Volume 29 Issue 52

January 17, 2025

GREATER HOUSTON EDITION

AframNews.com

Vol. 29, Issue 52

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African-American News&Issues

“Addressing Current & Historical Realities Affecting Our Community”

HOUSTON Texas Southern University announced, “Tiger Promise”, a tuition guarantee program for first time freshman and Texas residents whose family’s annual income is less than $125,000. Deadline to apply for the Fall 2025 semester is March 1st, 2025.

DALLAS Director of the African American Museum of Dallas, Dr. Harry Robinson Jr. retires after 50 years of service. Robinson focused on creating a lasting impact on young people and he feels like developing and building the museum was his assignment from God.

AUSTIN

DR. DELORES SADDLER

AGAINST ALL ODDS

Austin ISD is having trouble meeting the emotional needs of their most vulnerable students.

Black students reported feeling unsupported and mistreated. Studies show that Black students are overwhelmingly disciplined compared to other students. AISD said they are making steps to change that reality for their students.

By: Chloé Richards

“I had at least one or two that constantly told me that I would never make it. That made me more determined to prove them wrong.” Dr. Delores Saddler spoke with AFRAM News to tell her life story of resilience. She was raised in Acres Homes and is pillar in the Houston community, her life has been no easy feat, but she has managed to overcome the challenges and obstacles. The oldest of seven children she was tasked with carrying responsibility at an early age. “I helped raise and discipline my siblings” she said.

Dr. Saddler’s upbringing was full of humble beginnings. “We didn’t have indoor plumbing until I was about 13, she said.” She lived in a 3-bedroom home built by her father; she shared a room with her two sisters and her four brothers shared a room.

Her family had to bathe in the kitchen and the house often leaked when it rained. “We used pretty much all of the pots and pans that we had to sort of catch the water. When it was cold outside, it was cold inside for the most part.” Saddler’s father always encouraged her Odds on pg. 3

SAN ANTONIO San Antonio will host its 36th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day March on January 15h, 2025 (MLK’s birthday.) The march will conclude their week of celebration dedicated to Dr. King and his vision. Celebratory practices will begin on Friday, January 12th.

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January 17, 2025

EDITORIAL

President/Chief Editor Contributing Writers Dr. Bobby Mills Travis McGee Rachel Thompson Natiece Ford Jazz Pazz Sharon C. Jenkins Dr. Shelley McKinley Chloé Richards

A Revival of God Consciousness Bobby Mills, Ph.D.

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We are looking for historical writers That can produce stories that address current and historical realities affecting our community.

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GREATER HOUSTON EDITION

The looking glass self-theory is a sociological elaboration of the ideas and feeling individuals have concerning themselves, self-concept identity.

To be sure, there are some individuals who think more highly of themselves than they should. Hence, the Looking Glass Self Theory can lead to an inflated EGO. EGO is an acronym for Edge God Out. God is at the center of life, alpha and omega, and before there was a when or a where there was God, because: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth…” (Genesis 1: 1). Therefore, individuals should never think more highly of themselves than they ought to. Michael Jackson profoundly popularized the sentiment of giving and service in a song: “Man In The Mirror”: “if you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and then make a change, starting with the man in the mirror. Take a look at your self and make the change.” America, spiritual self-introspection is the best antidote and cure for an inflated EGO. The concept of self involves two dimensions: me and I. Me is the spiritual emotional part of an individual that will cry out to God: I am a sinner saved by your grace through the teachings, life, crucifixion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Hence, I is the EGO in us that invariably will Edge God Out, convincing oneself that I am who I am, and no one comes before me. America, as God’s children, we are godlike, not God. The looking glass self is an elaboration of ideas and feelings individuals have concerning themselves and their place in the universe, selfimage, and self-concept. Individuals should never think more highly of themselves than they ought to, because humans become truly human through their interpersonal interactions and experiences with each other. Therefore, no individual is an island, and self-introspection is good for soul salvation. Moreover, “knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin.”

(Romans 6: 6-7). America, the power of sin died with the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on Calvary. Hallelujah!

Lying is the beginning of sin.

Lying is of the devil. Therefore, the devil is the author and finisher of lying. He told Eve the first lie in the Garden of Eden. The basic principle of democratic governance is that leaders should not lie and always tell the truth. This is why President Carter boldly stated I will not lie to the American people. Sadly, in 2025, lying in America’s political discourse has become standard operating procedure and the proof is the reelection of former President Donald J. Trump.

Despite Trump’s 35,000 documented lies and his selfcentered leadership Read more at aframnews.com mentality while

Coping, Creating, Conquering

By Chloé Richards

NOT THE SAME We’re not like our parents and grandparents, and that’s okay. When we think of success and money, it feels like we’re in a completely different world than them. They were taught to work hard at a steady job, save up, and plan for the future for them that meant staying at the same job for years, and slowly building wealth. But for many of us, for most of us, things are starting to look different, and we have to learn to be okay with that.

More of us are starting businesses, making money online, or doing creative work. We’re not focused on staying at one job for 30 years, truth is most of us aren’t focused on staying at any job. We crave financial freedom, independence, and the opportunity to build generational wealth and passive income. But the question is: is this a problem?

Are we doing it the wrong way or is something wrong with the way our parents and grandparents lived? Or are we choosing to adapt to the way life is? I’m not sure what the answer is, but whatever it is we have to learn to be okay with that.

For them, life was different, and it can sometimes be hard for them to understand that we can’t do everything they did the way that they did it. They had jobs that lasted

longer, college degrees that had meaning, and it was easier to save money and buy a house. And even in there working hard, many of them did not get a chance to build the wealth they had hoped for. Sometimes the traditional path to success just doesn’t seem like it will work anymore. For most of us, it’s not working, it has not been working, and unfortunately it will never work. But we have to learn to be okay with that.

So, is the problem with our parents and grandparents’ way of doing things? Maybe not. They worked with what they had, and they did the best they could. But their way of living doesn’t always fit our reality. Are we the problem? Is it our obsession with getting rich fast? Some might say yes, and they’d be right in some ways. Hustle culture and the idea of “quick success” can lead to stress and poor decision. It’s tempting to believe that if we just work hard enough, we can skip the traditional steps and jump straight to success. But that kind of thinking can cause problems if we don’t take the time to think long-term.

So, where does the problem lie? Maybe it’s not just one generation. The problem might be that the world we live in today has changed so much that the old ways of doing things don’t always work for us anymore. At the same time, the desire for quick success can be risky if we aren’t careful.

Both generations face different challenges, and both need to adapt to Read more at what’s happening aframnews.com

GREATER HOUSTON EDITION Odds Cont.

and her siblings to go to college, Saddler finished Valedictorian of her graduating class but during her junior year in high school she had a baby, and her school George Washington Carver High School refused to acknowledge her as Valedictorian.

Dr. Saddler knew she’d always wanted to become a nurse but because of her family’s finances she initially allowed it to be just a dream.

“I always wanted from the time that I can remember, I always wanted to be a nurse.

That’s always been my dream.

And of course, since we had no money, and since I had no access to a scholarship or financial aid, I sort of put that in the back of my mind” she said. Still wanting to purse higher education, she decided

January 17, 2025 she wanted to become a math teacher, but after a calculus class at the University of Houston, she quickly realized that is not what she wanted to do.

Saddler began pursuing nursing school and was accepted in Texas Women’s University (TWU) in Denton, Texas. At that time TWU had all female students, but there were other activities around for her and her peers to engage in social activities. She lived in the least expensive dorm on campus and was a work study student in the school’s cafeteria and that’s how she put herself through college. Despite being Valedictorian and doing well in her nursing classes, Saddler faced other challenges, there was no professor in her clinical program that looked like her. “When I got to clinical, and there were no clinical instructors that looked like

Health & Wellness Fair Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025 10 a.m.– 2 p.m.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Health Center 3550 Swingle Rd., Houston, TX 77047

me, and I had at least one or two that constantly told me that I would never make it in nursing school. And so that was a challenge” she said.

After graduating with her BSN in 1971 from TWU, she worked as a full-time nurse at MD Anderson hospital in Houston for 33 years. During that time, she decided she wanted to pursue her masters’ degree, she credits her father for this pursuit. “My daddy, even though he didn’t have formal education, always pushed us and wanted us to do much more than what he did, he was my motivation” she said. Saddler graduated with her master’s degree in nursing in 1993 from the University of Texas Medical Center.

In 2003, Dr.Saddler left MD Anderson and got a faculty position at Houston Community College (HCC), she

AFRAMNEWS.COM planned to only stay 5 years but ended up serving 15 years. Her childhood dream of become a nurse and a teacher both came true. “It’s interesting because nursing and teaching had always been something I wanted to do. So now I had the opportunity to do the teaching part” she said. After retiring from the state of Texas she had a total of 48 years of service to the Houston community. “That was kind of good for a girl who was told she’d never make a nurse” she said. During her time at HCC, she also went on to get a doctorate degree in nursing from the University of Texas Medical Branch. She graduated in 2011.

Dr. Saddler says her biggest accomplishment is her family.

“I have four children and 12 grandchildren, and I think now it’s up to 21 with two on

• Health Screenings • Immunizations – Pediatrics* – Blood pressure – Adults – Cervical cancer (Flu and COVID) – HIV • Financial Assistance – HPV Information – Mammograms

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Call 281-454-0913 today to schedule. *Immunizations are only for eligible children, based on Texas Vaccines for Children Program guidelines. Children receiving a vaccine must meet one of these requirements: 18 years of age or younger, American Indian or Alaskan native, enrolled in Medicaid or does not have health insurance.

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the way great grandchildren so that’s an accomplishment.”

She gives God the glory for allowing her to get through her masters’ and doctoral program, because in both of those programs she was tasked with maintaining a certain GPA while having a full-time job. “I just feel like God really blessed me and allowed me to get through both those programs. that’s only by grace; that’s it only by grace.”

Being a nurse had been her dream since should remember and she received all three of her degrees in nursing.

Dr. Saddler left AFRAM News with some words of wisdom saying, “If God put something in you that, he wants you to do and he will give you what you need to do it. You Read more at have to keep doing aframnews.com

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January 17, 2025

ON RACIAL JUSTICE & CIVIL RIGHTS Taken from justiceatthegate.com

THE DEMOCRATS’ PLATFORM

U.S. Deputy Marshals escort six-yearold Ruby Bridges from Williams Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans, LA, in November 1960. As the only black child enrolled in the school, her presence prompted parents of white students to remove their children from the school.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Governors – also shut down public schools in his state rather than permit black students to attend. In 1960 in Louisiana, where Democratic Governor Jimmie Davis supported segregation, it required four federal marshals to accompany little Ruby Bridges so she could attend a public elementary school in New Orleans. When Ruby entered that school, every other parent in that school pulled their children out of the school, and for the entire year, little Ruby was the only student in that school building – just Ruby and her schoolteacher from Boston.

Some Democratic southern Governors, however, did work for integration – including Tennessee Governor Frank Clement, Florida Governor LeRoy Collins, and Kentucky Governor Happy Chandler.

Special Edition

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GREATER HOUSTON EDITION

HISTORY

THE REPUBLICANS’ PLATFORM of the United States has been ended. For the first time in our history there is no segregation in veterans’ hospitals and among civilians on naval bases. This is an impressive record. We pledge ourselves to continued progress in this field. . . . The Republican Party accepts the decisions of the U. S. Supreme Court that racial discrimination in publicly supported schools must be progressively eliminated. † We concur in the conclusion of the Supreme Court that its decision directing school desegregation should be accomplished with “all deliberate speed” locally through Federal District Courts. . . . This progress must be encouraged and the work of PRESIDENT JAMES the courts supported in every legal manner EARL CARTER by all branches of the federal government to the end that the constitutional ideal of the law, By: Bobby E. Mills, PhD regardless of race, creed, or color, be steadily ald Ford. President Carter On Monday, September achieved. was affectionately called the 30th former President James Earl Carter turned 100 by some as “Jimmy Who”, ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------because he was relatively years old, and became the with the Republicans to get that bill beyond unknown on the national first centennial President.

Smith’s committee. In fact, Democratic House On Sunday, December 29th, political scene. James Earl member Emanuel Celler of New York, chairCarter was the Governor of 2024, God called President man of the House Judiciary Committee, Carter home. What a God we Georgia, a peanut farmer, exerted extraordinary effort to move the bill and affectionately known as serve! Almost two years ago forward even though he was strongly opposed medical professionals placed Jimmy Carter. Jimmy Carter’s by other members within his own party. When President Carter in hospice campaign raised two overridthe bill finally passed the House and arrived in care and declared that he had ing concerns: can religion be the Senate, it was gutted by Democrats before effectively used to revitalize two weeks to live. President being passed into law, once again preventing Carter spiritually understood American culture and political-governmental processes? the federal government from intervening on that death and life are in the Of course, attempting to be power of the tongue. More behalf of black Americans whose civil rights morally right in politics is a importantly, death is swalwere being violated in the South. no, no, and twenty-first cenlowed up in victory in God. Nevertheless, massive gains were made in tury Trump-style politics is Therefore: “O death, where civil rights through Eisenhower’s leadership a classic example. Secondly, is thy sting?

O grave, where and with the aid of Republicans and some can Blacks and the disinheris thy victory?”

(1 CorinDemocrats in Congress. ited poor (the underclass) thians 15: 55).

In the 2024 † This refers to the Court’s Brown v. Board of coupled with the support of Presidential election between Education school desegregation decision. Sigsocio-economic visionaries Former President Donald J. nificantly, Eisenhower’s Attorney General had alter power arrangements, Trump and VP Kamala Harappeared before the Court to urge the eliminapolitical institutions, value ris, President Carter declared tion of segregation. that he would Godly cast his orientations, and eventually the social system of reward vote for VP Harris for LIFE, allocation to not death. James Earl Carter create a more became President in 1976 Carter on pg. 7 just sociodefeating President Ger-

GREATER HOUSTON EDITION

January 17, 2025

OBITUARY

ROBERT ROGERS

AUGUST 10, 1921 – JANUARY2, 2025 A baby boy was born to Dennis and Emma Rogers on August 10, 1921 in Fulshear, Texas and they named him Robert Rogers. He was the eldest of the magnificent eight who were better known as the Rogers clan.

He accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his savior at an early age and was baptized at Little Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Fulshear, Texas.

In 1942 he was drafted into the Army.

He would travel by train to Houston and then by bus to San Antonio for basic

training. Once he finished basic training he was shipped off to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri where he received additional training before being sent to Northern France Rhineland Central Europe. As a part of the 354 Engineers his unit was a part of D-Day on the coast of Normandy, France. He served in World War II where he was a marksman and truck driver.

His decorations and citations were the EAME Campaign medal with three bronze stars, Good

Conduct Medal and 4 overseas Service Bars.

In 1945 after returning from WWII Robert, his mother and Read more at siblings aframnews.com

LUCRETIA ELIZABETH GRANT AUGUST 6, 1925 – JANUARY 4, 2025

Born on August 6, 1925, in Houston, Texas, Lucretia Elizabeth McGartha was the third of eleven children born to John Preston McGartha and Beatrice Thomas McGartha. A lifelong member of St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church, she was baptized at an early age and carried her faith with her throughout her entire life. Lucretia attended Woodcrest Elementary School, Harper Middle School, and graduated from Booker T. Washington High School.

On November 3, 1941, Lucretia

was united in holy matrimony to James Astor Grant, beginning a beautiful union that spanned over 71 years.

Together, they raised 14 children, 9 boys and 5 girls, creating a family foundation built on love, respect, hard work, and devotion. Lucretia was the epitome of the Proverbs 31 Womanquiet yet strong, patient yet profound.

Her nurturing spirit, soft spoken demeanor, and calming presence left an indelible mark on all who knew her.

Lucretia’s greatest joy was her family. She was a natural matriarch, creating lasting bonds with every member of her large Read more at family. aframnews.com

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GREATER HOUSTON EDITION

January 17, 2025

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POLITICS

Carter Cont.

economic democratic egalitarian society? As Governor of Georgia, Carter had demonstrated that he was a Godly rational and efficient managerial steward. America this is something that Donald J. Trump has clearly demonstrated that he can never spiritually understand or become, because he is too self-centered.

President Carter’s interview in Playboy magazine was a profound example of Jimmy Carter’s spiritual comfort level in his own skin as well as his sense of Christian morality. This was a bit too much for the hypocritical moral majority population to accept.

In 1976 a Playboy interviewer asked Carter had he ever committed adultery, and Carter answered yes, many times in my mind, but never in my body, because I have lusted after beautiful women! The moral ideals and parameters that President Carter used to describe the universe and mankind’s place in the scheme of things was foreign, even obsolete to some Whites, especially Christian Whites. In fact, the ideas and ideals that Carter used to describe God, the nature of man, moral values, and societal institutional arrangements made him a different kind of Southerner. Carter’s spiritual-moral character despite his Southern roots made him overwhelming acceptable to Blacks, because he was viewed as a spiritual-moral man with a God conscience. Thus, political processes totally set apart from God conscience had brought America to the edge of the moral bankruptcy cliff, resulting in the election of Donald J. Trump in 2016, and reelected in 2024 after becoming a convicted criminal. Trump is America’s Greatest National Disaster. However, in 2024 the world knows who James Earl Carter is: peacemaker and inspirational spirit of Habitat for Humanity (home building for the lest them among us). America, the world is a better place today because of the work of James Earl Carter as a gentle soul, moral man, and peacemaker. President Carter was guided by Faith in God, humanity, and America. Jimmy Who’s simplicity, just like the simplicity of Jesus Christ, is a great spiritual moral example of how we ought to love and serve one another. God gave Noah the rainbow sign; could God be giving us the climate-change-sign; warm it up with love and service for one another, because too many Americans desire something for nothing based upon social class privileges and skin-tone. The Presidency of James Earl Carter raised this spiritual question: do Americans have the courage to live out the true meaning of America’s Constitutional Creed? Carter’s life after the Presidency reminds us of the Two Great Commandments: Love God and love your neighbor. America, we have experienced the “Old South”, migrated to the “New South”, and President James Earl Carter sought to take America to a state of spiritual being where there is no South, only children of God. Amen!

AFRAMNEWS.COM

THE 89TH TEXAS LEGISLATIVE SESSION By: Chloé Richards

The 89th Texas Legislative session will begin Monday, January 14th, 2025, it will last for 140 days concluding on June 2nd, 2025. Lawmakers will focus on the most important topics for the first 60 days. All proposed bills must clear a committee by May 8th, 2025, if a bill does not clear it cannot move forward in the Texas Legislative Session. This means lawmakers will not be able to vote on it, and the bill will be considered “dead” for this session. To have another chance, the bill would have to be filed again during the next session in 2027.

There are a lot of bills that are up in the air.

According to Fox 7 Austin, there is a proposed ban on cannabis, school choice, and Sports betting that could possibly go up for a vote. Many Texas Lawmakers are pushing for a cannabis

reform, especially for medicinal use. In 2023, HB1805 was created to expand the use of medical marijuana, it received 127 yeses and 19 noes, however the state Senate declined to move forward with the legislation.

This year, HJR70 is being proposed and will allow Texans to vote on whether to allow medical cannabis to be legally grown, sold, and used in the state.

Outside of medicinal use, some lawmakers are hoping for cannabis to be available to those 21 and up. (HB1208.)

Some lawmakers believe that allowing marijuana outside of medicinal use will increase accidents and other harmful things.

Some lawmakers wish to allow families to be able to use state funded money for private school

tuition and other educational expenses, instead of the money being solely used for public school education. Educational Savings Accounts (ESA’s) if passed will allow parents to choose the best schools for their children providing more opportunities for a better education. This could potentially be beneficial to low-income families in marginalized communities. Other lawmakers do not wish to take away money from public schools because so many of them are already struggling with the resources they have now.

Many states have already made Sports betting legal. There are only 12 states when Sports betting is not allowed, and Texas is one of them. Sports betting is placing bets on the outcome of sports games.

Sports betting is a form of gambling and gambling

became illegal in Texas in 1903 at the 28th Texas Legislative session. The Texas legislature did not legalize sports betting in a previous session, in that session there was a historic House vote that approved the bill, but the Senate did not pass it. Research shows, that if Texas allowed Sports betting the state could earn over $360 million in direct taxes each year.

Texas may be the most profitable online Sports betting market.

There are many more changes that lawmakers in Texas will be debating in 2025. Some of these ideas might pass, others may not. All of them are important because whether negative or positive Texas residents will be affected.

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January 17, 2025

GREATER HOUSTON EDITION

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As proud sponsors of the 47th Annual “Original” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade Celebration & Day of Service, H-E-B pledges to do our part to advance education, equity and inclusion across our great state.

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