Volume 25 Issue 10

March 29, 2020

GREATER HOUSTON EDITION

Vol. 25, Issue 10 LIVING LEGEND

bald, blaCK and beaUtiFUl

Jo H. Golden, Ikeoma Divine and Kim Roxie By: N.L. Preston

HOUSTON - “I am not my hair!” is the bold statement Jo H. Golden told African-American News&Issues, and she’s proving it. The gifted photographer turned the lens on herself, as she publicly chronicles one of the toughest fights of her life: battling Stage 3 breast cancer.

Golden spoke to AANI while at the hospital undergoing chemotherapy, stopping from time to time to speak to assisting health care providers, as we candidly spoke about her diagnosis and her bravery in sharing it with others.

In addition to noting her strength while speaking of the effects of chemotherapy and her optimism of normal-

“I am not my hair!”

izing her life this summer when her treatments are scheduled to end, we were blown away by the raving beauty who’s decided to proudly share on social media images of her bald head, which illuminates her glimmering eyes and dazzling smile.

First Golden spoke about the devastation after discovering what was, at first, thought to be a cyst in her breast, was actually a tumor.

“It was affecting my whole body, my breasts were hurting so bad, under my arm and on my nipple. It was sunken in, introverted,” she explained.

Golden went on to talk about chemo, radiation, upcoming reconstructive surgery, continuing to work throughout this ordeal and the joy to come when she rings the “cancer free” bell of completion. That part of her story mirrors millions of others battling the disease, but what makes her a standout from some is the new club of warriors she’s joined - the growing number of Black women who are removing the stigma and shame associated with hair loss and are yelling: “See Me, Accept Me and Love Me,” as they obviously love themselves. It’s a FREEDOM not truly experienced by many.

“My hair does not define my beauty. I used to think that it did, but it doesn’t,” Golden said. “My doctor said, ‘you are not your titties’ (chuckle) and he told me that I Cont’d on page 3

martHa marie Preston

HOUSTON - Martha Marie Preston is the walking epitome of the phrase, “turn your mess into a message.” This selfmade millionaire, shrewd businesswoman and successful night club owner had it all until her double life as a drug kingpin was exposed by federal DEA agents tracking her every move. Dubbed “The Texas Queen” by state and national media, law enforcement reported that at the height of her operation in the 1980´s, the former mastermind and her enterprise controlled 50% of all drug traffic in the state of Texas.

In September 1988, Preston was tried under the powerful Continuing Criminal Enterprise Act, facing a life sentence without the possibility of parole. Although the feds failed to convict her of that charge, she was convicted on four counts of her 23-count indictment and sentenced to 40 years in prison.

Preston’s life was radically transformed when she united with her Heavenly Father and the true King, Jesus Christ, thereby gaining freedom from incarceration, as well as eternal freedom.

“Prison was the best thing that could have happened to me at that time. It made me slow down,” she said. “You see, I had made my first million by the time I was 23 years old. I was running too fast. Prison forced me to stop and think.”

Preston became a model inmate, becoming a paralegal and helping “from the inside” to fight for other inmates and criminal justice reform, and when no one thought it would be possible -- but her and her mustard seed of Faith-- she was released after serving nearly 10 years in Federal prison.

Author of the book, “Seven Keys to Spiritual Freedom,” Preston now shares her powerful tale of redemption and restoration across the country, helping people from all walks of life overcome any challenge through Faith. Always an entrepreneur, she currently owns a lucrative health and wellness direct sales business -becoming a distinguished Ardyss International Platinum President, and founded Elite Ladies of Expression Inc., a non-profit that provides assistance to the homeless, at-risk youth, incarcerated and recentlyreleased females, in addition to individuals with mental and physical health problems.

A native Texan who rose from humble beginnings in Royal Terrace, a rural subdivision in Houston, Preston is the seventh of 12 children. Known for her smile, electrifying personality and love for mankind, she remains one of the most successful and recognized citizens in Houston.

This mother, grandmother and great-grandmother is a living testimony of overcoming whatever situation one can find themselves in. With God leading the way, you can find your way out, she says. Preston is a faithful member of Yale Street Babtist Church, where she serves on the “Connect with Us” team. - AANI

WASH YOUR HANDS FREQUENTLY • AVOID PUBLIC SPACES OR EVENTS WITH MORE THAN 10 PATRONS • SANITIZE AND STOCK UP • AVOID TOUCHING YOUR EYES, NOSE AND MOUTH • PRACTICE GOOD HYGIENE

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March 29, 2020

Women’s History Month LOVE YOU and enjoy another inspirational work by our honorary poetic Godmother.

In and Out of Time By: Maya Angelou The sun has come The mist has gone We see in the distance... our long way home I was always yours to have You were always mine We have loved each other in and out of time To kick off Women’s History Month, we shared Maya Angelou’s “Phenomenal Woman” to honor all of the amazing in-front of the camera, behind the scenes, head of household, working or stay-at-home, independent or in support of women working to hold us all down day to day -- telling you to keep on dancing, smiling, cooking, twirling, breast feeding, nurturing, running in high heels or marching in flats as you break glass ceilings and tuck your families lovingly into bed at night while many of you continue to burn the midnight oil.

And as we end this month, we are reminding you QUEENS to keep on wearing those crowns through all the HURT, HEALTH CHALLENGES and OBSTACLES the world is presenting us all daily as we speak, think and read. Know that we

When the first stone looked up at the blazing sun and the first tree struggled up from the forest floor I had always loved you more.

You freed your braids... gave your hair to the breeze It hummed like a hive of honey bees I reached in the mass for the sweet honeycomb there...

Mmmm... God how I love your hair You saw me bludgeoned by circumstance Lost, injured, hurt by chance I screamed to the heavens... loudly screamed...

Trying to change our nightmares into dreams...

The sun has come The mist has gone We see in the distance our long way home I was always yours to have You were always mine We have loved each other in and out in and out in and out of time – AANI

GREATER HOUSTON EDITION

Rev. Kirbjyon Caldwell: A Meteoric Fall and the Path to Redemption Partin’ the Waters

By Omawale Luthuli-Allen

A great reformer in the 16th century launched a protest movement that struck at the heart of Christendom. The Church CEO had a voracious appetite for extravagance that drained the treasury in a few years. After looking at the empty coffers, he decided to permit letters of indulgences that would pardon and forgive sins. Luther was outraged at this twisting and distorting of the gospel. He protested and Methodism, Baptist and other PROTESTANT denominations can be traced to Luther’s confrontation with error. The 20th century fountainhead of Rev. Kirbyjon Calwell’s church was this epoch changing action by Martin Luther.

Anointed leaders inside and outside the church have used many schemes and devices to support their extravagant lifestyles and separate you from your pocketbook. They end up remorseful after they left the casino and broke the golden goose. In order to monetize vanity, one must have a scheme whether it is eating at the public trough or the public flock’s pocketbook. It’s called an angle on the cuts. For my dear aunt ‘s evangelist, the angle was healing through holy water or holy oil, somewhat like indulgences. The charismatic leader sold the trinkets to the believing public because of FEAR. The only real way to starve your fears is to feed your faith. But who has time to feed their faith when you are afraid of shadows and can’t stop running? The partakers of the trinkets are sincere, but they are also sincerely deceived because they don’t understand

finance and trusted the created, more than the creator.

Whether it is Michael Milliken, who was recently pardoned by POTUS 45, or Mr. Madoff or televangelist Jim Baker, power and wealth easily corrupts. Especially when one is drunk with the wine of the world. It hurts when black people plead guilty to fraud and their targets are the elderly, weak and vulnerable.

This behavior is not racial but let us not forget that too often we adopt the value system of the oppressor. We reason that gluttony must not be so bad, otherwise the ruling classes could not be so rich and famous. Too much high living, rich food and other vicious enticements erode the will to say “NO.” Fellowship is broken when we no longer possess the discernment to be able to determine how much is enough. The trailblazers taught us that often less is more. Maya Angelou says that our punishment is deserved because we dismissed the wisdom of the ancestors.

The wisdom of the elders loudly proclaimed that if an angle appears too good to be true, it is.

Conscience is important because it is a soft pillow to sleep on. Conscience is a course corrector if it has not been put to sleep. Conscience is the father of healthy shame.

Conscience applies the brakes to keep you from becoming reprobate. It is good that conscience acts before a merciless district attorney acts to keep you from completely going over the cliff. Some DAs will not plea bargain for they have forensics -gun powder residue and burns, and DNA from the crime scene. Meanwhile, the flock doubles down on polishing your halo.

I heard his attorney arrogantly say that he was going to beat these charges like you

beat a rented mule. But JT says that you can’t win with a losing hand.

The GOOD NEWS is there is REDEMPTION after Contrition and Restitution.

Benjamin Mayes preached the greatest sermon that I’ve heard other than the Sermon on the Mount. His sermon was BE KIND TO JUDAS. Know that whether the fall from grace was because of pride, Ignorance, covetousness or envy, there are varying degrees of these sinful virtues in all of us. Being kind to Judas is being kind to ourselves for we have all sold worthless bonds.

Rev. Caldwell, it is incalculable to overstate the way that your gifts have profited this Houston community. You have put first-time homebuyers into wonderful homes and designer communities. You have lifted the downhearted and helped to free the captives from deadly addictions. You helped many to stop running from their shadow by stepping into the shade.

Brother, you have been important to our spiritual life in this nation. Stay true to your God and your native land and COME BACK TO YOUR FAMILY. You have been wounded, but not mortally. I know you are contrite, manning up and paying restitution. THROUGH IT ALL, YOUR CHALLENGE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS WELL WITH YOUR SOUL. CONFRONT ERROR. YOUR ECCLEASIATICAL AUTHORITY MIGHT NOT HOLD YOUR PLACE, but we don’t leave the wounded on the battlefield.

As the Tan Canary from the Crescent City, Johnny Adams sings, THERE IS ALWAYS ONE MORE TIME. P.S. Jim Baker was just warned about selling Coronavirus cures. - AANI

GREATER HOUSTON EDITION

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was beautiful. And me not having hair allowed other people to see my natural beauty from inside and out.

I didn’t need eyebrows, my eyelashes are gone and at first, I felt less attractive. I did a video showing me without any of that and everybody kept saying how pretty I was, and it made me feel really good because I was feeling down on myself.”

Golden says no matter what you are going through, God is a comfort in your time of need.

“Have Faith in God. If you don’t have Faith in yourself, then let God be the Faith for you,” she said.

To help with mounting medical expenses, the entrepreneur is offering services though her company, J. Golden Photography.

In exchange for $100 donations, Golden will provide two retouched headshots.

Donations can be made via CashApp, Zelle and PayPal. Visit www.jgoldenphotography for more information.

Kim Roxie, owner of LAMIK Beauty, has a different reason for shaving her head. The young Houston pioneer, known for her chocolate skin and slanted eyes, decided to free herself and sport a bold, new look. While not many knew why she decided to shave her head, many just applauded after seeing the beautiful photos she recently revealed on social media.

Roxie told AANI that she did it to remove the shame of hair loss issues she began experiencing in her 20s.

“It was me accepting my own beauty. I had to ask myself, ‘Do I want to keep going through this and do I want to keep wrestling with these hats (wigs)?’ And so, I just said, ‘it is what it is, I’m just

COVER STORY going to shave my head,’” Roxie said.

The well-respected beauty guru says she now feels liberated. “It’s almost like you are always walking boldly even when you are not even feeling that way. People are always attracted to talk to you.

What I am hearing is that it is a form of empowerment,” Roxie said. “I didn’t do it to try to free everybody, I was just trying to free my own self, but because of sharing my story, others don’t have to suffer in silence alone anymore.” It felt good to let go.

“It was suffering when I was trying to cover it up. Actually, I am good. And even if I was to wear a wig right now, because of my mindset and where I am, I still would not be suffering. I am just making a choice to put it on, it’s just a hairstyle and I’m doing me. Now that I’ve come out about it, it’s no big deal. I’m just doing what I want to do.

“It’s like ‘Girl bye!’”

And just like that, she’s moving on BEAUTIFULLY with her life, and encouraging others along the way.

And then there’s Ms. Ikeoma Divine, our Southern Rootworker profiled in a previous edition of AANI, whose spiritual journey led to her release the chains and walk in the purpose a ‘Higher Power’ laid before her.

“My earliest memories of being “trained” to look “civilized” was sitting in my aunt’s kitchen (who was a hairdresser) waiting to get my hair straightened with the infamous hot comb. The smell of burnt hair and the sound of the grease melting to my scalp as heat was applied is still engraved in my memory,” The Third Eye Lounge owner described.

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“Even as a child I would rebel against such mental conditioning by taking the bows out of my hair in church and running outside to sweat as my hair “turned back” into its natural state. Eventually, I conformed to this weekly process but there was always a deep-seeded regret of not being able to just ‘be me.’”

It was after visiting Africa for the first time, that she decided to let go of the European standard of beauty that had been forced upon her.

“I arrived there to see some women with very short haircuts who were absolutely beautiful. A week before I left Ghana, I dreamed that I cut all my hair off. Two weeks later, back in the US, I did it.

IT WAS SOOOOO LIBERATING,” Divine said. “Although it was done at a time when most women wouldn’t dare do so, I was utterly surprised by the response from men. I noticed that not only would men go out of their way to compliment me on my short cut, but that I started attracting “different” kind of men. These men really thought I was beautiful in my natural state and were not really concerned with an “image” of me or what I was supposed to represent. It also forced me not to hide behind my hair and to tap into my most powerful attribute… my femininity. It’s an attribute imitated by many, but the power comes from one’s authenticity.” Well said.

We applaud our three sheros for embracing their true selves and having such an open and honest dialogue with us. We wish each of them continued health and happiness. - AANI

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March 29, 2020

GREATER HOUSTON EDITION