African-American New&Issues

NOVEMBER 28 - DECEMBER 4, 2016 | FREE

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Editorial & Opinion

Understanding the Law: Inheriting Property Krystin Collins Attorney at Law

An individual can inherit property in several ways such as, a loved one passed away and left them property in a will, a loved one with no will has passed without disposing of their property properly, or an individual has been identified as the last living heir of a family member whose property was never disposed of properly.

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by African-American News & Issues, Inc., 6130 Wheatley Street, Houston, Texas 77091, (713) 692-1892. Our office hours are Monday-Friday, 9am - 5pm. The entire contents of the paper are copyrighted by African-American News & Issues, Inc. All rights reserved. Material in this publication may not be reproduced in any form without the expressed written consent of the publisher. African-American News&Issues is not responsible for any claims made by advertisers.

The views and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the publisher.

African-American News&Issues assumes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs and other material, unless accompanied by a self-address stamped envelope.

Letter to the Editor

W

e welcome all original responses from our readers to content found in the African-American News&Issues.

Letters to the Publisher may be sent via e-mail to news@aframnews.com. Please keep all letters under 300 words. Be sure to include the author’s name, area of residence. All letters and articles may be verified before they are published. All letters are subjected to editing or being cut for spacing purposes. Thank you in advance for your submission.

If you have inherited property, a common misconception is that the property is automatically transferred into your name without any further action on your part. If you were not deeded a piece of property outright by the owner, there are always steps that must be taken to transfer ownership of inherited property.

Inheritance through Will: If you have been named as the beneficiary of a property through a will, the will alone does not transfer ownership of the property. If the decedent has a relatively small estate that mostly transfers real property, probate of the will through traditional avenues may not be necessary. A probate of the will as a Muniment of Title may be a more cost effective approach.

What is a Muniment of Title?

When filing a Will for Probate as Muniment of Title, the court will make a determination that the Will is valid, in addition because the estate is relatively small and straightforward, you are notifying the court that no other action is needed on the estate.

In order to transfer the property to the heirs, the Order Admitting the Will as Muniment of Title signed by the judge and a copy of the Will is filed in the

property records of the county where the property is located.

Inheritance without a Will: If you have inherited property from an individual that has passed without a will, an affidavit of heirship may be the appropriate method for transferring the property of the decedent into your name. An affidavit of heirship is a document that states the family history of the decedent, designates the living heirs of the decedent, and provides pertinent information in regards to the decedents assets. This document must be signed by all the living heirs of the decedent and filed in the property records of the county where the property is located.

Transferring property after an inheritance can be a confusing process, consult with an attorney to explore your options and to insure your property rights are being protected.

Attorney Krystin Collins is a native of the Acres Homes Community. She is a graduate of Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law and has been a licensed attorney since 2009. Her primary practice areas are criminal defense, civil litigation, personal injury, estate planning, and divorce. She may be contacted at 713-7750332 or krystin.collins@gmail.com.

Trump: Making America White Again Charles M. Blow Author, Political & Social Analystv

This may well be the beginning of the end: the early moments of a historical pivot point, when the slide of the republic into something untoward and unrecognizable still feels like a small collection of poor judgments and reversible decisions, rather than the forward edge of an enormous menace inching its way forward and grinding up that which we held dear and foolishly thought, as lovers do, would ever endure.

So many of President-elect Donald Trump’s decisions herald a tomorrow that is bleak for anyone who held

hope that he could be a different, better man than the one who campaigned (I was not among that cohort), or those who simply assumed that the gravity of the office he is to assume would ground him.

Hard-line Trumpism isn’t softening; it’s being cemented.

Increasingly, as he picks his cabinet from among his fawning loyalists, it is becoming clear that by “Make America Great Again,” he actually meant some version of “Make America a White, Racist, Misogynistic Patriarchy Again.” It would be hard to send a clearer message to women and minorities that this administration will be hostile to their interests than the cabinet he is assembling.

He has promoted Stephen Bannon, an alt-right, white nationalist cheerleader and sympathizer, to chief White House strategist.

TEXAS • NOVEMBER 28 - DECEMBER 4, 2016

Senator Bernie Sanders responded to the Bannon announcement with a blistering statement: “The appointment by Presidentelect Trump of a racist individual like Mr. Bannon to a position of authority is totally unacceptable. In a democratic society we can disagree all we want over issues, but racism and bigotry cannot be part of any public policy. The appointment of Mr. Bannon by Mr. Trump must be rescinded.”

But of course, Trump had no intention of rescinding the appointment.

Indeed, he had more controversial appointments to come.

He has chosen the extreme antiIslam hyperbolist Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn — who also happens to be a stop-and-frisk apologist and has tweeted that “fear of Muslims is RATIONAL” — as his national security adviser.

As The New York Times reported Thursday: “General Flynn, for instance, has said that Shariah, or Islamic law, is spreading in the United States. (It is not.) His dubious assertions are so common that when he ran the Defense Intelligence Agency, subordinates came up with a name for the phenomenon: They called them ‘Flynn facts.’”

In October, Flynn tweeted: “Follow Mike @Cernovich He has a terrific book, Gorilla Mindset.

Well worth the read. @realDonaldTrump will win on 8 NOV!!!”

The New Yorker dubbed Mike Cernovich “the meme mastermind of the alt-right” in a lengthy profile.

The magazine pointed out: “On his blog, Cernovich developed a theory of white-male identity politics: men were oppressed by feminism, and political correctness prevented the discussion of obvious truths, such as the criminal proclivities of certain ethnic groups.”

Then there was the choice of Senator Jeff Sessions for attorney general. In 1986 Sessions famously became only the second nominee in 48 years to be rejected by the Senate Judiciary Committee, due to racist comments and behavior.

When confronted by the committee about remarks he was accused of

making about the N.A.A.C.P. and the A.C.L.U., Sessions responded: “I’m often loose with my tongue.

I may have said something about the N.A.A.C.P. being un-American or Communist, but I meant no harm by it.”

But not all of Sessions’s issues regarding minorities have a 30-year vintage.

In response to the attorney general announcement, the Southern Poverty Law Center issued a statement that read in part: “But we cannot support his nomination to be the country’s next attorney general. Senator Sessions not only has been a leading opponent of sensible, comprehensive immigration reform, he has associated with anti-immigrant groups we consider to be deeply racist, including the Federation for American Immigration Reform and the Center for Security Policy.”

Indeed, FAIR was quick to congratulate Sessions on his nomination Friday, saying in a statement: “It’s hard to imagine a better pick for the attorney general position than Senator Jeff Sessions”; the group called on Sessions to rid the country of sanctuary cities.

The S.P.L.C. has written about FAIR, saying: To continue reading online visit Source: nytimes.com

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TEXAS • NOVEMBER 28 - DECEMBER 4, 2016

Editorial & Opinion

Why So Many Blacks Backed Trump Earl Ofari Hutchinson Author & Political Analyst

Here is the full hideous pointby-point list of the major votes of Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions on civil rights issues, complete with the dates he torpedoed them.

• Banning the Pledge of Allegiance is unconstitutional.

(Jan 2006) • Voted NO on reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act. (Feb 2013) • Voted YES on recommending Constitutional ban on flag desecration. (Jun 2006) • Voted YES on constitutional ban of same-sex marriage. (Jun 2006) • Voted NO on adding sexual orientation to definition of hate crimes. (Jun 2002) • Voted YES on loosening restrictions on cell phone wiretapping. (Oct 2001) • Voted NO on expanding hate crimes to include sexual orientation. (Jun 2000) • Voted NO on setting aside 10% of highway funds for minorities & women. (Mar 1998) • Voted YES on ending special funding for minority & womenowned business. (Oct 1997) • Supports anti-flag desecration amendment. (Mar 2001) This list of civil rights horrors from Sessions earned him a 0% rating from the Human Rights Campaign, a 7% rating from the NAACP and a 20% rating from the ACLU. The prospect of Sessions as the next Attorney General is an absolute worst nightmare. However, there were ample warning signs. One was Sessions himself. He was one of the first GOP name officials to latch onto to the Trump campaign and never wavered in his support of it.

There was little doubt that if Trump bagged the White House, Sessions would be in on the pay-off for his loyalty and would land some big-

ticket administration appointment.

That appointment was almost certain to be the Justice Department head.

He had the right Trump favored credentials. He was a former U.S. Attorney, a long-time member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and most importantly, there’s his record on civil rights.

It fit into exactly the type of person Trump would put into every top legal position he could put someone in, from the Justice Department to the Supreme Court. That someone had to be the type who took the narrowest strict constructionist interpretation of the law, and the dimmest view of what and how civil rights should be litigated and enforced.

For the court, Trump’s ideal choice as he oft put it, was another Antonin Scalia. If he couldn’t get Sessions for the High Court — and the likelihood of that was slim since Sessions had already been rejected once for a federal judgeship as too racist — then the next best place he could fit him was the Justice Department.

Now we come to Clinton.

The drumbeat refrain from many progressives and some liberal Democrats was that Clinton was as bad as Trump. She was supposedly pro-war, pro-Wall Street, and a corporate shill. If Bernie Sanders didn’t get the nomination, then they would either vote for a Third-Party candidate or stay home. No amount of exhorting that Trump would wreak havoc on the Affordable Care Act, labor protections, voting rights, abortion, give unfettered free rein to Wall Street and the Big Banks, try to put at least two or three more Scalias on the Supreme Court, not to mention stock the federal judiciary with Scalia type clones, and cut and slash an array of other federal supported health, education and job spending programs mattered. The retort was that Trump would be relentlessly challenged every step of the way

by Congressional Democrats, civil rights, liberties, environmental and women groups to prevent shoving this horrific apocalyptic vision of a future America through. Maybe, but that overlooked one glaring problem.

To continue reading online visit Source: huffingtonpost.com

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“Freedom is never given. It is won.” We cannot expect them to stop treating us as second class citizens until and unless we stop believing that we are second class citizens and until we stop behaving as second class citizens. - A Philip Randolph

I

THE DESTRUCTION OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS

PART TWO

n the last editorial I talked about one of the elements that lead to the destruction of our communities. Although there are many that remain, I have chosen to highlight two of them. Integration was addressed in the last issue. One of the other factors that aided in the destruction of our neighborhoods was when the Fair Housing Act was passed.

In order for our readers to gain a better understanding of the Fair Housing Act, I think it is important for me to provide some background insight into when the law was signed into effect, as well as what was signed. During the presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson, Congress passed the act. This came shortly after the assassination of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The language of the act states that it was designed to protect buyers and renters of a residence from seller and landlord discrimination.

According to www.HUD. gov, “The Fair Housing Act (Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968) introduced meaningful federal enforcement mechanisms.” These enforcements are said to have outlawed, “the: refusal to sell or rent a dwelling to any person because of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, discrimination based on race, color, religion or national origin in the terms, conditions or privilege of the sale or rental of a dwelling, advertising the sale or rental of a dwelling indicating preference of discrimination based on race, color, religion or national origin and coercing, threatening, intimidating, or interfering with a person’s enjoyment or exercise of housing rights based on discriminatory reasons or retaliating against a person or organization that aids or encourages the exercise or enjoyment of fair housing rights.”

Now to people that don’t know any better, they would think that

the terminology and representation found in the language of this act was the best thing since apple pie.

But We MUST Understand that you have to break down things in order to fully understand all of the intentions. So my point is… When the Fair Housing Act was signed into effect Black folks started leaving and selling out our land to buy into other folks’. But what many of them didn’t realize after all of that; is that every time they moved into the other neighborhoods and communities it ended up being predominantly Black, afterwards. If our White counterparts were living there when Black people started moving in they would just migrate right on out. The same thing would happen within the school systems.

You would have thought that some of our people would have taken the hint years ago. But apparently, not so!

But you can’t tell some of our people anything! However, they got a new system that has been incorporated with this act. It’s called the Homeowner Association! And with it, they have a way of policing these mis-educated African-Americans to a point where they keep them in place. Because even though there are a lot of Homeowner Associations in Black neighborhoods, it’s mostly White folks that govern and control them.

So, at the end of the day, what I’m saying is all of this has helped towards the destruction of our communities. Because when Black folks were given the ok that they could go live with anyone other than their own, they took the first train smoking. Now here we are in 2016 with dying historical communities and neighborhoods throughout the city of Houston.

Simply because of a lot of our mis-educated African-Americans have abandoned the community to go live in other communities. Why?

We MUST Understand

By Roy Douglas Malonson, Chairman

Because they are hung up on location – location – location – location!!!! It never ceases to amaze me the thought pattern of some of our people. They believe and act upon by evidence that every location is a good location except for ours. But the sad part is when others go out and buy, renovate or reconstruct the property that Black folks abandoned, it is then that they are ready to come back to it. If you think I’m lying, just look at Houston’s Fourth Ward. Never mind, Fourth Ward no longer exists - it’s Mid-town now!

Concluding, We MUST Understand that life is not like a keyboard or computer. There is no backspace or deletion buttons and we cannot go back and rewind the times to do things differently.

We can only move forward and empower our future generations to do better. We as Africans living in America, have to wake up and start realizing that every new and innovative idea that comes along, shouldn’t just be bought into so easily because it seems like it’s something so different. We have a long-standing history of forsaking the precious commodities of our own and selling out for what we believe are cherished elements from our counterparts. There is an old saying that suggests that everything that shines ain’t always gold. So I urge the members of our communities to really examine these various: ideas, bills, acts and other things that are brought to your table to gather your support on. Believe or not, some of it very well may contribute to the destruction of your community or lifestyle and you just going along to get along.

Read More We MUST Understand online Today @ AframNews.com!

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SHERIFF FROM PAGE 1

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” - President Barack Obama BEAUMONT - Like an organization going into Spring Training – Sheriff-Elect Zena Stephens plans to bring a new vibe, spirit and much needed lift to her law enforcement team in the Jefferson County Sheriff Department. She is definitely going to write new chapters in Texas history books.

She not only is first Black woman to be elected Sheriff in Texas, but also the first since Jefferson County was formed in 1836 and organized in 1837, and became one of the original counties in the Republic of Texas.

Stephens comes to the job with enthusiasm,

ment cannot be taken lightly as the history of electing Black officials and being included and being a factor in the political equation in Texas as been a struggle over the years for Blacks.

BLACK ELECTION HISTORY IN TEXAS According to the Texas State Historical Association handbook online for Texas history, after the civil war, African Americans in Jefferson County’s held a few government offices and blacks and whites and were both politically active as voters during the federal election of 1888, eventually blacks were all but totally disfranchised in the federal election of 1892.

During the Reconstruction era, African-American Texans were presented with another chal-

SHERIFF- ELECT ZENA STEPHENS

spirit and a set of goals and standards she intends to accomplish.

A graduate of Lamar University and South Park High School in Beaumont. She also served as Chief of Police for Prairie View A&M University and also as Deputy Chief of the Jefferson County Sheriffs Department.

Her playbook is one that seeks to ready all her players to “Get Back to Basics” and “Be Part of the Community”.

“It’s an honor and a privilege to wear the uniform,” Stephens said. “With situations going on in the country, law enforcement is getting a bad wrap. We are not all painted with the same brush.”

That level of commitment serves as her battle cry serves as she prepares to take the reigns as top cop in Jefferson County and carries the leadership torch for women and African-Americans in the county.

“I want to protect all the people in Jefferson County,” she added. “Using fairness and equality, it is my goal for us to be “One County-One Community… and work to continue moving Jefferson County forward.”

Her victory lap to the sheriffs departTX- 4

lenge. Many had to rebuild their lives, locate lost family members, and begin to live their lives as self-sufficient, free men and women.

The establishment of the Freedmen’s Bureau in the state aided this transition from slavery to freedom. But given the continuing racial animosity that separated blacks and whites after the war, this was not an easy task.

The state legislature and several Texas cities passed Black Codes to restrict the rights of African Americans, to prevent them from having free access to public facilities, and to force them back to the rural areas as agricultural laborers. The use of the political and legal system to regulate African-American behavior and life was accompanied by a literal reign of terror in the state.

In the 1950s and 1960s, AfricanAmerican Texans challenged this paternalistic arrangement and overcame their exclusion from elective office.

In 1958 Houstonian Hattie Mae White became the first African American to win an elective office in the state since Reconstruction by winning a seat on the school board.

After Mrs. White’s election, African-

American Texans did not win another elective office until 1966, when several AfricanAmerican candidates throughout the state won political races.

Among the pioneers were Joseph Lockridge of Dallas and Curtis Graves of Houston, who won seats in the state House of Representatives, and Barbara Jordan of Houston, who won a seat in the Texas Senate.

In 1967 Emmett Conrad became the first African American elected to a local office in Dallas (school board) and in 1971 Judson Robinson Jr. became Houston’s first African-American city councilman since Reconstruction.

A year later, Houstonians elected Barbara Jordan to the United States House of Representatives. Thus, she was the first African American in Texas history to represent the state in Congress.

Despite the lingering effects of the old racist and segregationist legacy, African Americans continued to achieve in both the private and public spheres in the state. They won elective office on the city, county, and statewide levels.

In 1992, for example, Morris Overstreet of Amarillo became the first African American to win a statewide office when he was elected a judge on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.

In 1995, Ron Kirk became the first African-American mayor in Dallas and in 1998 Lee P. Brown became the first African American to serve as mayor in Houston.

In 1985, John Wiley Price became Dallas County’s first African-American county commissioner and El Franco Lee became the first African American to win a seat on the Harris County Commissioner’s Court.

In 2007, Attorney Craig Watkins became the state’s first African-American district attorney when he won the office in Dallas County.

THE JEFFERSON COUNTY CHALLENGE According to 2014 U.S. Census information, there are about 252,235 people are living in Jefferson County.

Of those, about 42.9 percent were Anglo, 34.4 percent African American, and 18.5 percent Hispanic. Of residents twenty-five and older, 79 percent had graduated from high school and 16 percent had college degrees.

Jefferson County’s major cities are Beaumont (population, 118,180), Port Arthur (54,597), Groves (15,800), Nederland (17,483), and Port Neches (12,919).

TEXAS • NOVEMBER 28• -August DECEMBER 4, 2016 Texas 12-18, 2013

In the early twenty-first century, petrochemical and other chemical plants, shipbuilding and port activities, a steel mill, and oil field supply operations were important elements of the local economy.

She said her goals are to make Jefferson County the best it can be and set examples that truly set it apart from others.

“This community nurtured me and I have a vested interest in what happens here,” she said. “I am from here, I live here and my family and friends are here.

I want to give back with all the skills I have…I want to see community thrive.”

PLAYBOOK PEEK She will replace Mitch Woods who is retiring after 20 years – bringing a new law enforcement vision to the table.

Stephens believes that the county law enforcement needs to change in its priorities from an emphasis on technology and hardware to a more human focus.

According to the department website, the outgoing sheriff places a great deal of emphasis on focusing more on technology development – a fact reflected on the department website by this statement “… The technological growth within the Law Enforcement community in the area of computers/ Internet is progressing fast, as we move closer to the 21st century. Our intent is to stay within the curve of technological growth by utilizing our web site in ways to assist us in our Law Enforcement activities and by informing the public of information...”

Stephens supports technology and development, but believes a more human approach is needed and would better serve improving relationships with the community. “(I will) try to get department to buy into that,” she said. “It’s important for the community to buy into the sheriffs department and the sheriffs department to buy into the community.”

To continue reading visit www.aframnews.com By:Darwin Campbell African-American News&Issues

TEXAS • NOVEMBER 28 - DECEMBER 4, 2016

Feature

Bill Looks to Reduce Marijuana Penalties Measure Seeks To Help Youth To Second Chance & Drug Free Choices

AUSTIN, TX - Marijuana possession ranks among the more common cause of arrests in Texas.

However, there could be a wee-bit of good news coming regarding those busted for possession of one-ounce or less of marijuana.

The Bill

The penalty could be reduced to a Class C misdemeanor if HB-82 makes it through the State Legislature and to Governor Greg Abbott’s desk.

Rep. Harold V. Dutton, Jr (D-Houston) filed the bill which will start its long process with hundreds of other bills filed and lined up for the 2017 session.

“Since 2003, I have been advocating for a change in Texas’ marijuana laws and eliminating the criminal penalties for the possession of less than one ounce of weed,” Dutton said. “I sincerely appreciate all of the other legislators and Texans who have now joined this fight and it is time for Texas to end this nonsensical punishment of Texans.”

Current Law

Under current Texas law, possession of two ounces or less of marijuana is a Class B misdemeanor which makes a violator subject to 180 days in jail and/or a fine of up to $2,000.00.

Additionally, offenders lose their driving privileges for one-year.

Texans also spend over $250,000,000.00 annually for enforcement of current marijuana laws. Almost 90% of such arrests are for possession which represents slightly more than 10% of the total number of arrests annually for criminal conduct in Texas.

Drug Use Facts

The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) provides national and state level data on the use of tobacco, alcohol, illicit drugs (including nonmedical use of prescription drugs), and mental health in the United States.

Marijuana is the most commonly cited drug among primary drug treatment admissions in Texas.

Motivated by Determination

School, B.C. Elmore NORTH FOREST Middle School and Forest - “Whatever we believe Brook Senior High about ourselves and our School, where she graduability comes true for ated as Valedictorian of her us.” Susan L. Taylor, class in 2000. From a very who was once referred to young age, competing in as, “the most influential Spelling Bees, Pentathlon, Black woman in journalmathematics contests and ism,” exclaimed these other educational competiwords. One of Houston’s tions seemed to have come own, Lamesha Junior as second-nature. Although Johnson is living shy and mild-mannered proof of the sentiments by personality, her expressed by Taylor. intelligence was always Read on to become manifested in her class Lamesha Junior acquainted with this new work. and upcoming author, Johnson After graduating high who was motivated by school, she went on to attend Prairie View A & determination.

M University. There she graduated Summa Cum She is the latter of two daughters born to Laude earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Lames and Georgett Junior. Educated in the Mathematics, with a minor in Computer Science.

North Forest Independent School District, For a while, she worked as a System Engineer Lamesha was always one who excelled acaand decided to return to school. From this experidemically. She attended Shadydale Elementary

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In the most recent Survey, 6.26 percent of Texas residents reported using illicit drugs in the past month. The national average was 8.02 percent. Additionally, 3.3 percent of Texas residents reported using an illicit drug other than marijuana in the past month (the national average was 3.58 percent).

A 2014 drug study involving Texas youth reported that marijuana remains the most widely used illicit drug used among Texas youth.

However, the report from about 33,463 students in grades 7 through 12 from random districts across the state revealed that lifetime marijuana use decreased from 26.2-percent in 2012 to 23.2-percent in 2014. Also, in 2012, past month use of marijuana was reported by 11.0 percent of students, compared to 9-percent of students in 2014. Numbers were also on the decrease for use of other illegal substances, such as crack, cocaine, ecstacy and hallucinogens.

HB-82 continues the penal code trend of graduated punishment for possession of differing quantities of marijuana. Punishment in Texas for possession of major quantities of marijuana can range up to a first degree felony but unfortunately the punishment range ends at Class B which means an individual can be subject to arrest and conviction for possessing even a marijuana seed.

Youth Benefit

If passed, HB-82 would treat possession of a minor quantity of marijuana just as traffic tickets are treated and police officers would simply write the offender a ticket.

“Too many lives have already been ruined, especially youngsters,” Dutton said. “I don’t advocate using marijuana and that is one reason HB- 82 requires an individual to successfully complete a drug awareness class if in possession of less than an ounce of marijuana.”

Darwin Campbell, African-American News&Issues ence she received a Masters of Science degree in Applied Mathematics. Initially, her desire was to write Mathematics textbooks. During an interview she shared that one of her professors in college would call her Dr. Junior. The same professor would rally her students’ strengths by assigning writing projects. These projects would include one student writing a chapter and then passing it on to another, who would write the next chapter. “That probably sparked an interest in writing for me,” Johnson said.

It wasn’t until she started working as an Adjunct Professor at a Junior College that she began to seriously consider writing. Johnson would spend countless hours in the library grading papers. During this time, she would submerge herself into the works of various authors. This experience reawakened the literary gift that she’d always had down on the inside. At the time, her literary mind was interminable, she came up with a slew of different book ideas that she would write plots to and pray over. It wasn’t until after she had her one and only son that she, made up her mind to actually pursue her desire to publish.

Johnson was motivated by setting an example for her son. She wanted to ensure that if he had any dreams that he didn’t, “put them on the back

burner.”

She took several writing online courses taught by Bestselling authors. As time went on, eventually the opportunity presented and Johnson was able to write her first published work. She contributed a short story in a book entitled, The Ex Chronicles (Brown Girls Books). It is an anthology that has 20 different stories by 20 different authors. The theme hinges on stories compiled of various relationships with dealing with an “Ex.” In, “Fool Me Once,” Johnson’s story, she shares the tale of two friends. Jayla Washington was overjoyed to reconnect with her childhood bestie, Keona. But when Keona stumbles upon information that might catapult her career, will she betray Jayla?

Short stories in the Ex Chronicles includes contributions from: Adrienne Thompson (That’s the Way Love Goes), Brenda A. White (Not Daddy’s Girl), Cheryl Cloyd Robbins (Never Too Late), Christina Grant (The Ex I Never Had), Dwon D. Moss (I Will Love You So, For Always), Elle Jaye (Tangled Webs), J.L. Sapphire (The Ex Factor), J.P. Miller (Only BeWeave-All Things Are Possible), Jeida K. Continue Reading on page 6

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Read on From page 5

Storey (Losing Lily) Lily), Karen Williams (Intuition) (Intuition), LaKesa Cox (Too Old to Marry, Too Young to Bury), Lamesha Junior Johnson (Fool Me Once), Meredith E. Greenwood (Best Ex Ever), Michelle Mitchell (The Plot to Take Over Washington), Penelope Christian (Shame), Princis Lewis (Memory Full), Sharon Lucas (The Circle of Life), Tamika Tolbert Lucas (Her Sister’s Boyfriend), Venita Alderman Sadler (Online Secrets) and Yvette Danielle (Pursue, Conquer, Destroy).

Although pithy in expression, the collective work has become quite the success story. The Ex Chronicles was an Amazon bestseller in the anthology category for a time period, bestseller on the African-American Literature Book Club (AALBC) and also won the 2016 AfricanAmerican Literary Award Show (Best Short Stories/Anthology). In regards to completing her first published work, Johnson says she feels good to have set a goal for herself and to have achieved it. She said, “I feel very vulnerable when I’m writing. It’s scary to think of how many people may read my work but I pray to silence the doubt and write the story that needs to be told.” She continued, “I have a shy personality and to be a writer, it’s different from my normal self. But, the good thing about writing is that, I can escape into these characters.”

Throughout the years, Johnson maintains that she has been blessed with many inspirational and motivational personalities in her life. She regards her son as having been one of her greatest

inspirations. Reminiscing back to her pregnancy, she remembered thinking about the type of man that she envisioned him growing up to become.

Johnson revealed that she wanted him to be able to set goals, pray on them and strive to achieve any and every dream that he had. Therefore, she felt a grave necessity to set the standard for him as the female role model in their home, by pursuing her own ambitions. Furthermore, she reverenced her publishers, ReShonda Tate

Billingsley and Victoria Christopher Murray as being instrumental forces in her literary quest. Billingsley and Murray

are the founders of Brown Girl Publishing, a publishing company founded to give a voice to new and upcoming authors. They are also bestselling authors of more than 20 books each.

When asked of any advice to the Black community, Johnson expressed the following.

“It’s an awesome thing to have a mentor. In every stage of my life, I have always had someone there to encourage me to do pursue my goals.

In school and college, I had my parents and teachers to encourage me along the way; even with my writing, my publishers encouraged me to complete my writing. They spoke about the fear that comes along with this task and motivated me to write through the fear. So with that being stated, I believe that it’s important for us to have a mentor, but also be a mentor to someone else that’s coming up.”

To continue reading visit AframNews.com By: Rebecca S. Jones

TEXAS

Rate and size of Ad to run in AAN&I’s Greater Houston edition.

EDITION DATE: November 21 - 27, 2016 (Vol. 21 Issue 44) Issue 45) •EDITION N 28 - D DATE: 4, 2016 November 28 - December 4, 2016 (Vol. 21African American News&Issues OVEMBER

ECEMBER

What’s Happenin’ PUBLIC NOTICE

7

Marketplace Heading:

Public Notice Please join the City of Houston’s (City) Housing and Community Development Department (HCDD) for its Fall Public Hearings in preparation for the 2017 Annual Action Plan (Plan). To comply with regulations set forth by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), these hearings are required in order to gain the public’s input on community needs and budget priorities. The Plan must be submitted to HUD by May 2017.

The Fall Public Hearings are scheduled as follows: Location Kashmere Multi-Service Center 4802 Lockwood Drive Houston, TX 77026 Hiram Clarke Multi-Service Center 3810 West Fuqua Street Houston, TX 77045

Date Monday, December 5, 2016 at 6:00 p.m.

Thursday, December 8, 2016 at 6:00 p.m.

Both venues are accessible for persons with disabilities. For additional information or to request special arrangements at the public hearings (interpreter, captioning for the hearing impaired, sign language, or other), contact Paula Jackson at 832.394.6181 or Paula.Jackson@houstontx.gov.

For specific questions or concerns about fair housing or landlord/tenant relations, please contact Royce Sells at 832.394.6240. For more information on HCDD and its programs, you may access HCDD’s website at www.houstontx.gov/housing/.

3 SATURDAY Montgomery Cty NOV Black Business Nov 28 - Dec 30 The Power of MONDAY - FRIDAY Ensemble Theatre The First Noel 3535 Main St Houston, TX 77002 For more info contact: (818) 259-0493

This should be your Event! email us TODAY! news@aframnews.com 4 weeks in advance!

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Acres Home Chamber for Bus. & Eco. Dev, Inc. Networking Luncheon 6112 Wheatley St Houston, TX 77091 From 11am -12:30pm For more info contact: (713) 692-7161 info@acreshomecenter.org

5 Monday Destiny of Faith

Public Notice

Contact Information Name: Paula Jackson Company: Housing & Community Development Phone: 832-394-6181 Fax: Email: Paula.Jackson@houstontx.gov Address for Tearsheets: 601 Sawyer, Suite 400 Houston, TX 77007

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Economic Development, Inc. will present to you holiday photos with Black Santa!

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TEXAS • NOVEMBER 28 - DECEMBER 4, 2016

FESTIVAL OF PRAISE TOUR 2016 The Game of Live

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GREENSPOINT - If you missed the Festival of Praise Tour, then you truly missed out on a great night filled with amazing praise and worship. This tour was filled with many phenomenal known artist such as; Fred Hammond, Hezekiah Walker, Israel Houghton, Regina Belle, Casey J, and Karen Clark-Sheard. The tour was held at the Fallbrook Church where Michael A. Pender is Pastor.

that were sung, and each artist took turns singing some of their greatest gospel hits, mixing it up with some of the old, and some of the new.

You could truly feel the passion and emotion behind their voice. The artists were not only performing to the crowd, but they were also changing lives through their power and delivery.

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call spoken word.

In the form of a video, it explained to individuals how life is a game and how we must continue the race no matter how hard times may get. We are living in troubling times, and often, we may get very discouraged.

Despite these challenges, we have to keep running, and most of all, stay in the race.

During the concert, there were many songs

night entertaining. Also, the host asked some of the artist questions that would make anyone want to reflect over their own life. The artist gave their responses, which was followed by encouraging words of wisdom. The questions were very relatable, and anyone in the audience could easily connect to what was being asked.

Overall, this event was a night of no worries. People were able to just let go, and let God move in their life. The people who attended the concert had no choice but to leave better than how they came as an individual.

CHELSEA DAVIS-BIBB, M.ED. AFRICAN-AMERICAN NEWS&ISSUES

TEXAS • NOVEMBER 28 - DECEMBER 4, 2016

ENTERTAINMENT

9

Read us online! www. aframnews. com

GAMES WOMEN PLAY

THIRD WARD - Move over Empire! A new show is coming to your television screens very soon. The Ensemble Theater Friday night was filled with many local known artist, musicians, authors, actors, and even some social media sensations just to name a few, as everyone

gathered for the screening of a new show called STAR. Academy and Golden Globe nominee Lee Daniels, who is the creator and executive producer of Empire, teamed up with Tom Donaghy to create a show that exposes the truth behind the music industry.

It follows three musically talented girls and their journey through the music business as they try to make all of their musical dreams come true.

Each one of the girls has their own demons to fight with, and their own story to tell within the overall story. Even though this show has a music theme to it, it is not the same as Empire.

The storyline is completely different, unique, and is filled with surprising twist that will make you want to keep watching more. It is also filled with good music (original), great acting, a nice hand of drama, and even some humor. To put

the icing on the cake, STAR has some phenomenal known actors and actresses such as Academy Award nominee and Emmy Award, Grammy Award and Golden Globe Award winner Queen Latifah, who plays Carlotta, and Grammy Award winner Lenny Kravitz,

who will be a guest star on the show as well. Other actors and actresses in the show include; Benjamin Bratt as Jahil Rivera; Jude Demorest

as Star Davis; Ryan Destiny as Alexandra; and Brittany O’ Grady as Simone Davis.

If you will be watching Empire on December 14th, then keep the channel on Fox as this new show will preview right after.

To Continue Reading visit AframNews.com Chelsea Davis-Bibb, M.Ed.

FIFTH WARD - What is love? Is love a game? Should men get a second chance if they cheat? Why do women play games when it comes to relationships? These are some of the questions that were addressed in Renee Rivon’s Games Women Play. Renee Rivon is a national playwright who is a Native Houstonian. As a child, Renee had dreams of being an actress and a writer, and would often find herself entertaining her family and friends.

of Milan Jackson, who played games in order to control her life.

Milan was once married, but became divorced after her husband’s mistress called Milan and told her that her husband was cheating on her. She was extremely hurt, and immediately put up a wall of games in order to protect herself from getting hurt again. Milan begins to date again, but finds herself caught in between a future that she wants, but a past that keeps her from After two years of studying Psychology at Sam Houston State University, she moved to Atlanta, and then later found herself in Hollywood. She has done some commercials for E! Entertainment, “The Collectors”, she was also a series regular on two cartoon shows “Strawberry Shortcake” and “The Bratz”. In addition to, she was also in many films including “Preacher’s Family”, and “Thing Bling”.

Her first play “Deal Breakers”, co-produced with Lisa Nicole Bell, was nominated for a NAACP Theater award. Also, she was recently the playwright for two national touring plays, “Cheaper to Keep Her”, and “Marriage Material,” which feamoving on. Milan had to figure out what makes her happy, whom she really loved, and if she was willing to knock down the wall of games in order for her to fall in love again. Most importantly, she had to find herself again as a woman, and as a person.

All in all, this play was phenomenal and focused on relatable topics that everyone in the audience could connect to. The acting was great, and the audience could truly feel the passion that was on stage. So next time you enter a new relationship, or you find yourself getting hurt by love, what games will you play in order to protect yourself?

tured actors Vivica A. Fox, Brian McKnight, and Allen Payne.

Furthermore, Renee has her own production company called SiLLy Charm Productions, and she also has an acting school. She has done a lot of great work thus far, and this play was just a sample of the phenomenal work that she is doing, and will continue to do in the near future.

In life, love can be tricky at times, sometimes hard to obtain, and even more so, hard to understand. So have you ever been hurt in a relationship? Did love betray you? Did you play games in order to protect yourself from getting hurt? Well this play was centered on the world

Chelsea Davis-Bibb, M.Ed., African-American News&Issues TX-9

10

Read us online! w w w.a f r a m n e w s .c om

Texas HBCU Corner

ENROLL TODAY!

TEXAS • NOVEMBER 28 - DECEMBER 4, 2016

www.tsu.edu

...and careers in Education / ForEnsic sciEncE / rEspiratory thErapy EmErgEncy managEmEnt / Law / eMBA / eMPA Take The TSU VirTUal CampUS ToUr Texas Southern University has a state-of-the-art virtual tour to share with potential students, community partners and prospective employees. The tour gives visitors an opportunity to explore the campus from their phone, laptop or other electronic device. It is available at www.tsu.edu by pointing your cursor to the Events tab on the left side of the page and tapping the Start Virtual Experience icon.

The tour offers crisp 360-degree views, videos, campus photos and a stunning virtual reality option. It is narrated by Crystal Owens, immediate past president of TSU’s Student Government Association.

Take The TSU VirTUal ToUr Today at www.tsu.edu TX-10 TSU_AANI072016.indd 1

11/22/2016 10:22:50 AM

TEXAS • NOVEMBER 28 - DECEMBER 4, 2016

Youth/Education

African

American News&Issues

11

50 Years of Excellence - Beatrice Mayes

and not only that, but to loan customers enough money to do what was needed to effectively run. Therefore, she and her husband used their personal credit from merchants such as, Montgomery Ward and Sears to fund items necessary for the school. In those early years, they consumed a lot of debt to get the school Mrs. Beatrice and Mr. Thomas Mayes off the ground. Not long HOUSTON – afterwards, the school began to encounter a financial strain. This element is I am where I am because of the one that could have resulted in the closure of the bridges that I crossed. Sojourner school, had it not been for the perseverance and determination of Mr. Mayes. While they were Truth was a bridge. Harriet confronted with losing the school within a day, Tubman was a bridge. Ida B. Wells if they were not able to raise $300; Mr. Mayes was a bridge. Madame C.J. Walker was a knew that this was not an option. The very next day, he initiated a one-man marathon within the bridge. Fannie Lou Hamer was a bridge.” community and was able to raise the required These words were expressed by Oprah funds in half a day to secure the school. From Winfrey in reference to the ultimate level of this experience, the school continued to thrive as success that she has attained. However, the sentia leader in its class. ments thereof resonate with a living legend right Some years later the school was able to here in the city of Houston, who has dedicated receive a loan through the Small Business her life to educating students for half a century, Administration.

This step enabled the school to Mrs. Beatrice Mayes. Mayes established get out of debt and purchase supplies that further Wonderland Inc. /Beatrice Mayes Institute allowed the school to thrive. Eventually, the in the fall of 1966. The school opened with an enrollment outgrew the facility; creating the need enrollment of 30 pre-kindergarten and first grade for the school to move from its original location students and a tuition rate of $50.00 a month. at the Metropolitan Building on Cullen to 5724 Recently, Mrs. Mayes’ journey was recognized at Calhoun.

As time went on, another move was a 50-year celebration. Continue to read to learn inevitable.

That move warranted the school’s more about this community-based landmark that current location, 5807 Calhoun. has thrived for years ensuring that, “children Enrollment status at the historical facilreach their full educational potential”. ity remained fulfilled because of the excellent INCEPTION OF WONDERLAND INC. service that the school was known to provide.

Beatrice Mayes had graduated from Texas Word of mouth was the school’s primary Southern University and was working in the marketing tool.

With overwhelming support medical field at Memorial Hospital. She’d from the community, parental involvement and always been very aggressive and independent by strong leadership, the school became known as nature. During our interview she said, “The light one that, “sat on top of the hill to be a beacon of bulb went off and I asked myself a question – ‘if I light in the educational community.” Mrs. Mayes can work this hard for someone else, why can’t I expressed her sincere appreciation for the parents work for myself’?” Prior to, she had been doing of her students.

She shared that, “as a private volunteer work with neighboring children and school our parents purchased the books, our first had also been hearing discussions from other computers, created the idea of school uniforms mothers at the hospital talk about the expenses and one of our parents even created the school associated with child care. Collectively these song.” “We have always had excellent parental factors further aided Mayes with the decision to involvement and that little building where open an “affordable institution that would eduwe conducted our PTA meetings was always cate young Black children at the highest level.” packed,” she added.

Accordingly, she and her husband purchased a Mayes always strived to have an open policy small house for $5,000. and concept, which would allow parents to know Mayes explained, although they had the that it was their school. She always made it a facility that there were still other funds associated point to encourage them and let them know the with the cost of operating a school. Back then it school was geared towards condoning a familywas even more difficult for banks to loan money

“

oriented environment and that they were needed.

She said, “I have always wanted to create an environment where both children and parents feel that the children are: safe, loved, disciplined and instilled the principles that they can achieve and be exceptional and never have to settle for being at the bottom of the totem pole.”

OVER TIME In the late 1980’s, the school became accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. In 2001, Wonderland Inc. became a charter school for grades kindergarten through eighth grade and was Beatrice Mayes Charter Institute. Mrs. Mayes provided insight in reference to her decision to unite with the charter school movement. She said, “In 2001, there was a downfall in the economy and the enrollment saw a decrease. Parents could no longer afford to pay – so rather than close we went charter.”

To this day, the decision is one that she remains proud of. “I am glad because going charter, gave us the opportunity to improve our enrollment and help to continue providing quality education to our students,” she stated. Continuing she exclaimed, “We have the same requirements as public schools, with the exception that we can make our own curriculum and we have designed a rigorous one that will allow our children to excel above grade level.”

As a result of the hard work and dedication that Beatrice Mayes has contributed, the 50-yearold institution remains the oldest continuously running African-American school in the city. The school also holds a record of producing students that outperform those from other schools in regards to standardize testing. Currently, Beatrice Mayes Institute is in the top percentile of all of the schools in Texas, with an emphasis on performing exceptionally in academics. The school’s history entails that, “Attending Beatrice Mayes Institute has become a family tradition for generations, because students not only gain a great education, but also valuable lessons and lifelong friendships. Several alumni remain connected to the school — even when they leave and go off to accomplish amazing things, they still send their own children to the institution that laid their foundation for success.”

A NEW ERA WITH CHRIS MAYES Today Chris Mayes the son of Beatrice Mayes is shadowing his mother’s footsteps.

Being an attendant of the school, he is well aware of the advantages that exist from being a student. His childhood and youth was spent at the school. During our interview, Mr. Mayes recalled going to the school, once he was out of school every day. At the time that he was enrolled, the school only went up to the 3rd grade. Shortly thereafter a year was added each year. With an Electrical Engineering degree, he’d

previously served as the Electrical Specialist for NASA Space Station. In his role there, he was responsible for the station’s operations, electrical flight planning and networking with its national partners. Therefore, his entrance into the role of leadership at the school came almost as secondnature. Primarily because when he transitioned from one field to the next, he was already in the role of operations.

Mr. Mayes began employment at the institution in 2004, through the encouragement of his mother he became the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Wonderland Inc., in 2011. In regards to his new role Mayes said, “As a son, I want my mom happy and taken care of; and I know that what makes her happy is to see that her kids are taken care of – all 525 of them.” He continued, “I miss some of the technical things from NASA, but I love what I do now.” “My passion is the life of my kids and the families we serve,” he added.

To that regard, he is insistent upon ensuring that his mother’s vision for keeping academic excellence a priority is maintained and met.

Mr. Mayes takes his commitment seriously and intently meets with the Dean of Instruction weekly to discuss academia elements, in terms of strengths and weaknesses. Furthermore, he shared other areas that the school is in the process of working on. Funding for more program development, a new gymnasium, creating more space for the middle school and implementing grades 9-12 into the schools’ system; are amongst areas that Mr. Mayes has been attempting to develop, during his tenure so far. To aid that effort, in May 2014 the school bought the adjacent property to it, with plans to build a new high school. Through fundraising and support from the community, the goal is to open its doors by 2019.

Recently, the school celebrated its 50th anniversary as a reliable and well-respected educational institution in the African-American community. At the function, Mrs. Beatrice Mayes was honored for her service to the educational community of Houston. Esteemed honorees for the grand celebration were: Nicole Thomas, recognized as “Distinguished Alumni” she was the first woman and African-American to serve as a hospital president for Baptist Health, in Florida; Dr. Regean Flowers, who is the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of C-STEM, was recognized with the “Trailblazer in Education” award; Karen Carter-Richards, CEO of the “Forward Times Magazine”, received the “Leader in the Community” award and Robert A. Ambrose was acknowledged in “Philanthropy”, for his dedication to Wonderland, Inc./Beatrice Mayes Institute.

To continue reading, visit us online @AframNews.com By: Rebecca S. Jones TX-11

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