Houston Defender: May 19, 2016

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NEWSTALK DR. AUSTIN LANE named new TSU president

P2 FEATURE RANDAL PINKETT criticizes former boss Trump

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things graduates should know

SPORTS STEPHEN CURRY leads Golden State Warriors

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P12 TOP EVENTS

‘Sisters in Law’

stars Houstonians Local lawyers Juanita Jackson, Rhonda Willis, Jolanda Jones, Vivian King, Monique Payne and Tiye Foley (shown from left to right) star in the WE reality show “Sisters in Law.” Learn about the show’s inception. See why there’s mutual respect instead of hair-pulling or wine-flinging. Find out why the show’s stars consider it a game changer in the legal world.

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Moses Mbai and Anthony Collier at Achievement Through Leadership Foundation scholarship dinner

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Lane named finalist for TSU president Dr. Austin A. Lane has been named the University, M.A. in human relations sole finalist to become the 12th president from the University of Oklahoma and of Texas Southern University by its board Ed.D. in higher education administraof regents. Lane plans to assume leadership tion from the University of Alabama. of TSU on or about June 7, after a board Derrick Mitchell, board of revote. He replaces Dr. John M. Rudley, who gents chair, said that Lane “embodies has served as president since 2008. the skills necessary to position the Lane has served as executive vice university as a destination instituchancellor of Lone Star College since 2015 tion for those seeking an innovative and was president of Lone Star Collegelearning process through a stellar Montgomery for six years. Before joining curriculum.

Lone Star he was vice president for student Dr. Austin Lane “The board of regents engaged affairs at Tyler Junior College in a dedicated and thorough search He holds a B.A. in psychology from Langston of outstanding candidates and Dr. Lane was clearly

the right man at the perfect time in Texas Southern’s existence,” Mitchell said.

“We look forward receiving the benefit of his strong and progressive leadership to move TSU to the next level in higher education.”

Lane managed seven campuses in the Lone Star system, with the smallest location educating 10,000 students. His priorities for TSU include strengthening student recruitment, enrollment and retention.

He is a native of New Jersey. His father-in-law, Larry Williams, attended TSU with the late Congressman Mickey Leland.

Lane and his wife, Loren, have three children, and are members of Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church.

SHAPE raising funds for annual Freedom Tour

By AMBER L. VERNON Defender

Following a long tradition, SHAPE Community Center plans to send 37 children on its 27th Annual Freedom Tour this July.

Supporters recently gathered at Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church to discuss fundraising and sponsorship for this year’s tour. SHAPE Executive Director Deloyd Parker said the trip educates youth about African-American history.

“They learn more about their history on the tour than they learn in school,” Parker said. “It’s the kind of trip that will change their whole life.”

The tour is a seven-day trip across Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida and Arkansas that mirrors the freedom riders’ journeys of the 1960s. Students have the opportunity to retrace the Civil Rights Movement through

interviews with activists and tours of museums, churches, historical landmarks and HBCUs. Some of the landmarks will include Little Rock Central High School, the Lorraine Hotel and the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

Houston Methodist hospital physician Dr. Jelani Oville said he participated in the Freedom Tour twice in the late 1990s.

“It’s a great experience for youth to learn about their history in its own element and develop their own opinions about how Blacks are viewed in America,” Oville said. “You get to learn about Black history on a first-hand basis. Seeing everything in retrospect was a unique experience you don’t get in the history books. I strongly encourage everyone to support this year’s Freedom Tour.”

Visit www.shape.org for information on sponsoring a student or making a donation.

Deloyd Parker greeted Rev. William Lawson at SHAPE Community Center’s Founder’s Luncheon at Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church.

localbriefs VOTE, TUESDAY MAY 24. The runoffs resulting from the March 1 primary will allow Texas voters to decide on 22 Democratic and Repubican races for statewide, congressional, State Board of Education and legislative positions. In local Democratic races, incumbent State Rep. Ron Reynolds of Missouri City faces challenger Angelique Bartholomew for the District 27 seat. Jarvis Johnson and Kimberly Willis face off for the permanent District 139 seat vacated by Mayor Sylvester Turner. Visit www. fortbendcountytx.gov or www.HarrisVotes.com for voting information........CITY FLOOD RECOVERY EFFORTS are shifting focus to long-term assistance.

The City of Houston will cease paying for hotel rooms for flood victims who have registered and received financial assistance from FEMA. “Using donations from the Greater Houston Storm Relief Fund, the city was able to step in on a short-term basis to help the victims of the tax day floods who were suffering and had nowhere else to turn,” said Mayor Sylvester Turner. “FEMA is now here and financial assistance is available to those who register. It is time to let them do what they do best so the city is able to turn its attention to meeting longer-term recovery needs. We will not let people fall through the cracks. We will be here today as well as tomorrow,” Turner said……..

HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE received $321,775 from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency to operate the MBDA Business Center in Houston. The grant is a part of the $31.5 million in federal funding to 21 grant recipients.

The program is designed to help minority-owned firms create jobs, compete in the global economy and grow their businesses. Since 2009, MBDA Business Centers have assisted minority firms with gaining access to more than $31 billion in capital and contracts, while creating and retaining nearly 142,000 jobs

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GET UP TO

$650

3

IN CREDITS PER LINE*

To help you switch to AT&T. When you trade in your current smartphones and buy new ones at AT&T. *Each line req’s elig. port-in, trade-in, purch. & svc. $650 = trade-in credit + prepaid card (in 90 days) for device balance/early termination fee amount, less trade-in.

GET UNLIMITED DATA WHEN YOU HAVE AT&T WIRELESS AND DIRECTV.® After 22GB of data usage, AT&T may slow speeds. *Reqs elig. TV svc. If not elig., AT&T will move you to 10 GB plan (Overage charge $15/GB) or may move to your old plan (restr’s apply).

SWITCH OFFER: Ltd time (PR ends 06/30/16). Each line reqs elig. port-in, trade-in, purch., svc & final bill. Credits may not equal all costs of switching. Elig. port-in: From eligible carrier (excludes Cricket & select others) on their term agmt or device plan & buy smartphone in same transaction. Elig. Purch./Svc: Must buy on AT&T Next w/elig. svc, be active & in good standing for 45 days. AT&T Next: Reqs elig. installment agmt & svc. Tax due at sale. Down payment may be reqd. If svc cancelled, balance due. Trade-in: Good, working & on line ported, w/ min. $10 buyback value & meet Buyback reqmts. Trade-in Credit: Instant or AT&T Promo Card (in 3 wks). Valid for 5 mo. Use for AT&T products, wireless bill & svc only. At dealers get dealer credit (w/add’l terms). Final Bill: W/i 60 days go to att.com/helpyouswitch & upload/mail final bill w/Early Termination Fee (ETF) or device balance (incl. lease purch. cost) on number ported. Final Credit: Equals device balance (up to $650) or ETF (up to $350) minus trade-in (min. $10). Excludes taxes, svc & other charges. W/in 4 wks after meet elig. reqmts, are mailed AT&T Promotion Visa Prepaid Card. Cannot use for cash. Valid through date on card (min. 150 days). Add’l terms & restrs apply & are provided w/card. Details: att.com/switch. AT&T Unlimited Plan: Select locations. Eligibility: Must remain active & in good standing on residential DIRECTV or U-verse television svc (TV) & AT&T Unlimited Plan. Puerto Rico customers must agree to sharing of acct info btwn DIRECTV & AT&T. Customers must meet all eligibility reqmts w/in 60 days of wireless activation. Lost Eligibility: You are removed automatically from unlimited plan & moved to another plan if do not meet all eligibility reqmts. Existing AT&T postpaid customers who have not added any new devices to the unlimited plan are moved to their old plan, if avail. Customers who cannot be moved back are moved to plan w/ 10GB of shareable data & overage charge of $15/GB. Once moved, you can move to any currently avail. plan at any time. Data Restrictions: After 22GB of data usage on a line in a bill cycle, for the rest of the cycle AT&T may slow data speeds on that line during periods of network congestion. Tethering & Mobile Hotspot use prohibited. Limits: Select wireless devices only (sold separately). 10 per plan. Purch. & line limits based on credit apply. Discounts: May not be elig. for all discounts, offers, & credits. See att.com/unlimitedplan for plan details. Gen. Wireless SVC: Subj. to Wireless Customer Agmt (att.com/wca). Svcs not for resale. Deposit may be reqd. Credit approval, activ./upgrade (up to $45), other fees, usage & other restr’s per line apply. Other Monthly Charges/Line: May include taxes, fed. & state universal svc charges, Reg. Cost Recovery Charge (up to $1.25), gross receipts surcharge, Admin. Fee, & other gov’t assessments which are not gov’t req’d charges. Pricing & terms subject to change & may be modified or terminated at any time without notice. Coverage & svc not avail. everywhere. You get an off-net (roaming) usage allowance for each svc. If you exceed the allowance, your svc(s) may be restricted or terminated. Other restr’s apply & may result in svc termination. Gen. TV SVC: DIRECTV & U-verse avail. separately. Term agmt, add’l fees & restr’s apply. Directv: Visit directv.com/legal or call 1-800-DIRECTV for details. U-verse: Geo. & svc restr’s apply. Visit att.com/Uverse to check svc availability. Screen images simulated. ©2016 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T, the Globe logo, U-verse, DIRECTV, and all other AT&T marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.

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BLACK LIVES MATTER

By ASWAD WALKER Defender

In the pursuit of justice for Black Lives, several news stories surfacing demonstrate the advances and irony of the campaign as it makes headway. In South Carolina, the Federal government has stepped up with a rare indictment while in Baltimore the trial of one officer appears to be focusing the spotlight on the entire police department. Then the irony of the auction and bidding process for the Zimmerman’s gun that killed Trayvon Martin is both disturbing but eye-opening.

Feds indict officer in Scott death

Though federal prosecutors refused to pursue civil rights allegations against law enforcement officers 96 percent of the time since 1995, Michael Slager, the white former South Carolina police officer charged in the death of unarmed Black motorist Walter Scott was indicted by the Feds.

Slager faces state murder charges for Scott’s death, a case that became national news when a video of Slager shooting at Scott eight times went viral shortly after the April 2015 incident.

Some view this rare move by the feds to pursue additional charges as the dawnMichael Slager ing of a new day.

“I think the Justice Department is tired of sitting on the sidelines and they think this is one they can definitely win and send a message to police departments around the country,” Chris Stewart, attorney for Scott’s family, told The Associated Press.

“The Department of Justice is interested in making this

an impact case and sending a message to law enforcement that you can’t shoot somebody in the back,” added Pete Strom, a former U.S. attorney for South Carolina.

Slager’s lawyer, Andy Savage, however, has a different take.

“It really feels as if Officer Slager is carrying the burden of many past cases that were handled differently,” Savage said in a release.

Slager was arraigned Wednesday on federal charges that include depriving Scott of his civil rights and unlawful use of a weapon during the commission of a crime. He was also charged with obstruction of justice for falsely stating to investigators that he fired at Scott while Scott charged at him with a Taser. A bystander’s cellphone video, however, shows Slager, then a North Charleston officer, firing eight times as Scott, 50, ran away, with no taser in hand.

Baltimore police on trial for Freddie Gray’s death During the trial of Officer Edward Nero, the second policeman to be tried for the death of Freddie Gray, testimony painted the picture of a radically dysfunctional Baltimore Police Department.

Prosecutors hoped to prove that Nero had been properly trained in restraining detainees, thus justifying the seconddegree assault charge against him. Gray died while in police custody last year and wasn’t properly seat-belted in the van transporting him. However, officer testimony revealed a training process full of holes, including lack of adequate training time and entire sections of training documents left blank, providing no proof of mastery.

Baltimore residents claim police routinely conduct

“rough rides,” hitting bumps purposely to injure unrestrained detainees.

Gray, who was guilty of no crime according to witnesses, was inexplicably detained, though he was officially charged with assault. To prove the second-degree assault charge against Nero, the prosecution must prove that Gray was unlawfully arrested, a charge that could have ramifications for police in Baltimore and beyond.

“The assault charge will call into question so many arrests in our city where the police do not have probable cause,” University of Maryland law professor Douglas Colbert said. “I think the prosecution is sending a message to police.”

Zimmerman auctions gun that killed Trayvon Martin George Zimmerman, who killed Trayvon Martin February 2012, seeks to profit from the weapon used, a Kel-Tec 9mm pistol put up for auction. Though the auction was halted twice, and the auction website, United Gun Group, released a statement distancing themselves from Zimmerman, it resumed with the biddings reaching $65 million.

According to USA Today, the highest authentic bid is for $290,000 by an individual identified as Ali Safaoui. Another bidder driving the offer up insensitively identified themselves as Tamir Rice. “Racist McShootface,” however, is listed as the top bidder.

Tamir Rice was the 12-year-old boy shot and killed by Cleveland police in November 2014. He was playing with a toy gun.

Zimmerman, a former neighborhood watchman, called the weapon “a piece of American history” and insisted that the Smithsonian Museum was interested in acquiring the firearm—an assertion the Smithsonian immediately denied.

Zimmerman says he plans to use some of the proceeds to fight back against Black Lives Matter, a movement born out of Trayvon Martin’s killing, and Senator Hillary Clinton’s “anti-firearm rhetoric.”

STOPPING INFANT MORTALITY is the goal of Houston Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee’s new bill, HR 5130. The Stop Infant Mortality and Recidivism Reduction Act of 2016 or the SIMARRA Act, is designed to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the federal prison system for pregnant offenders by establishing critical-stage, developmental nurseries in Federal prisons for children born to inmates. The SIMARRA Act will decrease unprecedentedly high, current infant mortality rates and allow inmate mothers to provide healthy and safe gestation to protect their unborn, as well as bond with infants during their first 30 months of life……..SMALL BUSINESSES COULD GET A BOOST as the U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) has announced a competitive solicitation for candidates interested in operating a new MBDA Capital Project. MBDA will award one cooperative agreement totaling $2.5 million over a five-year period. The Capital Project is designed to serve as a hub for minority business enterprises (MBEs) across the country seeking financing solutions to grow and expand their businesses……..WHITES KILL MORE POLICE THAN BLACKS, according to new statistics that reveal the grim reality that the number of police officers who have been shot and killed in the year 2016 has increased. Seventeen police officers have already been shot and killed this year, when compared to this time last year, that number was only 10.

According to the New York Daily News, 71 percent of police fatalities this year occurred with white men holding the trigger………

POWERBALL WINNERS are making plans for their cash. Members of a New Jersey family who pooled their money and won the recent $429 million Powerball say their winnings will go toward bills and doing good in their communities. Family matriarch Pearlie Mae Smith bought the winning ticket at a 7-Eleven store in Trenton, New Jersey’s capital.

VOLUME 85 • NUMBER 29 MAY 19, 2016 Publisher Sonceria Messiah-Jiles Ad/Client Relations Selma Dodson Tyler Digital Editor LaGloria Wheatfall Art Director Tony Fernandez-Davila Proofer Maia Shelby

Editors Aswad Walker Marilyn Marshall Contributing Writers ReShonda Billingsley Jasemine Knowles Amber Vernon Sports Editors Max Edison Darrell K. Ardison

The Defender newspaper is published by the Houston Defender Inc. Company (713-663-6996.. The Defender is audited by Certified Audited Circulation. (CAC). For subscription, send $60-1 year to: Defender, P.O. Box 8005, Houston TX 77288. Payment must accompany subscription request. All material covered by 2012 copyright. (No material herein may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher).

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‘Apprentice’ winner speaks out about Trump

By KAM WILLIAMS Special to the Defender

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r. Randal Pinkett was the 2005 season four winner of NBC’s reality show “The Apprentice” starring presidential candidate Donald Trump.

He served as an executive with Trump Entertainment Resorts in Atlantic City.

Pinkett has established himself as an entrepreneur, speaker, author and scholar.

He is the founder, chairman and CEO of his fifth venture, BCT Partners, a multimillion-dollar management consulting and information technology solutions firm headquartered in Newark.

He has received numerous awards for business and technology excellence and has appeared on various nationally televised programs.

In 2009 Pinkett was named to New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine’s official shortlist as a potential running mate for lieutenant governor.

Pinkett earned five degrees, including a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Rutgers University (where he was captain of the men’s track team), a M.S. in Computer Science from the University of Oxford in England, and a M.S. in Electrical Engineering, MBA, and Ph.D. from MIT. He was the first and only African-American to receive the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship at Rutgers and was the first African-American winner of “The Apprentice.”

Recently, Pinkett and several other “Apprentice” alumni held a press conference to voice their opposition to Trump’s candidacy. Here, he explains why.

KW: Donald Trump pointed at his picking you as the winner of “The Apprentice” as proof that he’s “the least racist person there is.”

What does it mean that you are now saying he’s unfit to be president?

RP: I find his use of me as his defense against allegations of racism as not only absurd but as also misguided. Consider the history of our relationship, particularly my finale on “The Apprentice” when I expressed concerns then and, maybe my opinion now, that his decision to

Season four “Apprentice” winner Randal Pinkett, who once worked for Donald Trump, said the billionaire businessman isn’t fit to be president.

ask me to share the title was either racially insensitive or just straight racist.

To display that behavior toward me, the only person of color he’d ever hired on the show, and to then say I’m the evidence that you’re not racist means that your privilege has so sufficiently blinded you that you don’t see the insidiousness of what you did then or of what you’re saying now.

KW: How do you feel about his reaction to the six of you, calling you “failing wannabes?”

RP: His reaction was un-presidential, petulant and sophomoric.

KW: What do you think of the prominent Black people in his corner, like Dr. Ben Carson, Omarosa and his national spokesperson, Katrina Pierson. Have you spoken to any of them?

RP: No, I haven’t had direct contact with any of them, although I’ve known Omarosa for years, and I would consider her a friend. I saw her on MSNBC the day of our press conference, attempting to defend Donald. As she suggested, sometimes members of the same family simply have to agree to disagree, and we disagree as it relates to Donald. It is certainly the case that Omarosa has her position and her agenda, and she and Donald have developed a mutually-beneficial relationship

in terms of business and media exposure. That’s her guy. She knows where I stand. I’ve been very clear and very transparent that I see things differently.

KW: What always bothered me the most about Donald Trump was how, during the Central Park Jogger case, he took out full-page ads in all of the New York daily newspapers calling for the return of the death penalty. That helped create an atmosphere in which there was a rush to justice and five innocent teenagers were convicted of the crime. And when they were finally exonerated years later, Trump never apologized or offered any jobs or money to help them readjust to society.

RP: I echo your sentiments…I have made repeated references to his behavior regarding the Central Park Five, to housing discrimination cases that were brought against him, and to first-hand reports I received during my year working there in terms of the lack of diversity at the executive and decision-making levels within the organization.

To people who keep wanting to dance around the question of whether he’s racist, sexist or xenophobic, let me suggest that he has a pattern of this kind of behavior. And when you have a pattern, you have to call a spade a spade.

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entertainment

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‘Sisters in Law’ hold court on WE

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By ASWAD WALKER Defender

f you’re looking for drama and more drama – especially with Houston flair – “Sisters in Law” is your show.

Now celebrating 90 days on the WE network after debuting in March 2016, “Sister in Law” is a reality show that chronicles the lives and careers of six Houston-based attorneys: Tiye Foley, Jolanda Jones, Vivian King, Monique Payne, Rhonda Willis and Juanita Jackson, who had the idea for the show years ago.

Instead of rushing to production, Jackson waited until the show could be done right. Translation: in this show, there is no hair-pulling or wine-flinging toward the faces of fellow cast mates.

The drama emerges naturally, as the stars – who are driven women in a pressure-cooker field – are friends in real life. And just like with real-life friends, feathers occasionally get ruffled, shade gets thrown, and attitudes are in need of adjusting. However, as Willis declared during the debut episode, “At the end of the day all we have is each other.”

It is this bond between game-changing sisters that had allowed the show to develop into a vehicle for some poignant, topical commentary on the justice system, racism and the role professional Black women play in their communities, while providing a space for female lawyers of color to shine. “[The show] combines the drama we like in a reality show and the grit of reality,” Jackson said. “We have crazy and interesting lives.”

Case in point: Jolanda Jones, a current HISD trustee and former Houston City Councilmember, is no stranger to national TV after appearing on “Survivors.”

“This is going to be game-changing,” Jones told MSNBC before the new show debuted. “You [seldom] see a case from the accused person’s perspective. Usually it’s from the judge or a victim’s.”

But even with Jones’ no-holds-barred persona, other cast members have no problem keeping pace with their own life challenges and triumphs.

The Houston attorneys on the reality show “Sisters in Law” are (l. to r.) Juanita Jackson, Rhonda Willis, Jolanda Jones, Vivian King, Monique Payne and Tiye Foley.

One tragedy around which all cast members have united is in keeping alive the memory and story of Sandra Bland, the Black woman who controversially died in police custody last year in Waller County.

Often, the conversation on “Sisters in Law” turns from personal cases on which they are working, including murder and rape, to a discussion on the need for the Black Lives Matter movement.

The show became reality in late 2013 when Jackson teamed up with friend and actress Kim Coles and producer Stacey McClain of OWN’s “Raising Whitley” and shot a trailer. It was eventually picked up by Collins Avenue Productions.

“People need to see that people like us care and that we fight every day for people,” said Jackson, a public defender. Jackson

sees “Sisters in Law” as an alternative to reality shows which rarely portray women of color as positive role models. “[Those aren’t] the people who live in my world,” she said.

“The people around me are successful self-made women.”

Jackson recruited the co-stars, who have been her friends in some cases as long as a decade, under the mantra “let’s be role models.”

“That’s one of the reasons why I agreed to do the show, because it’s a positive representation of women, not about who we slept with or whose baby’s mama we are,” Jones said. “We all feel this incessant need to help people who are downtrodden. We pride ourselves on being able to help people.

“We are all different. We clash sometimes but it’s always intellectual,” Jones said.

what’sup Is JUSSIE SMOLLETT exiting “Empire?” That’s the buzz around the Internet after the actor who plays Jamal Lyon sent a tweet that implied he would be leaving the Fox drama. In the May 12 cliffhanger, Smollett’s character was shot by Freda (who was aiming at Lucious) and rushed into surgery.

However, reports have surfaced that Smollett is not leaving the show because he’s still under contract… .….JONATHAN MARTIN has joined the FOX 26 News team to anchor at 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. with MELINDA SPAULDING. Previously, Martin was based in New Orleans as a national television correspondent. He’s also worked at the NBC affiliate

in Nashville and the CBS affiliate in Augusta, Ga… .….“Scandal” producer SHONDA RHIMES is collaborating with literature’s William Shakespeare on a new ABC series. The network said it has ordered a period drama from Rhimes about the aftermath of the deaths of young lovers Romeo and Juliet. “Still Star-Crossed” will become Rhimes’ fifth series at ABC. Along with “Scandal,” her ShondaLand company produces “Grey’s Anatomy,” ”How to Get Away with Murder” and “Catch,” which hasn’t made the ratings splash of Rhimes’ other shows, yet will still return for a second season……..The bankruptcy case involving

Death Row Records is over, but rappers on the roster who had filed claims will see little if any of the money they say they are owed. According to legal documents obtained by TMZ, DR. DRE saw none of the $8 million he filed for. NATE DOGG’S estate says it was owed $5 million, SNOOP DOGG $2 million and TUPAC’S estate $900,000. Even SUGE KNIGHT, Death Row’s founder, claimed he was owed $144 million. The only ones who saw any substantial money were the lawyers and others who processed the case for Death Row. They received a grand total of $8.3 million.

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DEFENDER | MAY 19 | 2016

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cente

things graduates should know

by RESHONDA BILLINGSLEY

All across the country, students will soon walk across the stage. Whether they’re graduating from high school or college, there are a few things that will better equip them for the next chapter of their lives. Here are 10 things all graduates should know.

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How to manage money. It’s crucial that you understand how to keep track of your expenses and income. Whether you have scholarships/financial aid or are taking on your first job, you have to know how to handle your money, including balancing your checkbook, living off a budget, saving and possibly investing, and comparing prices while shopping for everyday items.

How to run your household. Many young people are used to letting their parents run the household. But being a graduate means you should now be able to provide for yourself and to live independently of your parents. It means you should be able to shop, clean, cook and do laundry.

How to manage your time. When you’re on your own, there’s no one to watch over you and make sure you do what you’re supposed to do. So it’s up to you to know when to work and when to play, when to socialize and when to relax.

Keep a calendar to help you keep track of your commitments.

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How to interact with people. Effective communication is key to human relationships. This includes knowledge of body language, etiquette, and eye contact when dealing with different types of people. It also involves how you communicate in writing, whether it’s an email to your boss, a job application or a letter of complaint to your landlord.

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What to do in case of an emergency.

You’ll need to know how to handle small emergencies that don’t require 911. Know how to change a flat tire, how to administer basic first aid to yourself and others. You may even want to take a ba-

sic self-defense class or get certified in CPR. How to be accountable. Part of being an adult is taking responsibility for the choices we make, even if they end up being mistakes. Be forthright about your mistakes and prompt with your apologies. If you make a promise, follow through on your word.

How to find a life balance. So many students are stressed from various school demands that they enter adulthood unaware of what truly energizes them and brings them joy. Taking time to understand what makes you the happiest will help you avoid pitfalls when it comes to making big decisions in later life.

How to create value. Figure out how to add value to other peoples’ lives, and money will flow. The more valuable you make yourself (in knowledge or skills), the better your chances of success.

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How to create a network. Who you know is important. Create lasting relationships by helping others, who will eventually help you.

Organize connections and work to maintain relationships. Studies show that having a strong social network leads to positive mental and physical health over the course of one’s life. Start building your social network now.

Live be college after you much yo invest no term inve Setup a b you can’t and ever Set m rate b mulate e basic livi surprisin when you other tim up for em Start Retire you start of your c

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How to find your passion.

Get internships in fields you think you want to pursue.

Network with people who hold jobs you think you want. If you’re not passionate about it after you’ve seen how the field really works, pick a different one and repeat the process.

3 Patricia Bass Peterson

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Attention parents, family & friends

HONOR YOUR 2016 GRADUATES See details in next week’s newspaper

10 financial tips for grads

As the sound of “Pomp and Circumstance” runs a constant loop in your head this graduation season, there is plenty to think about. With student loans, monthly living expenses and the grind of a new job, how do you begin to plan your financial future? Here are the top 10 tips from Patricia Bass Peterson with Wells Fargo Advisors for recent graduates starting their careers:

elow your means. If you can maintain a frugal e student mindset the first two or three years u get your first job, you will be amazed at how u can save and invest. The more that you ow, the more you will benefit from your longestment time-horizon to grow those assets. budget – know what you can afford and what t. Be realistic; you are not entitled to anything rything you want. money aside for emergencies. Set up a sepabank account for this purpose. Try to accuenough money to cover three to six months of ing expenses. Although it may not feel like it, ngly it is easier to accumulate this cushion now u have fewer financial commitments than any me in your life. Speaking of emergencies, sign mployee offered disability insurance. retirement savings with your first paycheck. ement may be the last thing on your mind as t your first job, but if you don’t take advantage company’s savings plan, you may be giving

up an opportunity for free money. Most companies offer 401(k) plans that offer some level of matching contributions. Save at least 10 percent of your income or more. Do what it takes to save as much as possible, even if that means living with mom and dad or riding your bike to work.

Create separate savings accounts for large purchases. Never, ever withdraw money from an investment account for a purchase of a consumer product.

Keep credit card balances low in relation to overall credit availability and your ability to pay it off in full. Debt is easy to get out of hand. Understand your credit score and how credit works.

Borrow prudently. Take out a loan only for purchases that will likely appreciate over time. Avoid borrowing for items such as clothes or furniture, which lose value before the first payment is made.

Be a smart car shopper. Before you buy a car, consider issues such as its resale value and the total cost of ownership. You will often find that a car that is

4 5

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he Houston area for over 85 years

a year or two old with low miles and lots of warranty coverage remaining offers better value than buying a new car.

Reward yourself with one modest purchase. Getting that first full-time job is cause for celebration. Treat yourself; just don’t go overboard.

Use rare “in the money” moments, such as tax refunds, bonuses and raises as well as holiday gifts to get started with investing. Through the power of compounded interest, systematically applying discretionary income can ramp up the success of a financial plan.

Consider talking to a financial advisor or planner. Both of these professionals can help you put together a basic financial plan that can become your financial road map for the next several years.

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Patricia Bass Peterson is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors and is based in Sugar Land. She can be reached at 281-340-8894.

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DEFENDER | MAY 19 | 2016

defendernetwork.com

business

Tips for hiring a summer intern

I

s your small business looking to hire an intern this summer? If so you’re not alone.

Internships are becoming increasingly important to both students and business owners. The difficult economic climate means that new graduates face unprecedented challenges as they try to enter the job market.

Internships give them a vital foot in the door and also provide employers with nurtured and eager talent to help them grow their business.

If you want new ideas and the opportunity to nurture a potential future employee – at a low cost – consider these tips from the SBA. Assess your needs Interns will be looking for the right kind of experience, so it’s important to evaluate your needs and create a job description that is appealing for both parties. Think about how an intern can help you achieve your business goals? Do you have enough work to support an intern? Who will supervise, train and mentor this individual? What about resources – like office space or a computer?

Think about potential workload that you can hand-off in terms of short and long term assignments and be sure to plan well in advance (hiring takes time)!

Paid or unpaid?

Should you pay your interns? Interestingly, most students state that compensation is the least important factor when considering an internship.

And according to Internships.com, one third of businesses surveyed chose not to pay their summer interns (choosing to offer college credits, company perks or travel stipends instead).

If you want to attract the right talent and take your investment seriously, then it’s worth compensating your intern(s) appropriately. (The average hourly rate for a bachelor’s degree-level intern is $16.21, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers).

The U.S. Department of Labor puts limits on the work unpaid interns can perform under the Fair Labor Standards Act. For example, your business can’t be seen to derive any benefit from the intern.

Unpaid interns cannot do any work that contributes to a company’s operations. This includes any tasks that help you run your business, like documenting inventory, filing papers or answering emails.

Unpaid interns can shadow other employees and perform duties that don’t have a business need. For example, a bakery may allow an appren-

tice/intern to decorate a tray of cookies that will not be sold to customers. Because the task was only a training exercise for the apprentice/intern and the bakery did not receive any benefit from that work, the bakery would not have to pay that student worker for that time.

The hiring process You’ll need to write a job description – be sure to state whether the internship is paid or un-paid, your objectives for the position, responsibilities and assignments of the job, and specific experience that the intern can expect to gain.

Where should you look for interns? In addition to posting the opportunity to your website and online job boards, approach local colleges and schools and register with their career services office. Many of these candidates are screened and motivated.

Another option is the Department of Labor’s Summer Jobs+ Bank, a presidential initiative designed to connect youth with employment and internship opportunities.

Managing interns Perhaps the most important thing to remember is that this is a learning experience for your intern,

“The U.S. Department of Labor puts limits on the work unpaid interns can perform under the Fair Labor Standards Act”

not a traditional “summer job.” Consider the following: 1. Expose them to real world experiences and tasks – There’s no harm in giving your intern mundane, tactical tasks to complete, but be sure to mix it up and give them real business experience as well.

2. Mentor – An intern is used to feedback (college tutors provide it all the time), so be prepared to coach and provide honest feedback about what they are doing well on a particular project and where there’s room for improvement.

3.Set parameters and guidelines – This may not be something you are used to doing with your regular employees, but expectations need to be set about appearance, business attire, work hours, and acceptable Internet/social media use.

4. Set expectations among other employees – If you choose to delegate mentoring to another employee, be sure that employee is aware of your expectations. Likewise, set expectations across your staff so that the intern doesn’t find him or herself being taken advantage of or assigned tasks that are not within their job description.

Workplace and labor laws Many of the labor laws that apply to employees, such as workplace discrimination laws, also apply to interns. You must also ensure you comply with workplace health and safety laws. Some states also require that you carry workers’ compensation insurance for interns.

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MAY 19 | 2016 | DEFENDER

11

Court school finance ruling ‘disappointing’

By ASWAD WALKER Defender

The future of the Texas school finance now rest in the hands of the State Legislature in January as leaders express concern that the Texas Supreme Court’s ruling on school finance has been hard and heavy yet unjust.

The court called the state’s school funding system “imperfect,” but said it is constitutional and meets minimum standards.

“I am incredibly disappointed that more than 5 million schoolchildren across Texas are being told they’re not worthy of a school finance system that properly invests in their future,” Houston State Sen. Rodney Ellis said.

“Our children deserve better. Despite today’s ruling, the legislature must fix the school finance system so that every child across the state – no matter how rich or poor

– has access to a quality educational opportunity in their neighborhood schools.”

HISD’s official statement expressed similar disappointment.

“The court’s ruling affirmed that the current system needs to be revamped, but the court also said the system is meeting the ‘minimum requirements’ of educating students. Minimum funding requirements are in direct contrast to the high standards Houston ISD and the state set for our students.”

Robert Henneke, general counsel and director of the Center for the American Future, said the opinion “is hardly a resounding endorsement of public education today.”

Henneke said the burden of public education reform now shifts to the Texas legislature, and hopes such reform focuses on school children, not school districts.

State Sen. Rodney Ellis

classified Architectural Services Miller Outdoor Theatre (RFQ)

Houston First Corporation requests statements of qualification from experienced architects capable of refining and prioritizing projects on the grounds of Miller Outdoor Theatre based on an existing long-term master plan for the development of the facility.

RFQ documents are available online at: www.houstonfirst.com/do-business Questions should be emailed to bids@houstonfirst.com.

Dowling Middle School is undergoing a controversial name change.

School named Lawson despite controversy

By ASWAD WALKER Defender

Despite the voices of displeasure expressed by members of the Dowling Middle School Community, the school board officially approved the new name of the school-Audrey Lawson Middle School. Hundreds of petitions protested the name change before it was made, but did not stop the Board’s actions.

For three years Dowling parents and community leaders petitioned to change the name of the school, long before the HISD Board voted to remove vestiges of the Confederacy.

Community members wanted the school to be named after Carrie McAfee, long time principal of Madison High School, who earned the nickname “Marlin Mama.”

Dowling is a feeder school to Madison.

Linda Scurlock, a member of the renaming committee, says the Hiram Clarke community is being ignored.

“We honor Audrey Lawson and her family’s contribution to the Third Ward,” says Scurlock, “but this is Hiram Clarke and the neighborhood should choose the name, not

bureaucrats. Again, HISD is just not listening.”

Trustee Wanda Adams, however, disagrees.

“I commend the community for their efforts, but the [naming] process worked,” she said. “HISD policy states recommendations had to go before committee. Names came from community input. They narrowed 36 recommendations down to two top vote-getters: Lawson and McAfee. Proposed names were given to Dowling student representatives who came back supporting Lawson. Countless educators across the board, including Rod Paige, urged the Board to please push forward with the name change.”

Before Thursday’s Board vote Adams read a letter Reverend Bill Lawson sent her just hours before the meeting.

“When I learned that this proposal was in direct opposition to the desires of the school, I withdrew her name. People who loved and supported Audrey pushed on anyway,” said the letter.

Adams stated Lawson later added that his family would be okay with either name choice.

The late Audrey Lawson

The Ryan White Planning Council Invites You to Meet Houston Public Leaders and Give Public Comment on…

Ryan White Part A, Part B & State Services Service Definitions for 2017 Also learn about the

Houston Area HIV Continuum of Care

Tuesday, May 24, 2016 at 7:00 p.m.

This televised Public Hearing will be held at the Houston City Hall Annex - City Council Chambers 900 Bagby Street, Public Level - Free Parking in Back

Watch LIVE on the following channels: Comcast 16, TV Max 16, Phonoscope 2, Suddenlink 14 and U-Verse 99 Ryan White Planning Council Office of Support 2223 West Loop South, Suite 240; Houston, TX 77027 713 572-3724 713 572-3740 713 572-2813 www.rwpcHouston.org

12

DEFENDER | MAY 19 | 2016

sports

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Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors

NBA’s final four vie for conference wins

F

By MAX EDISON Defender

our teams remain in the NBA playoffs and continue their quest for the Larry O’Brien championship trophy.

The Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors will battle for the top spot in the Eastern Conference while the Oklahoma City Thunder will seek to dethrone the defending champion Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference.

For the first time in the 21-year history of the Toronto franchise, they have made it to the Eastern Conference championship series. Coach Dewane Casey’s group finished with a 56-26 regular season record, second best in the conference.

The Raptors have been battle tested in the playoffs. They took seven games to dismantle the Indiana Pacers in the first round and seven games to eliminate a feisty Miami Heat team. In both series the seventh and deciding game was played in Toronto. They won’t have that luxury in the series with Cleveland.

“Game sevens are fun,” Raptors head coach Casey said. “I tell our guys, ‘These are the games you work all summer for. You prepared your body, prepared your mind, you got though the regular season, won 56 games, earned the right to play on your home court. Let’s go out and play basketball.’ ” The Raptors are led by the Eastern Conference’s most talented backcourt, former Rocket point guard Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan. Both Lowry and DeRozan are two time All-Stars. Lowry averaged 21 points and 6 assists per game and DeRozan added 23 points, four rebounds and four assists during the regular season.

The Raptors won the regular season match-up over the Cavs 2-1. Lowry is looking forward to the opportunity.

“I’m just interested in the opportunity to play against those guys,” Lowry said. “LeBron [James] is probably one of the best guys in the league besides [Stephen Curry].

Kyrie [Irving] is a tough match up and Kevin Love’s always a tough match, but we’re going to go in there and play our game, do our job and see what happens.”

For the Cleveland Cavaliers the playoffs have been little more than a glorified scrimmage. In two rounds of the playoffs LeBron and the gang are a perfect 8-0. Clearly the Cavaliers have one goal in mind and that’s getting back to the NBA finals.

Despite a losing record to the Raptors in the regular season, James is focused on the playoffs.

“We’re a totally different team than the regular season,” James said. “They were chasing us all year for the No. 1 seed.

We look forward to the matchup.”

In the Western Conference finals the Oklahoma City

LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers

Kevin Dura n Oklahoma t, City Thunder

, Toronto Kyle Lowry

Raptors

Thunder will have the daunting task of upsetting the defending champion Warriors, a team that won an NBA record 73 games.

The Thunder already eliminated a 67-win team in the San Antonio Spurs. They are a talented, confident group with one goal left to achieve and know that the Warriors stand in their way.

“You want the grand prize and we haven’t gotten that yet, but we can’t discredit the amount of games we won in the postseason and how hard it is to win in the postseason,”

Kevin Durant said. “To set yourself up and be in the position to fight for one every single season and go deeper into the Playoffs after the first or second round, that’s definitely something we should be proud of. But we should also know that we want bigger things.”

Golden State is prettiest girl at the party and they have Curry, the back-to-back NBA MVP. After losing Curry in the first round against Houston the Warriors showed their depth and championship pedigree. They whipped the Rockets and fought off a stern challenge from the Trailblazers in the second round.

Curry knows the Thunder will be a worthy adversary.

“Based on how the regular season games were, [we are] two talented teams that have a goal of getting to the finals and trying to get there any way possible,” he said.

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MAY 19 | 2016 | DEFENDER

h.s.zone

13

sportsbriefs Hightower High School 4X400 meter relay gold medalists were (l. to r.) Jyria Smith, Tyler Rose, Evette Blanks and Birexus Hawkins.

TSU men No. 1 in track The Texas Southern University men’s track and field team recently captured first place in the SWAC Outdoor Championship meet. The Tigers accomplished a clean sweep this season winning the outdoor title earlier in the spring.

For Clyde Duncan and his Flying Tigers team it also marked the programs third title in two seasons. Duncan was named Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Coach of the Year, an honor he’s received for the third time in two seasons. Highlights in the meet included TSU’s Travis Sanders winning the men’s high jump (7-00.25 ft.), Jawalyn Brooks winning the pole vault (4.80m) and the men sweeping the triple jump, led by Tevin Kimble (15.09m).

UH dominates AAC meet

Texas state track meet sizzles despite rain ter mark to give Birexus the lead,” she said.

Smith to Rose to Blanks to Hawkins translated into Hightower gold.

AUSTIN – The grand finale measured up to the hype at While the Desoto High School boys’ and girls’ teams the 2016 University Interscholastic League (UIL) state high walked away with team titles in the Class 6A division, the school track and field meet at Mike A. Myers Stadium. greater Houston area was well represented with the Stafford Fort Bend Hightower’s girls’ Class 6A 4X400 meter boys claiming the Class 4A and the Fort Bend Marshall (mile) relay team of Jyria Smith, Tyler Rose, Evette Blanks boys winning the 5A championship. and Birexus Hawkins went into the meet ranked among the “This is what motivated us the entire year after being nation’s finest with times under three minutes, 40 seconds. denied last year,” said Stafford coach Melissa Hoffman.

Despite rainy weather that forced four classifications “The kids didn’t let the weather faze them and concentrated to be condensed into one late-night session, the Hightower on what they had to do.” contingent held off runner-up Cypress Springs, third-place The Houston area shined in the open events as well.

McKinney Boyd and overall team champion DeSoto with a Adrian Piperi of The Woodlands was a two-time medal gold-medal time of 3:42.06. winner. The junior defending state champion won the shot “I’m the senior of the group and this was my last track put with a heave of 71 feet. He had to settle for a bronze meet for high school,” said Hawkins, who will take her medal in the discus with an effort of 192 feet, one inch. talents to the University of Houston this fall. “All I could Lamar’s Milan Young qualified for state in three think of was that I had to events and medaled in give it the very best I had. two of them. The junior defendernetwork.com “I knew coming off that won a silver medal in Two area athletes upset winners at last curve that the Cy Springs the 6A girls’ 300-meter state track meet runner had what it took to hurdles and a bronze get me, but I wasn’t going to medal in the 100-meter let it happen,” Hawkins said. hurdles.

“When I crossed the finish and saw that nobody was next Sprinter Jace Comick of Atascocita High School was to me, I felt so much joy and relief.” also a double medal winner. Comick won the gold medal in Smith got the baton rolling for Hightower with the the 6A boys’ 100-meter dash with a time of 10.47 seconds. scratch leg. “I was able to open up my stride a little longer Caleb Jolivette of Manvel placed third. Comick won the and sprint off the final curve to give my team a lead,” she bronze in the 200-meter dash (21.57). said.

Dawson junior Paige Kimble was elated with her “I made sure I kept us in the race for the final two bronze medal in the girls’ 6A 300-meter hurdles. “This is legs,” Rose said. “I had to keep us up in there so we could my first year running hurdles so this was an amazing expemake it happen.” rience for me,” she said. “I put in the work and I medaled at Blanks fought off a strong challenge from Cypress state. Mission accomplished.

Springs on the third leg. “I made my move at the 300-me“I’ve got so much more to learn,” Kimble added.

By DARRELL K. ARDISON Defender

The University of Houston men’s track team totally dominated the field at the American Athletic Conference Outdoor Championship recently. The Cougars scored 161 points on the final day to cement the victory. The win gave the Cougar men a sweep, winning the indoor and outdoor honors for 2016. The outdoor title is the ninth for head coach Leroy Burrell.

The Cougars finished one through five in the 100 meters, led by the first place finish of LeShon Collins (10.15). Collins also captured gold in the 200 (20.47) as the Cougars finished one through four. The Cougars also claimed the 4X100-meter relay crown with a time of 38.95, the second-fastest time in the NCAA this season. Cameron Burrell won the long jump with a meet record 25-7.25 (7.80m) leap. Collins was named the 2016 American Male Most Outstanding Track Athlete of the meet.

Heymach repeats gold Julia Heymach saw a silver lining in the menacing clouds hovering over Myers Stadium in Austin at the annual high school state track and field meet. Garnering a bronze medal in the 3,200-meter run a day earlier meant she wouldn’t repeat as a two-time gold medalist. The Lamar high School junior relished the opportunity to compete in the field of the girls’ Class 6A 1,600-meter run. Four trips around the oval track later and Heymach crossed the finish line in a time of four minutes, 44 seconds. Madie Boreman of Leander Rouse was the silver medalist in 4:46.55.

“This race was a good indicator of what I can do later in the season,” said Heymach, referring to non-school related track meets.

“Especially considering I had such a late start to the season with the [Achilles] injury, I’m super grateful to be in the position I’m in right now.”

Houston’s medal harvest Javlyn Cameron of Mayde Creek won a silver medal in the girls’ Class 6A 100-meter hurdles with a time of 13.73 seconds. Alexis Duncan (13.22) of DeSoto was the gold medalist. “I got off to a good start and was able to keep it all the way through,” she said. “I wanted to generate more speed in between hurdles.” Hightower’s Gabriel Oladipo won a silver medal in the boys’ 6A discus with a distance of 195 feet, one inch.

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14

DEFENDER | MAY 19 | 2016

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opinion A misstep and a reset:

Kudos, Obama!

I

By JULIANNE MALVEAUX

was apprehensive when I learned that President Obama would give the commencement speech at Howard University this year. I feared a repeat of his Morehouse speech, his yammering and scolding of AfricanAmericans in a manner so objectionable as to repulse. The Morehouse speech was, charitably speaking, a misstep.

Would Howard be a reset?

I desperately wanted President Obama to knock his speech out of the park. Guess what? He did.

He hit all the right notes. He told students to celebrate their Blackness their way. He offered sage, but not scolding advice and seemed nowhere as condescending as he did at Morehouse. I didn’t have the privilege of attending Howard’s commencement, but I had the opportunity to watch the president on television. He rocked. This was one of the moments when I wish I could give him a high five.

Perhaps President Obama’s last year will be his best year. Perhaps the work he is doing on offering clemency for nonviolent drug offenders will expand. While he has embraced the principle of pardons, he has offered fewer than 400 so far, even though more than 9,000 may be eligible.

The Justice Department says it is “red tape” and “bureaucracy” that hampers the process, but Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe managed to cut through a lot of red tape by restoring voting rights to more than 200,000 felons in his state. Let’s see if President Obama can be as creative as the Virginia governor in issuing a blanket order to pardon nonviolent drug offenders. That would be historic.

There have been several historic and transformative moments in these last months of the Obama presidency.

Executive Order 13658 provided a minimum wage of $10.10 for federal contract workers, an important initiative given that federal contractors earn millions of dollars in profits but often pay their lowestlevel workers little more than the federal minimum wage of $7.25. When they bid on contracts, the contracts are often awarded

based on minimum bid, but minimum bid means minimum wage. Absent an executive order setting a wage floor, the most exploitative employer is the one who gets the contract.

Similarly, Executive Order 13706 provides paid sick leave for those who work for federal contractors. Again, these contractors would not provide such leave unless they were mandated to do so by executive order.

President Obama has pushed the envelope in determining that an employer or contractor has the right to include terms and conditions of work in a contract. A low-bid contract must now include adequate pay, not minimum pay. It is a step forward.

An uncooperative Congress made it impossible for President Obama to change the terms and conditions of work for more workers, but the executive orders he issued set a tone for what one could consider an ideal workplace.

Workers should have fair wages, sick leave, and other benefits that federal contractors are not likely to offer without incentives. All workers should have these ben-

efits, but they cannot be mandated without the concurrence of Congress. In the same way that President Obama has spoken from his heart to Howard University students, he seems to have spoken from his principles to some workers. Kudos.

Still, it is challenging for me to be satisfied by actions that come so late in this administration, a speech that comes after President Obama’s team has slashed the money available to HBCUs. The soaring rhetoric of the Howard University commencement speech must be balanced by the gritty reality that too many students are leaving school because they cannot afford to pay tuition, and that even as students were walking across the stage during graduation, some fraction of them would not receive diplomas because of their unpaid bills.

President Obama recovered from his Morehouse misstep with a Howard reset, but he still has half a year to do more. If he would restore the dollars he took from HBCUs, he would leave a lasting legacy about being comfortable in his Blackness.

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MAY 19 | 2016 | DEFENDER

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Happening in Houston

For event coverage email: events@defendermediagroup.com

topevents

15

HISD HOSTS HBCU SUMMIT…….Hundreds of Houston Independent School District summer students will participate in technology workshops on campus, four to five days per middle and high school students had the opportunity to meet admissions representatives week, for approximately four weeks, taught by university professors and graduate students. from regional historically Black colleges and universities at the HISD College Summit Those in attendance for the announcement included Mayor Sylvester Turner, TSU for HBCUs at Texas Southern University. In addition to TSU, representatives from President Dr. John Rudley, Krista Bourne, Wanda Adams, Chief Remon Green, Eva other colleges and universities were in attendance: Huston-Tillotson University, Jarvis Pickens, Ernest Walker, Derrick Mitchell, Connie Cochran, Dr. James Cunningham Christian College, Prairie View A&M University, Southwestern Christian College, and Birtenna Bennett……..ATLF SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS DINNER……..

Texas College and Wiley College. The event is organized by the HISD Achievement Through Leadership Foundation (ATLF) recently College Readiness Department. Guests also included Kenneth Defender TOP EVENTS honored its 2016 scholarship winners at their annual scholarship dinner Bordelon, Crystal Arrington, Dr. Kendall Harris, Dr. Stephanie More photos on defendernetwork.com at Maggiano’s. The scholars selected are Houston-area graduating high Burrs, Ron McDowell, Philip Pratt, Charles Granger, Clifford school seniors and undergraduates who need assistance with college tuition and higher education expenses. The scholarship winners were Abendanio, Elihu Deneke, Dr. Emmanuel Nwezi, Dr. Shield Lin, Sterling Robinson II, Chelsea Thomas, Charles Osamor, Madison McQuary, Anthony Whitney Gouche and Sara Llansa………..VERIZON MINORITY MALES STEM Collier, Johnathan Chevalier, Rayven Tate, Dallas Lewis, Moses Mbai and Natasha PROGRAM……..Boys from middle schools across Houston will have the opportunity to Malone. The event was hosted by Cindy George. James Harrison was the motivational learn technology skills this summer at TSU as part of the Verizon Minority Male Makers speaker for the evening. ATLF board members in attendance included Fredric A. Navarre, Program. This first-of-its-kind, two-year program exposes young male minority students Jona Sargent, Christopher Brown, Annetra Piper, Annette Moore, Kenneth Glover, to technology, including coding, app development and 3D printing, and provides valuable science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and entrepreneurship skills. Over the Richard Spencer II, Brian Wright, Haroon Taylor and more.

Elihu Deneke, Clifford Abendanio, Charles Granger

Birtenna Bennett, Ernest Walker

Annette Moore, Annetra Piper

Crystal Arrington, Kenneth Bordelon

Chief Remon Green, Connie Cochran

Dr. Kendall Harris, Dr. Stephanie Burrs

Mayor Sylvester Turner, Krista Bourne, Derrick Mitchell, Eva Pickens, Dr. John Rudley

Jona Sargent, Christopher Brown, Chelsea Thomas, Fredric A. Navarre

Moses Mbai, Anthony Collier

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16

DEFENDER | MAY 19 | 2016

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Comcast’s current rate ranges from $124.44 to $150.44/mo., for HBO is $19.99/mo., for Streampix is $4.99/mo. depending on area (pricing subject to change). Service limited to a single outlet. May not be combined with other offers. TV: Limited Basic service subscription required to receive other levels of service. XFINITY On Demand selections subject to charge indicated at time of purchase. Internet: America’s fastest Internet based on report at Speedtest.net/awards/us. Speedtest is a trademark of Ookla, LLC. Used under license. XFINITY WiFi hotspots included with Performance Internet or above only. Available in select areas. Requires WiFi-enabled device. Money-Back Guarantee applies to one month’s recurring service charge and standard installation charges up to $500. © 2016 Comcast. All rights reserved. THE POWERPUFF GIRLS, CARTOON NETWORK and the logos are TM and © 2016 The Cartoon Network, Inc. A Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.

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