is one of the greatest causes of failure.roy Douglas malonson Perry Wooten
Christian Right Evangeli cals, The GOP and White Nationalist Groups, there are no exceptions, because we shall all bust out of this physical game of life on earth: “And as it is appoint ed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9: 27). Final judgment and eternal ac countability day is coming for every human being, and that’s a fact based upon an eternal TRUTH. Therefore: “We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5: 10). America’s cardinal spiri tual moral truths are these: “That all men are created equal, that they are en dowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.” There are no racial, ethnic or socioeconomic exceptions to the spiritual moral prin ciples of this constitutional declaration. God has given to every human being a spiritual mind to think, a heart to love, hands to help,
and a free will mind to “do the right thing” in Jesus’ name. There are no excep tions, because nothing can separate us from the love of God: “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principali ties, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8: 38-39).
However, Christian Right Evangelicals, The GOP, White Nationalist Groups, Fox “Fake News”, and some spiritually confused mis guided minorities appear to have allowed themselves to become separated from the love of GOD. Too many Americans are saying Lord, Lord and cohosting with the devil. America has always had an excel lent opportunity to live as a shining spiritual example to the world-community as a multi-cultural society, because of its almost per fect constitutional govern ing documents based upon Biblical spiritual precepts and has from time to time lived-up to that moral obliga tion.
Hence, America cannot allow those among US who are not willing to allow the God-force in them to embrace the truth of our democratic multi-cultural society. For more visit aframnews.com
The OverflowThanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. It is not only a celebration of the harvest, but it is a holiday that gives every one a chance to reflect on everything they are grateful for. When I think about just the last couple of years, our nation has suffered a lot. From the pandemic to school shoot ings, to racial injustice and discrimination, just to name a few, we have been through a lot together.
This Thanksgiving, I plan to focus on what I am grateful for, which is my family. My kids are still very young, and I want to begin teaching them about the tradition of the holiday and what it represents. This Tthanksgiving, take time to be in the mo ment surrounded by the ones you love. Leave your phones alone if you can, and just be present in the moment. Enjoy your fam ily traditions, make new memo ries, laugh a lot, keep in heart the loved ones we lost, and remember to just be thankful.
We don’t take time enough to give thanks, so please take the time to do so this Tthanksgiving. What are you thankful for?
from all over the houston area (Acreage home, independent heights, Third Ward, fifth Ward, missouri City, Piney Point, Carverdale, Bordersville, north forest, and all other Black communities) that can produce stories that address current and historical realities affecting our community. Please send your inquiries to news@aframnews.com.
Bobby Mills, Phd
Growing up in Tomball, Texas, Perry Wooten was blessed with exceptional talent as an athlete. His family moved around a lot due to his father’s job, and this time, they were moving overseas. At this point in his life, Wooten was tired of moving around.
Wooten had a good relationship with his coach who asked his mother if he could live with him and play football. His parents agreed to the arrangement and from 7th grade until his sophomore/junior year in college, he lived with his coach and his coach’s family.
Wooten graduated from Tomball High School and had multiple offers from different universities. He received a full ride and decided to go to Texas Lutheran University because his coach attended there.
Sadly, during his sophomore year in college, the coach and his wife separated, which made him incredibly sad. “That just tore me apart. To me, they were my family,” he said. The quarterback of the team also lived with the coach along
with his three kids. The coach treated them nothing less than family. One day during the holidays, the coach and his family were invited to a Christmas party in the Champion Forest area of Houston, which was a predominantly affluent White area during that time. The person who invited them said they could come, but to not bring Wooten. Upset by the comment, the coach declined the invitation and told Wooten, “Don’t ever let anyone put you down because of your color or because of who you are. You always stand up and look them eye to eye and let them know you’re a man.” The coach stood up for all his kids. “I was their son and part of their family,” Wooten reflected.
After Wooten finished college, he came back home and begin working with a program for youth. He also helped open
the first therapeutic program for mentally disturbed adolescents and served in administration. His journey then led him to the Harris County Sherriff’s Department where he had the opportunity to do public relations. He was able to ride around with the Sherriff, tag
much injustice and could not keep quiet. He had enough. So, he started filing grievances and he even became president for the first Black police union in the southwest part of this country. There was so much work to be done. Wooten then started getting Black deputies to join
bill was passed, and this was just the first step Wooten took to strive for change. Wooten filed the first lawsuit against the Harris County Sheriff’s Department for racial discrimination and in 1998, he won the lawsuit. During that time, they use to follow him, tap his phone, try to set him up, or do anything to get him to retaliate against the department. “I knew once we beat them, they were going to get me for it. It upset the apple tree,” he said.
along with him on meetings, etc. He also worked as a deputy. Everything was going well until he started going higher up to different floors. “During the day, I started seeing people come in to see their loved ones. The deputies were harassing Black folks, beating, and stomping Black inmates, there were “nigger jokes over the loudspeaker,” and so much more.
Wooten saw so
the organization and begin tackling issues. Some issues were how Blacks couldn’t work in patrol, but they could work in the jails, and there were no Black chiefs or captains. They also couldn’t get promoted. Motivated for change, Wooten went to speak with former United States Representative Craig Washington to ask for help in writing a bill for civic service. With Washington’s help, the
After the lawsuit, Blacks and Hispanics started getting promotions, and whoever received high scores on the exams, they were going to get promoted. It was no longer based on whoever the sheriff and sheriff’s administrator decided.
In 2000, Wooten did the unthinkable and decided to run for Constable in precinct seven against A. B.
Chambers, a legend in the police depart ment. Many people didn’t think he would be able to beat him, but he did. He became the second Black con stable in that depart ment. Although he had won the posi tion, the transition of power wasn’t smooth as no one wanted to open the office for him, all the records were gone, there were no books, or any thing. “I couldn’t do nothing…We didn’t have nothing to start from. We started from scratch. Everything was totally cluttered and totally messed up with no sense of direction,” Wooten said. Because he had won the lawsuit ear lier on, he felt as if the department was mad, and they didn’t want to do anything to help him.
Under Wooten’s leadership there were good things that impacted the com munity. He brought in a new division; they started having civic club meetings in the commu nity to find out what was going on.
For more visit aframnews.com
Dr. Bobby Mills and Perry WootenA new exhibition debuting next spring at the Smithsonian’s Nation al Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) will celebrate Chadwick Boseman’s Black Panther hero costume.
“Afrofuturism: A History of Black Futures,” opens on March 24, 2023, and feature the late actor’s iconic gear. Black Panther counts as the first superhero of African descent to appear in mainstream American comics, and the film is the first major cinematic production on the character.
“Investigating Afrofuturist expression through art, music, activism and more, this exhibi tion explores and reveals Afrofu turism’s historic and poignant engagement with African American history and popular culture,” Smithsonian officials wrote in a news release.
“From the enslaved looking to the cosmos
for freedom to popular sci-fi stories inspiring Black astronauts, to the musical influence of Sun Ra, Out Kast, P-Funk and more, this exhibi tion covers the broad and impactful spectrum of Afrofuturism.”
Through the 4,300-squarefoot tempo
rary exhibition, visitors will view a variety of objects from Afrofu turism pioneers, including Octa via Butler’s typewriter, Nichelle Nichols’ Star Trek uniform as the character Lt. Nyoto Uhura and Nona Hendryx’s spacesuit-inspired costume worn while performing with LaBelle.
The exhibition also uti lizes select objects to el evate stories that speak to Black liberation and social equality, such as Trayvon Martin’s flight suit from Expe rience Aviation, and his childhood dream of being an astro naut.
“Trayvon Martin’s flight suit tells the story of a dream of space flight ended tragically by earthbound violence,” said
Kevin Young, the Andrew W. Mel lon Director of the National Mu seum of African American History and Culture.
“We are honored to tell more of Trayvon’s story, exploring his love of flight and mechanics and his fondness for science and technol ogy. Afrofuturism charts the joy of a rich, imagined future, often in the face of injustice.”
Since its opening in 2016, NMAAHC has supported conver sations, collections and initiatives surrounding Afrofuturism.
“Afrofuturism: A History of Black Futures” will be on view in the museum’s Bank of America Special Exhibitions Gallery from March 24, 2023, through March 2024.
For more details about the new exhibition and to sign up for ad ditional updates, visit the muse um’s Afrofuturism website.
Officials from Aldine ISD, Prairie View A&M University, elected officials and community members gathered to celebrate the opening of the district’s first allboys school, Impact Leadership Academy at Wilson at the ribbon cutting ceremony at the school on Thursday, Nov. 17.
Impact Leadership Academy is a partnership between Aldine ISD and Prairie View A&M University.
The district’s first all-boys school opened on Aug. 17 at the beginning of the 2022-23 school year as Impact students received a red carpet welcome from Aldine ISD administrators, Prairie View A&M administrators and members of the community. Impact students have already made two trips to Prairie View A&M. A group of students attended a football game in the fall, while another group took part in the school’s Elementary Day to visit the campus.
Aldine ISD Superintendent Dr. LaTonya M. Goffney praised Impact Principal Jonathan Kegler to taking his leadership and thanked Prairie View officials for their commitment they have made to making Impact Leadership Academy become a reality.
“ That special red carpet welcome, as well as the PVAMU football game experience was coordinated by the school’s principal, Jonathan Kegler, a leader who has been tasked with providing our young men with a culture, a curriculum and experience like no other,” Dr. Goffney said. “Now, he isn’t doing it alone. Along with his team at Impact and those in the district, we are fortunate to have partners to come to his aid. Partners like Prairie View A&M. We are so grateful for our partners and friends at Prairie View A&M, not just for the great football
experience, but for being there since the beginning, since the school was just an idea and a follow-up conversation. Thank you for being an important part of our village.”
Dr. Goffney added it was Prairie View A&M President Dr. Ruth J. Simmons who encouraged her and Aldine to open an all-boys school as quickly as possible.
“It was Prairie View A&M’s President Dr. Ruth J. Simmons who told me not to wait, to begin teaching leadership and instilling those qualities in our students as soon as possible,” she said. “This is the reason why our students here at Impact Leadership Academy are cultivating learning experiences rooted in cultural identity, community and leadership as young as first grade. Creating the pipeline of young leaders at Impact Leadership means they will take those qualities and teachings
beyond this campus and into our other schools. Generations of young leaders will multiply across the district and will graduate onto the next chapter, their dreams and goals always within reach, guided by the leadership qualities that were instilled at such a young age and became a part of their identity.
Dr. Goffney added the opening of Impact Leadership Academy is fulfilling a promise of providing choices for parents and students in Aldine ISD.
“The opening of Impact Leadership Academy is more than a red carpet or a ribbon-cutting,” she said. “It is the culmination of many hours of collaboration and planning between our leaders, our staff and our community partners.
For more visit aframnews.com
Competitive Sealed Proposal Notice for Multi-Campus HVAC System Repairs and Improvements Project Number: (23-11-05)
Houston Independent School District
The Houston Independent School District will receive Competitive Sealed Proposals from contractors for work on the Multi-Campus HVAC System Repairs and Improvements project. The work includes, but is not limited to, the construction of new HVAC and associated electrical and structural components for multiple existing HISD Facilities. All required proposal information, except sub-contractor firm information and M/WBE required documents, are due no later than (Tuesday) (January 10, 2023), at 2:00 p.m. at 4400 West 18th Street, Office of Board Services #1C, Houston, TX 77092. The proposals will be opened, and the amounts read aloud.
The Request for Competitive Sealed Proposal (RFCSP), which includes plans and specifications, will be available beginning (November 18, 2022), and are on file at: HISD Solicitation bid website: https://www.houstonisd.org/Page/179264.
There is NO charge to view or download documents. Any questions regarding documents are to be addressed to Matthew Bean, matthew.bean@houstonisd.org.
The Competitive Sealed Proposal process will be utilized as authorized in Senate Bill 1093, Legislative Session 83-2013, Ch. 2269, Subchapter D, of Texas Government Code. The Competitive Sealed Proposal process enables HISD to select contractors on the basis of price and qualifications/methodology.
Sub-contractor firm information and M/WBE forms, schedules, and statements, as required by Section AB of the RFCSP and in accordance with the Office of Business Assistance, will be received at 12:00 noon, (Wednesday), (January 11, 2023), in the Board Services Office #1C, 4400 West 18th Street, Houston, TX 77092. PROPOSALS SUBMITTED WITHOUT M/WBE FORMS PROPERLY COMPLETED WILL BE CONSIDERED NON-RESPONSIVE.
A pre-proposal conference will be held at 10:00 AM CST, (Tuesday), (December 6, 2022), at HISD Construction Services Office located at 3200 Center Street, Houston, TX 77007. There will be a (3) hour window to walk the schools directly after the pre-proposal conference ends.
DAEP Secondary School – 1510 Jensen Dr, Houston, Tx 77020: 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Fonville MS – 725 E Little York Rd, Houston, Tx 77076: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Robinson ES – 12425 Woodforest Blvd, Houston, TX 77013 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM
For additional information regarding this project, please contact Matthew Bean, matthew. bean@houstonisd.org
Drawings and Specifications for the RFCSP may be reviewed at the following Houston locations:
Associated General Contractors / www.agchouston.org
HISD Construction Services Office (Bond), 3200 Center, Houston, TX 77007, (713) 5569250
McGraw Hill Construction/Dodge / www.construction.com
Virtual Builders Exchange, 7035 West Tidwell, Suite #J112, Houston, TX. 77092
With over 200,000 veterans and service men and women reentering the workforce each year, Bank of America is supporting the unique needs of our heroes as they transition to civilian life and careers.
Some steps we’re taking to support veterans and military members:
• Offering free online resources through BetterMoneyHabits.com on topics specific to them, from home buying to retirement
• Expanding the number of financial centers near military installations to address the needs of military customers
• Continuing our hiring momentum — more than 15% of our new hires are military veterans
My teammates and I here in Houston are proud to support our military service men and women, especially as we celebrate Veterans Day. Thank you for your service.
Ogle
President,Bank of America Houston
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