The nearest watershed to the University Brays Bayou has 10 planned improvements totaling more than $286 million. The improvements will bring better stormwater drainage and water flow to the bayou that flows into the Houston Ship Channel. One project for Brays Bayou will remove15,000 structures from being in a 100-year-floodpain. Other repairs will reduce flooding risk for thousands of structures in a 100-year-floodplain. | Fiona Legesse/The Cougar 10-11546 Cougar News September 1-print.pdf

8/30/18

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NEWS

MICHAEL SLATEN, EDITOR

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CITY

After Harvey: Native photographer donates nearly 30 years of Houston history MICHAEL SLATEN

CAMPUS EDITOR @MICHAELSLATEN

Four decades of Houston history have been documented by photographer Janice Rubin. From the boom town of the 1970s, to the large cosmopolitan city we now know, Rubin was there to photograph its growth. In early 2017, Rubin was in the beginning stages of donating her photograph archives to the University of Houston Libraries Special Collections. It was important to her that the work be accessible long term. On Aug. 25, 2017, Hurricane Harvey made landfall. Her home took in fifteen inches of water during the storm. Thousands of her photographs were lost. “I worked out of my house,” Rubin said, “I lost a lot of files, journals, all the photography that was in bottom drawers.” After the waters receded, Rubin diligently worked to get her work organized, scanned and donated sooner rather than later, before more could be lost. Rubin secured funding from the Harvey Arts Recovery fund. With that money, she hired a UH student to help her prepare her archives for donation. What would have taken 10 years only took one, she said. Now, much of her film work from 1976 to 2002 will permanently reside in Special Collections.

Documenting Houston When Rubin began photographing Houston in the mid

Longtime Houston photographer Janice Rubin donated much of her film photograph archives to UH Libraries Special Collection after Hurricane Harvey flooded her home. She began documenting Houston in 1976. “I used to go downtown on a Saturday and know most everybody I saw,” said one family member in the article accompanying the family generations photograph. “Now if I see anyone I know, it’s a big surprise.” | Michael Slaten/The Cougar

1970s, Houston’s population was under 1.5 million. She worked for several magazines in the area. In the archives she donated, there are photographs of nearly every political mover and shaker that helped shape the city, including the Klu Klux Klan, Gilley’s club and even a young Jim McIngvale, better known as Mattress Mack. “I really had a unique opportunity to see Houston from its time as a boom town, a place where the whole world was interested in, ‘What is this Houston?’,” Rubin said.

Most of the families living in Houston at the time did not come from generations of native Houstonians, Rubin said. She took interest in finding and photographing the rare families who were. In 1978, Rubin found and photographed families that had four generations of native Houstonians. There might have been a grandparent who was born in the 1890s or early 1900s, she said. “I remember when we could drive a Model T from Bellaire to Post Oak and never pass

Rubin was able to photograph all aspects of Houston in her assignments for various magazines. | Michael Slaten/The Cougar

another car coming or going,” said one family member Rubin photographed for an article written by Martha Walker, which can be found in the donated archives. In the 1970s, cafes, flower shops and all kinds of businesses were open 24 hours a day, Rubin said. Now, Rubin says Houston is a cosmopolitan place. “Houston felt like this vibrant place that everybody wanted to come here and be an entrepreneur,” Rubin said. “Houston made it possible.”

Flooded history Except for studs, Rubin’s home is now bare. There are no floors, no doors and no walls. She lives in a leased property. After her house was flooded, Rubin began searching for what remained of her belongings. Photographs in bottom drawers were lost. A three-ring, 1,800 page binder with tear sheets containing every published piece of Rubin’s work was soaked. From then until winter, she aired out each page in her garage. Then, she photographed what she could. With the remainder of her work and assistance from the Harvey Arts Recovery Fund, Rubin began scanning, organizing and documenting in a spreadsheet all her work she was going to donate. She lost several thousand photos to the flood, and threw away an

additional four or five thousand she thought wouldn’t be of any interest. Rubin began shooting digital in 2002, but she plans to donate those archives as well, said Mary Manning, university archivist and curator of the performing and Visual Art Research Collection. Anyone with an ID can visit the UH Library Special Collections to view Rubin’s life’s work. “The Janice Rubin Photographs vary greatly in subject matter, making them valuable to people with various interests and researchers from different disciplines,” Manning said. Rubin first got the idea for donating her work when she was contacted a few years ago by a man writing a book about the Houston art scene in the late 1970s and 1980s. Rubin had photographed a lot of it. The man suggested she donate her work to UH. Rubin had known photographers who died without making arrangements for their collections. “I wanted to think about some of it at least being preserved in an institution where it can be accessed by others who might learn some things about themselves and the history of Houston,” Rubin said, “and make their own meaning of the work.” news@thedailycougar.com

Wednesday, September 5, 2018 | 5

MICHAEL SLATEN, EDITOR

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NEWS

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IN FOCUSâ&#x20AC;&#x192; HUMAN COST

A victim of her namesake, UH student survives Katrina and Harvey NISHU SIDDIQUE

WEB EDITOR @NISHUSIDDIQUE

Katrina C. Grace is well acquainted with the catastrophic connotations of her name. In 2005, she and her family lost everything to Hurricane Katrina. On the 12th anniversary of the wreckage, the Graces were dealt a haunting reminder by Hurricane Harvey. The family, like many victims, has not fully recovered. "When I meet people and they make a joke about my name, about how much devastation I've caused, I have to stop for a second," Grace said. "I have to stop and make a cognitive decision to not let it phase me. Like yeah, I totally flooded my house and ruined my own life. Funny." Hurricane Katrina destroyed more than 800,000 homes, killed at least 1,836 people and forced 1.5 million people to evacuate. Causing approximately $81 billion in property damages, it is the most costly hurricane to ever make landfall in the United States. Despite this high cost, the financial impact is not nearly as damaging or as long-lasting as the emotional impact. Grace's story makes it apparent that the emotional trauma that accompanies a natural disaster is one many storm survivors never recover from. Grace is a first generation American and daughter to a single mother from Hong Kong. She is a graduate student in the College of Pharmacy at UH.

Not just another evacuation New Orleans is no stranger to hurricanes, nor is Grace a stranger to evacuating from them. Her childhood was regularly punctuated by trips to Houston when the storm watch decreed that the city was fated for disaster. New Orleans has an approximately forty percent chance of experiencing landfall from a tropical storm or hurricane per year, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association. This evacuation from the potential of disaster was her normal, a desensitizing phenomena that provided more of a small vacation than any indication that one day she would not have a home to come back to.

The wreckage from Katrina destroyed the furniture, fixtures and left the home inhabitable. | Courtesy of Katrina C. Grace

That day came in August 2005 when, at 14 years old, Grace unknowingly saw her childhood home intact for the last time. When Hurricane Katrina was forecast, the Graces packed up and traveled to Houston to ride out the storm. The prophetic warnings of the storm and mandatory evacuations made the situation seem more dire than usual. Soon after Hurricane Katrina made landfall, it was clear to everyone that New Orleans was under major duress, politically, socially and physically. "At 14, you just don't grasp how bad it really was," Grace said. Her mother enrolled the two siblings in school in Houston soon after their arrival. They had gone from evacuated residents to refugees of the disaster in a matter of hours. "We had evacuated to Houston, not because we had family here, but we knew people here. That's just what you did during hurricanes, you evacuated," Grace said. "Our host family had gone to our church and the first night, they had 16 kids and 12 adults living there." Houston was their new home, a decision made out of necessity, not purpose. "My brother, Kenneth, he was a junior in high school and sixteen years old at the time. He just cried and cried for nights," Grace said. "Dealing with a new school, SATs, college admissions â&#x20AC;&#x201D; it was so much for a kid that had

lost everything." "Evacuating to Houston right before the start of my junior year in high school, I found my life flipped upside down with that uncertainty," said Kenneth Grace.

The aftermath and recovery The family's one-story home was underwater, all of their possessions irreparably damaged by the floodwaters. The cost of the damage incurred to their possessions was primarily composed of furniture and electronics, including the family's four pianos. The sentimental damage of the catastrophe hit Grace's mother the hardest.

Carmen Yip, a professional piano teacher, watched everything she'd worked toward building in America drift away from her, along with her beloved instruments. The grandest of the set was one that she had imported from her home in Hong Kong, the one she'd practiced her very first song on. Despite being inundated, physically and emotionally, Yip stayed tirelessly optimistic and remains strongly tethered to her faith, which she thinks got her and her family out of both disasters. "I am alive. I got out alive," Yip said. "If that isn't God, I don't

know what is." Despite her confidence that the family would bounce back, there were still several obstacles in their path. Victims of natural disasters experience significant financial setback and FEMA aid rarely comes fast enough. During recovery from Hurricane Katrina, FEMA attempted to hand out debit cards to expedite the process of awarding aid because the system of inspecting homes before giving aid was becoming inefficient. The Graces had financial trouble relocating due to the nature of Yip's job. Grace said she still doesn't understand how her mother kept things so lighthearted around them while dealing with so much. Finances were not the family's only problem. After Katrina, prejudice against Houston's newly relocated residents afflicted the city, spreading the rampant stereotype that victims of Katrina were thieves. In the wake of the natural disaster, a new social disaster developed. Grace can recount many times in school when students avoided her, wouldn't leave possessions near her or mocked her name. Six relocated students were grouped together by the school district, unintentionally placing a target on the students. For Grace, it felt like they were treated like lowly criminals by most of the students and even a few staff. "We all get hell for it, the

A VICTIM

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The grand piano that Carmen Yip had imported from Hong Kong in their New Orleans home. | Courtesy of Katrina C. Grace

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NEWS

MICHAEL SLATEN, EDITOR

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NEWS@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM

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A look back: Campus flooded during Hurricane Harvey Hurricane Harvey, which caused $125 billion in damage, hit the University on Aug. 25, leaving behind flooded residence halls and classrooms. Buildings across campus were impacted by Harvey’s rain. The SC Satellite remains closed due to mold ensuing from Harvey’s waters, and Bayou Oaks apartments flooded when Brays Bayou’s waters engulfed the first floor of the complex. Sidewalks and streets, like those near the MD Anderson Memorial Library, were engulfed by the constant rain showers. People residing on or near campus were evacuated by the Coast Guard as a result. One year later, UH colleges continue efforts to help the community recover. The College of Nursing researched children with post traumatic stress disorder, and the Law Center is providing legal assistance to Houston residents. | Thom Dwyer/The Cougar

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Katrina kids. There was one African American girl and she got it worst, but we all paid," Grace said. "It was dumb, like yes, a church gave me these clothes but we're not going to steal your stuff." Despite all these hindrances, the Graces recovered from Hurricane Katrina.

A bad anniversary gift Twelve years later, on the anniversary of Katrina, Hurricane Harvey made landfall on their new home in Katy. "Fast forward 12 years, my family has to relive this nightmare again. My first reaction was anger. Going through the two most damaging hurricanes in American history was something I couldn't wrap my mind around," Kenneth said. Carmen Yip weathered the storm alone, with Grace at UH and her brother in college in New York. The family convinced themselves that this storm could not be nearly as bad as Katrina. Grace was stranded in Calhoun Lofts with a friend of hers for six days. She had prepared for Harvey by stocking up on food and water. Despite

this preparedness, the apartment began experiencing shortages a few days into the storm. "The Nook and Jimmy Johns started handing out food a few days in," said Grace, which helped the two and other students stay fed. For her mother, the situation was very different. She'd lost everything before and understood exactly what she wanted to save. "When you've been through it once, not much can stop you," Yip said. When the water began seeping into the house, Yip immediately went to work padding the two pianos in the living room with any protective material she could find. As the water poured in, Yip attempted to scoop it out. "When it started getting dark, she got terrified and gave up," Grace said. "She cut the power to the house and decided she had to leave." The neighborhood had been closed off due to dangerous flood levels, but members of the Houston community didn't let that stop them. Around 11:00 p.m. on the first night of Hurricane Harvey, a boat piloted by concerned citizens came through the area and rescued Yip from her second

One of the few family photos Katrina has from her childhood that was found in New Orleans. | Courtesy of Katrina C. Grace

natural disaster. In the aftermath of the storm, the Houston community came together to rebuild houses and people's lives. The citizens of Houston saved Yip's life and gave the Graces a sense of comfort and relief. "We will forever be grateful to this amazing city," Kenneth said. FEMA aid trickled in slowly. By the time FEMA arrived in the Graces' neighborhood, aid was being distributed without

inspection because "it was obvious what had happened here," Grace said. Grace and her family have tried their best to move on. After hurricanes Katrina and Harvey, Katrina Grace sought therapy to help her cope with the emotional trauma caused by the storms. Grace recounted how counseling after both storms did help alleviate some of the tensions, but the emotional impact of the disasters never

fully left her. Grace doesn't have many pictures from her childhood. Her memories and possessions floated away in the floodwaters as if they'd never existed. Her mother lost the pianos she had so desperately tried to save. Despite all this, the Graces consider themselves blessed, but hope this is a trial they never face again. news@thedailycougar.com

Wednesday, September 5, 2018 | 7

MICHAEL SLATEN, EDITOR

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NEWS

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ACADEMICS

Law Center launches consumer assistance program for Harvey victims OSCAR AGUILAR

FEATURES EDITOR @OAGU_16

The University of Houston Law Center launched its Hurricane Consumer Assistance Program July 12 with a $205,000 grant from the Greater Houston Community Foundation to provide legal information relevant to future disasters and assist with Houston consumer issues ensuing from Hurricane Harvey. Hurricane Harvey cost a total of $125 billion – the second most expensive disaster after Hurricane Katrina, according to the Texas Tribune. Houston residents have experienced land-lord tenant issues and contractor disputes — among other consumer issues — while trying to rebuild. The University of Houston Law Center launched the Hurricane Consumer Assistance Program to provide legal services and information to people dealing with similar issues

Ryan Marquez (left), a professor of practice at the Law Center, will lead the Hurricane Consumer Assistance Program, where he and law students will provide legal assistance and information to Houston residents dealing with issues ensuing from Hurricane Harvey. Tim Sullivan (right) is a recent graduate helping the clinic. | Michael Slaten/The Cougar

and prepare them for future disasters. “We’re trying to get legal information or legal services

to at least 1,000 individuals," said Ryan Marquez, a professor leading the program at the Law Center. “In Texas, there’s very

little protections, so you have to be more vigilant than maybe you would have to be in other states.” Marquez and a group of

students will provide legal services to eligible individuals, such as sending demand letters, and offer community presentations around Houston to explain the rights of Texas residents. Harris County and Houston residents qualify to receive help from the program as long as they have a case, Marquez said. The Greater Houston Community Foundation also set six preference categories: low income, LGBTQ, elderly, undocumented individuals, households with students or children and residents who didn’t qualify for FEMA. Although they’re prepared to help Houston residents across the city, Marquez said they’re focusing on Third Ward residents. The Law Center began the program by helping around 25

LAW CENTER

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UHRecreation uh.edu/recreation

STRENGTHENING THE PRIDE OUTDOOR ADVENTURE

INTRAMURAL SPORTS TOURNAMENTS

DATE

TIME

Kickball 8v8 Badminton Singles 9-Ball Pool Singles Table Tennis Singles Cougar Combine

9/7 9/21 10/5 10/19 11/9

3:00 - 7:00 pm 3:00 - 7:00 pm 3:00 - 7:00 pm 3:00 - 7:00 pm 3:00 - 7:00 pm

9/5 at 5:00 pm 9/21 at 3:00 pm 10/5 at 3:00 pm 10/19 at 3:00 pm 11/9 at 3:00 pm

LEAGUE SPORTS REGISTER BY

Tour de Houston Bike Ride Saturday , September 15 $15 - UH Student Whether you’re a Texas native or UH is your first experience with the state, this trip could be your chance to explore the theater/museum district, historic Texas Avenue, the sports stadiums and much more. Price includes food, transportation, gear, and guides. Registration deadline 9/7 at 5pm.

PLAY BEGINS

Indoor Soccer 5v5 9/5 9/9 Flag Football 7v7 9/5 9/9 Indoor Cricket 5v5 9/12 9/14 Register on myrec.uh.edu, for a full listings, visit: uh.edu/recreation

AQUATICS

HIRING LIFEGUARDS For those interested in beconming a lifeguard, visit: uh.edu/recreation

Visit the website for more information trips: uh.edu/recreation

AMERICAN RED CROSS TRAINING The American Red Cross Lifeguard training provides individuals with the necessary skills and knowledge to keep patrons of aquatic facilities safe in and around water.

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9/5

10/19-10/21

10/10

11/2-11/4

10/31

Friday 3pm - 10pm Saturday and Sunday 8am- 8pm Price: $225.00

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GAIN THE KNOWLEDGE YOU NEED TO BECOME A GROUP FITNESS INSTRUCTOR! Sign up for this $35.00 Prep Course taught on Wednesdays, 9/26-11/14 from 2-4pm. Free textbook rental to the first 5 sign-ups.

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NEWS

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CITY

Mattress Mack continues community outreach a year after Hurricane Harvey ALANA HOWARD

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR @IAMALANAHOWARD

During Hurricane Harvey, Gallery Furniture owner Jim McIngvale opened the doors to his North Freeway and Grand Parkway locations to serve as refuge shelters, housing individuals displaced by the storm. According to the Huffington Post, McIngvale, better known as “Mattress Mack,” not only provided shelter for storm victims but also helped to rescue evacuees. Seeing a need for resources in the greater Houston community after Hurricane Harvey, McIngvale partnered with The WorkFaith Connection. A Christ-centered organization, The WorkFaith Connection “exists to encourage disadvantaged job seekers in their hope for a better future and to equip them with the skills and beliefs to gain employment and lead healthy, productive and spiritually rich lives,” according to their website. To combat the increase in unemployment due to damages caused by Harvey, The WorkFaith Connection aims to bridge the unemployment gap by preparing individuals for their next job. With Gallery Furniture’s implementation of a community center in its stores, The WorkFaith Connection will be even more accessible and successful than it was before.

LAW CENTER

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people draft demand letters, Marquez said. “I mean, sometimes demand notices can only get you what the person has,” Marquez said. “You can’t squeeze water out of a rock, but I think the main help is helping people know where they stand with different things.” Sometimes people have no legal recourse left, so the information helps them decide whether they want to continue pursuing the matter, Marquez said, and they’ll understand what their rights are for future situations. People will know how to apply for FEMA, spend insurance money, deal with landlordtenant issues and more with the information the program provides, he said.

Gallery Furniture will open community outreach centers this fall at its stores. The first one will open at its North Freeway location. | Alana Howard/The Cougar

“What Mack is doing is expanding our reach,” said CEO of the WorkFaith Connection Sandy Schultz. “We’ve already helped 5,000 job seekers return to work, but this will be an opportunity for us to work on a larger scale.” When asked about his motivation for incorporating community centers into his retail stores, McIngvale said he began to realize that there are a lot of people in this city that need help and access to certain resources, including opportunities for employment,

Schultz said. “We equip them to be successful in their job search, find a coach to work with them one on one and additionally, we try to keep them motivated,” Schultz said. Most people that come to the WorkFaith Connection receive a job within 90 days. Half of the people that come to the WorkFaith Connection organization are people that are just being released from prison, and the other half face difficulties with life, whether it be after a divorce, low

work experience, displaced individuals and more, she said. “I think that was what Mack was very sensitive to. There’s a lot of people that have barriers, and that is going to make it harder for them to become employed,” Schultz said. “As Mack would talk to them, he began to be aware that there were a lot of people in his store whose homes were flooded, but also were either unemployed or underemployed,” Schultz said. “So, what Harvey did was (bring) a problem into light that already existed in our city, and it just

brought it to the forefront so that our city could band together to find a way to address the problem.” As part of a continued partnership with the WorkFaith Connection, Gallery Furniture will begin providing access to community outreach programs at the North Freeway location in mid-September. The program is expected to branch out to the West Houston location, but the exact date has not been confirmed, Schultz said.

Common misconceptions

Though people have a right to terminate in these cases, Marquez said it’s not automatic. Tenants still have to pay rent until the lease is officially terminated, but they’re entitled to a refund from the date of termination since rent is usually paid in advance. In cases with partial inhabitability, tenants can petition for rent reduction if they file a lawsuit, making it more difficult than cases of complete inhabitability, he said. Individuals who cease paying rent as a response complicate the process, he said. Under the repair statute, landlords have no obligation to repair a residence if their tenant hasn’t paid rent, and tenants can now face legal consequences for violating their lease. Landlords who have insurance also have no obligation to begin reparations until they receive funds from their insurer, he said.

“An adjuster would have to come out, approve it, cut the check and then the time line would start for the landlord to make repairs,” Marquez said.

Marquez said it’s safer to hire a contractor project by project. If a contractor can’t efficiently complete a smaller project, then they likely won’t do a good job on your entire house, he said. Marquez said law students learn how to give legal advice to clients — even if it’s difficult to hear. Students learn how to draft demand letters, formulate strategy and learn how to communicate with their clients, he said. Janet Heppard, a clinical director at the Law Center, said the program helps law students gain the knowledge they’ll need to help people in the future. “Being able to do these training classes in the hopes that when these students get out, they’ll feel more comfortable jumping in and volunteering,” Heppard said.

A lot of questions immediately after Harvey dealt with FEMA applications, Marquez said, but clients are now primarily dealing with repair and contractor issues. Marquez said there’s no warranty of habitability in Texas, meaning people’s leases aren’t automatically canceled because of damage. The repair statute set specific guidelines for repairs. For example, if a residence is completely uninhabitable, then tenants have the right to terminate their lease, but they must first send a written notice to the landlord. Tenants also have to clear the residence on the day of the termination. Landlords hold the right to refuse a tenant’s written request in a case of complete inhabitability, but tenants can take their case to court, Marquez said.

'Your one shot' Marquez said people misinterpret their rights when dealing with contractors. In cases where contractors fail to meet set standards, individuals have to send a written notice explaining what’s wrong for them to rectify the problem. People have to specify the set standards in writing, not verbally, if they want legal protection, Marquez said. “All that matters is what’s on the contract,” Marquez said. “This is usually your one shot to repair things with the money you've got, whether it’s FEMA money or money in your bank.” While it’s less expensive to pay one contractor for the entire job,

news@thedailycougar.com

Wednesday, September 5, 2018 | 9

ANDRES CHIO, EDITOR

THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/SPORTS

SPORTS

SPORTS@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM

713-743-5303

HARVEY

Sampson calls on nation to help those hurt by Harvey TRENTON WHITING

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR @TRENTONWHITING

In August 2017, Hurricane Harvey displaced thousands and took several lives. Among places impacted by the storm, Houston was on the receiving end of one of the costliest natural disasters in U.S. history. As the city surveyed the destruction, UH men's basketball coach Kelvin Sampson was busy devising a campaign to clothe the countless Houstonians separated from their homes and possessions in the aftermath. "It seemed like the city was underwater," Sampson said, "I was getting numerous calls from friends and people who cared, they could see how bad it was so they kept asking 'are you alright?' But they all ended the conversation with 'man, is there anything we can do to help?'" Sampson knew they could, but at that point, did not know how. The vision for the plan became all too clear after Sampson and his family watched a news broadcast that featured a women holding her son as they evacuated on a fishing boat. "She kept readjusting him so he didn't dip into the water," Sampson said. "I was thinking, that Monday would've been the first day of school for public schools in Houston." Families finished preparing their children for school just in time for Harvey to destroy their hard work. Kids lost clothes and homes, and they had next to nothing left after the storm. After seeing this, Sampson realized how his friends could help. Sampson knew that sports programs around the country all had some amount of extra clothes. Whether they were athletic shorts or shoes, most schools had something that they could contribute. With this knowledge, Coach Sampson and his children tweeted a challenge to those schools to donate the extras to the struggling Houston families. "I remember sitting down at my kitchen table writing down what I wanted to tweet," Coach Sampson said, "I still have that envelope in my house. I'll keep that forever, probably."

After Sampson crafted the tweet, with the help of his children Lauren and Kellen, they sent it to just about every basketball program in the United States. They sent it to D1, D2 and D3 schools. They sent it to Men's and Women's programs. Every school got the request to donate 20 t-shirts, and 10 pairs of shoes. Sampson also took advantage of his friendship with national sports news personalities. He asked them to help him push his challenge to a national level so it couldn't be ignored. Any and all donations were accepted. Sampson didn't pressure any schools to donate, but he urged participation from anyone with the means to contribute. Sampson never expected the amount of support his efforts and the city of Houston received. "It's one of those things, be careful what you ask for," Sampson said. "We were getting in excess of 500 to 700 boxes a day." And most schools who participated were not sending 20 t-shirts or 10 pairs of shoes. They were sending 150 t-shirts. Some sent 20 pairs of shoes. After weeks of receiving highvolume donations, Sampson and the team had amassed thousands of shirts, pants and shoes from more than 600 different schools — and from programs of nearly every sport. Over the next several weeks, staff members separated, collected and helped distribute clothes to people affected by the hurricane. Sampson's daughter, Lauren, spearheaded these efforts, and she had all hands on deck to help make order from the chaos of a nation's donations. The team completely suspended all basketball activities for 10 days while it organized and prepared donations for distribution. When it was finally time for the gifts to be distributed, people came out in droves to accept the aid. The effect on the community was indisputably positive. Later, during the season on the bus rides to Texas

HARVEY AID

Continues on page 10

Head coach Kelvin Sampson's call for aid was answered by 631 universities, 436 high schools and hundreds more businesses, middle schools, individuals and other organizations. The organizations sent shirts, shorts, pants, shoes and more to the University to be distributed out to those in need across the city. | Courtesy of UH Athletics

BEHIND EVERY GREAT GAME THERE’S A SOLID GAME PLAN. HAVE A SAFE RIDE HOME.

69%

of college students used a designated driver when they socialized during the last school year.

Source: National College Health Assessment 2016

Anheuser-Busch: AB CSR

Production Job# 304481

Project Name: Trim Size:

Item Number: PCA2017011 Date/Round:

CSR College Talk 6" x 7"

Creative Job# XXXXXX

10 | Wednesday, September 5, 2018

SPORTS ANDRES CHIO, EDITOR

THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/SPORTS

SPORTS@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM

713-743-5303

SOCCER

Soccer player's return has given team a key weapon JHAIR ROMERO

STAFF WRITER @JUSTJHAIR

Sunlight was beginning to fade across the Texas sky as the Cougars took the field at the Carl Lewis Complex for their home opener against the Prairie View A&M Panthers. It was the first home game of the season, but for one of the Cougars’ best players, it was a homecoming after not playing for the entire 2017 season. Things were different for junior Desiree Bowen two years ago. She led the women's soccer team with 14 points and seven goals in 2016 and was one of the Cougars' star players as a sophomore. Although UH finished with a disappointing 8–10–3 record and went 1–6–2 in the American Athletic Conference, it was clear that the team had a bright future. Bowen put up numbers that placed her high in the program’s record books. Her hat trick against New Mexico State in 2016 is tied for the second-most goals scored in a game by a Cougar, and her .44 goals per game that fall is ranked eighth all-time. That following winter, Chris Pfau resigned as head coach for Houston and Diego Bocanegra was brought in to lead the team.

HARVEY AID

Continued from page 9 Southern's basketball stadium, the team could see kids and adults wearing new athletic clothes from all over the nation. The drive was an exercise of human empathy, and the country's response renewed many on the teams' faith in humanity. Sampson and his team's effort is just one example of how effective people can be when they band together. Even in the city, neighbors helped each other get back on their feet. The people of Houston worked together to rebuild after collectively absorbing the pain caused by Harvey. "It was just people helping people," Sampson said, "Disasters don't care who they're hitting. They're just going to hit

That spring, after a series of events took a toll on Bowen's academic and personal life, the decision was made that Houston's top striker would sit out the 2017 season. “When you play soccer in college, it’s hard for you to find balance in your life,” Bowen said. “You have soccer, school… you need time for yourself.” Bowen credits family, faith and her team for helping her get back on track during the rough patch. “The coaching staff, my family and God is what helped me come back stronger than ever,” Bowen said. Although Bowen did not take to the field, she stuck around her team last fall. She watched them take the field with a new coach, while she focused on improving herself academically and athletically. By summer’s end, Bowen was set to return. Bowen's first game back was in a 3–1 loss against HBU, but Bowen finished the game with team-leading five shots. The second game of the season against Lamar did not end much better, a 2-0 loss. A little under 12 minutes into the game against PVAMU on Aug. 24, Bowen was finally able to net her first goal of the season. Fourty-seven minutes

It took time for junior Desiree Bowen to shake off the rust, but now she getting back into her old form. Bowen leads Houston with eight shots on goal and two goals this season. | Courtesy of Stephen Pinchback/UH Athletics

later she shot a rocket that flew right past the opposing goalkeeper to put Houston up 4–0. “It was definitely a good feeling putting the ball in the back of the net,” Bowen said. “It was a great feeling.” With the help of Bowen’s goals, the Cougars won 5–0, the first

time the team has scored five goals in one game since entering the AAC and the first time since a 9–0 rout of Texas Southern in 2011. When asked what motivated Bowen's return to soccer, she said her teammates’ 2017 campaign under Bocanegra. “Watching (Houston’s) games

and seeing how good they did in the first year of (Bocanegra) just really excited me, and I was ready to come back,” she said. Sure enough, Bowen’s lucky No. 7 found itself on the lineup again for the Cougars, and she has been on fire since. sports@thedailycougar.com

you. I was really proud of our city and the way we handled that." Though the people involved in this push were integral parts of helping people reclaim their lives after Harvey, their humility allowed them to recognize their contribution without inflating their egos. "In the big picture, it was a very small thing," Sampson said, "but even if we could've helped just one person, it was worth it." For the people they helped and the city of Houston, it was much more than just a small thing. A gesture that will be remembered as one of the most important efforts after the most destructive storm in Houston history can be simply explained: Neighbors just wanted to help neighbors. sports@thedailycougar.com

Head coach Kelvin Sampson (right) and athletes helped prepare clothes to be donated. | Courtesy of UH Athletics

Wednesday, September 5, 2018 | 11

ANDRES CHIO, EDITOR

THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/SPORTS

SPORTS

SPORTS@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM

713-743-5303

Cougars extend Bayou Bucket win streak to four games and earn 31st win in the series

The Cougars defeated the Owls 45-27 on Saturday at Rice Stadium to win the Bayou Bucket once again. The score is a bit misleading though, as the Cougars trailed for most of the first half before a surge in second half put the team ahead. Junior defensive tackle Ed Oliver (No.10) led the defense with 13 tackles while junior quarterback D'Eriq King (No. 4) threw for over 300 yards and scored four touchdowns, a career high. Houston faces Arizona and ex-UH head coach Kevin Sumlin at 11 a.m. on Saturday at TDECU Stadium. | Courtesy of Steven Pinchback/UH Athletics

Do you want your voice to be heard by over

40,000? Join The Cougarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s writing staff! Fill out an application on Get Involved facebook.com/TheDailyCougar

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12 | Wednesday, September 5, 2018

SPORTS ANDRES CHIO, EDITOR

THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/SPORTS

SPORTS@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM

713-743-5303

VOLLEYBALL

Roundtable Q&A: Freshman provide new outlook for volleyball team

The volleyball team is 8-0, its best start since 1987, and freshmen Kendal Haywood(left) leads the volleyball team in blocks and is third in kills this season. | Courtesy of Stephen Pinchback/UH Athletics

BRAYLEY CROWE

STAFF WRITER

@BRAYLEYCROWE

The Cougars' volleyball team is off to its best start in years with a 8-0 record so far, in part due to the help from some of the its newest editions. The Cougar spoke with freshmen Kelsey Childers, Jordan Lockwood, Kendal Haywood and Alexis Cheatum about new experiences, goals for the season and what it has been like joining the team.

I kind of let it go and realized I was playing with my friends and just had fun with it.”

Cheatum: “I think there’s a lot of adrenaline. Then whenever you get into the game and just relax, the adrenaline turns into positive excitement.”

TC: How long have you been playing volleyball and how did you get into it? Childers: “I have been playing

Childers: “It’s been something that

volleyball since I was 10, and I got into it because my older sister played volleyball throughout her life, in high school and club, and played competitively, and I had always looked up to her as a role model.”

I have dreamed of a long time, so for it to actually be a reality now is very cool, and something I don’t want to take for granted. It's fun competing with all my friends, we’re all like sisters. It’s definitely a lot different than high school and club, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

Lockwood: “I’ve been playing volleyball since I was in seventh grade, and I started because I have two sisters who also play, and me and my older sister are extremely competitive, so I always felt like I had to be better than her.”

Lockwood: “It wasn’t as

Haywood: “I started playing

intimidating as I thought — because you always sit at home and watch college volleyball, and it's really fast and intimidating. They didn’t scare me as much as I thought they would.”

volleyball when I was 11, and the reason why I started playing was I was the only one in the family who wasn’t playing sports. So my mom was like ‘why don’t you try volleyball?’ and so I just stuck with it. My mom pushed me to play.”

The Cougar: What was it like playing in your first college volleyball game?

Haywood: “For me, I was nervous at first and then once I started playing,

Cheatum: “I’ve been playing volleyball since I was 12, and I got into it because I was bored at home and my friend invited me out to a camp.”

TC: How have you enjoyed your first few weeks at UH? Childers: “It was not as hard of a transition as I thought it would be. And you can really tell that all the students and professors and staff and everyone here is a big family, which I really like a lot. Everyone is just involved with everything, which is awesome.” Lockwood: “I really relied on movies for my first idea of college, and when I got here, it was nothing like I thought. But the athletics program is a lot different than regular students.” Haywood: “I’m from 45 minutes away, but it’s still a little tough, because I’m not at home. It took me a little bit to adjust. Like I can’t go home with my parents, I have to stay. I think I’m getting used to it more and more, hanging out with the volleyball team and having a busy schedule, I don’t really think about not being at home.” Cheatum: “I have been loving it so far. The team really made it an easy transition.”

TC: Who is someone you look up to on the team and why? Childers: “I definitely look up to Abby Irvine. She’s very positive on and off the court, and she’s one of the hardest workers I’ve ever met. Every time I play with her, it just drives me to be better.” Lockwood: “I look up to Chenelle Walker, because somehow she finds the time to manage a bunch of different things at once. She’s a part of a bunch of different organizations, she knows a bunch of people, and after my four years here, I would like to be a Chenelle Walker.” Haywood: “I look up to Katie Karbo because she never lets a ball hit the floor and she’s always going 110 percent, and I can always trust her to have my back on and off the court.” Cheatum: “Someone I look up to on the team is Abby Giles, because her heart is tremendous and her work ethic is unmatched.”

TC: Which game are you most excited for this season? Childers: “I am most excited for Wichita State, because they are a very high level team, but I feel like we have so much drive and passion this year that we’re all ready to play against them and see what we can do against them.”

Lockwood: “I am most excited for the Tulsa game. I know a lot of people on that team, which serves as really good motivation because they’ve always been older than me and on a better team.” Haywood: “I also look forward to Wichita State. I feel like we’re the underdogs right now and they went undefeated last season. It would be really good motivation.” Cheatum: “I’m really excited for the SMU game because we are big rivals. We need to show them who runs Texas in the American Athletic Conference.”

TC: Biggest goal you have this season? Childers: “To go undefeated at home and to win conference, and to make it to post season.” Lockwood: “Break the freshman stereotype of not playing, and earn a starting position.” Haywood: “My biggest goal is definitely going to the NCAA Tournament. And put Houston volleyball on the map.” Cheatum: “Earn a starting spot and be conference champs.”

sports@thedailycougar.com

Wednesday, September 5, 2018 | 13

VACANT, EDITOR

THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/OPINION

OPINION

OPINION@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM

713-743-5304

EDITORS

Letter from the Editor: The Cougar is greater than the sum of its parts

have never been for school spirit. It’s just never been me. My goal in college was to be black and educated and go on to be successful in whatever my heart desired. Going into journalism, I needed to start somewhere. There was only one organization on campus that could even remotely guide my growth. The Cougar is many things outside what our constitution and mission statements say of being a learning laboratory. We are a group of peers, coworkers, competitors, and the kind of family that you’ve always wanted but never knew you needed. Walking into The Cougar, it felt like that one scene in “The Post” where phones are ringing and typewriters are clicking inside the New York Times. Little did I know, I walked in on the busiest day of the week — print day. I was thrown off and anxious for my first time being in a newsroom. Everyone seemed so important, almost untouchable.

After meeting with the opinion editor at the time, I felt an air of opportunity: The opportunity to be the best person in the newsroom. I excluded myself from the social aspect of the organization and wanted to be known only for my writing. Nothing more, nothing less. I guess it worked, because the next semester I became a senior staff writer. A few months later, I was the opinion editor. That’s when my perception of working for The Cougar changed. This was my first glimpse of what it feels like to have a group of people directly depend on me. Not just my fellow editors, but also my staff of 15 opinion writers. In a few months’ time, I embarked on something that I vowed to never do. Not only did I earn a brand new position at The Cougar — the features editor — but it was also at the news desk, something that I had previously only hated from afar. I didn’t know it then,

but this was the start of my passion for both the art of journalism and my organization. I spent the months that followed gaining footing at what it means to do capital “J” journalism. I was a face to UH community and was becoming more and more a part of the family that is The Cougar. After a month of hints pushing me toward responsibility I didn’t feel ready for, I blinked and became the editor in chief. Let me say again, I was not ready for this job. But no one is ever ready. You can never be fully ready for someone to question a talent you’ve spent months refining. You can never be ready for editors to leave unexpectedly due to family illnesses. And you can never be ready to make mistakes that not only affect you, but reverberate across the entire paper and staff. However, what you gain from all of that is something that you will never lose, regardless

Dana C. Jones served as editor in chief of The Cougar from May through August of 2018, but he has been an active member of The Cougar and the Center for Student Media since Fall 2016, when he joined as a writer. His successor is expected to take over after September 13. | Fiona Legesse/The Cougar

of whether you go into journalism. You learn to wear many hats at once: a coach, a team player, a mentor. More

importantly, you learn to care about something that

SUM OF ITS PARTS

Continues on page 15

Letter from the Former Editor: Covering Hurricane Harvey, one year later

his time last year, my family and I were the last men standing in Meadow Glen, a Cinco Ranch neighborhood nestled just on the edge of the Barker Reservoir. The threat of flooding led every other household on the block to evacuate in lifted trucks, or later, airboats, while we were determined to stick it out as long as possible. Sloshing through 9 inches of brown water, I took my Facebook friends on a tour of the first floor of our flooded home. Here, you can see the floorboards floating; over here, out the front door, the lake that used to be a street. Eerily, the only signs of anything amiss were the wading required to traverse the first floor and the constant hum of airboats searching for families in distress. The water never rose high enough to short the electricity, so we enjoyed hot coffee and air conditioning while deciding what to do next. In that state of relative comfort, while my family moved furniture and packed up belongings, I ran The Cougar. That instinct to document the flood from home via Facebook Live extended to UH: If the school newspaper didn’t record what happened when 51 inches of rain dropped, no

one would. The staff agreed with my conviction. They wrote about students who stuck out the storm at Cullen Oaks; President Renu Khator’s visit to the Moody dining hall; a UH student who served in the Texas National Guard, which mobilized during the storm; the few buildings that did flood on campus; UH students who rescued senior citizens living in the Third Ward, and so much more. Like everyone else who could, much of The Cougar staff evacuated. From Austin, the sports editor reported on the football team’s practice at UT. From Laredo, another staff member wrote about evacuating to Corpus Christi — then leaving again as Harvey’s eye approached. From Dallas, another editor wrote about basketball coach Kelvin Sampson’s nationwide appeal for donations from sports teams large and small. Eventually, my family evacuated in a boat, and we stayed with friends while waiting for waters to recede; other editors were in Austin and dryer locations in Houston. We directed the coverage, edited it, tweeted it and compiled it into email editions. All that coverage appeared online while UH was closed. When classes

reconvened after a week off, a new challenge arrived: Writing and editing at least a dozen more stories for our weekly print edition — in one day. When students returned to campus, they deserved a thorough report of how the storm was impacting the University. That issue including even more Harvey reporting, including coverage of flooding at Bayou Oaks; a premonition from a sports editor that such a tragedy would lead to city to rally around the Astros; an explanation of how the University prepares for hurricanes; and commentary on other catastrophic flooding around the world. That Sept. 6, 2017 issue of The Cougar, among four others from 2017-18, led this newspaper to be named a finalist for the highest award in college journalism: the Pacemaker. That’s right; the paper you’re holding right now is one of the top 37 collegiate publications in the United States. The Cougar is proud to have served this campus during Hurricane Harvey, a time when accurate, timely reporting could mean life or death. Some say Hurricane Harvey was a 1,000-year storm, never to be

Emily Burleson served as Editor-in-Chief of The Cougar from May 2017 through April 2018. | Courtesy of Emily Burleson/The Cougar

seen again in our lifetimes. Others say anthropogenic climate change means Harvey is just the first wave of catastrophic storms across the Gulf. If the second is true, please know you can turn to the hardworking reporters and editors at The Cougar;

I know they’ll be busting their asses to bring you what you need to know. Emily Burleson is the former Editor-in-Chief of The Cougar and a print journalism and history senior. She can be reached at opinion@thedailycougar. com

14 | Wednesday, September 5, 2018

OPINION VACANT, EDITOR

THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/OPINION

OPINION@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM

713-743-5304

STAFF ED

In the era of image-based philanthropy, Joel Osteen is king

few days before the first anniversary of Hurricane Harvey, the City of Houston presented Joel Osteen an award for his efforts in helping people during the storm. But Osteen’s initial actions during the storm proved his aid was just to help his image as Houston’s great holy man and not a true testament to his spirit, unlike the actions of other Houston celebrities like Jim McIngvale, better known as Gallery Furniture owner "Mattress Mack." Harvey made landfall on Friday, Aug. 25, 2017, and pummeled Houston with record-breaking rain over the course of the following week. During those hard times, neighbors helped neighbors, strangers helped strangers and the city came together without hesitation around a common struggle. On Aug. 27, "Mattress Mack" had already opened the doors to his stores located around the heart of the city to anyone in need, and he gave out his cell number live over Facebook. Meanwhile, 13 miles south, Osteen’s megachurch had

closed its doors to the city and its people. Lakewood Church, a building that can accommodate thousands, sat empty. By Monday, Aug. 28, the Gallery Furnitures were filled to capacity with 800 people each. The stores allowed victims of the storm to sleep on both the display furniture and furniture pulled out from storage. Anyone on the city council can request a proclamation. Councilman Jack Christie did for Osteen’s Lakewood church. Osteen and his wife received the award standing by the smiling faces of Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, and U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee. How embarrassing for the city council and the city as a whole to honor Lakewood Church. Mattress Mack on the other hand is opening community outreach centers at his stores this fall. He saw the real issues behind the people needing most help. Those who are unemployed or underemployed are at more risk when disaster strikes. Mattress Mack helped the community when it needed

As honorary Houston hero and Gallery Furniture owner Jim McIngvale, better known as "Mattress Mack" opened his doors and heart to more than 1,000 stranded Houstonians, Joel Osteen sat behind the closed doors of Lakewood Church, a megastructure built to hold thousands. | Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/user: RobertMWorsham

it, unlike Osteen, and now he is putting resources where they will help in the long term. That afternoon, Osteen said on twitter, “Our hearts break as we see the damage and destruction in our city. Please join us in helping Houston recover.” and sent a link to his personal website for other people to donate money. Social media roasted Osteen

for his tweet and it was not until the next day that Osteen opened the doors of the Lakewood Church to those in need. The city should have recognized the acts of Mack and other Houstonians who did not hesitate to help others. But if you criticize someone for their failures, you must recognize their successes.

Since the storm, Osteen has done his part in raising money for victims and helping those in need and for that he does deserve credit. It is in high pressure moments that a person’s true spirit comes out, and Osteen’s was as murky as the water. editor@thedailycougar.com

FILM

A film named "Harvey" weathers a new storm of controversy post-disaster

hortly after the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Harvey this upcoming September, the locally shot and produced fictional film, BINISH AZHER "Harvey," will CONTRIBUTING be released. The film’s WRITER exploitation of tragedy in the hopes of seeking Hollywood renown is at the expense of Houstonians and the hardships they faced during Harvey. Inspired by the heroism displayed during Hurricane Harvey, the film hopes to shed

worship

Multiple films since the rebound” after the damages tragedy have been produced incurred by the storm. and hope to tell a similar Ferguson and DenChukwu story, including a project both believe that Houston’s by the Insurance Council of landscape is the backbone of Texas. its appeal. In telling these stories, The cityscape and filmmakers can forget that architectural structures Harvey’s impact lasts longer make for versatile filming than a film’s running time for locations, and with a disaster many individuals impacted by like Harvey, such appeal was theCATHOLIC storm.MASS ON CAMPUS at risk of being permanently SUNDAYS: 10:45film’s AM - Religion Center The release shows that compromised. 6:00 PM - Catholic Center WEEKDAYS: these fictional interpretations However, the storm didn’t Tuesday—Friday 12:00 Noon CATHOLIC NEWMAN CENTER of real loss and struggle are just take a significant toll on SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE Confession: Before or After Masses Officetoo # (713) 748-2529 coming soon after the Houston’s filming locations; First Service: 7:15 am tragedy for families that have it also caused significant Second Service: 9:00 am Third Service: experienced significant loss. am damage to the11:00 greater Fourth Service: 1:00 pm A film like "Harvey" being Houston area, displacing Inspiration for the film Sunday School: 9:00 am numerous families with severe released only a year after the In a recent cover of the initial damage may invoke flooding. BIBLE STUDY upcoming film "Harvey" by WEDNESDAY trauma that has yet to be The release of "Harvey" fails ABC13 news, Rick Ferguson, 12 noon & 7:00 pm healed for many impacted by to display consideration for executive director of the Sunday Bible Class the storm. the continued impact of the Houston Film Commission, In banking on this tragic and "Harvey" producer Nkem storm. event, the filmmakers turn Other coverage of the DenChukwu discuss where the loss and struggle of a tragedy the inspiration for the film community into a profit. "Harvey" is not the only came from. This shows, that those film that was inspired by the The idea stems from IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ADVERTISING IN WORSHIP D IRECTORY who created the film are displayed during a worry of whether theCONTACT Aheroism SALES REPRESENTATIVE AT 713-743-5356 insensitive to the extent of the Harvey. “city’s film business would

light on those who worked to help others during the storm and to display the hardships displaced individuals faced. Despite the positive intentions of the film, it is too soon to be capitalizing on this sensitive tragedy. It is inappropriate to market tragedies such as Harvey when individuals are still negatively impacted. The effected communities deserve a voice in having the story of the storm that irrevocably changed their lives told.