April 27, 2023

FINANCIAL FREEDOM

Black Millennials Breaking generational curses

ENTERTAINMENT

SPORTS

MEGAN THEE STALLION

SHONTRESE COMEAUX

The rapper pens an essay detailing her 2020 shooting by Tory Lanez.

Volume 92, issue 24 April 27, 2023

One-on-One with the TSU Cheer coach who is flying high after a historic win. facebook.com/defendernetwork twitter.com/defendernetwork

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DN To the POINT

After trolls criticized Simone Biles’ wedding ponytail, the gymnast clapped back.

Managing Editor’s Message Simone says ‘I Do’

means many students can’t read books Congratulations to Houston’s own Simoften written for and about them. Librarone Biles. The Olympic gold medalist and ies and schools across the country already 25-time world medalist shared photos of have committees assessing age appropriher courthouse nuptials with Houston Texateness of books, and have used those ans safety Jonathan Owens, captioning the committees for years. Now they’re being stunning photos, “I do. Officially Owens.” ignored based on parental complaints. It The couple confirmed their relationship in won’t surprise me if 15 years from now, all August 2020 and Owens proposed in Febbooks in Texas will only be about loving, ruary 2022. They will formally tie the knot gentle white people and happy-go-lucky in Baja California Sur on May 6. Since the minorities. Houston, we have a problem.

ReShonda Tate (formal) wedding will be in Mexico, they had to get legally married stateside first. I Don’t expect Don to go can’t believe I even have to say this but are folks REALLY quietly in the night out here trying to dampen her happy moment by talking In a shocker in the television world, longtime CNN host about her edges??? Like, this woman is an inspirational role Don Lemon announced he was fired from the cable news model and an asset to our community and folks want to network a little over two months after apologizing to viewers chime in on her hair – again? We really need to #DoBetter. for on-air comments about Republican presidential candidate Thankfully, Simone is unbothered, writing on Twitter, “I Nikki Haley. CNN did not provide a public explanation for think they also forget I live in HOUSTON TEXAS & I Lemon’s departure. But on the “CNN This Morning” co-host’s sweat those out!! But they can keep complaining idc idc own Twitter account, Lemon contended the news came as idc.” a surprise to him and characterized it as a firing. He had appeared on his show that morning. Some say he was fired Book banning in Texas because of a debate with a Republican presidential candidate More books are being banned and censored across the over Black folks and the NRA. It’s not lost on me that the country than just a few years ago, according to a new report white dude (Tucker Carlson who was fired the same day from from PEN America. And of course, Texas leads the nation FOX) got fired for lying and the Black dude (Don) got fired in instances of banned titles, with 438. I think it’s pretty sad for telling the truth. Smdh. But something tells me Don isn’t that the loudest voices are a very vocal minority. Legislators the type to just quietly slink away. So stay tuned…. are pushing to have book bans encoded in state law, trying to force book publishers to put age restrictions on books, like ON THE WEB a movie rating system. It sounds like a solution in search of • UT M.D. Anderson Cancer Center comes to Gite a problem. Many of the books targeted by conservative lawGallery. makers and parents across the country center identities that • Top 10 Gen-Z slang Boomers wouldn’t understand. go unrepresented or underrepresented in literature. That • Jimmie Aggison profiles Clear Falls’ Blaine Nunn.

April 27, 2023 |

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| 3

DN News

EPA toxic chemical testing begins in Fifth Ward

By ReShonda Tate

Officials with Union Pacific will soon be visiting residents’ homes in Houston’s Fifth Ward to perform testing on their soil for the presence of toxic chemicals in northeast Houston near a contaminated railyard.

Residents have been dealing with this for years and claim Union Pacific has been dragging its feet. Now new testing will reveal if a greater portion of the community may have been affected. Testing will begin in June, according to details released by the EPA on the upcoming investigation.

Now owned by Union Pacific, groundwater beneath the rail yard sight is said to be contaminated by creosote, a likely human carcinogen, that was used decades prior to treat wooden railroad ties. Earlier this year, a legal agreement was reached between the EPA and Union Pacific that requires the company to investigate the extent of contamination at its site. The EPA’s involvement comes after residents have been fighting for years to get the site cleaned up.

“We have heard from elected officials.

We have heard from public health agencies, from numerous folks that there are concerns about exposure to contaminants in this neighborhood and these communities, and what those contaminants can mean for public health,” said Casey Luckett Snyder, the regional project manager with the EPA Region 6, at a public meeting. “So we are here at this point to lead an investigation to start to determine, where does that contamination come from? And how does it impact public health?”

Union Pacific has done some cleanup and sampling at the site, but residents are concerned they’re still being exposed to toxic chemicals. State health officials have confirmed significantly higher than normal cancer rates in the area for both adults and children.

Before Union Pacific purchased the

property, it operated for years as a place where wooden railroad ties would be dipped into black tar-like material.

As the years went on, neighbors started getting sick. Testing performed by the Houston Health Department revealed cancer clusters in the Fifth Ward. Children were even diagnosed with lymphoma.

In addition to creosote, public health officials have also raised concerns about the potential presence of dioxins, highly toxic cancer-causing chemicals, that may have formed in the wood treatment process. Initial samples taken by the Houston Health Department last year found concentrations of dioxin in soil samples near the railyard site.

Synder with the EPA said in urban environments dioxins can come from various sources and one of the goals of the upcoming investigation is to track the contamination from its source and determine its extent in the neighborhood. To do that they’ll compare samples from the railyard site with samples taken from hundreds of homes in the surrounding area.

“This, I’ll be honest with you, is going to be a massive endeavor,” said Synder. “It is going to be a really big investigation.”

They’ll be looking for four different types of contaminants: dioxins, creosote, PCP, and PAHs. In addition, Snyder said they’ll also be studying whether creosote contamination in the groundwater could be affecting the air inside people’s homes and businesses.

Testing is expected to begin in June. It will be overseen by the EPA, but paid for

by Union Pacific.

SEEKING ANSWERS Fifth Ward residents recently wrapped a ‘Cancer Summit’ to discuss the long-lasting affects of creosote on their community. The Fifth Ward Cancer Cluster Summit took a look at the high cancer rates in the area and possible solutions for residents impacted

Cancer Cluster resident Sandra Edwards stands in the front yard of her Fifth Ward neighborhood home. AP

by the contaminated Union Pacific Rail Yard soil.

“We were honored to bring together such a distinguished group of experts and community leaders for this important event,” said At-Large Council Member Letitia Plummer, who is also the organizer of the summit. “Our goal is to foster dialogue, build relationships, and inspire concrete actions that can make a real difference in the lives of the people of the Fifth Ward and Kashmere Garden communities.”

Plummer said it was important to bring medical experts into the conversation like

Dr. Stephanie Miles Richard of the Morehouse School of Medicine, who specializes in toxicology focusing on health equity and disparities.

“The missing link has been the correlation between the creosote in the groundwater in the soil and the cancer,” she said.

“The reason why I engaged the Morehouse School of Medicine is because who is better than doctors of color to understand the environmental injustice that happens across the country.”

Houston Public Media contributed to this report.

Family of man killed by HPD officer continues calls for justice Defender News Service

While a grand jury considers an indictment of a Houston Police officer accused of killing a Black man last year, his family is continuing their quest for justice.

Jalen was shot and killed by a Houston police officer in April 2022.

His family wants the officer to be indicted. Officials with the Houston Police Officers’ Union said a grand jury decision could be coming soon.

Family members recently interrupted a group of state lawmakers who were having a rally on the steps of city hall to talk about some of the

controversial bills making their way through the state legislature.

“They said they was gonna help.

That’s all we want. That’s all what we want from anybody and everybody wants to help because it was wrong. It was injustice. So help us. That’s all we ask. That’s all we ask from you,” said

Tiffany Rachel, Jalen Randle’s mom.

Randle’s family said body camera footage showed Randle, who had no visible weapon, trying to run away from officer Shane Privette when he was shot in the back of the neck.

Privette was never charged in connection to the death.

Jalen Randle

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DN News

TX Senate votes to ban tenure at state colleges Defender News Service

A day after passing a measure that would dismantle DEI programs in the state’s universities, the Texas Senate preliminarily passed a bill that would ban tenure offers to new professors in such institutions.

Senate Bill 18, which passed and April 20 along party lines, is one of the priorities of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a Republican.

It needs to clear on procedural vote before it’s sent to the Texas House, where its future is unclear.

Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, said his legislation was needed because tenured professors have damaged the brand of some public universities.

“What we’re trying is to make sure that productivity is maximized, that no one certainly relaxes based on lifetime guaranteed employment,” Creighton said on the day the bill passed.

Creighton’s legislation would allow a university system’s board of regents to create “an alternate system of tiered employment status for faculty members.”

It would also require faculty members to undergo an annual performance evaluation.

Current professors would keep their tenure appointments.

The measure has been opposed by professors across the state, who say the tenure system has allowed them to educate students freely, without fear of losing jobs due to their teachings.

Other professors have said having tenure has helped them excel at their jobs.

During a committee hearing last month, University of Texas at Austin pharmacology professor Andrea Gore said tenure allowed her “to take the kind of risks that were needed to do cutting-edge research and make discoveries.”

Sen. José Menéndez, D-San Antonio, raised concerns about how this measure would make it difficult to attract and retain faculty in the state’s higher education institutions.

“Wouldn’t this put us at a competitive disadvantage?”

Menéndez asked Creighton.

Creighton replied universities can craft contracts that could be better than tenure offers.

Tenure has been targeted by Patrick since last year, when faculty at the University of Texas at Austin voted to reaffirm a professor’s right to teach about race and racial justice.

But it’s unclear whether the measure could gain approval from the Texas House.

Republican House Speaker Dade Phelan has said he opposes ending tenure. He has also expressed concerns about how such a move would impact recruitment, including recruitment of professors with conservative viewpoints.

University of Texas at Austin campus.

Houston Public Media

President Joe Biden speaks from the Treaty Room in the White House on April 14, 2021, about the withdrawal of the remainder of U.S. troops from Afghanistan. AP

Biden’s re-election tests resolve of Black voters NNPA

The news that President Joe Biden will seek re-election has many curious about how well he will perform among African American voters.

According to the results of a recent BLACK poll conducted by TheGrio and KFF, VOTERS Black people had a positive opinion of both Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

YES Still, there remains some debate Should he run among Black Americans about whether or not they will support Biden for president in 2024.

According to the results of the poll Approve of job of 1,000 Black voters who were regis- performance tered between August 24, 2022 and *BlackTrack Survey September 5, 2022, 69% of respondents were pleased with Biden’s performance.

When asked whether the Democrats should select someone other than Biden in the next presidential election, 58% of Black voters answered that they would rather see another candidate run than Biden.

Additionally, the results of the survey suggested that an astounding 70% of Black voters would cast their ballots for Harris if she were to run for president, revealing the possibility that African Americans would offer more support to Harris than Biden.

Further, there remains a greater degree of disagreement among Black voters who identify as Democrats or who lean toward the party.

The poll reveals a consensus among respondents (49%) that the party ought to put forward Biden as its candidate for another term.

The remaining half of voters have indicated that they would want the Democrats to select a different candidate for president in 2024.

Even among Black voters, there’s a wide range of viewpoints about the question of whether Biden should be the nominee.

Those under the age of 50 and those who lean Democratic are more likely to seek a different candidate than those over the age of 50 who want Biden to run for a second term.

This is especially true of Black Democrats.

Fifty-seven percent of Black Democrats and Democrats-at-heart aged 50 and over want Biden as the nominee.

59% 74%

However, only 42% of all Democrats and Democrats-at-heart want the party to choose someone else.

Meanwhile, the Republican Party has struggled to win Black voters, and the poll shows that this pattern hasn’t changed.

The anger and obstruction that Republicans have shown toward Barack Obama throughout the years, in addition to their resistance to a voting rights law in Congress, make gaining the Black vote an uphill battle for the GOP. By identifying themselves with Christian nationalists and organizations with roots in white supremacy, some Republicans have made it impossible to gain the support of Black voters.

The track record that Biden has on racial issues has also been debated in the Black community.

His efforts to pass a comprehensive voting rights package and reduce gun violence have been unsuccessful, but he has honored campaign vows to select a Black woman as his vice president and appoint one to the Supreme Court.

Biden also must overcome the problems caused by some of his supporters privately and publicly bashing Harris, an issue that has alienated some Black voters.

Four years after announcing his campaign for the 2020 election that finally resulted in the defeat of the criminally indicted and twice-impeached Donald Trump, Biden again seeks to beat back a run by the MAGA leader.

VOLUME 92, NUMBER 24 - APRIL 27, 2023 Publisher | CEO Sonceria Messiah-Jiles

Education Reporter Laura Onyeneho

Strategic Alllance Clyde Jiles

Sports Terrance Harris Jodie B. Jiles

Digital Content Manager Get Current Studios Managing Editor ReShonda Tate Associate Editor Aswad Walker

Photographer Jimmie Aggison Social Media Manager Tia Alphonse Jordan Hockett

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 2023 copyright.

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

April 27, 2023 |

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DN News

New HCC redistricting map upsets residents Defender News Service

The Houston Community College Board of Trustees has approved a new redistricting map, but failed to re-unify a portion of District 4 that includes the Third Ward community.

The 2020 census showed a population gap between its largest and smallest single- member districts – HCC has a total of 9 single-member districts. District 6 has a population of 226,000 individuals and District 3 has 188,000. By law, districts have to be redrawn when the largest and smallest district has a population difference of more than 10%. Currently, the population difference between District 6 and 3 is 19.9%.

In an 8-1 vote, the board approved map 1A, which was the map favored by the majority of the trustees. Dr. Reagan Flowers of District 4 who represents Third Ward, was the no vote.

The board has been working for over a year on the redistricting process, presenting various maps that would rebalance the districts. Trustees were required to approve a new redistricting map by August in time for the November election. During several public meetings over the past few months, residents in Third Ward spoke in favor of an alternate map that would have brought the community back together, after voters were split in 2010 when previous maps were redrawn.

“Map 1A actually rebalances you as a system because it’s a little bit of impact to every single member district,” said Lisa McBride, a partner at Thompson & Horton, a law firm leading the college through the redistricting process. “It’s not so much that it actually would change any election outcome, because we’re talking about very few voters with respect to each single-member district.”

The approved map was highly favored by the Latino Community due to its population growth over the years. Residents of the Third Ward community opposed the map

because it still divided the community that lost the Northern part of Third Ward to District 3, a predominantly Hispanic district 10 years ago.

A February 15 board meeting drew many residents from both communities who voiced their opinions on which map they thought would give them the best representation.

“We as communities, as Latinos, all communities of minorities and color, let’s do the right thing,” said Sergio Lira, Chair of the LULAC Task Force. “Let’s not move the district lines

that were agreed upon by trustees here to keep certain precincts where they are – and not dilute the Latino citizens’ voting population.”

Dr. Reagan Flowers worked for months to get the Northern part of Third Ward back into District 4. She held town hall meetings, engaged in neighborhood civic club meetings, and sent out newsletters to inform her residents of the new maps being proposed.

She said she’s disappointed in the board’s decision.

“The board largely voted to select that map as it was the map that caused the least amount of change to the other districts,” she said. “How I see it is, it’s not the way to make a decision, you don’t take the path of least resistance – you take the path of doing what’s best.”

Map 1A did give a precinct back to Third Ward, but the district is still split between two trustees. Flowers said she’s proud of the Third Ward community for coming out and using their voice.

NEWSBRIEFS voting centers on Election Day and require residents to vote at an assigned precinct, typically in their neighborhood. Larger voting centers would be permitted through early voting. Currently, 90 counties — including large metro counties like Harris and Dallas as well as rural ones — are approved by the secretary of state’s office to use countywide voting centers on Election Day. Hall has framed the bill as necessary to address potential issues with vote counts, but Democrats who opposed the bill pressed him for any evidence that countywide polling had led to people voting at more than one location.

A poll worker prepares for voters.AP

Texas Senate moves to end countywide voting on Election Day Countywide polling locations on Election Day would be banned in Texas under a bill recently approved by the Texas Senate. Senate Bill 990, authored by Republican Sen. Bob Hall of Edgewood, passed 17-12 along party lines. The bill — if approved by the state House — would eliminate countywide

Houston Fire Dept giving incentives for new hires The Houston Fire Department is hoping to get some new recruits by offering a $5,000 incentive for new cadets. The department said it has implemented a $5,000 incentive pay program that will go into effect this month and will include future HFD cadet classes through December 2024. Cadets joining the department after April will receive the incentive in two stages: Academy Start: $2,500 to be paid within the fourth month of the training period; and Completion: $2,500 to be paid during

the 8th month of training or approximately two weeks before graduation. The department expects more than 500 cadets to benefit from the program.

Got Facebook? Get money Meta, Facebook’s parent company, has agreed to pay $725 million to settle a class-action lawsuit. All Facebook users in the U.S. who used the network May, 2007 through December, 2022 are eligible to receive a portion of the settlement. The size of the compensation will depend on how many people file valid claims and how long each applicant used Facebook during the period covered by the complaint, although it is expected to be quite small. Facebook is accused, along with data and political consulting business Cambridge Analytica, of exchanging user data or allowing it to be accessible to third parties without users’ permission. The network is accused of using the data to compile detailed profiles of millions of American voters. It made it possible for the firm to provide support to former President Trump’s 2016 campaign. If a valid claimant has an active Facebook account, they will receive one point every month. Submit your claim at https://facebookuserprivacysettlement.com/#submit-claim.

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DN Education HOUSTON AREA URBAN LEAGUE

Young Professionals University returns

By Amaka Watson

THERE WILL ALSO BE A TOTAL OF 11 CONFIRMED COLLEGE FAIR PARTICIPANTS:

The Houston Area Urban League Young Professionals (HAULYP) has an upcoming event that aspiring college-bound students should mark on their calendars.

HAULYP announced the 23rd year of its signature program Young Professionals University (YPU). This is a college readiness and empowerment initiative for high school students that will take place Saturday, April 29 from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. at at Houston Community College, Central Campus (1300 Holman Street Houston, TX 77004).

The one-day program will provide junior and senior-level students with information about vocational and secondary education options. And for business-minded students, YPU will provide sessions on entrepreneurship.

“We are excited to bring another year of the Young Professionals University to Houston area youth,” said Jaelyn Lyles, a spokesperson with HAULYP in an official statement. “The topics covered over the day not only provide students with tools to prepare them for college or careers after high school, but valuable life skills.”

Other YPU sessions include: the college admission process, financial literacy, mental health and public safety.

HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON DOWNTOWN UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON- VICTORIA JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY RICE UNIVERSITY ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS- AUSTIN Participants will receive breakfast, lunch and raffle prizes. Interested student should register on the YPU Eventbrite page.

Literacy Now raises funds for struggling readers Defender News Service

Literacy Now CEO Jacque Daughtry with Jarren Small and team.

Credit: Literacy Now

Literacy Now, a local non-profit organization dedicated to transforming communities by empowering children and families through literacy, leadership, and life skills, recently hosted its 9th Annual Literacy Now Guild Luncheon, Literacy is the Key, at the Junior League of Houston.

The mission of the Literacy Now Guild is to assist with program activities and events, help raise program funds, and spread awareness about the organization.

Literacy Now’s Guild comprises a group of women from a variety of backgrounds, dedicated to addressing the literacy crisis in Houston. The organization’s main goal is to empower students to read at grade level by the end of third grade, thereby increasing the likelihood they will remain on track to graduate from high school and be ready to pursue their postsecondary goals. Since its inception in 2006, Literacy Now has grown from serving one school with 91 students to serving more than 1,300 students and their parents on 15 Houston and four Aldine ISD Title I

campuses this school year alone.

More than 270 guests were excited to gather to learn about the organization and be inspired by the impact they are making while raising $107,000 to help struggling young readers throughout the Houston area. Those in attendance were moved by keynote speaker, Jarren Small, co-founder of Reading with a Rapper, whose remarks about his organization’s mission to bring culture into the classroom were well received. To round out the event, a silent auction and raffle added to the festive atmosphere while guests also enjoyed the debut of the Literacy Now annual video.

“We are overjoyed with the funds raised at our 9th Annual Guild Luncheon,” said Jacque Daughtry, chief executive officer of Literacy Now. “It’s humbling to see this amount of support for the organization and the children we serve. Thank you to our wonderful chairs Lisa Governale and Renee Humphrey, their incredible committee, sponsors, donors, advertisers, and event guests for making this event such a success!”

April 27, 2023 |

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DN Feature

Deltas celebrate opening of Barbara Jordan Building

By Aswad Walker

For the first time, the Texas Capitol Complex has named a building after a Black Texan, a decades-long politician known as a trailblazing lawmaker whose powerful speaking style captivated crowds. Members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., were recently on hand to celebrate the opening of the Barbara Jordan Building, a new $260 million 12-story structure, which will house the Texas Department of Insurance.

The Fifth Ward-born Barbara Jordan—a Wheatley High School and Texas Southern University alumna, and member of Delta Sigma Theta (DST)—was the first Black woman elected to the U.S. Congress from the South.

“As chair of the Texas Legislative Black Caucus (TxLBC), the significance of the Barbara Jordan Building cannot be understated: this will be the first Texas state building named after an African American woman,” said State Rep. Ron Reynolds. “We are witnessing history and well-deserved flowers being given to a trailblazer.”

A STORIED HISTORY AND CAREER Born in 1936, Jordan went from Houston’s Wheatley High School and Texas Southern University to Boston University, where in 1960, she received her law degree.

That year, she got a taste of politics when she worked on John F. Kennedy’s presidential campaign, spearheading a get-out-the-vote drive in her hometown.

In 1966, after losing twice in bids for a seat in the Texas House of Representatives, Jordan won election to the state Senate, the first Black state senator in Texas since 1883, which irked her all-white male colleagues.

But she showed herself to be more than effective. She was dynamic.

Barbara Jordan Building

Barbara Jordan in 1974.

Jordan helped establish the state’s first minimum wage law and pushed through anti-discrimination clauses in business contracts. She was so well-respected that she became the first Black woman to preside over a legislative body in America when she was elected president pro tempore of the Texas Senate. She became the nation’s first Black chief executive in 1972 when she briefly served as acting Texas governor; the governor and lieutenant governor were both out of state.

In 1972, Jordan ran for and won a U.S. House seat, where she valued her independence and sought a powerful committee

assignment. With the help of fellow Texan Lyndon Johnson, she was appointed to the Judiciary Committee and took a lead role in the Watergate impeachment proceedings against President Richard Nixon. She delivered a fiery speech denouncing the sins of Watergate and making a case for impeachment.

In 1976, Jordan simultaneously became the first Black person and first woman to deliver the keynote address at a Democratic National Convention. She left Congress in 1978, yet continued to teach at the University of Texas at Austin, lecture and stay involved in politics in her home state.

Suffering from leukemia and multiple sclerosis, Jordan died in 1996 from viral pneumonia. She was 59.

Some 27 years later, her name has been immortalized where she sought, effectively, to be of service.

RED AND WHITE DAY Members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and members of State Rep. Sheryl Cole’s staff, put together a program that featured remarks from Reynolds and a host of others, including State Rep. Toni Rose, DST Regional Director Crystal T. Barker, State Senator Royce West, State Senator Borris L. Miles, DST State Social Action Lead Sharon Watkins Jones, DST National President Elsie Cook-Holmes and more.

“I am truly honored to attend the ribbon-cutting and naming of the Barbara Jordan building,” said Demethra Orion, a Delta member who served on the event’s organizing committee. “The honorable Barbara Jordan touched Texans and Americans of all ages, races, social economics classes, etc. But in particular, she touched me—a young, proud, aggressive Black woman. I saw her and I saw myself.”

Orion credits Jordan’s example for playing a major role in the work she does to impact community.

“I proudly advocate for those who cannot speak for themselves today and actively participate in our local election process because of her.”

Jordan family members Rosemary McGowan (sister of Barbara Jordan) and Eden Johné White (cousin) also shared remarks during the event that was sponsored and underwritten by Stacey and Demetra Elston.

Reynolds views the event as part of an ongoing celebration of game-changing Black women in Texas by the TxLBC. “This session, we’re grateful to have such legends be highlighted for their great, incomparable contributions to Texas. From Barbara Jordan to Opal Lee to Dean Senfronia Thompson, Black women in Texas have always led in a righteous call for justice and equity.

“With this honor though, we must also remember the wise words of Barbara Jordan.

‘What people want is simple: they want an America as good as its promise.’ Our work this session is steadfast in her legacy, to create a Texas as good as its potential.”

DST members Demethra Orion, Sharon Watkins Jones and Jeri Brooks at the opening. Photo courtesy Sharon Watkins Jones.

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DEFENDER NETWORK

| 9

DN InFocus

Breaking generational curses

I never really learned anything about credit until college. My mother was too afraid of debt.

I learned early on that if you can’t afford it, then don’t buy it. But it wasn’t until I got accepted into

FINANCIAL FREEDOM

Black Millennials seeking financial freedom

By Laura Onyeneho

As Nashira Lynton looked back at her childhood, she remembered how her relationship with money stemmed from the lifestyle and mindset of her immigrant parents.

Lynton’s parents came to the United States from Panama in Central America in the 1980s.

They worked hard to provide for their family but conversations about long-term wealth building were non-existent.

“I grew up with this scarcity mindset. My parents worked hard enough to survive and took whatever job they could get, and it was very limiting. I didn’t want that for myself. I wanted a life of abundance,” she said. “I carried that mindset throughout college. I went to school, racked up over $60,000 in debt, and in my early 20s, I became a single mom in New York living paycheck-to-paycheck and using credit cards to supplement my income.

To become “financially healthy” Lynton said that it’s deeper than how much money you have in the bank, but rather discovering the emotional factors and fears that keep people from achieving control over their finances.

“I was making money decisions from an emotional place, and in order for me to break those this cycle I had to learn about my family’s financial system,” Lynton said. “When you grow up in proximity to poverty it plays a role in how you navigate your financial well-being in the future.”

There are many Black millennials who share Lynton’s story, and the climb to financial freedom gets more challenging as they tackle rising rent and home costs, groceries, gas, student loan debt, and other bills that delay their efforts to generate wealth over time.

OVERCOMING FINANCIAL MISTRUST

“It’s a tough time for young people to invest in retirement strategies fully,” said Daniel Harvey, a professor of finance and director of the Financial Planning Program at Prairie View A&M University.

Now, as a successful management consultant ABOUT THIS SERIES for an IT consulting firm in Houston, McDonThis article, inspired by Deloitte ald can happily reflect on getting kicked out research, is part of a series in which of college, enlisting in the military, going back five Black-owned publications to college and eventually building a multi-sixaround the United States explore figure net worth by her early 30s. the key factors that contribute to racial and generational gaps in “I remember when I first entered into conacquiring wealth. sulting, and I was conversing with my Black counterparts who were living paycheck-to-payThe rise of the gig economy means that some check, versus the conversations I had with workers don’t have access to employer-sponsored white people who were talking about vacation retirement accounts and they might also be deal- homes,” McDonald said. “It was unfortunate ing with racial disparities in student loan debt. for me to be in a space and feeling like I was “Not only are Black millenniway behind my peers in my MEDIAN WEALTH als drowning in debt, but it’s also knowledge of finances. We becoming a challenge to prior- $ went to school, got the job, got itize money to invest,” Harvey the income, but what’s the missWHITES said. “The key to conquering ing link?” this starts with financial literacy.” $ Harvey also said that likely LESSONS LEARNED because of mistrust, young McDonald is a first-genHISPANIC people might be less interested eration Jamaican-Ameri$ in investing assets in traditional can — her parents migrated methods such as 401k plans to to the United States in the BLACKS build wealth because they are 1980s — and she grew up in *2019 Federal usually the first people in their what she describes as a lower Reserve survey families to provide real finanmiddle-class family. Her early cial stability. As a result, there experience with finances is a sense of responsibility to involved seeing her parents REAL MEDIAN take care of family financial buy products on layaway.

NET WORTH burdens rather than focusing Her mother budgeted well $ on wealth-building for the and didn’t have debt because individual. she never owned credit cards.

MILLENNIALS Ainjel McDonald’s finanAnd collective economics was $ cial education began when she a common practice because learned that acquiring a degree she had a large family.

GEN-XERS and getting a “good job” earned “I never really learned anyher just enough money to live thing about credit until col$ paycheck-to-paycheck. With lege,” McDonald said. “My BABY BOOMERS student loans, personal loans mother was too afraid of debt. and a car loan hanging over her I learned early on that if you head, McDonald quickly realized she needed can’t afford it, then don’t buy it. But it wasn’t to create a strategy to live a life of financial until I got accepted into college that I realindependence. ized my mother didn’t have enough money

college that I realized my mother didn’t have enough money saved for me to go. After getting kicked out of school, entering the Air National Guard, re-enrolling back to college, and entering the workforce, I needed a strategy for an abundant life."

Ainjel McDonald

188,200 36,100

24,100

13,900

19,200 15,600

Nashira Lynton is a financial therapist and owner of Renewed Wealth Therapy. Photo: Nashira Lynton Facebook

Nde Nkimbeng, CEO and co-founder of Propertunity Partners LLC. Courtesy: Nde Nkimbeng

Ainjel McDonald, management consultant for an IT consulting firm in Houston. Credit: Ainjel McDonald

saved for me to go. After getting kicked out of school, entering the Air National Guard, re-enrolling back to college and entering the workforce, I needed a strategy for an abundant life.”

She started her journey to financial independence by being frugal and prioritizing savings and investments. Her goal is to retire early and live off small withdrawals from accumulated accounts.

As for Lynton, not only was she able to pay of more than $60,000 of student debt but she became a financial therapist and an accredited financial counselor empowering other women to develop healthy financial mindsets.

“I’ve learned that building a healthy mindset is a journey. Limiting beliefs will show up when problems arise,” she said. “Understand

your thoughts around money, and why you think the way you do. Ask yourself if these thoughts are serving a purpose in your life.”

Richard Bumbury was born in Guyana, South America, and moved to a low-income neighborhood in Brooklyn. As a child, he didn’t understand what it meant to have wealth because of his environment. Images of Black wealth appeared exclusive to athletes and entertainers. It wasn’t until late into his adulthood that he discovered how to build wealth. He is now a six-figure-earning software engineer — and he did so without a college degree.

“I taught myself how to write software while working full-time at a job I didn’t like,” Bumbury said. “I woke up at 3 a.m. every day and studied between three to four hours before

going to work. But it was what I had to do to get out of my economic situation. I didn’t go to college because my family couldn’t afford it, and I didn’t want to burden my parents. I didn’t know of [financial] aid opportunities, so I skipped that part and went straight to work.”

It took him a year and a half of studying before he quit his job and began working in tech full-time. His big financial break came when he was introduced to restricted stock units (RSUs) while working as a software engineer at a tech company. RSUs are a form of stock-based compensation that some employers might provide as a benefit to their employees.

“This is the first time somebody is giving me access to more than just paying me money for the time I work. They are also giving me

Richard Bumbury, Tech professional.

Credit: Olivia Almagro

an asset that can grow. If you use it correctly, it can turn into generational wealth,” Bumbury said. “My struggle at that point was no one in my circle knew what RSUs were, and I didn’t have enough financial literacy to understand the best way to leverage these tools.”

CLOSING THE INVESTMENT GAP

An Ariel Investments and Charles Schwab survey found that the investment gap between Black and white Americans narrowed in 2022.

There was a significant drop-off among white investors (down eight points from 71% in 2020)

and a small increase among Black investors (up three points from 55% in 2020).

Despite that tiny overall bump among Black investors, the survey also found that stock market participation is higher among younger Black millennials, with 68% of Black respondents under 40 reporting that they’re investing compared to 57% of younger white investors.

The COVID-19 pandemic created a rush of enthusiasm for stocks and investing among Black Americans, according to the survey results. Thanks to easy access to smartphones and apps, we can buy and sell stocks with one click — no fees or financial gatekeeping included. Technology can provide an unprecedented opportunity to help grow wealth and have your skin in the game in a financial system.

Nde Nkimbeng is the CEO and co-founder of Propertunity Partners LLC, a company that helps engineers build wealth passively through apartment investing. As a first-generation Cameroonian-American, he credits his father with planting the seed of property investment at an early age.

“I remember when I first started making money in college and my dad would say ‘In America you need to have something on the side because corporate America will suck you dry’,” he said. “During the 2008 recession, my parents were laid off, and we lived in a duplex that my dad turned into a triplex and the tenants were basically paying for the mortgage.

That situation put things into perspective for me.”

As an engineer, Nkimbeng was a high-paid earner who wanted to utilize his money well beyond just working hard and investing in employer-sponsored retirement vehicles. He realized that his parents didn’t have room to make mistakes or a major support system if their plans failed, so Nkimbeng has learned to take more risks early on.

“I didn’t quit my job to be an entrepreneur, but I considered my job as an angel investor and use that money to make more money,” Nkimbeng said. “I’m in my 20s, and I want to use this time to try new things. I’ve lost money in this journey but I’ve learned to rebound and try again, because if I fail, I have the support system of my family and that in itself is a privilege.” ©️ [2023] Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved. This publication contains general information only and Deloitte is not, by means of this publication, rendering accounting, business, financial, investment, legal, tax, or other professional advice or services. This publication is not a substitute for such professional advice or services, nor should it be used as a basis for any decision or action that may affect your business. Before making any decision or taking any action that may affect your business, you should consult a qualified professional advisor. Deloitte shall not be responsible for any loss sustained by any person who relies on this publication.

READ MORE ABOUT WHAT YOU SHOULD DO TO IMPROVE YOUR FINANCES

10 | April 27, 2023 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Entertainment

GEORGE FOREMAN Prepares for ‘heavy weight’ of his life on film

By Raquel Rogers

Former two-time world heavyweight champion George Foreman is about to have his life portrayed on the big screen.

The biopic, titled “Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World,” explores the life of the legendary boxer turned minister.

Forest Whitaker portrays Doc Broadus, the boxer’s longtime trainer who introduced him to the sport, while Khris Davis portrays Foreman. Sullivan Jones plays Muhammad Ali, as the two boxers had an iconic bout during their careers; the “Rumble in the Jungle” in Zaire [Now called the Democratic Republic of the Congo.]

The biopic will follow Foreman’s boxing career highlights, including when he obtained Olympic Gold at the 1968 Mexico City Games and his world heavyweight champion run. Outside of his boxing career, the narrative will cover Foreman finding his faith, retiring and becoming a preacher.

Finally, it will document his return to the ring at the age of 45 when his family and church faced financial hardship. He went on to reclaim the heavyweight champion

Laila Ali and George Foreman attend the Big George Foreman screening at Regal Atlantic Station on April 12, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. Getty Images

title, becoming the oldest in boxing history to do so.

Foreman told a Los Angeles TV station that he was initially apprehensive about sharing his life.

“I had my big walls around my home, tinted glass in new cars, sunglasses. You try to hide your life, then all of a sudden, I’ll reveal things,” he said. “It was scary at first. Then you realize ‘why not?’ Everybody should take a look at my life. What a wonderful thing to know that you can start from the bottom and there’s nowhere to go but to the top.”

Outside of the biopic, Foreman is a member of both the World Boxing Hall of Fame and International Boxing Hall of Fame. The 73-year-old is also known for his entrepreneurship, having worked with Spectrum Brands to create the popular George Foreman Grill in 1994.

The cast includes Jasmine Mathews, Sullivan Jones, Lawrence Gilliard Jr., John Magaro and Sonja Sohn. It’s directed by George Tillman Jr. from a story by Dan Gordon, Frank Baldwin and Tillman Jr., with screenplay by Baldwin and Tillman Jr.The film is set for theatrical release on April 28.

MEGAN THEE STALLION Addresses Tory Lanez shooting in new essay

By Raquel Rogers

Megan Thee Stallion is trying to put the past behind her and move on. The “Savage” rapper, whose legal name is Megan Pete, recently published an essay for Elle Magazine in which she detailed her healing journey after she was shot in the foot by rapper Tory Lanez in July of 2020.

“As I reflect on the past three years, I view myself as a survivor, because I have truly survived the unimaginable,” Pete penned.

She described how she not only survived being shot by a friend she thought she could trust, but how she also overcame the “public humiliation of having my name and reputation dragged through the mud by that individual for the entire world to see.”

“It never crossed my mind that people wouldn’t believe me,” she wrote, adding that she nonetheless “knew the truth and the indisputable facts would prevail.”

Pete accused Lanez of shooting her

after she exited a vehicle they had been riding in following an argument in the summer of 2020. Lanez was charged with three counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, carrying a loaded and unregistered firearm in a vehicle, and discharge of a firearm with gross negligence, according to prosecutors.

In December, Pete testified during the trial and a Los Angeles jury ultimately found Lanez guilty, convicting him on all three counts. Lanez wrote the district attorney this week requesting a new trial.

The guilty verdict was more than just vindication for her, she wrote – “it was a victory for every woman who has ever been shamed, dismissed, and blamed for a violent crime committed against them.”

“My heart hurts for all the women around the world who are suffering in silence, especially if you’re a Black woman who doesn’t appear as if she needs help.”

Pete also described putting up a public front amid a private struggle that affected

every area of her life – including her music.

“I was in such a low place that I didn’t even know what I wanted to rap about,” she wrote, later adding, “there would be times that I’d literally be backstage or in my hotel, crying my eyes out, and then I’d have to pull Megan Pete together and be Megan Thee Stallion.”

Pete said that she still struggles with anxiety but is in a “happier place” now thanks to journaling, praying, and establishing boundaries with those she lets into her life. She is also working on new music.

“I’m ready to show everybody that all the dirt they threw at me didn’t stick,” she said.

The Grammy-winning rapper does not plan to speak publicly about the incident any further, saying that her purpose with the moving essay was to “change the narrative because I’m more than just my trauma.”

“This is a rebirth of a happier and healthier me.”

Megan Thee Stallion Getty Images

April 27, 2023 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

| 11

DN Entertainment

Lisa Cortés Directs fresh Little Richard documentary

By Laura Onyeneho

Academy Award nominated, Emmy-winning producer and film director Lisa Cortés is bringing a fresh new perspective to the story of rock ‘n’ roll legend Little Richard, now in theaters and digital platforms.

The documentary “Little Richard: I Am Everything” explores the victories and complexities of Little Richard as a Black queer man in the Jim Crow South.

The film features interviews by Billy Porter, Mick Jagger, John Water, Tom Jones,

family and friends of the icon, revealing how he impacted music and culture through his self-expression and authenticity.

Although the film was made three years after his death, viewers will have the opportunity to witness never before seen archival footage and montages of his life and revolutionary sound, and how it has influenced the creative voices and sounds of many Black LGBTQ artists in present day.

Cortés isn’t new to the Hollywood game and has cemented her talents on other projects focused on Black culture and history including “Precious,” “The Apollo” and “All In: The Fight For Democracy.”

The Defender spoke with Cortés about the documentary and her dedication to creating films that accurately portray the Black experience.

DEFENDER: Let’s dive into your personal journey. What inspired you to get into film making?

LISA CORTÉS: My first career was in

the music industry working for Def Jam Records, and then went on to Mercury Records, and I reached a point where I kind of hit the glass ceiling and the music industry was changing. I wanted a bigger platform to share voices of the people that I loved from my community. I realized that film offered that opportunity. I went back to film school and started working with a lot of people on the independent scene here in New York. And then one day I got a call from an old friend who said come to New Orleans and work with me on a film. That film was “Monster’s Ball,” and that friend was Lee Daniels. I then spent 10 years with Lee as his producing partner.

DEFENDER: “The Little Richard: I Am Everything” documentary is coming right at a time where Black LGBTQ people still have many challenges in society. What made you want to follow the story of the iconic Little Richard?

CORTÉS: I want to go back to the thing

about this time we are in. When I started this film two years ago, I didn’t know that we would be at a place in Tennessee where

Above: Little Richard at Wrigley Fields, Los Angeles, 2 September 1956. Alamy Stock Photo

drag artists were being criminalized, in Florida, where African American AP history is [not being taught] and our stories in general are being erased. This film is very much in conversation with things that are happening right now. It is so important for us to make certain that our history is not erased. And with Little Richard, if anything, it was to elevate someone who is so important to the creation of rock ‘n’ roll, and was also someone who started the careers of so many other amazing, brilliant artists.

DEFENDER: Piecing together our history takes time, research and patience. What was the process like for you to properly gather the documents to create the story and the multiple layers of this icon?

CORTÉS: There a many, many layers.

Just look at those credits at the end of the film. There’s the research, there’s the archival sweep to find some incredible material that’s never been seen before.

There’s the outreach to incredible scholars, family, friends, rock ‘n’ roll icons, incredible people like Billy Porter.

Then the interviews, then our brilliant editors, take all of this with a timeline that we’ve created of this cradle-to-grave story that we’ve found all of the pertinent information from Richard to narrate the story. Then, there is the special sauce of the visual effects. Then there’s the added hot sauce of contemporary artists like Valerie June and Corey Henry and John P. Kee performing music that is connected to this film and shot in a beautiful cinematic way.

Then, you edit all of this, you cut things and put them back in and then you find out a song you want, you can’t afford to clear it, and then you work with the great music supervisor to figure out something else. All of this is a part of the creative gumbo that goes into crafting a film. That’s my joy as a director; VIDEO: to work with all How Cortés of the different pushes people down to through the colorists, to the stories mixers, the sound of Black engineers and history in editors, to create Hollywood. this testimony.

12 | April 27, 2023 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Health SISTERS NETWORK HOSTS

‘Stop the Silence 5K Walk/Run’ Defender News Service

Sisters Network® Inc. (SNI), the nation’s oldest, largest, and only national Black breast cancer survivor organization and a leader in the Black breast cancer movement is hoping to shine a light on those battling breast cancer at their 13th Annual “Stop the Silence National African American Breast Cancer 5K Walk/Run” on Saturday, April 29, 2023, from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

This year the walk is hosted at its new location Lynn Eusan Park, The University of Houston Central Campus, 4400 University Drive, Houston, TX. 77004. The walk is hosted in celebration of Minority Health Month. Free parking will be available on a first-come, first serve basis at Gateway Garage on the corner of University Drive and MLK Blvd.

Launched in 2010, the Stop the Silence 5K Walk/Run attracts over 4,000 participants each year from around the U.S. who come together to walk in honor, memory and celebration of the women they love who have been diagnosed with breast cancer.

“Sisters Network Inc. is excited to have

our 13th Annual Stop the Silence 5K Walk/ Run at our new home at the University of Houston, Lynn Eusan Park,” stated Karen E. Jackson, founder/CEO, Sisters Network Inc. “We are honored to host our event at the Lynn Eusan Park named after a Black woman

who accomplished many historic firsts at the University of Houston.”

Registration is open at www.stopthesilencewalk.org. Individual registration is $45 per person and $450 for a team of 10. Online registration closes April 27, 2023. However,

on-site registration is available starting at 7 a.m. on Saturday, April 29, prior to the walk kick-off.

According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer is the most common cancer among Black women. Black women under 35 are two times more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer as compared to White women and die at three times the rate.

A portion of the funds raised from the event supports the Sisters Network Inc. Karen E. Jackson Breast Cancer Assistance Program (BCAP). Established in 2006, BCAP provides much-needed financial support to survivors and pays for mammograms for uninsured and underinsured women nationwide. To date, BCAP has provided nearly $1.2 million dollars in financial support and early detection screenings.

“Sisters Network looks forward to hosting a safe, and fun event while continuing to uplift the celebration of breast cancer survivorship and increasing awareness during Minority Health Month about the breast cancer crisis in the Black community,” added Jackson.

New COVID-19 vaccine guidelines unveiled Defender News Service

A new omicron variant known as XBB.1.16 emerged in India, positive cases have been recorded in Harris County and officials are already working to combat it.

The CDC’s new simplified guidelines for COVID-19 vaccinations recommend patients be given the updated bivalent vaccine moving forward, regardless of previous vaccination status. They also recommend an additional booster for immunocompromised individuals and people over the age of 65.

In a long-awaited decision streamlining what has been a series of confusing recommendations about who should be vaccinated against COVID-19, with what and how often, the CDC said: • Most people ages 6 to 64 will now be considered up to date if they received one bivalent mRNA shot.

• People over 65 or with compromised immune systems should get a second mRNA shot (and the latter may be eligible for more).

Dr. Luis Ostrosky, chief of infectious disease at UT Health Houston and Memorial Hermann, said the change in guidelines comes as a result of the confusion that the variety of vaccines and boosters have caused for people at different stages in the vaccine regimen.

“There was a lot of confusion as to how many doses and for whom, et cetera,” he

A nurse vaccinates a patient. AP

said. “So what both the FDA and the CDC did with this update is they cleaned up the vaccination guidance. It pretty much says, as of now, we only use the bivalent vaccine, both for primary vaccination and for boosters.”

Ostrosky said this is because the variants have changed over time, so the original monovalent vaccine series may not offer as much protection.

The update also makes a recommendation for those over the age of 65 and immunocompromised individuals to receive another bivalent booster, even if

they already got one last fall. Most others will not be eligible for another booster until fall 2023.

Currently, Ostrosky said, Harris County COVID numbers are down.

“We’re currently at very low levels, both in terms of clinical cases and wastewater positivity rates,” said Ostrosky. “The positivity rate is near 5% currently.”

Ostrosky cautioned that there could be spikes later on, especially with a new variant. While the current bivalent booster doesn’t specifically target the most recent strain, it does target omicron variants, from which the most recent variant emerged.

“The boosters we have going on right now are omicron lineage, and they’re likely to offer some immunity against the current variants, which are all omicron lineage,” Ostrosky said. “Undoubtedly, the best thing you can do to protect yourself from a severe outcome with COVID is staying as updated as you can with your vaccines

and boosters.”

A new booster is expected to come out this fall, and Ostrosky said it is “very likely,” it will target the most recent variants.

Most of those over the age of 65 and immunocompromised people are now eligible for another bivalent booster dose, which Dr. Ostrosky recommends if it has been four months or more since their last booster.

HHS announced last week that it was creating a $1.1 billion public-private partnership to ensure that COVID-19 vaccinations and treatments remain free for people without insurance through December 2024.

With temporary pandemic aid shutting down — and many people expected to lose state Medicaid benefits with the end of a federal ban on disenrollments — the “HHS Bridge Access Program for COVID19 Vaccines and Treatments” would fill the gap in two ways, the agency said.

CLASSIFIED NOTICE TO BIDDERS

The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas (METRO) is planning to issue the procurement documents listed in this advertisement.

RFQ No. 4023000101: Urban Design Consultation Services. Solicitation will be available on or about 04/25/2023.

RFQ No. 4023000102: Construction Materials Testing (CMT). Solicitation will be available on or about 04/25/2023.

Prospective bidders/proposers can view and download these solicitations by visiting METRO’s website at ridemetro. org/Open Procurements. If you are unable to download the documents or are having difficulty, please contact METRO Plan and Bid Room at (713) 615-6125 or email propertyservices@ridemetro.org

April 27, 2023 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

| 13

DN Sports TSU CHEER COACH

SHONTRESE COMEAUX Relishes historic championship

By ReShonda Tate

Ever since she was a little girl growing up in Missouri City, Shontrese Comeaux has loved being a cheerleader. From her time on an elite team in Sugar Land, to her time as a little Houston Oilers Cheerleader, to cheering for Hightower High School, her love of the sport has transcended the years.

And yes, cheerleading is a sport. Just look at the countless hours Comeaux spends training her Tiger Cheer team. It’s a dedication and commitment that has paid off - in a historic way.

Comeaux, who serves as Texas Southern University’s Head Cheer Coach, is fresh off the wave of securing a national title at the National Cheer Association (NCA) Championship in Daytona Beach, Florida. The victory was a historic one, making the TSU Tigers the first historically Black collegiate squad to win a national cheerleading championship in the NCA’s 75 years of existence.

As she holds tryouts this week to build next year’s team, Comeaux talked with the Defender about the monumental accomplishment.

DEFENDER: This is the national competition, where your team competed against, not only other HBCUs, like North Carolina A&T and Florida A&M, but predominately white universities, who have historically won. And you took home the title, something no other HBCU cheer team has ever been able to accomplish.

SHONTRESE COMEAUX: Right. We’ve

never seen this on the NCA level, which is the pinnacle of cheer competitions. So, it’s a huge deal to make strides for the cheer world and HBCU world. It’s easy to be intimidated when you get there and see the competition, but we put in the hard work at practice. I drill into my team year after year that they have to put out the energy in order to be successful. I instill in my team that winning doesn’t start with how you prepare physically. It starts with how you prepare mentally. And with us having a winning routine, they just needed to have the confidence to go in and know they’re giving everything that they’ve got. And they’re also setting the trend for other HBCUs, as well.

DEFENDER: What was one of the most intense parts of the six-month championship preparation process?

COMEUX: Definitely narrowing down

the squad of 26 cheerleaders to 22 to compete in Daytona, which included the TSU Tommy the Tiger Mascot. The squad even held tryouts this past January to ensure we had the best cheerleaders ready for the mat. The cheer

Shontrese Comeaux and TSU Cheer Team

world is very cutthroat and very competitive.

You have to have a strong mindset going in.

It takes a lot of endurance, mentally, physically and emotionally to endure the cuts.

There were last-minute changes that had to be adapted to.

DEFENDER: You said this win highlights Black cheerleaders who are usually overlooked in a sport where barriers include an expensive price tag just to perform.

COMEAUX: Not a lot of kids in eco-

nomically disadvantaged neighborhoods are afforded the opportunity to participate in programs that are strong where they can go compete. Competitive Cheer is a very pricey sport. Any cheerleader will tell you if they’ve grown up in cheer, whether it’s been

little league to competitive, all-star, school, it’s very expensive. When you go to an HBCU, it’s a lot of fundraising that has to be involved in order to participate in the National Cheer Association.

DEFENDER: How did you instill that confidence in your cheerleaders?

COMEAUX: I am my cheerleader’s biggest

cheerleader. I incorporate cardio and HIIT workouts into the team regime, and I’m very particular in perfecting each cheerleader’s jumps, motion, and tumbling drills before they even start the championship routine.

Throughout the year, I start at the beginning

when we go to NCA camp every year. I give them energy, I’m pumping them up, whether they’re at practice, whether they’re on the field, whether they’re doing routines. And I’m hyping them up individually and as a team so that they know what they’re doing is good and they already have that energy and they’re not afraid. I kind of put that mentality on them, even though myself and Greg Malone, my assistant coach, we give them critiques on what they need to fix. But at the end of the day, we’re pumping energy into them and we’re, you know, hyping them up as they go along. So by the time that they get out there and they’re ready to perform, they are a team.

VIEW THE TSU TIGERS’ NATIONAL DN VIDEO: CHAMPIONSHIP-WINNING ROUTINE. ONLINE

14 | April 27, 2023 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Sports Prairie View junior softball pitcher Jerrica Rojas allowed just three hits, walking none while striking out seven batters during the Lady Panthers’ 5-0 win over Texas Southern.

Astros left fielder Yordan Alvarez came through with a clutch two-run single in the eighth inning to help the Astros to victory and the series sweep over Atlanta.

Sports Briefs Lady Tigers golf team wins SWAC title

The Texas Southern women’s golf team won its second straight SWAC Championship. The Lady Tigers took control of the championship from the opening round and ended up winning the title by 21 strokes.

Willie Sophomore Shankle Dili Sitanonth finished atop the leaderboard and was awarded low medalist after posting a total of 228 (75-75-78). Teammate Ashlie Hobbs placed second with a 229 (78-77-74) total. Junior Lyla Vaughn (86-77-79) and sophomore Miness Siame (7979-84) received All SWAC Second Team Honors for their T-10 finish on 242. “I am extremely proud of the ladies. Even though they had some highs and lows, they came together when it mattered most,” said TSU golf coach Willie Shankle.

De’Aaron Fox wins Jerry West Award

Sacramento Kings point guard and former Cy-Lakes standout De’Aaron Fox has added to an already stellar sixth season. Fox De’Aaron was awarded the Fox NBA’s inaugural Jerry West Clutch Player of the Year Award recently.

TSU softballer Madison Griggs earns weekly SWAC honor

Texas Southern utility player Madison Griggs was selected as the SWAC Women’s Softball Hitter of the Week.

The honor came after the Los Madison Angeles native Griggs recorded seven RBI along with seven hits, three runs and batting above .500 during four combined games against Alcorn State and Southern.

Former Alabama football quarterback Bryce Young works in position drills at Alabama’s NFL pro day, Thursday, March 23, 2023, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. AP Photo/Vasha Hunt

TEXANS NO.2 NFL DRAFT PICK, ANYBODY’S GUESS

By Terrance Harris

If there was any thought Texans general manager Nick Caserio was going to provide a clue on where the team might be leaning in the days leading up to the NFL Draft, think again.

Instead of narrowing down what the Texans might be thinking with the No.2 overall pick, Caserio left the door wide open in his last meeting with the media before the draft kicked off in Kansas City. The Texans might do any number of things, from using the pick to possibly trading out of it.

“We’ve received some calls actually, on the No. 2 pick,” said a normally close-tothe-vest Caserio, whose team also owns the 12th overall pick in the draft. “I think our job and responsibility is to listen and not rule anything out. I think whatever the end result is come Thursday, you know, we’ll be prepared to go either way.”

“If you want to quote me, are we open for business, I would say we’re open to listening, if you want to change the vocabulary a little bit. We have received a few calls, and again, I think our responsibility is to listen, try to take the information in and then just make

the right decision.”

That’s not likely what most Texans fans want to hear. It’s quarterback or bust for most.

But for the Texans fans, it may not be that simple. There are a handful of highly touted quarterbacks in this draft, but the one the Texans may covet most – Alabama’s Bryce Young – will likely be off the board after the Carolina Panthers use the No.1 pick they traded up for to take the quarterback they want.

There had been a strong belief the Texans would then use the second-overall pick to select Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud.

But in the days leading up to the draft, a growing sentiment is that the Texans could go in an entirely different direction with their first selection of the night.

Rumors have defensive-minded first-year head coach DeMeco Ryans desiring to take Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson, Jr. with the No.2 overall pick. Anderson, who is from Ryan’s alma mater, is considered the safest pick in the entire draft, and he certainly would fill a need.

There is also speculation the Texans could go off the map and select Kentucky quarterback Will Levis with the second pick. Then

there is a belief the Texans could trade out of the pick all together.

The Texans had both Stroud and Young in for visits this month, but nobody is offering a clue which way the team is leaning.

“I won’t talk specifically about what we’re doing with our plans for the draft,” said Ryans, who was once a Pro Bowl linebacker with the Texans. “We’ll evaluate. When it’s our time to pick, we’ll have to be ready to pick.”

What we do know is the Texans have 12 picks over the seven-round draft. Five of those will come in the first three rounds thanks in part to the trade that sent quarterback Deshaun Watson to the Cleveland Browns.

That means the Texans will have plenty of opportunities to bring an influx of young players to the team and improve their overall talent at several positions.

“I’ve seen a lot of different players being a player in this league. I’ve seen a lot of different players, a lot of different talent,” Ryans said. “For me, in the evaluation process, I just know it can be done multiple ways, many different people, different sizes, different shapes, different talents.”

April 27, 2023 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Sports WALTRIP HIGH SCHOOL

TRAMAYNE BLACK Hard work pays off

By Jimmie Aggison

Tramayne Black is a name known by many on the football field, but others may not know that he is also a stand-out track star who will be continuing his track and football domination in college.

Black started last season at running back for Waltrip High School and currently runs the 100-meter, 200-meter and 400-meters for the school’s track team.

“He’s a kid that leads by example. He’s not much of a vocal leader, but he shows up to practice every day ready to work,” said Waltrip head track coach Raasaan Haralson.

Running a personal best of 10.95 at the HISD district meet, Black was able to secure his spot for a second straight ABOUT year in the area round.

TRAMAYNE BLACK “I feel pretty good. That’s my personal best for the season,” said Black.

Class: 2023 Twitter: @TramayneBlack Last year Black placed second in the district but was unable to make IG: @cmp.tray_ it past the area round. This year he Races: 100-meter, 200-meter, 400-meter hopes to advance further.

“This year I’m trying to get to Height & weight: regionals and then state. It starts at 5-feet-7, 160 pounds Runner he studies: practice, putting in the work, going all out, and not skipping reps,” said Black.

Christian Coleman It was friendly competition Status: Committed to Dakota State University between Black and his cousin that encouraged him to begin running Favorite artist: Lil Baby track for Track Houston in the sevFavorite subject: Biology Hobbies: Football & Track enth grade.

“My cousin was running. I didn’t Shout-outs: August Robert really want to run, but I saw him running and doing well. After seeing him, I wanted to be a part of that,” said Black. “Getting involved early in track helped me get used to running against tougher competition. People who actually wanted to be there, not just football people, but people who actually loved the sport of track and field. Running against them helped to give me an edge over a lot of people,” said Black.

Next season Black will be attending Dakota State University where he plans to play football and run track while majoring in business management.

“It felt good to sign with Dakota State University. It showed me that my hard work actually paid off and that people were noticing me. Never doubt yourself, don’t skip reps and stay consistent every time,” said Black.

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16 | April 27, 2023 |

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DN Sports

IME UDOKA

Joins Houston Rockets as new head coach

By Terrance Harris

In a coaching market that was becoming more competitive by the day, the Houston Rockets have locked down their next head coach.

The Rockets have reportedly agreed to terms with former Boston Celtics head coach and longtime San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Ime Udoka to replace Stephen Silas. Udoka, 45, was the hot available coach this cycle and was drawing interest from both Detroit and Toronto for their openings.

Udoka, who guided the Celtics to the 2022 NBA Finals in his first season with the team, takes over a rebuilding franchise that is back in the NBA Draft Lottery for the third straight offseason. The Rockets were 59-177 in their seasons with Silas at the helm, but have a talented young core led by Jalen Green and will

have a top-three pick in the NBA Draft.

Udoka, of course, was available after a messy departure from the Celtics which began as a season-long suspension prior to the 2022-23 campaign as a result of a violation of the team’s code of conduct.

He was later fired. Udoka is believed to have had an inappropriate relationship with a female employee of the Celtics.

But the reason for his dismissal has not prevented other teams from showing interest in Udoka. The Brooklyn Nets were negotiating a deal with Udoka during the season after parting ways with Steve Nash. It’s believed that the Raptors and Pistons had a strong interest in him this offseason.

Udoka, who is believed to have always been the Rockets’ top target, met with Rockets general manager Rafael Stone last Wednesday.

Ime Udoka. AP