Houston Defender: March 31, 2022

Black women & Alopecia Lamik Beauty’s Kim Roxie gets bold in her fight against hair loss.

NEWS

AL SHARPTON The Civil Rights leader says Texas will take the spotlight in the fight for voting rights.

Volume 91, Issue 21 March 31, 2022

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BEYONCE’

The Houston superstar was just one of the many phenomenal moments missed at the Oscars thanks to ‘slapgate.’ instagram.com/defendernetwork defendernetwork.com

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Beyoncé during the ABC telecast of the 94th Oscars at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022.

Message from the Associate Editor himself to a whole lot more folk during his sucIt’s a shame that one slap knocked the taste out cessful H-Town Rodeo takeover. Not only did he of all our mouths—the “taste,” or full appreciation, do his thing, but he made sure to share the stage for those Oscar happenings important for the culwith other incredible talents from “The H.” In the ture. Like Samuel L. Jackson’s Lifetime Achievewords of my father, “CW” Walker, “That’s what I’m ment Oscar. The Oscar-winning Afro-Latina, talkin-bout!” And now, Bun B will be serving as the LGBTQ sister from “West Side Story,” Ariana grand marshal of the 2022 Art Car Parade, a very DeBose. The Shaq & Steph Curry-executive proHouston tradition like no other. Let’s acknowledge duced documentary “The Queen of Basketball” this moment that our brother is having, and conAswad Walker about the first woman (sister) drafted by an NBA tinue to acknowledge him and his good works. FYI, team, the late Lusia Harris. The Oscar-winning directorial that Trill Burger I had at the Rodeo was the “troof ”! debut of The Roots’ Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson for “Summer of Soul.” H-Town repping hard with Robert Glasper and ON WILL & CHRIS crew serving as the house band; Megan Thee Stallion doing Will Smith acknowledged in his public apology that he is her thing in that “Encanto” number; and Queen Bey and those a “work in progress,” as are we all. And as such, we can’t let hundred-million, super-talented dancing sisters performing Hollywood happenings blind us to other matters. Like the “Be Alive” from “King Richard” on the same Compton tennis Klan-flavored attacks on Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson during court where Venus and Serena first practiced their craft. There her SCOTUS confirmation hearings. Or that current Supreme was also D-Nice on the ones & twos, laying down classic tracks Court Justice Clarence Thomas and wife (Becky or Karen or from the culture as the backdrop to so much of the night’s whatever), actively participated in attempting to overthrow a festivities. And those two brothers who conducted the Oscars democratic presidential election. #BiggerIssues orchestra. And P-Diddy doing what he could to rescue the energy in the room by publicly calling for Will and Chris to IN THIS WEEK’S DEFENDER get backstage and work that “stuff ” out. Hell, two of the three • Alopecia has made more headlines this week than ever before. hosts were sisters. And that “In Memoriam” transitioned from Read up on exactly what it is and its impact on sisters. the traditional sad music slide show of those in show business • Can Dusty Baker’s Astros repeat in 2022? Find out here. who’ve passed away since last year’s Oscars, to the blackest • Okay Dr. Aziza Glass! The Houston Black vet starring in a celebration of life ever captured on stage, acknowledging loss new Disney series. while uplifting spirits at the same time. And it was all made possible by the directorial brilliance of Will Packer and his ON THE WEB all-Black production team. And with one slap, it’s as if none • Learn about the city’s Build Up Houston program that seeks of that Blackness ever happened. to build up local businesses.

• Check the Defender’s mini-publishers: Black Women, Under CAN WE ACKNOWLEDGE THIS BUN B MOMENT? 40 & Community Central.

Y’all know Bun B, the local hip-hop icon, entrepreneur • Peep the pics from award-winning photographer Jimmie (Trill Burger) and social activist. Well, bruhman introduced Aggison in “Jimmie’s Journey Around Town.”

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DN News

Travis Scott performs at Astroworld Festival at NRG park on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021 in Houston. AP/ Jamaal Ellis

Travis Scott accused of violating gag order Defender News Service

Al Sharpton speaking at the recent Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. public luncheon. He plans to frequent Texas in the fight for voting rights.

Al Sharpton puts Texas in the spotlight

By ReShonda Tate

As Rev. Al Sharpton prepares for the National Action Network Annual Convention next week, the Civil Rights Leader says Texas will be a main focus, particularly voting rights and SB 1.

“We have to come out and vote and take down this state legislature,” Sharpton said during a recent visit to Houston. “If we can vote these people out, if (Gov. Greg) Abbott and his team are punished, it will send a national signal. I intend to spend a lot of time in the state working toward that.”

Sharpton says the Census undercount will also be a focus of the NAN convention, which takes place April 6-11 in New York City. Black people, Latinos, and Native Americans were undercounted during the United States 2020 national census, new US Census Bureau data showed, potentially affecting political representation and federal funding for communities with significant minority populations.

The once-a-decade nationwide population count is used to draw US legislative maps in each of the 50 US states, as well as to help distribute billions in federal funds for everything from public housing to health care and highway construction.

“The Census will affect us for a decade,” Sharpton said. “We plan to file a lawsuit to go in and challenge them to take the census again. They are gerrymanding districts. They’re undercounting us in terms of registration. In a midterm election year, we can’t afford for

“November is critical for not just Texas, but the nation. Texas is a symbol of where the nation is going.”

Rev. Al Sharpton

that to happen. It’s a legal strategy that I’m rallying around,” Sharpton said.

Another topic Sharpton is looking at tackling – Black voter apathy, including those African Americans who feel disenfranchised with the Democratic Party and suggest there needs to be a third party.

“If that gets the majority vote, fine. But if you can’t take over the Democratic vote that’s an issue and will keep the other side in power. We can’t get caught up in silos. And I think a lot of us get caught up in, ‘I ain’t in this, I ain’t in that’ rather than I want to do whatever wins. When I go to the airport, I don’t care if I’m in a Chrysler or a Cadillac. I just want to arrive. I think we’ve got to stop arguing about what we’re going to use as a vehicle and deal with how we get to the destination,” he said.

Attorneys for some of those killed and injured during last year’s deadly Astroworld music festival are alleging that rapper Travis Scott has violated a gag order issued in lawsuits they have filed in an effort to influence possible jurors and rebuild his reputation ahead of a potential trial.

At issue is an announcement Scott made earlier this month about Project HEAL, a $5 million initiative that includes funding for an effort to address safety challenges for festivals and large-scale events. Houston police and federal officials have been investigating whether Scott, concert promoter Live Nation and others had put in place sufficient safety measures.

“My team and I created Project HEAL to take much-needed action towards supporting real solutions that make all events the safest spaces they can possibly be.

I will always honor the victims of the Astroworld tragedy who remain in my heart forever,” Scott wrote earlier this month on Instagram after the initiative was announced.

But Bob Hilliard, one of the attorneys representing the family of 9-year-old Ezra Blount, the youngest person to die from injuries during the festival, said during a court hearing that Scott used the power of his social media presence to address concert safety, one of the issues being debated by the lawsuits.

State District Judge Kristen Hawkins has previously said that lawyers could tell the media about factual issues that happen in court, but she didn’t want attorneys or others to make their cases in the court of public opinion and possibly influence the jury pool.

Scott’s actions “did affect and dent the power of your order,” Hilliard told Hawkins, who’s overseeing the nearly 500 lawsuits filed after 10 people died and hundreds of others were injured during a massive crowd surge at the Nov. 5 concert headlined by Scott.

Stephen Brody, one of Scott’s attorneys, said the rapper’s announcement about the initiative, which included funding for scholarships, didn’t violate the gag order.

Scott’s attorneys have argued any efforts to prevent him from speaking on this or any other issue would be a violation of his constitutional right of free expression.

Such charitable efforts have “been a constant in his life” and “to suggest somehow that speaking about those charitable initiatives ... runs afoul of the publicity order ... is certainly not something that would withstand scrutiny,” Brody said.

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DN News HAUL meets with SBA to strengthen local businesses

By Aswad Walker

Judson Robinson III, head of the Houston Area Urban League (HAUL), met with the regional administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), Ted James, earlier this week to shore up local connections to vital business-strengthening programs and information. More specifically, the conversation focused on HAUL’s participation in the SBA’s Navigator Program.

“We’re one of about 50 organizations that were selected nationwide to help increase the likelihood of small businesses getting and finding access to information that they need and programs that are available,” said Robinson.

He cited the need to educate

Judson Robinson III on right with Angelique Batholemew and Kristian Newman at a 2020 GHBC meeting. Photo by Aswad Walker.

entrepreneurs “about ways to make sure that they’re ready for the next need for PPP loans or making sure their back office is in

place, and again, that they know about the programs the SBA offers, which is a [wide] variety, and also who their local contacts might be,

including HAUL. “We’ve had this process of connecting people to resources for a number of years [including] in areas of education and health. So, it just made sense for the SBA to have something like this to make sure that they’re being very proactive in terms of finding ways to reach small businesses.”

James, who was joined by Houston Deputy District Director Mark Winchester, also met with business leaders at the Metro and Port Houston Banker’s Fair, before meeting with HAUL. “We have a fantastic small business program ourselves with the Entrepreneurship Center,” Robinson said. “Many graduates have already gone through that

program. Those folks go in, in a cohort. They come out eight to 10 weeks later and they’ve gotten a lot of questions answered about how to build a business plan to make sure that two-tofive years from now, they’re still in business.”

Robinson noted that most Black businesses are sole proprietorships that can benefit from SBA programs and from HAUL’s services as an SBA Navigator.

“We need to grow [those sole proprietorships]. We need to make sure that they’re hiring employees and that they are becoming an LLC and they are incorporating and beginning to grow and sustain, and hopefully live to sell their business one day.”

LULAC wants more Latinx on city council spokesperson Diane Olmos-Guzman LULAC (League of United Latin about the town hall and its goals.

American Citizens) recently held a town hall meeting seeking to garner Defender: What was the focus of support for their effort to restruc- the town hall? ture the make-up of Houston City Diane Olmos-Guzman: It was to Council. inform the community about the The council is currently com- issue, or rather LULAC’s call for prised of 16 members, 11 of which equal representation on city council are elected to geographic districts with 16 single-member districts. The of roughly the same proportion of reason why we are promoting and population size. The other five mem- supporting to have a referendum bers are elected to at-large (citywide) and/or support from city council seats. to change the city charter for single LULAC, as an organization, member districts only, because we along with several other individu- feel that this is the only way Latinos als, asserts that the current makeup can possibly get equal representation of city council (six Blacks, on city council, being that we eight whites and two only have one Latino Latinx) leaves Housfrom a predominantly ton’s Latinx comHispanic district. munit y g rossly We, the Latinos, under-represented. are 45% of HousAccording to U.S. ton’s population...

Census and governSo, with LULAC, ment data, that ratio District 8 and District of 45% of the Houston 18 have come together to Diane population being Latinx, form a task force on redisOlmos-Guzman yet only 6% of city countricting and also receiving cil is Latinx, ranks Houston as worst parity for equal representation. We among the state’s largest cities (cities believe that we provide millions if with 500K-plus residents) regarding not billions of dollars to the city cofLatinx representation. fers. Yet, we receive little-to-no repThe Defender obtained an resentation for our services, and city exclusive interview with LULAC services, infrastructure and other

By Aswad Walker

opportunities that other neighborhoods and communities receive.

Defender: Why hasn’t equal repre-

sentation happened already?

Olmos-Guzman: This issue has been tossed around since 1973, when a prominent Hispanic attorney, Frumencio Reyes, filed the lawsuit for single-member districts.

It went back and forth, back and forth. It even went to the state legislature for support. We ended up with a lawsuit and the lawsuit was very well-pronounced, and we had quite a bit of support. However, the end result of it, we received a commitment for a referendum in the late ‘90s. However, city council was remiss in putting the referendum on the agenda. So, it never got passed.

We never received parity. And as a result, we have not been able to elect our own in at-Large seats since former Councilwoman Gracie Saenz was elected 30 years ago.

Defender: Why should the Black

community be behind this LULAC effort?

Olmos-Guzman: We need the African American community’s support in that [all single-member districts] also benefit the African American community. We have

many, many neighborhoods that are in very deplorable conditions.

Why? Because the at-large council members only deal with policy.

They do not work with constituent complaints, issues or concerns.

Therefore, a single-member district representative is one who lives in the

neighborhood, knows of the problems, knows of the potholes and the broken sidewalks and the poor services, garbage collections and what have you. Only a person who is knowledgeable and sensitive to its own community can very well represent its constituents on city council.

CHECK OUT THE FULL INTERVIEW AT DEFENDERNETWORK.COM

VOLUME 91 - NUMBER 21 - MARCH 31, 2022 Publisher | CEO Sonceria Messiah-Jiles

Managing Editor ReShonda Tate

Chief Development Officer Emelda Douglas

Associate Editor Aswad Walker

Strategic Alllance Clyde Jiles

Education Reporter Laura Onyeneho

Creative Director Michael Grant

Sports Terrance Harris Jodie B. Jiles

Administrative Asst.

Stacey Palmer

Photographers Jimmie Aggison

The Defender newspaper is published by the Houston Defender Newspaper Inc. and audited by Alliance for Audited Media (AAM). Only digital subscriptions are available at: www.defendernetwork.com/subscribe No paper subscriptions available. All materials covered by 2020 copyright.

No materials herein may be reproduced without the written permission of the Publisher. 713-663-6996 | P.O. Box 8005, Houston, Tx 77288

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We’re supporting small businesses to get them back to thriving Small businesses are the heart of our communities. At Wells Fargo, we’re working together with more than 3 million small businesses, helping to propel them to a brighter and more secure future.

With our Open For Business Fund, we’re donating roughly $420MM through nonprofits, to provide small businesses in cities across America with valuable equity and resources.

Learn more at wellsfargo.com/impact ©2022 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved.

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Reparations Panel divided over who should be compensated Associated Press

California’s first-in-the-nation task force on reparations is at a crossroads, with members divided on which Black Americans should be eligible for compensation as atonement for a slave system that officially ended with the Civil War but reverberates to this day.

Some members want to limit financial and other compensation to descendants of enslaved people while others say that all Black people in the U.S., regardless of lineage, suffer from systemic racism in housing, education and employment. The task force could vote on eligibility soon after putting it off last month.

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation creating the two-year reparations task force in 2020, making California the only state to move ahead with a study and plan, with a mission to study the institution of slavery and its harms and to educate the public about its findings.

The committee is not even a year into its two-year process and there is no compensation plan of any kind on the table. But there is broad agreement among advocates of the need for multi-faceted remedies for related yet separate harms, such as slavery, Jim Crow laws, mass incarceration and redevelopment that resulted in displacement of Black communities.

COMPENSATION COULD INCLUDE:

• Free college • Assistance buying homes • Assistance launching businesses • Grants to churches and community organizations

Yet, the eligibility question has dogged the group since its inaugural meeting in June, when viewers called in pleading with the nine-member group to devise targeted

Yolanda Renee King, granddaughter of The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., raises her fist as she speaks about reparations during the March on Washington, on the 57th anniversary of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech on Aug. 28, 2020. AP

proposals and cash payments to make whole the descendants of people enslaved in the U.S. Kamilah Moore, the committee’s chair, said she expects robust discussion, which will include testimony from genealogists.

She favors eligibility based on lineage, rather than race, saying it will have the best chance of surviving a legal challenge in a conservative U.S. Supreme Court.

DIFFERING VIEWS “A reparations plan based on race would attract hyper-aggressive challenges that could have very negative implications for other states looking to do something similar, or even for the federal government. Eligibility based on lineage, rather than race, saying it will have the best chance of

surviving a legal challenge in a conservative U.S. Supreme Court.Everyone’s looking to what we’re going to do.”

-Kamilah Moore Committee chair “No one asked me if my ancestors were enslaved in the United States or if they were enslaved in Jamaica or if they were enslaved in Barbados. We have to embrace this concept that Black lives matter, not just a sliver of those Black lives, because Black lives are in danger, especially today.”

-Lisa Holder Task force member who lost her child at delivery, because the medical staff did not take seriously the concerns of a young Black woman who knew something was wrong with her baby.

The legacy of slavery broke my family and stunted our ability to dream of anything beyond survival.

Opening up compensation to Black immigrants or even descendants of slaves from other countries would leave U.S. descendants with mere pennies.”

Shirley Weber, California Secretary of State, Legislation author

A report is due by June with a reparations proposal due by July 2023 for the Legislature to consider turning into law.

Kamala Harris plans to stop bias in home appraisals NNPA

Vice President Kamala Harris has unveiled an action plan to stop racial discrimination in the appraisal of home values. The 21-step plan seeks to improve oversight and accountability in the home appraisal business. It includes a legislative proposal to modernize the governance structure of the appraisal industry.

“A home appraisal is a critical element of the home buying and lending process, intended to provide an independent, fair, and objective estimate of the market value

of a property so that lenders can accurately evaluate risk,” the administration stated in a Fact Sheet. “Homeownership is the primary contributor to wealth building for Black and brown households and continues to hold promise for building multigenerational wealth and housing stability for households of color. But, bias in home valuations limits the ability of Black and brown families to enjoy the financial returns associated with homeownership, thereby contributing to the already sprawling racial wealth gap.”

Administration officials said the median white family holds eight times the wealth of the typical Black family and five times the wealth of the typical Latino family. According to a recent study, eliminating racial disparities in the wealth families gain from owning a home would narrow the wealth gap by an additional 16 percent between Black and white households and an additional 41 percent between Latino and white households.

To view the plan, visit http://www.PAVE. HUD.gov.

2022_CTW-100057_Q1_Houston GO_IO_1490_The Defender_HP_ENG_4.812 x 13_3-31_F.pdf

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DN News Join us for a Grand Opening Celebration It's a free party and you're invited!

BNC hosts Aisha Mills, Del Walters, left, and BNC President and Chief Executive Princell Hair. Black News Channel

Black News Channel closes its doors C

NNPA

According to the Los Angeles Times, the Black News Channel, which launched just before the pandemic, has ceased operations. The newspaper said that the Tallahassee, Fla.-based outlet, whose majority stakeholder is Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan, failed to meet payroll recently after telling employees that paychecks would be delayed.

The Black News Channel reportedly has a staff of 230, and some current and former employees had previously filed a gender discrimination lawsuit against the network that remains pending. Citing people briefed on the matter, the Times said Khan would no longer invest in the operations of BNC after shopping the channel to several media companies, including Byron Allen’s Entertainment Studios. Reportedly, Khan found no interest.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Khan declared bankruptcy, leaving a majority Black and Brown staff jobless and without pay. The channel itself will air repreats for the remainder of March.

Before the Times report, Roland Martin broke the information that BNC failed to pay its employees this week. Martin, the host of “Roland Martin Unfiltered” and owner of the Black Star Network, tweeted a memo written by BNC Human Resources Vice President Nicole Collins. The memo dated Friday, March 25, informed the staff that payroll “would be delayed.”

“We are actively working to resolve this matter quickly and will advise you with an update as soon as possible,” Collins wrote.

Staffers “are angry and demanding answers,” Martin tweeted. “I have been inundated with phone calls, texts, and emails from staffers on this issue.”

The media mogul said he spoke to

M

Y

We are actively working to resolve this matter quickly and will advise you with an update as soon as possible,” Collins wrote.

Staffers “are angry and demanding answers. I have been inundated with phone calls, texts, and emails from staffers on this issue.”

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

Nicole Collins BNC VP

BNC’s CEO Princell Hair, who advised that he’s working on getting employees paid. However, Martin claimed staffers had been “left in the dark.”

The concept of the Black News Channel began with former U.S. Rep. J.C. Watts, an Oklahoma Republican who brought in a group of initial investors. After at least two delays, the channel finally launched after Khan kicked in $50 million and took the reigns as majority shareholder. In much of its first year, BNC filled its website from content provided by the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), the trade association of the Black Press of America. NNPA President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. frequently appeared on the channel providing commentary on various news topics.

Join us on April 2nd to celebrate the Grand Opening of CenterWell Senior Primary Care™ Emancipation.

• Meet the physician • Take a tour of the center and get a FREE treat from a local food truck • Play bingo • Enjoy live music with one of your favorite local radio stations • Prize drawings every 20 minutes*

CenterWell Emancipation Grand Opening: Saturday, April 2nd 10am - 1pm 3131 Emancipation Ave., Suite 103 Houston, TX 77004 RSVP for you and a friend today Call 713-955-6742 or visit SeniorFocusedHouston.com Monday - Friday, 8am - 5pm We accept Aetna, Cigna, Humana, Imperial, Memorial Hermann, TexanPlus and Wellcare of Texas Medicare Advantage plans.

COVID safety protocols will be in place. CenterWell has taken precautionary measures and complies with relevant public health guidance at its activities. However, there remains a risk of contracting COVID-19, and you should carefully evaluate these risks before participating in events and activities. Individuals with increased chances of serious complications from COVID-19 should carefully evaluate these risks before participating in any activities. To protect the health and safety of participants and our staff, CenterWell activities are only recommended for fully vaccinated individuals.

CenterWell does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability or sex. ATENCIÓN: Si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-877-320-2188 (TTY: 711). 注意：如果您使用繁體中 文，您可以免費獲得語言援助服務。請致電 1-877-320-2188 (TTY: 711). *No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. Must be 18+ and a legal resident of the U.S.; CenterWell and Humana employees, family, and household not eligible. Prize drawing for $10 gift card. Subject to official Rules, available at 3131 Emancipation Avenue, Suite GHHLDXUEN 103, Houston, TX 77004.

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DN InFocus

BLACK WOMEN

SOMETIMES I CRY. SOMETIMES I’M THE EMPOWERMENT PERSON. I’M STILL FIGURING OUT HOW TO COPE WITH IT.”

& Alopecia

By ReShonda Tate

For years, Kim Roxie has been helping women enhance their beauty. The Houston native has garnered national acclaim as a makeup artist with her company, Lamik Beauty. But throughout her successful career, she was harboring a secret, she didn’t always feel beautiful because alopecia had robbed her of her crown.

“As a young girl, I had beautiful naturally curly hair and I hated my hair because I grew up during a time where straight hair was in.

And so I did everything to get those waves out my head - perms, weaves and I discovered I’d put so much tension on my scalp and edges. I just abused my hair,” Roxie said.

The 39-year-old mother was diagnosed with alopecia, a degenerative disease that causes hair loss, in her early 20s.

“I was shedding and finding bald spots in certain areas. I went to a dermatologist that didn’t look like me, and he didn’t help,” she said. “I tried castor oil, growth serums, all different kind of things and nothing helped.

Then I went to a Black female dermatologist and she confirmed that I had two different kinds of alopecia.”

Roxie recommends a good support system for anyone dealing with hair loss.

“I’m in a hair loss support group. We get on zoom and we talk about our hair loss and I can be so transparent. It’s wonderful to have someone who relates.”

A COMMON PROBLEM

Like Roxie, many women of color experience alopecia. About a third of women will suffer some form of hair loss in their lives, according to Harvard Medical School. And a peer-reviewed study published in 2018 found that Black and Hispanic women in the U.S. have a “significantly greater” chance of developing alopecia areata in their lifetime than white women.

JADA SHINES A LIGHT

The recent fiasco at the Oscars has shined a light on the frustrating disease that each year affects so many women. Actor Will

Smith has had a front row seat to his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith’s battle with alopecia since 2018 (which many believe was why he slapped comedian Chris Rock for making a joke about Jada). Pinkett Smith has been vocal about the diagnosis, embracing the challenges of the condition and publicly displaying evidence of hair loss with confidence and candor.

She even released a video on Instagram to talk about a new patch of baldness caused by alopecia. The video, which has over 2 million views, shows a smiling Pinkett Smith acknowledging the discovery.

“Look at this line right here,” Pinkett Smith, 50, said as she pointed to her scalp.

“Now this is going to be a little bit more difficult for me to hide, so I thought I’d just share it so y’all not asking any questions — but you know, mama’s going to put some rhinestones in there, and I’m going to make me a little crown.”

Pinkett Smith is among the notable women of color who have broken their silence about hair loss, including Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., who revealed she had alopecia in 2020. The Massachusetts Democrat said she felt compelled to go public to free herself of the shame of her condition and provide true transparency to all the people empowered by her hair style.

“I felt naked, exposed, vulnerable. I felt embarrassed. I felt ashamed. I felt betrayed,” Pressley said. “And then I also felt that I was participating in a cultural betrayal because of all the little girls who write me letters, come up to me, take selfies with me. Hashtag twist nation.”

HAIR MATTERS

When Roxie watched the Oscars, her heart went out to Pinkett Smith.

“I felt her hurt. When somebody does that and they’re making fun of you, you’re thinking, it’s a autoimmune disease. It’s nothing that you can control. The joke was just a very low blow and I didn’t appreciate it. Sometimes people like to belittle alopecia, thinking, ‘oh, it’s just hair.’ They don’t realize

- KIM ROXIE ON LOSING HER HAIR.

VIDEO: MORE FROM KIM ROXIE ON LIVING WITH ALOPECIA.

WHAT IS ALOPECIA? Alopecia is a broad term that refers to any form of hair loss.

WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF ALOPECIA? Traction alopecia - Caused by tension on the hair from tight hairstyles and extensions.

Central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA) - A form of scarring alopecia that occurs on the scalp and causes permanent hair loss. CCCA almost exclusively arises among Black women between ages 30 and 55, and research suggests it may afflict as many as 15% of such women.

Autoimmune alopecia -

Caused when the immune system starts attacking their hair follicles

Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA)

Alopecia areata - The most common form of hair loss.

HOW IS IT DIAGNOSED?

Doctors diagnose alopecia areata by taking a biopsy of the scalp and then sending it to pathologists who study the skin cells under a microscope to determine what may be causing the hair loss.

People with alopecia areata are more likely than those who don’t have the condition to develop related conditions, too, such as thyroid disease, diabetes, allergies and asthma.

WHAT CAUSES ALOPECIA? After watching the Oscars, Lamik Beauty owner, Kim Roxie felt liberated to post her own photo on social media.

Jada Pinkett Smith

that you hair is an extension of you,” said Roxie, who posted her own bald photo after the Oscars, a move she said felt liberating.

“It was healthy to shave my head so I could accept me. Anybody around me had to accept me. You think, just shave your head, no big deal. But people look at you funny. Thankfully, everybody around me accepted me for me. And that made me feel

up in the 20s to 30s. What’s most commonly discussed is tension or traction alopecia, which occurs with tight hairstyles over time, and that one’s a little more treatable. Alopecia areata is actually an autoimmune form, there’s no cure,” Dr. Ukwu said.

Ukwu said diet, topical creams or steroids can help slow the progression for some people. However, Webb said embracing it has

better. So when I put a wig back on, I still feel good about myself.”

IS IT ALOPECIA OR NORMAL SHEDDING?

It’s normal to lose about 50 to 100 hairs a day, but for most people, new hair is growing in at the same time to replace it, according to Memorial Hermann in Houston.

“Hair is in a constant recycling, with growth, resting and shedding,” said Dr. Christopher Levert with Memorial Hermann Medical Group.

Dr. Jennifer Ukwu, from Memorial Hermann Medical Group in Pearland said many people struggle emotionally with this identity change.

“Seventy million people have it, it pops

been the best medicine yet.

In addition to eating a well-rounded diet with adequate protein, experts suggests that people experiencing alopecia get a diagnosis from a board-certified dermatologist who can perform a biopsy. For Black women, it’s important that they seek a doctor specialized in African American hair loss, because not everyone has equal expertise.

It’s unclear what causes alopecia areata, but doctors believe it can have a genetic component. If a parent has alopecia areata, for instance, their child has a one to 10 percent chance of developing it too. Alopecia areata can also be triggered by stressful events and by nutritional deficiencies, such as iron deficiency.

10 | March 31, 2022 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Entertainment OSCARS 2022

THE SLAP HEARD AROUND THE WORLD Why so many thought it was staged

Defender News Service

In the minutes and hours after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock before a live audience of millions at the 2022 Oscars, social media platforms lit up with a breathless and emphatic hot take: Surely, multitudes insisted, the whole thing was staged.

They talked of the specifics of the altercation (“Rock barely moved”). Of its apparent artifice (“It just looks like Chris arched his back the way they do in stage combat”).

Of the participants (“Was this just amazing acting?”). Some who watched were just stunned (“Wait that wasn’t staged?”), others openly critical (“a pathetic attempt to get some viewers to tune in”).

Hollywood, the illusion factory, churned out some unexpected reality at the Oscars.

And a lot of people thought it was another illusion. This is America in 2022 — tantalized by immersive special effects, mesmerized by reality TV, upended by misinformation spread by both the malevolent and the sloppy. And forever asking, albeit about a constantly evolving set of circumstances: What around here is real?

“It’s not at all surprising to me that the first response is, `Oh, this must be a bit, right? This must be scripted,’” said Danielle J. Lindemann, author of “True Story: What Reality TV Says About Us.” “We are always looking for these authentic moments...We feel kind of a triumph when we see something that was actually real,” said Lindemann, a sociologist at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. “But when we encounter what is really an authentic moment, we have the skepticism about it.”

Is it any wonder? After all, we exist in a culture where clothing factories pre-rip blue jeans to make them look “distressed” — like they’ve been worn and frayed through years of actual life experiences. Where followers on Twitter — or faces appearing in your LinkedIn feed — might not be actual people at all. Where lip-syncing in “live” performances — not too long ago a major faux pas — now passes with barely a second look.

That’s what produced some of the confusion Oscars night in media both social and professional: Was this a scripted skit,

embedded in a nonfiction show that itself is designed to reward the pinnacles of artistic artifice? One in which Will Smith and Chris Rock played “Will Smith” and “Chris Rock?” Or was it what it actually (apparently) turned out to be — real anger and violence, both genuine and unscripted, playing itself out on stage?

For every person who frame-grabbed in service of proving fraud, another made an equally intense case for the opposite — sometimes using the same evidence.

“We are so used to things being scripted,” says Marty Kaplan, director of the Norman Lear Center at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, which studies the impact of entertainment on society. “And we’re kind of hip and savvy about these things, except we’re not.”Part of it is that awards shows are different. In the wilds of entertainment, they’ve long been a unique beast — a moment when stars convene under their own names, but still performing for the cameras and the crowds.

Live events, particularly sports, are generally still perceived as trustworthy, Davé says, because they’re happening in real time and “you can make your own assumptions about what you’re seeing.” But Sunday’s events — particularly since the profane audio was bleeped out for U.S. audiences — challenged that.

TV scholar Robert Thompson of Syracuse University’s Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture said the skepticism is double-edged.

“Believing everything you see — especially in the technology era — is naive. But not believing anything ever, no matter how much evidence comes out — that’s equally unhealthy and debilitating,” Thompson said.

Yet in a nation where the “real” often proves to be fake, the “fake” can turn out to be real and we all join the masses in mass assumption along the way, how do you ever sort it all out? Particularly because, in the end, all of what happened Sunday night felt distinctly of a piece, whether real or fake or somewhere in between: There was a stage, there was an audience, and there were players.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

WAS WILL WRONG? SEE WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING.

Will Smith, right, hits presenter Chris Rock on stage while presenting the award for best documentary feature at the Oscars on Sunday, March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. AP

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| 11

DEFENDER NETWORK

March 31, 2022 |

DN Entertainment #OSCARSSOBLACK

MOMENTS YOU MISSED

By ASWAD WALKER

Had it not been for the “Slap Heard ‘Round the World,” the 94th Oscars may have come to be known as “Oscars so Black.”

And for good reason. Check out these 94th Oscars moments lost amid all the post-event chatter about… you know.

Samuel L. Jackson’s Lifetime Achievement Oscar.

D-Nice as the official Oscars DJ.

The Oscar-winning Afro-Latina, LGBTQ sister from “West Side Story,” Ariana DeBose.

Sean “P-Diddy” Combs seeking to mediate “the Slap” participants.

H-Town’s Robert Glasper along with Afro-Latina Sheila E. serving as the Oscars house band.

Oscars director Will Packer

The Oscarwinning directorial debut of The Roots’ Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson for “Summer of Soul.”

Houston’s Megan Thee Stallion doing her thing in that “Encanto” number.

On Social: Visit us on FB and IG and let us know your thoughts on the Oscars 2022.

Queen Bey performing “Be Alive” from “King Richard” on the same Compton tennis court where Venus and Serena first practiced their craft.

CLASSIFIED PUBLIC NOTICE

Please join City of Houston (City) Housing and Community Development Department (HCDD) for one of our virtual Spring Community Meetings on March 31, 2022 at 3 pm and April 6, 2022 at 6 pm to give input on the Draft 2022 Annual Action Plan. Approximately $48 million in federal entitlement grants will be available to improve Houston’s neighborhoods and the quality of life for low- and moderate-income families over the next year. These federal grants include the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), Housing Opportunities for Persons with HIV/AIDS (HOPWA), and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG). Staff will discuss the budget and goals included in the 2022 Annual Action Plan.

Ways to Participate Live Microsoft Teams Link: bit.ly/2022SPH Call In US (Toll): 1-936-755-1521 English Participant Code: 588 312 814# Spanish Participant Code: 893 762 513# Facebook Live: @HoustonHCDD HTV For additional information or to request special arrangements for the live virtual meetings (interpreter or other), contact Ashley Lawson at (832) 394-5438 or Ashley.Lawson@houstontx.gov. For specific questions or concerns about fair housing or landlord/tenant relations, please contact Yolanda Jefferies at (832) 394-6200 ext. 5.

RFP FOR SOCIAL HOUSING PARTNER

The Shaq & Steph Curryexecutive produced documentary “The Queen of Basketball” about the first woman (sister) drafted by an NBA team, the late Lusia Harris.

The Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County (“CFTH”) has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a social housing partner to support, manage, and operate a 100+ unit residence known as the Navigation Center located at 2903 Jensen in Houston. The Center will provide approximately 100 semiprivate “bridge beds,” with an additional overflow bunk space for approximately 26 individuals. The Center will be open 24/7 and will operate 7 days a week, providing access to housing and employment programs as well as supportive services. We welcome proposals that include innovative operation and support models that improve the long-term stability of tenants and contribute to creating a balanced community of tenants within the building and in the area.

The focus will be on a low-barrier temporary residence for individuals experiencing homelessness, with the ultimate outcome of moving them out of the Navigation Center and into permanent housing.

This provider will bring the experience of running a large housing operation while supporting a very vulnerable population. The selected agency will work closely with leadership of CFTH and The Way Home Continuum of Care. The agency will be able to provide input while the Center is being built out, with the expectation of beginning operations in the Center by August 2022. The term for proposed services will be a two-year period, subject to negotiation of a final agreement.

This project is contingent upon funding. In addition to 2 CFR 200 rules, the selected partner is subject to compliance requirements (i.e., monitoring, insurance, etc.).If interested in applying, contact Sarah Holmes or Ryan Clay for a full version of this RFP at contracts@homelesshouston.org. All questions regarding any aspect of this RFP should follow the same process. Responses to this RFP should be submitted electronically to contracts@homelesshouston.org no later than 12PM CDT on April 11, 2022.

12 | March 31, 2022 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

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March 31, 2022 |

| 13

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Feature Houston native finalist for AT&T HBCU Innovation Challenge

By Laura Onyeneho

When Elise Gentry isn’t representing first-year students for the student government association or volunteering for a nonprofit young professionals network, she is busy collecting bragging rights as one of AT&T’s HBCU Innovation Challenge award-winning finalists.

The former Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts alum and first year Howard University marketing student participated on one of the 13 teams from eight HBCUs that competed in the challenge. Her team, “The Mecca Minds,” won third place and walked away with a prize total of $10,000.

Students were responsible for creating innovative solutions that address a problem in the Black community. The focus areas include bridging the digital divide and climate change.

Gentry spoke with the Defender about her experience creating innovative solutions.

Defender: How does it feel to win the AT&T Innovation Challenge?

Gentry: As a freshman it’s been so excit-

ing finding new opportunities. I’m a marketing major and I like learning ways to take those skills and apply them to other areas of business. AT&T created an opportunity for not just business majors but for those in the tech background to create tangible solutions.

Defender: You went to the High School for Performing and Visual Arts. What led to your decision to attend an HBCU? Gentry: My parents met at Howard Uni-

versity. They had two children. My oldest sister went to Howard and so I’m kind of fulfilling our family’s tradition. Beyond that, what I loved about Kinder High School was the diversity of students and I knew I wanted to continue experiencing that in college. I played the harp at that time and even though I no longer play I took away so many transferable skills like advocating for myself and connecting with others and helping people share their stories.

Defender: What was your experience like during the Innovation Challenge?

Gentry: A few sophomores in the same

honors program as me at Howard reached out to me to form a team and we were able to connect with some mentors, and a professional at AT&T named Steve Neil, and he was able to walk us through the systems and key processes needed to formulate a solution. We collaborated with him every week to do research and create cool proto-

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

FOR PROPOSED SERVICE CHANGES Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas (METRO) Notice is hereby given that the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, TX (METRO), will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, April 5, 2022, at 12 noon to receive public comment on its proposed June 2022 changes to METRO service.

The public is invited to attend the hearing and provide comments in person.

The public may also join the hearing and provide comments virtually on Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86195565696 or by dialing: 346-248-7799 or 1-888-475-4499 (toll free), meeting ID: 861-9556-5696. Additionally, if you do not want to provide comments during the public hearing, visit RideMETRO.org/Pages/BoardStreamingVideo.aspx to view a livestream of the public hearing. A video recording of the meeting will also be archived on METRO’s website at RideMETRO.org for review.

The proposed service changes may include: Route realignments to routes 3, 29, 36, 108; schedule changes to routes 2, 4, 5, 7, 11, 28, 29, 30, 32, 50, 63, 80, 82, 85, 102, 108, 137, 151 and 161; Park & Ride corridors serving downtown, and renumbering of the 170 and 171 routes. METRO will continue to make temporary service adjustments in response to changing ridership and workforce availability.

Elise Gentry

types and then review feedback. I enjoyed the actual presentation day, seeing so many Black women who have such diverse experiences with tech and business.

Defender: What was the problem you were trying to solve?

Gentry: AT&T is looking at smart city

solutions. We chose a sustainable track to lowering carbon emissions in the community.

Defender: What was the solution?

Gentry: Our solution was AT&T Green.

It’s a two-prong solution. The first was creating an app that would monitor the carbon emissions of AT&T users. We paired that app with the AT&T green phone plan that would potentially be cheaper than the other plans depending on the carbon emission that the user creates. We created a metrics for that.

If your levels are low, you could receive cash back. We thought of some other perks connecting millennials and Gen-Z and minority users. We found out that minority users tend to care more about the amount of carbon they are emitting more than other groups.

Defender: As a marketing major how were you able to incorporate your skills into the challenge?

Gentry: My sweet spot was creating the

slide deck. I created the mock-up of what the app would look like -- showing the capabilities for tracking and the leaderboard functionalities of our solution. I created a little animation of what the AT&T green logo would look like loading on the phone and...visual elements.

Defender: What will the prize money be used for?

Gentry: I was able to get a scholarship

coming to Howard but it wasn’t enough to cover everything. It will help to fund my education. This will help secure my future at Howard.

Copies of proposed route maps and available timetables will be available beginning on Tuesday, March 29, 2022 for public review online and in the lobby of the METRO RideStore, located in the Lee P. Brown METRO Administration Building at 1900 Main Street, Houston, TX, 77002 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. weekdays.

The public hearing on Tuesday, April 5, 2022 at noon will be held in the 2nd floor Board Room at 1900 Main Street, Houston, TX (served by METRO routes 6, 11, 32, 44, 51, 52, 54, 82, 85, 102, 137, 160, 161, 162, and METRORail).

HOW TO COMMENT ABOUT THE SERVICE CHANGES If you would like to make public comments in person or virtually, please register as a public speaker with the METRO Board Office at least 48 hours in advance of the hearing, by calling 713-739-4834 or sending an email to BoardOffice@RideMETRO.org, and providing your name, address and telephone number. As explained above, you may attend the public hearing in-person or virtually on Tuesday, April 5, 2022 to provide comments. If you pre-register, your comments will be heard first at the public hearing. Your name will be called at the appropriate time for you to make your comments.

You may also provide comments by: • Writing to us at METRO, ATTN: June 2022 Service Change, 1900 Main Street, Houston, TX 77002; • Faxing comments with a subject line referencing "June 2022 Service Change" to 713-652-7956; • Calling METRO's Customer Service at 713-635-4000; • Submitting comments on METRO's website – RideMETRO.org All comments should be submitted to METRO by 12 noon on Tuesday, April 5, 2022.

HELP FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

For individuals with disabilities, assistive services or copies of public documents in an alternate format can be provided. Individuals with impairments may call 713-750-4271 a minimum of five (5) working days prior to the public hearing.

LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE Upon request, METRO provides free language assistance to help patrons who have a limited ability to read, write, speak or understand English in accordance with its language assistance plan. Request for language assistance and other accommodations should be directed to the Board Office at 713-739-4018, or via email at METROPublicAffairs@RideMETRO.org at least 48 hours in advance of the hearing.

OTHER

1. This Public Hearing conforms to requirements described in the Federal Transit Administration's Circular 9030.1E, published January 16, 2014, page VI-7.

2. METRO does not discriminate on the basis of disability in the admission or access to, or in treatment or employment in, its services, programs, and activities.

3. METRO is committed to ensuring that no person is excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of, its transit services on the basis of race, color, or national origin, as protected by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

RideMETRO.org • 713-635-4000

14 | March 31, 2022 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Sports Texas Southern junior outfielder Johnathon Thomas went 2-for-4 at the plate, which included 4 runs scored, 3 RBI and 4 stolen bases during the Tigers’ 16-6 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

Prairie View freshman Savoria Anderson hopped, skipped, and jumped her way to a firstplace finish in the women’s triple jump with a 12.12-meter jump during the PVAMU Relays.

2022: DUSTY BAKER & ASTROS

Back again?

By Terrance Harris

The Astros have been on an unbelievable run the last five seasons.

They’ve been to three World Series in the last five years, including last season when they came up a couple of games short to the Atlanta Braves. But if the Astros are hopeful of continuing their success, their soon-to-be 73-year-old manager Dusty Baker may have to do his best managing job yet.

And if we have learned anything, especially over these past two seasons, it’s that you never bet against Baker, who has to find a replacement at shortstop for Carlos Correa and figure out who will be his leadoff hitter this season, among other unknowns as an abbreviated spring training winds down and the April 7 Opening Day is creeping up fast.

“I’m trying things,” Baker said. “That’s what spring training’s all about. I’m trying as many things as I can in this short period of time.”

The owners’ lockout of the players and the battle that ensued with the MLB Players Union took away some of the valuable time Baker and his staff would normally have to evaluate talent in spring training.

But we’ve gotten used to seeing Baker do more with less, especially during his first two seasons of taking over an Astros clubhouse that was in disarray when he came aboard in 2020 on the heels of the sign-stealing scandal. Baker, who has led five different teams to the postseason, led the Astros to the ALCS in 2020 and last season came up just two games shy of winning the World Series.

For his efforts and accomplishments, Baker has been given a year extension on his contract to see if he and the Astros can run it back this season. But before doing so, Baker has questions he must resolve.

Who will replace shortstop Carlos Correa?

We knew there was a great possibility that Correa would leave in free agency, but once he actually took his superstar talents to the Minnesota Twins, it placed an immediate hole in the Astros lineup.

Who will fill it? Right now, it’s looking like second-year big-leaguer Jeremy Pena is slated to step in but those are big shoes to fill. Pena has the defensive skills but it may take time for his bat to come around.

Sports Briefs UH NCAA Tournament run ends in Elite Eight

A great run by the fifth-seeded UH Cougars men’s basketball team ended in the NCAA Elite Eight with Kelvin a tough 50-44 loss Sampson to No. 2 Villanova in a fierce defensive battle. The Cougs missed 19 3-pointers, which played a big part in their failure to make it back to the Final Four for the second straight season.

Jalen Green is playing well

While most of the NBA rookies have hit the proverbial wall toward the end of the season, Rockets rookie Jalen Green seems to be Jalen Green going in the opposite direction. Green averaged 19.5 points and 3.4 assists over 15 games in March to make a strong case for winning his first Western Conference Rookie of the Month Award.

Brittney Griner update Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker signs autographs and poses for a photo for fans before a spring training baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Friday, March 18, 2022, in Jupiter, Fla. AP Is ace pitcher Justin Verlander all the way back from Tommy John surgery?

There is no question Verlander is one of the best in the game, but after he missed essentially two seasons, there seem to be some unknowns at the top of the Astros rotation. Verlander has looked good in his appearances in spring training, but camp and the season are two different things.

If Verlander is indeed back, that returns the Astros’ rotation back to the top of the American League.

Who will bat leadoff this season?

Jose Altuve reluctantly batted at the top of the order last season, but Baker understands that isn’t the best spot for his 5-foot-6 star. So Baker has committed to moving Altuve to his more natural two-hole spot in the lineup. That leaves questions about who will be the tone-setter at the top of the lineup this season. Shortstop Jeremy Pena seems to be the early favorite, although outfielder Chas McCormick could also move up to fill the role.

The U.S. was permitted to have consular access to Brittney Griner, who is currently imprisoned in Moscow on drug possession charges. A U.S. embassy official was allowed Brittney to visit with Griner last Griner week and said Griner is “in good condition.” Griner, who plays for a team in Russia during the WNBA’s offseason, was arrested at a Moscow airport in February and had no contact with anyone in the U.S. since. Also, former WNBA star and analyst Lisa Leslie said the league has instructed players not to make too big of a deal of the two-time U.S. Olympian and Phoenix Mercury star’s detainment so as not to give Russian leader Vladimir Putin more leverage in negotiating her release.

Texans get more of Deshaun Watson Jeremy Pena bats during a spring training baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Wednesday, March 23, 2022, in West Palm Beach, Fla. AP

An already impressive take from the Cleveland Browns to the Texans in the Deshaun Watson trade got sweeter once the Deshaun deal became official.

Watson

March 31, 2022 |

| 15

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Sports TRACK & FIELD

By Jodie B. Jiles

ONES TO WATCH

Now that spring break is over, we finally get a glimpse into the frontrunners for this track season that could be one to remember.

Based on the results of the Victor Lopez Classic, Texas Southern Relays and Texas Relays, these are the top stars and teams to watch in greater Houston for the 2021-22 high school track and field season.

finished third in the arguably the best race of the meet.

Led by Jonathan Howard, the Marshall boys’ 4x200-meter relay team finished first at the TSU Relays and Victor Lopez events. The girls also took home first place in the 4x200-meter relay at the Lopez Classic. Marshall’s Gerald Holmes finished third in the 400-meter dash with a 49.33 time, and Buffs long jumper JyAdrian Wortham finished first place at the TSU Relays with a 22’2.5” jump.

Klein Forest

Summer Creek

At the Texas Relays, coach Shelton Ervin’s boys’ 4x400 relay team defeated the best that the state of Texas had to offer and blew the competition out of the water with a first place 3:09.92 time. Hurdler Bradley Donovan finished third in the 110-meter hurdle final at the Texas Relays.

Katy Seven Lakes

Reigning champs Seven Lakes girls’ 4x100-meter relay team took home first place with a time of 45.78 seconds. The girls also won first place in the 4x200-meter relay with a 1:35.81 time.

The Klein Forest boys 4x100 relay put on a show at the 70th Annual TSU Relays, clocking a 40.75 second-place time that only trailed Duncanville’s 40.54 time, which is one of the fastest times in the nation early this season. Klein Forest’s Jelani Watkins won gold in 100-meter dash at the TSU Relays. And on the girls’ side, Kyaliah Davis won her 400-meter dash event with a 56:39 time at the TSU Relays.

Shadow Creek

The team finished third place in the 4x100-meter relay at the Texas Relays.

Sprinter Isaac Henderson ran a 10.23 time that gave him a third-place 100-meter dash finish at the Texas Relays.

Ft. Bend Marshall

Marshall returns with a crew of speedsters on the girls’ and boys’ side. At the TSU Relays the boys 4x100-meters team

Alief Taylor De’Montray Allis

Katy

Jada Campos

Ft. Bend Marshall

Seven Lakes

Ft. Bend Marshall Sprinter Jonathan Howard returns to make an impact on the track as a senior.

Returning State contender Seven Lakes girls 4x100m team shocked the track World last season and seem to have improved early this season.

16 | March 31, 2022 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Profile

Dr. Aziza Glass Houston veterinarian first Black vstar of new Disney series

By Laura Onyeneho

Houston veterinarian Dr. Aziza Glass is the first African-American adult host of the Disney XD original series “Roman to the Rescue,” a 17-episode show which follows 10-year-old Roman McConn as he helps to find families for rescue dogs. Glass is the expert that provides McConn with the knowledge he needs to make the right decisions.

The Prairie View A&M University alum is the owner of Personal Touch Veterinary Clinic, a mobile company centered on integrative medicine, and has been featured on ABC, “Fox Morning News” and Nat Geo Wild.

As a Black Veterinarian, she hopes her presence both in the community and on national television will open doors for other people of color to enter a field that is predominantly white.

The Defender spoke with Glass about the new show and her journey from Houston to the TV screen.

Defender: Tell us about yourself and what drew you into veterinary medicine?

Dr. Aziza Glass: I always had an affinity to learn about animals. I never had a pet growing up. So, I

mainly learned about animals through books. My dad got me watching different documentaries. Once I got to HSPVA [Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts] one summer, my dad met a recruiter at Prairie View for the college of human sciences, and they had a summer research program called the research apprentice program. My dad said it was something I needed to do. He wanted me to be productive.

I ended up going to Prairie View’s campus for the first time and I got introduced to the field of animal science and I loved it so much. It was my first time really having my hands on animals. I was able to work with pigs on their farm, I saw a dairy farm. I’m from Third Ward so all of this was new to me. I decided I was going to college as an agriculture major concentrating on animal science. But even then, I still didn’t know I was going be a vet until my sophomore year where I saw the upperclassmen that I looked up to start their process of preparing for post graduate. I realized I could go to vet school and become doctor.

Defender: How did an HBCU prepare you for your career and how did it shape you as an individual?

Glass: I enjoyed my experience at Prairie View. There’s a lot of free-

dom that comes with being at an HBCU. There’s a lot of development that happens with students that people don’t necessarily think about.

I tell students all the time that a lot of your education is going to come from outside the classroom. It allows you to explore all the different facets of yourself about having to constantly be reminded that you’re Black. The school held me accountable and prides itself on [students] being productive members of society as well as in the classroom. It gave me the confidence knowing that we can show up and outperform other universities.

Defender: Veterinary medicine is one of the most homogeneous professions in the U.S. How have you been able to successfully navigate this space as a Black woman?

Glass: I’m still learning how to navigate this space. It helps when

I have mentors who’ve been in this field for decades; people who will help with your career development and advocate for you in certain conversations that will determine if you’re employed or not. You have to deal with the politics of the industry when you’re an employee working for larger corporation, or learning how to deal with a difficult client who may refuse to pay for certain things. There are so many factors.

I’ve been self-employed since 2018. I’m able to create my own space and carve my own lane, embrace all of my interests including entertainment. It allows me to continue to be a working mom and its flexible enough for me to actually have it all.

Dr. Aziza Glass LEARN MORE ABOUT ABOUT HOW SHE LANDED HER ROLE WITH DISNEY