05.28.2026_Defender-e-FULL

ELECTION WRAP

Menefee, Plummer, y McCoy

Secure Major Democratic Runoff Wins

IN FOCUS

PROFILE

YOUNG, BL LA ACK & ENGAGED D

JERRY MADISON, JR R.

Voters are mobilizing to make their voice heard.

The Houston artist creates a thriving Black film community y in Houston.

Volume 95, issue 32 May 28, 2026

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DN To the POINT

The election is over, and it’s time for healing, collaboration, and continued civic engagement. Credit: ChatGPT.

Message from the Managing Editor county’s eighth election in just eight months.

More than 93,000 residents cast ballots The District 18 election is over. One canon Election Day in Harris County, builddidate won. One candidate lost. That’s how ing upon the 145,000 ballots submitted democracy works. during early voting. While the operations Now comes the real question: Can Black ran smoothly across more than 160 pollHouston move forward without doing what ing locations, Hudspeth acknowledged that we too often do after hard-fought elections voter turnout was significantly lower than — divide, disengage, and disappear from the March primaries, attributing the dip the political process altogether? directly to voter exhaustion from an overly The race between Al Green and Christian packed election cycle.

ReShonda Tate Menefee became deeply personal for many “With some common-sense laws that voters. Supporters chose sides passionwill consolidate some of the elections... I’m ately. Some backed experience. Others wanted generational already talking with our elected officials across the aisle, seechange. And yes, feelings got hurt along the way. ing how we can be a little bit proactive,” Hudspeth noted.

But politics cannot become emotional warfare every Despite the low runoff turnout, she expressed optimism that time our preferred candidate loses. One thing Republicans Harris County could see record-breaking participation when understand — and Democrats, particularly Black voters, Menefee, Talarico, and Paxton face off against their respective often struggle with — is the bigger picture. Sen. Ted Cruz opponents in November. once openly criticized Donald Trump, who talked about his family like a dog. Now? He stands firmly beside him because Reparations for rioters? America has officially Republicans understand political power requires alignment, entered the Twilight Zone even amid disagreement. Quiet as it’s kept, many Republicans Let me make sure I understand this correctly: The same likely still have private frustrations with Trump. But they stay people who scream every time somebody mentions reparafocused on advancing their broader agenda. tions for descendants of enslaved Black Americans are now Meanwhile, too many of us treat politics like a relationship perfectly fine with taxpayer money being handed out to Jan. breakup. If our person doesn’t win, we threaten to sit out the 6 rioters? We’ve officially entered the MAGA multiverse. next election, disengage from the process or dismiss everyThe Trump Justice Department’s creation of a $1.7 bilone involved. We become one-issue voters. Single-candidate lion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” to compensate people who voters. Emotion-driven voters. allegedly suffered under Biden feels less like government And then we wonder why our collective political influence accountability and more like political fan fiction funded weakens. by the public. And of course, the number starts with 1776, The reality is this: No candidate will align with every belief, because subtlety packed its bags and left this administration every priority or every expectation. Politics is coalition work. a long time ago.

It’s strategy. It is understanding that progress rarely comes What’s most insulting isn’t even the hypocrisy anymore. It’s packaged in perfection. the rewriting of reality. Folks stormed the Capitol, attacked That doesn’t mean people shouldn’t hold elected officials police officers, threatened elected officials, and tried to overaccountable. They absolutely should. But there’s a difference turn an election. Now we’re supposed to see them as vicbetween accountability and abandonment. At a time when tims deserving restitution and formal apologies? Meanwhile, voting rights, education, healthcare, and economic opportu- generations of Black Americans are still fighting for voting nities remain on the line, opting out because your candidate rights, equal education, fair housing, and basic justice without lost is not protest. It’s surrender. a penny of reparations for centuries of documented harm.

Black political power has never been built through unaAt some point, we have to stop pretending outrage is nimity. It has always been built through participation. The reserved equally in this country. Clearly, it’s not. election may be over, but the work never is.

Election aftermath: It’s time to come together

On the Web

Harris County battles “Voter fatigue”

In Harris County, Election Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth declared Election Day a logistical success. Hudspeth commended election workers who successfully managed the

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DN News ELECTION WRAP

Plummer, McCoy Make history y with County y judge j g wins

By ReShonda Tate

In two of the region’s most closely watched May 26 runoff races, former Houston City Council Member Letitia Plummer and Fort Bend County Commissioner Dexter McCoy secured historic victories, signaling a clear pivot toward a younger generation of leadership and aggressive progressive messaging heading into November.

With their victories, both Plummer and McCoy are now poised to make history as the first Black County Judges in their respective counties.

Harris County: Plummer pulls off stunning upset over Annise Parker In a classic progressive versus moderate establishment showdown, Plummer secured an upset victory over former Houston Mayor Annise Parker in the Democratic runoff for Harris County Judge.

The victory was a stunning reversal of expectations. Parker had led the first round of primary voting in March with 46.6% to Plummer’s 37.3%. A University of Houston Hobby School of Public Affairs poll released earlier this month showed Parker holding a massive 18-percentage-point lead. While the poll found Parker buoyed by likely Latino voters and independents, Plummer’s fierce grassroots campaign held a sizable advantage among likely Black voters — ultimately powering her to edge out Parker with 51.13% of the vote to Parker’s 48.87%.

“This victory belongs to the people,” Plummer said in a statement. “Thank you to everyone who showed up, raised your voice, and cast your vote to make this possible. I am deeply grateful for your trust and support. Today we celebrate, and tomorrow we get to work. The work begins now.”

Conceding the race, Parker pointed to the low turnout that plagued the runoff cycle. “While I did not think my opponent could beat me, low voter turnout absolutely could,” Parker noted, before pivoting toward party unity. “The votes have been counted and I want to congratulate Parker Letitia Plummer on becoming the Democratic nominee for Harris County Judge...

This campaign is over and our job now is to defeat the Republicans in November.”

Plummer, a dentist who previously made

Dexter McCoy and Letitia Plummer are poised to become the first Black county judges of Fort Bend and Harris Counties.

history as the first Muslim woman elected to the Houston City Council, triggered Texas’ “resign-to-run” rule to launch her campaign, leaving her At-Large Position 4 seat to be filled by attorney Alejandra Salinas. Running on an aggressive progressive platform, Plummer campaigned on reducing recidivism in the Harris County Jail, halting county property tax increases, and establishing tighter fiscal oversight by reviewing major county expenditures.

Plummer now secures the Democratic nomination to succeed outgoing Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo. If she defeats Republican runoff winner and former Harris County Treasurer Orlando Sanchez this fall, she will become the first Black person elected Harris County Judge.

Fort Bend County: McCoy dominates despite systemwide voting outage Further south, a parallel political shift occurred as Fort Bend County Commissioner Dexter McCoy secured a dominant victory in his Democratic runoff for Fort Bend County Judge, defeating Sugar Land Municipal Court Associate Judge Rachelle Carter. McCoy captured a commanding 74.43% of the vote.

The landslide victory came despite a tense afternoon systemwide shutdown that halted all electronic voting across Fort Bend County for about two hours. Elections Administrator Chase Wilson confirmed a “bad file was uploaded,” causing check-in difficulties, though election integrity remained uncompromised. While the electronic system was restored just after 5 p.m., some voters left frustrated. Throughout the outage, McCoy utilized social media to provide updates and successfully urged voters to stay in line.

“My heart is full because you all know this has been a grueling journey, and all of us know it’s only just the beginning,” McCoy told an enthusiastic crowd at his watch party in Sugar Land Town Square.

He praised Carter’s “spirited” campaign, adding, “She has spent years encouraging and inspiring the next generation of leaders.”

The 34-year-old Precinct 4 commissioner and former Obama staffer immediately turned his fire toward his November opponent, interim Republican County Judge Daniel Wong. Wong was controversially appointed to the seat last month by visiting Galveston County Judge Jeth Jones following the removal of former County

Judge KP George over a felony conviction.

Local Democrats have fiercely criticized the appointment as an attempt by a Republican judge to bypass the ballot box and manipulate the November election.

McCoy used his victory speech to directly target Wong’s early administrative choices, accusing him of appointing “the most MAGA people imaginable” to county leadership. McCoy criticized Wong for hiring Trever Nehls—a GOP congressional nominee aligned with Donald Trump— as chief of staff at a six-figure salary that doubles what other court employees make, and appointing Republican commentator Bobby Eberle as communications director.

“Well, today the people of Fort Bend County made their voices heard, and they decided they want something different,” McCoy said. “I think it’s indicative of the message we have been consistently pushing, that we need to be fighting for people, not politicians.”

McCoy and Wong will continue to serve together on the Commissioners Court during a highly anticipated fall campaign, where McCoy will stick to his core script: building an economy that lowers costs, restoring ethical leadership, and supporting public education.

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DN News

Menefee and Paxton Win contentious primary victories

By ReShonda Tate

Election night in Texas signaled a massive, structural realignment across both major political parties.

Voters sent a clear message that they are ready to move away from the establishment and toward a new era of leadership, as freshman Congressman Christian Menefee scored a major victory in Houston and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton toppled a political titan.

The fight for the 18th: Menefee ousts political icon Al Green

In a rare and highly contentious incumbent-versus-incumbent showdown, Democratic U.S. Rep. Congressman Christian Menefee, 38, defeated Christian Menefee 12-term veteran Congressman Al Green, 78, in the runoff for Texas’ 18th Congressional District.

Menefee secured a commanding Black communities under growing victory with roughly 68.6% of the political pressure. Ultimately, votvote to Green’s 31.4%. ers chose Menefee’s youth and call The high-stakes race was engi- for a new generation over Green’s neered by Republican-led redis- decades of institutional standing. tricting efforts that dramatically “Republicans have made this reshaped Houston-area political hard on purpose,” Menefee told boundaries, merging parts of both supporters on election night. “They men’s previous districts and forcing delayed this election. They drew a generational and ideological bat- maps designed to dilute our power. tle over the future of Black political They made you come back to the leadership in Houston. polls over and over again because The 18th Disthey were hoping you trict has endured would get tired and extraordinary instagive up. You didn’t. bility, following the Now it’s time to finish passing of longtime the job.”

Congresswoman Despite the fierce Sheila Jackson Lee in race, Menefee was 2024, a brief stint by quick to praise his her daughter Erica predecessor’s historic Lee Carter, and the career. “Congresssubsequent election man Al Green is an Al Green of former Houston icon,” Menefee said in Mayor Sylvester Turner, who also a statement. “For decades, Contragically passed away in office. gressman Green has done what Menefee had just won a special so few in public life are willing to election to replace Turner earlier do: He has spoken truth to power... this year before being forced into He stood in the well of the United a primary fightfor the new 18th. States House of Representatives Green, whose 9th District was and called President Trump out to redrawn by the GOP into a more his face, even when he stood alone. conservative seat, chose to run in That is a legacy that will outlast any the heavily Democratic 18th to election.” preserve his progressive footing.

Both candidates framed the GOP seismic shift: Paxton election as a referendum on who topples Cornyn in historic was best prepared to challenge U.S. Senate primary Trump-era policies and defend While Houston Democrats

Talarico fires back: “The People versus Ken Paxton”

The Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, State Representative James Talarico, wasted no time drawing battle lines for November.

Minutes after the race was called, Talarico released a campaign video boldly branding the Attorney General as “The Most Corrupt Politician in America.”

In a post-election media appearance, Talarico leaned directly into the ethical contrast that will define the general election: “Ken Paxton embodies the broken political system that we’re running against,” Talarico said.

“He was impeached by his own party for using his public office— Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Credit: his position of public trust—to Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images enrich himself and his donors at our expense... The system is chose a younger path forward, Paxton’s decisive victory comes rigged by corrupt politicians like Texas Republicans underwent an despite years of high-profile legal Ken Paxton. And so it’s going to equally dramatic transformation. controversies and ethics scandals, be all of us—Democrats, indepenIn a stunning political realignment, including his 2023 impeachment by dents, and Republicans... coming Paxton overwhelmingly defeated the Texas House, alletogether. It is the Cornyn, ending the political career gations of corruption, people versus Ken of one of the state’s most power- and various ongoing Paxton.” ful establishment Republicans investigations — The Democratic after nearly a quarter-century in baggage that would Senatorial Campaign Washington. have historically torCommittee (DSCC) Powered heavily by an endorse- pedoed a statewide mirrored Talarico’s ment from Donald Trump and a political career. Yet, aggressive stance, Republican base driven by unwav- to a MAGA base that releasing a statement ering loyalty to the president, Pax- increasingly views James Talarico declaring Paxton “so ton secured a commanding 62.5% Paxton through a lens corrupt that even his of the vote, leaving Cornyn with of political persecution, his contro- own party tried to remove him just 37.5%. versies served to steel their resolve. from office.”

The outcome marks a staggering downfall for Cornyn, who served 24 years in the Senate and was once a top contender to lead the Senate Republican conference. In today’s VOLUME 95, NUMBER 32 - MAY 28, 2026 political environment, however, decades of institutional experiPublisher | CEO Culture/Lifestyle ence and traditional conservatism Sonceria Messiah-Jiles Reporter proved to be no match for TrumpLaura Onyeneho Strategic Alllance aligned populism.

Clyde Jiles Special Assignments Reporter While the race was framed by Managing Editor Tannistha Sinha observers as a battle between instiReShonda Tate Sports tutional decency and pure ideologContent Manager Terrance Harris Terrance Harris ical fealty, Paxton v. Cornyn was Jimmie Aggison ultimately a contest of political fate Community Reporter Video Editor Aswad Walker versus those who refused to accept Bryan Erdy it. On election night, that fate overThe Defender newspaper is published by the Houston Defender Newswhelmingly demolished its deniers. paper Inc. and audited by Alliance for Audited Media (AAM). Only digital “Those who show up decide the subscriptions are available at: www.defendernetwork.com/subscribe No paper subscriptions available. All materials covered by 2026 copyright. No race for those who do not,” Cornyn materials herein may be reproduced without the written permission of the said in a brief statement following Publisher. 713-663-6996 | P.O. Box 8005, Houston, TX 77288 the loss.

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DN Education Tensions persist between HISD leadership, community

of library access to a broader pattern of disinvestment in communities of color.

“What Mike Miles has done to our education system is deplorable,” she said. “Twelve schools have now closed. We’re seeing these happen in Black and Brown communities. If we don’t create some level of education value and support for our young people, then we’re not going to have a future workforce.”

By Tannistha Sinha

Three years into the Texas Education Agency’s takeover of Houston ISD, parents and community members have continued to voice concerns against the state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles and the board of managers’ measures.

In April, in yet another protest against the takeover, organized by the Community Voices for Public Education, students and parents gathered outside Miles’ home and read books.

For six hours straight, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., participants took turns reading children’s and middle and high school titles in five-minute segments, highlighting what they called “real stories” over a school system increasingly built around screens and scripted lessons.

The read-in was a direct response to years of mounting frustrations with Miles’ New Education System (NES), a sweeping overhaul of HISD that parents say has compromised the time students spent in libraries.

Beginning in the 2023-24 school year, HISD eliminated librarian positions at more than two dozen schools, repurposing some of those library spaces as Team Centers, rooms where students removed from class for disciplinary reasons watch lessons virtually or work on their assignments individually.

The school district now has 23 librarians for its 274 schools.

Community concern

Some students spoke against academic pressure in NES schools.

Miles answers parents

Parents and students staged a six-hour read-in outside Superintendent Mike Miles’ home. Credit: Tannistha Sinha/Defender.

“They say this takeover is about improving outcomes, but taking me out of Algebra 2 just to make the ratings better and putting me in a more remedial TSI prep class didn’t help me,” said HISD NES student Aubrie Barr. “I was ready to learn higher-level math.”

Letitia Plummer, a graduate of HISD’s DeBakey High School for Health Professions and a vocal critic of the district’s direction, also participated in the reading protest.

Plummer, who recently ran for and won the Harris County Judge seat, connected the loss

Parents also took their concerns and questions to a live Q&A session hosted by HISD, during which Miles outlined the district’s progress and priorities, including a focus on academic gains and a shift to “Future 2 schools.”

Miles said the district has made significant academic improvements, particularly in reading and math, attributing gains to a focus on instruction and the “science of reading.” He pointed to increases in A- and B-rated schools and the elimination of failing campuses as key indicators of progress in the TEA accountability ratings.

At the same time, he emphasized that HISD must better prepare students for a rapidly changing workforce. Beyond core academics, the district is prioritizing skills like critical thinking and working with AI. “I still am worried about year 2035 competencies,” Miles said. “The workplace is changing, and we have to think not only do we have to read, write, and do math. That’s job number one. But there’s a job number two, and that is to get students ready for year 2035.

Fired HISD teacher takes fight to Austin

By Tannistha Sinha

Michelle Williams has spent 26 years teaching Houston’s children.

Now, after being fired by Houston ISD’s appointed board of managers last month, the teacher and Houston Education Association president is taking her fight to Austin, as a candidate Williams for Texas House District 127.

The HISD board voted unanimously to terminate Williams in April, overriding a February recommendation from a state-appointed independent hearing examiner who found that HISD had not provided sufficient evidence to justify her firing.

It was the second time an independent examiner had sided with Williams, and the second time the district pushed back.

Long-winded dispute

Williams says the termination stems from a conflict with Superintendent Mike Miles that dates back to the 2023-2024 school year, the first year of the state’s takeover of HISD, and that it was never really about her teaching.

“His issue with our organization was that I was on social media,” Williams told the Defender.

Miles had publicly called on unions to get off social media and visit schools instead.

Williams responded by sending him an email publicly accepting what she called his “very public invitation” and posting about it. Shortly after, administrators appeared in her classroom, and

by March 2024, she had been removed from campus.

That first attempt ended with a hearing examiner recommending reinstatement. HISD complied, placing Williams at Benbrook Elementary for the 2025-26 school year.

A new principal arrived a week before school began and implemented what Williams

describes as the district’s NES (New Education System) instructional model.

“Mike Miles is trying to cookie-cutter a model to where it applies to all students, but it cannot,” Williams said.

She argued the model fails students with Individualized Education Programs, students entitled to specialized instruction under state law, and emergent bilingual students who must be taught according to their English proficiency level under Chapter 74.4 of the Texas Education Code.

She filed two special education complaints with the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and requested a transfer from Benbrook. The district refused.

Williams was placed on administrative leave in August 2025 after the new principal sought her termination.

The independent hearing examiner who presided over a two-day hearing in February found HISDhadfailedtoestablishadequategroundsfor the firing.

But on the eve of the board’s vote, HISD submitted a brief asking members to reverse that recommendation, which Williams’ attorney, Giana Ortiz, publicly questioned. The board then voted 6-0 to terminate her.

HISD’s outside attorney, Ellen Spalding, argued that Williams had told her principal she would not implement the district’s curriculum as written. Spalding added that since Benbrook’s accountability rating dropped, it was required to adopt the district’s curriculum.

Williams and her legal team maintain that she implemented the curriculum in compliance with the law, particularly for her most vulnerable students.

Wi l l i ams c an What’s appeal the board’s next for decision to the Williams? st ate e du c at i on commissioner.

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DN InFocus

Young, engaged, Black voters Demand change: Education, Participation & Respect

like this are exactly why she does the work.

Ariana Phillips grew up going to protests. A native of southeast Houston, Manning Her mother took her. Her grandmother made launched the nonpartisan nonprofit in 2020 sure she understood why. from her phone, mid-pandemic, after watchBy the time Phillips graduated from Rice ing the civic conversation around the killing University in May 2025, she had interned at of George Floyd reduce an entire generation’s the Massachusetts State House, the Harris political agency to two words.

County Office of County Administration, and “The message coming in was just, ‘go vote,’” the Texas First Court of Appeals. Voting, for said Manning, a Tulane University Law School her, has never been optional. graduate. “I realized the ballot education piece But when Phillips thinks about her genera- was missing. My peers voted, but they were tion and the local elections shaping Houston like, ‘I don’t know what I’m voting for half the right now, she knows she is the time.’” exception, not the rule.

More than five years later, “There are two sides to this Manning said voter fatigue issue,” Phillips said. “One group in Harris County has never of young people may not really been more acute. Organifeel that their vote matters or zations doing ground-level that there isn’t really anything civic work are stretched thin, that they can do right now. and many young Houstonians On the other side, mainly colremain unaware of what is on lege-educated young people I the ballot. have interacted with, they are “People are tired of voting,” a lot more up to date and civi- Ariana Phillips is a she said. “We should not be cally inclined.”

Houston-area youth tired of voting. But elections The gap Phillips describes leader who is invested are coming so fast, and we is playing out across Houston’s in learning about don’t know who or what. It historically Black neighbor- voter ballots and local has been confusing.” hoods at a critical moment. politics. Courtesy: Manning refuses to conLocal elections, from city Ariana Phillips. cede the moment. Engaged council seats to congressional Voters targets 18- to 35-yearrunoffs, are deciding who controls the policies, old Black voters across Southeast Houston, budgets, and appointments that shape every- Third Ward, Sunnyside, South Park, Old day life in communities like Spanish Trail, and SouthacThird Ward, Sunnyside, South res. She has built her methPark, and Missouri City. And odology around connecting a generation of young Black the ballot to the block. She Houstonians is being called on walks residents through a to engage repeatedly, in rapid chain of accountability. Who succession, with little time to appoints the police chief? The catch their breath. mayor. How does the mayor The District 18 congressioget elected? Your vote. nal runoff on May 26 is among “The system recognizes our the most visible examples. Votpower,” Manning said. “That’s ers in the district recently went why they try to silence us. But to the polls for the fourth time Tanisha Manning, the system also knows that we in seven months to fill a seat founder and don’t know our own power. once held by trailblazers Bar- executive director If enough of them show up, bara Jordan, Mickey Leland, of Engaged Voters. we’ve got a problem.”

Craig Washington, the late Rep. Credit: Jimmie The Engaged Voters Civic Sheila Jackson Lee, and the late Aggison/Defender.

Leadership Institute, now in Sylvester Turner, a race made its fourth year, trains five to more urgent by Republican redistricting that eight community participants each spring in merged two historically Black congressional an 8- to 10-week program covering governdistricts into one. ment processes, voter rights, and election proFor Tanisha Manning, founder and exec- tection. Past cohorts have lobbied at the Texas utive director of Engaged Voters, moments State Capitol and traveled to Washington,

By Laura Onyeneho

D.C., to advocate on the Hill. This cycle, Manning said, the institute is focused on election protection and voting rights.

Kimberly Upchurch, regional director of the Social Justice Learning Institute in Houston, sees the same energy building among even younger Houstonians. Her organization works with students from sixth through 12th grade inside HISD and Alief ISD, building civic advocacy skills through youth-led research

projects on issues ranging from food deserts to mental health.

“They are aware and paying attention to decisions that are directly impacting their future,” Upchurch said. “They may not be engaged so much around a specific candidate, but they are engaged around the issues that are going to impact their lives.”

Young Houstonians are choosing twoyear colleges and trade schools as the cost of

four-year degrees climbs beyond reach. They want their elected officials, at every level, to understand what it means to open the door each morning in a neighborhood without a full-service grocery store, reliable public transit, or a path to affordable housing.

“It really is about affordability,” Upchurch said. “And looking at the economic reality of where they live. It’s the lack of empathy and disconnect that young people are sensing from

elected representatives.”

Phillips offered one concrete suggestion for how elected officials can begin to close the distance with young voters: Show up where they actually are. She recalled spotting U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett at a Houston bar one Friday evening. Crockett worked the room, introduced herself, and reminded patrons to vote. It was the first time she had ever encountered an elected official outside a formal political event.

“It was very memorable. I got the chance to speak with her and let her know I was thankful for the work she is doing,” Phillips said. “Officials need to make more of an effort to be seen not at specifically political events, because you have to be a very politically active person to even go to those events.”

For more information on upcoming local elections, visit harrisvotes.com.

Resources Engaged Voters

A nonpartisan nonprofit educating and mobilizing young Black Houston voters ages 18 to 35 through ballot education, voter registration, and the Civic Leadership Institute.

engagedvoters.org

Social Justice Learning

Institute Houston Works with Houston students in sixth through 12th grade, building civic leadership, advocacy skills, and academic success through its Urban Scholars program.

sjli.org/houston

Houston in Action

A coalition connecting Houston residents to voter registration, civic education, and community organizing in the city’s most underrepresented neighborhoods.

houstoninaction.org

Alief Votes

A Houston organization focused on mobilizing young voters ages 18 to 35 through voter education, registration, and community outreach.

aliefvotes.org

LEARN MORE ABOUT EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES FOR YOUNG VOTERS

Young Black Houston voters and community organizers are mobilizing ahead of local elections, pushing through voter fatigue to make their voices heard at the polls.

Credit: ChatGPT.

Pure Justice

A Houston grassroots organization conducting doorto-door voter engagement and outreach in historically Black neighborhoods across the city.

purejustice.org

8 | May 28, 2026 |

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DN Feature

Community drive Provides homeless services

By Tannistha Sinha

On a Sunday morning in April, the parking lot of The Church Without Walls’ Eldridge campus transformed into a onestop hub of care for the unhoused.

The drive, organized by District F Council Member Tiffany D. Thomas, included mobile showers, haircuts, medical exams, foot care, benefits enrollment, housing screenings, and, for some, the first real shower in nearly a month.

Thomas, who chairs the city’s Housing and Affordability Committee, said the event quickly became a window into a crisis that, as she put it, is “hidden in plain sight.”

The initiative, she said, came out of her frustration with a lack of warming centers she observed during the winter freezes in 2025 and this year.

“What we realized is that we had individuals experiencing homelessness who were resistant to leaving their encampments, so we decided to go to them,” Thomas said. “So we decided to offer services based on their feedback.”

During the last freeze, Thomas said her team provided 452 meals three times a day, serviced 67 walk-ins at Agape Christian Fellowship, and visited 17 encampments.

The team also learned that individuals were ready to work but faced barriers that prevented them from doing so.

According to regional counts conducted by the Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County, 3,325 people were homeless in Harris, Fort Bend, and Montgomery counties in 2025, an increase of 45 people from the prior year’s count.

The people behind the statistics

The initiative served more than 40 attendees, who could take showers in the four mobile showers stationed at the venue.

Also in attendance were medical professionals who tended to the unhoused guests at the drive, voter drive volunteers who helped those with identification fill out necessary forms, veteran services for unhoused

Houston District F Council Member Tiffany D. Thomas organized a comprehensive care drive at The Church Without Walls on the city’s west side, offering unhoused residents a wide range of wraparound services in a single location. Credit: Tannistha Sinha/Defender.

veterans, and case management professionals who guided the individuals through service stations and follow-up scheduling.

Jermaine Smith, an attendee who used to work as a construction laborer and has been without a home for three and a half years, described a community organizing itself just to survive Houston winters.

“Before I knew it, it was eight tents set up outside, and I had like another 15 to 20 people inside a building, all trying to stay warm,” he recalled.

He came to the event specifically hoping to get his ID in order, a first step toward his promise to himself.

“It’s April now,” he said, last month. “No matter what, by August, I want to be off the streets.”

H Houston District F Council Member Tiffany D. Thomas, M w who chairs Houston’s Housing and Affordability Committee, said the drive grew directly out of her frustration over the lack of adequate warming centers during the winter w freezes of 2025 and 2026.

2 Credit: Council Member Tiffany T D. Thomas’ office.

The ID problem

Most of the unhoused folks the Defender interviewed returned to the issue of stolen or lost identification documents. Without it, they could not apply for housing, enroll in benefits, see a doctor, or vote.

Georgia Rodriguez, an outreach coordinator with VoteRiders, a voting rights organization, was on-site specifically to address this gap.

“We get a lot of unhoused folks coming to us because they need an ID for housing applications, for government assistance, programming,” she said. “Everything starts with your ID in America.”

Rodriguez said the organization helps

vulnerable individuals obtain their birth certificate, Social Security card, Texas ID, or any other supporting documents they need to obtain their ID. It covers the fees and transportation to the DPS or Social Security office.

The cost is a real barrier. In Texas, a birth certificate alone can run close to $40, an insurmountable sum for someone living on the street, Rodriguez said, adding that the bureaucratic complexity of booking appointments online has become a wall of its own, particularly for elderly individuals.

Felicia Lewis, a project manager at Texas Health and Human Services with 25 years in social services, says receiving benefits is not a straightforward process. Lewis and her team helped residents apply for SNAP and Medicaid, highlighting the challenges that follow federal funding cuts to both programs.

When cuts hit, Lewis’ office felt it immediately. Clients arrived frustrated, unsure how they would feed their families.

Not a one-time event

Thomas said the mobile showers drive will be a recurring focus.

“Our intention is that we’ll continue to do this periodically so we can have a cadence and continue to build credibility in the community,” she said.

She added that the groundwork requires months of canvassing encampments, establishing trust among the unhoused, distributing food, and handing out business cards with direct office contacts.

“There’s been a gap of services on the west side of Houston,” Thomas said. “We don’t have many nonprofit providers, so we have organized today to create that machine, that strike force, so we can reach the people on the west side of Houston and do what we know that we’ve done best as a national model.”

CLASSIFIED

May 28, 2026 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

| 9

DN Profile

Jerry Madison Jr. Creates thriving Houston Black film community

By Laura Onyeneho

When Jerry Madison Jr. earned the lead role in the award-winning filmmaker Morgan Cooper’s viral “Bel-Air” trailer in 2019, what people didn’t know was that they were witnessing the beginning of something bigger, a journey that would eventually lead Madison back to Houston with a mission to transform the city’s Black creative landscape.

“I moved back home after graduating from LAMDA in 2024 (London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art), and I was like, what’s happening?” Madison says. “This is the fourth-largest city in America, one of the largest Black populations. Beyoncé came from this place. Phylicia Rashad came from here. But everything felt very siloed, especially within the Black community.”

He’d seen thriving Black creative communities in LA and London. Houston had the talent but lacked the connective tissue. That observation became the catalyst for Black Cinema Club HTX, an organization Madison founded to nurture and amplify Black voices in film.

What started as a simple text thread inviting friends to see “Sinners” opening weekend has evolved into a movement averaging 100 attendees per screening, partnering with venues like The DeLuxe Theater, to launch Houston’s first Black Film Festival that was held in April.

But Madison’s path to community building was anything but linear.

After the “Bel-Air” trailer went viral, Will Smith executive-produced the Peacock reboot series, but Madison didn’t reprise his role as Smith in the new series. Madison had gone through all the audition rounds, pushed himself to be “one of the best versions of myself, the most disciplined version.” It felt like the natural next step. It wasn’t.

His boss at a nonprofit serving homeless youth in Los Angeles fired him,

One viral moment launched Jerry Madison Jr. (Left) into the spotlight. Now, he’s using that light to illuminate Houston’s creative community along with one of his partners, Leroy Cook. Credit: Jimmie Aggison/Defender.

declaring that he couldn’t be both famous and employed.

“Retrospectively, I’m like, I needed that job,” Madison laughs. “But I was so young and naive, I was like, this is good, right? I can live my dream.”

What followed were months of struggle, delivering for apps, wrestling with the industry’s harsh realities. He eventually landed a fintech job, work from home, unlimited PTO, great pay, and a boss who was also an actress. He was able to do all his auditions. If he had something to shoot, he could take off.

The experience taught him a crucial lesson about detachment.

“You have to be in a space where you’re not attached to these outcomes, and you’re not putting your value on what happens,”

Black Cinema Club HTX showcases events that highlight the work of filmmakers. Credit: Black Cinema Club HTX.

he explains. “Ultimately, none of this is in your control.”

That wisdom pushed him to LAMDA, the sixth-ranked drama school globally, where Benedict Cumberbatch and David Oyelowo trained. There, surrounded by British actors, Madison refused to abandon his Houston roots. What piece of Houston did you refuse to let go of? becomes the question that defines his approach while maintaining authenticity in his creativity.

His background in engineering from Texas A&M University and experiences as an actor and filmmaker informed his multifaceted approach to Black Cinema Club HTX. “I saw how actors had to wait for opportunities,” he says. “I was like, why are we waiting? We create opportunities. Being able to tap into what I’ve learned with my degree and my passion as a creative gave me the opportunity to develop proof of concepts and to understand how business works.”

Leroy Cook, Black Cinema Club’s co-director, met Madison at an R&B release party in early 2024. “You could see the fire in his eyes,” Cook remembers. “This wasn’t just happening in the city. Everybody was spaced out, doing their own thing. What he was describing was so beautiful, trying to bridge that, create a space for people to feel seen.”

Together with marketing coordinator Shamika Smith, they’ve created experiences beyond traditional screenings.

They’ve partnered with The DeLuxe Theater for a five-film series. Their “Scenes and Soundtracks” series with Curators of Dopeness dissects film scores.

Feedback sessions with industry professionals help local filmmakers sharpen their craft. They’ve brought Hollywood producers like Steven Love (They Cloned Tyrone) and actors like Christian Robinson (Sinners) to Houston, not to import Hollywood culture, but to build Houston’s own.

“Texas just passed new film incentives, about $1.5 billion over 10 years,” Madison says. “But that’s mainly to entice outside productions. We need local investment in training programs so when they come to hire locally, we’re ready.”

For young Black creatives watching Madison’s journey, his message cuts through the romantic notions of starving artists.

“The biggest misconception is that you have to struggle for your art,” he says firmly.

“That’s connected to limited thinking, maybe even a poverty mentality. Who says it’s not abundant to be an artist?”

He’s lived on both sides, from engineering jobs to delivering food, from viral fame to drama school rigor. Now, in the aftermath of the Black Cinema Club’s successful inaugural film festival, Madison sees the bigger picture.

“What’s for me is going to be for me,” he says. “Everything that was supposed to happen with Bel-Air happened. I learned from it, I grew from it. And I’m here right now because of it.”

10 | May 28, 2026 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Sports

MJ HINSON CORNERBACK

Returns to the TSU defensive secondary

By Terrance Harris

If No.8 looked a little familiar roaming around the Texas Southern secondary this spring, it’s because he is.

Standout senior cornerback MJ Hinson, Jr. is back in a Texas Southern uniform and back as a standout in the secondary after jumping into the transfer portal last spring and spending his junior season at Florida Atlantic University.

This is a transfer portal adventure you don’t normally see.

Usually, when players transfer to what they perceive as greener pastures, they either stay or keep moving. Hinson, however, has returned to what is familiar and where he feels like he belongs.

“It feels great. This is home. These guys are my family,” Hinson said to the Defender.

“Coming here every single day to work out with these guys, that’s like the best thing in the world. I ain’t going to lie. These are my brothers, every single one of my teammates.

It’s just home.”

But last winter, Hinson admittedly felt like there was more out there for him after one standout season at TSU in which he led

the SWAC in interceptions and made the all-conference first team.

Offers came from all sorts of mid-major Division I programs when he put his name It’s been nothing but in the portal: SFA, UTEP, Tulsa, Missouri a blessing. It’s been a State, and Liberty. He chose FAU and Boca rocky road, but my story Raton, Florida. is a story to tell. I “Just coming from the SWAC, wouldn’t have it getting first team All SWAC, any other way.”

I was like, let’s go work for something bigger and betMJ HINSON ter,” said Hinson, a College on his college journey Station product who spent his first two seasons of college ball playing at Blinn Community College. “Nothing against the SWAC or anything at all, I just felt MJ Hinson.

“I’m okay with guys leaving. I’m like there was more out there for Credit: FAU not going to hold a grudge and me, to be honest.” say, `You are never going to come But an injury-plagued season at FAU and back. I’m not going to accept you back,’ or missing his family, teammates, and coaching nothing like that,” said Dishman, who often staff back in Texas led Hinson to seek out the talks about players chasing that bag in terms familiarity of the program where he thrived of transferring to NIL and revenue-sharing in 2024. While most coaches are not usu- money. “In today’s football, that’s how it’s ally accepting of players who’ve abandoned going to be. We are going to have guys leave, their program, TSU coach Cris Dishman and guys realize that Texas Southern is a welcomed Hinson back with open arms. good place and come back.”

MJ Hinson starred in the Texas Southern secondary in 2024, leading the SWAC in interceptions, which prompted him to jump into the transfer portal where FAU was awaiting.

Courtesy: Texas Southern athletics

Hinson returned this winter and picked up as if he hadn’t left during spring practices. He has been inserted as a leader in the secondary, with his teammates readily accepting him back and respecting his journey.

“Just the atmosphere. Before I came back, I just told the guys that I was coming to play for them and not even the coaches,” Hinson, who had a career year in 2024 with the Tigers with 33 tackles, one tackle for loss, three interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown, and one forced fumble.

“Just the bond that I had with my teammates beforehand. It was like I want to finish out with my guys.”

Before getting to that point, however, Hinson picked up the phone last football season, expecting a difficult conversation with the coach he considers a mentor. He found Dishman to be encouraging and understanding.

“When I told him, he was actually really excited,” Hinson recalls. “He accepted me with open arms. He told me to finish where I was strong, and at the end of the season, we can get things cracking.”

And indeed, Hinson has gotten it cracking.

You can see the enthusiasm and skill that Hinson brings to the secondary, which will be key this upcoming season.

“It’s good to get MJ back, a veteran guy like himself,” said Dishman, once a star defensive back for the Oilers back in the day.

“He went away, thought he wanted something, come to find out what he wanted is right here. It’s good to get those back.

“I treat this as a player-run team, as a community-based team, a family-based team, and he didn’t get that where he was at. That’s why he came back.”

As for Hinson, he is excited about the upcoming season to pick up where he left off in 2024. He is also pumped because, as luck would have it, the Tigers face his old team on Oct. 3 in Boca Raton.

It will be a chance to show the Owls and their fanbase what he couldn’t do last season.

“It will be good to see my guys from over there also and just go out and get to compete against them,” Hinson said. “They are going to be talking a lot of trash. It’s going to be fun, to be honest, though. So I’m ready to go out in Boca and see what we are going to do.”

May 28, 2026 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

| 11

DN Sports

WALTRIP SOFTBALL Gonzalez, Rodriguez, & Briseno set standard

By Jimmie Aggison

A year after an undefeated district championship season, Waltrip softball entered 2025 facing a different challenge, not defending a title but redefining itself.

With six seniors gone and the program still adjusting to a new head coach, uncertainty surrounded Waltrip. Yet through the growth, resilience, and leadership of seniors Karli Briseno (right fielder), Liliana Rodriguez (shortstop), and Savanna Gonzalez (third baseman), Waltrip didn’t take a step back. Instead, it found a new identity, finishing third in District 21-5A and proving its foundation remains strong.

“Losing six seniors from a championship team was huge,” said Waltrip head softball coach Christle Middleton.

Middleton’s biggest concern wasn’t talent; it was mindset. Questions loomed about whether the team could still compete with the same confidence, toughness, and standards.

“Talent can win games, but mindset wins championships,” said Middleton. “I needed them to step up immediately and set the tone every day in practice and in games. If they went hard, the team would follow.”

That adjustment created a new reality for Briseno, Rodriguez, and Gonzalez, who were now being asked to bring energy and to lead as seniors.

“I saw it as an opportunity to step up and help guide the team,” said Gonzalez.

“It pushed me to be more vocal and to lead by example.”

Replacing production is one thing.

Replacing leadership is another, and early on, that transition was evident. Each had areas to grow, whether it was confidence, consistency, or understanding their new roles as they adjusted to higher expectations.

“Being part of a championship program means there’s no off switch, and that can be a big adjustment early on,” said Middleton.

Beyond the game itself, one of the biggest challenges was developing chemistry.

“With new players and a different system,

Waltrip seniors Savanna Gonzalez, Liliana Rodriguez, and Karli Briseno all smile after defeating Westbury during senior night at Delmar Stadium.

Credit: Jimmie Aggison/Defender.

it took time for all of us to get comfortable with each other on the field, but we have all learned so much,” said Briseno. “I tried not to focus on it too much. I focused on doing my job, whether at the plate or on the field, and on trusting my teammates.”

What could have remained a setback quickly became motivation as the seniors’ mindset began to shift. Briseno worked to

They made working hard cool. They brought energy, held people accountable, and didn’t let anyone slack off. They showed the younger girls what it really means to be part of this program.”

CHRISTLE MIDDLETON Waltrip softball coach

improve consistency in her fielding, footwork, and communication. Rodriguez focused on accountability rather than making excuses, while Gonzalez realized the team could compete at a high level once they began playing as a unit rather than as individuals.

“When they stopped being afraid of messing up and started playing to win, you could see the difference in their body language, energy, and how they responded to adversity.

They weren’t just playing; they were competing,” said Middleton.

That shift wasn’t accidental; it was reinforced daily in practice.

“During practices, the coach would let us take a break whenever we kept messing up,” said Rodriguez. “This break helped me reset my mind and get back with a fresh slate. You can’t always be perfect; sometimes you’ll mess up routine plays, but trying to be consistent is key. A reset helps you regain control

of your mind, relax your body, and rely on muscle memory to do the rest.”

That commitment was evident not only in practice but also in performance, as Rodriguez became a defensive anchor for Waltrip, committing only two errors at shortstop this season. While each senior found success individually, their greatest impact came through their collective leadership.

“For me, leadership was about leading by example, staying positive, and keeping everyone focused,” said Gonzalez. “Even during tough moments, I tried to be someone my teammates could rely on.”

It wasn’t about yelling; it was about working hard in practice, staying positive, and being a good teammate.

“They made working hard cool,” said Middleton. “They brought energy, held people accountable, and didn’t let anyone slack off. They showed the younger girls what it really means to be part of this program.”

That leadership played a major role in keeping Waltrip competitive, as the Trojans currently sit in third place behind Galena Park and Milby in 5A Region III District 21.

“Last year, we proved we could win.

This year, we proved we could grow,” said Middleton.

For the players who lived through it, that growth carried an even deeper meaning.

“Even without a district title, this season means a lot to me,” said Gonzalez. “We grew as a team, overcame challenges, and built something that will carry on in the future.”

While the standings may look different, the foundation they built may matter even more.

“I hope younger players take away from my time here that everything we do on the field is a release of everything we carry in the real world,” said Rodriguez. “Having a goldfish mindset lets you reset and keep your mind from filling with thoughts. Softball is a mental sport. Having teammates who support you by your side is everything. Even if you hate a girl on your team, when you step onto the field, that girl you hated will become your best friend on the field.”

For Briseno, Rodriguez, and Gonzalez, this season wasn’t about replicating the past; it was about securing the future and leaving behind a standard that Waltrip softball can continue to build on.

“Their legacy will be that they didn’t let the standard slip,” said Middleton. “They stepped into leadership during a transition period and made sure this program kept moving forward. They showed that success isn’t about one group; it’s about building something that lasts.”

12 | May 28, 2026 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Feature

New soccer mini-pitch Kicks off at Kashmere High School

A soccer mini-pitch is usually a fenced hard-court area often used in urban, school, or community settings. It converts underutilized spaces into safe, accessible recreational areas that promote fast-paced play and skill development. Credit: Laura Onyeneho/Defender.

By Laura Onyeneho

The U.S. Soccer Foundation, along with the Rockwell Fund, the Northeast Houston Redevelopment Council, and the Houston Independent School District, unveiled a new soccer mini-pitch on the Kashmere campus.

The grand reveal drew school partners, students, and the school’s band and cheer team. The opening comes less than five weeks before Houston hosts its first FIFA World Cup 2026 match at NRG Stadium on June 14.

A mini-pitch is a smaller, hard-court soccer field equipped with goals and nets, designed for students to refine their soccer skills. While not regulation-size, it provides a quicker gameplay experience in a safe environment on school campuses. Designed to fit into tight urban spaces where full-size fields are not practical, mini-pitches are built for both organized programming and informal pick-up play.

It is one of approximately 900 mini-pitches the U.S. Soccer Foundation has installed in under-resourced communities nationwide as part of a national push to build 1,000 by the end of 2026.

Brandon Dickerson, in his fifth year as Kashmere’s principal, said the facility represents more than just a place to play soccer.

It is a deliberate statement about who belongs on this campus.

“What this does is encourage our Hispanic students on campus to let it be known that we care for them just the same as our Black

Kashmere High School student Steven Westmoreland (Left) and principal Brandon Dickerson (Right) celebrate the opening of a new safe play mini-pitch at Kashmere High School in Houston. Credit: Laura Onyeneho/Defender.

students,” Dickerson said. “We are 50-50. We want to make certain that the other half of our school community is valued, that they have a space to be heard, seen, and valued.”

Dickerson also sees the facility as part of a longer recruiting pipeline, envisioning students from Kashmere’s feeder elementary and middle schools visiting campus,

connecting with older students, and imagining a future at the high school.

“If they want to dream about being around the future, this will give them opportunities to meet some students in a non-threatening kind of way,” he said. “This will become a valuable resource for our students.”

Huey German Wilson, one of the founding directors and president of the Northeast Houston Redevelopment Council (NHRC), said plans about the mini-pitch began as recently as November and December of 2025. The speed of the project matters to Wilson, who has spent years watching largescale events and investments bypass Northeast Houston communities.

“We find that we don’t have enough park space or green space in our communities,” Wilson said. “To have a mini-pitch for our kids and our families is amazing for us because, again, we don’t have enough of any of these things.”

Wilson said that while events like the World Cup often generate excitement citywide, neighborhoods like Kashmere Gardens and Trinity Gardens rarely see that energy translated into tangible resources.

“It’s rare that we get something on the front end of opportunities like this,” she said.

“Usually it’s an afterthought. This is beautiful and very well thought out and planned for.”

She hopes the World Cup’s presence in Houston creates opportunities for international players to visit Northeast Houston

communities. The Houston Dynamo and Houston Dash have made outreach visits to the area before, and Wilson envisions a similar connection with global stars who will be in the city this summer.

“Our kids are playing soccer every day, somewhere,” Wilson said. “We hope they come over and play soccer with them, or watch them, or give them pointers while they’re in town.”

One of those kids is Steven Westmoreland, a 9th-grade Kashmere soccer player who has been competing since he was 6. Standing near the newly opened mini-pitch, Westmoreland said the occasion felt significant.

“This is an honor to have this right here for us,” Westmoreland said. “There are some schools nowadays that can barely afford new books, new classrooms. And right here, this is an honor to have.”

Westmoreland said seeing the mini-pitch open just as the World Cup draws near felt like two dreams arriving at once. He said the Houston Dynamo had already encouraged him and his teammates, telling the players that professional opportunities were within reach, contingent on staying in school and working hard.

“That’s a whole dream come true,” Westmoreland said of the World Cup. “Seeing Messi play, Ronaldo play, seeing all those good players play. Because at the end of the day, if I work hard enough, I know I’m going to make it.”