GOODBYE George Floyd has been laid to rest but where do we go from here?
Photo: Jimmie Aggison
OBITUARY
SPORTS
DR. THOMAS F. FREEMAN
COLIN KAEPERNICK
Beloved Texas Southern University debate coach dies at 100 years old. Volume 89, issue 33 June 11, 2020
Will the former quarterback benefit from the NFL’s new stance on protesting?
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DN On point Message from the Associate Editor
Our lives matter
George Floyd has been laid to rest here in Houston, but the unrest continues around the world because of his tragic and senseless death. Others outside of our communities who were unaware of the seriousness of police brutality finally get it. Our lives matter, and to paraphrase Rev. Al Sharpton, the knees must come off our necks. A new generation
Marilyn Marshall
It is inspiring to see a new and diverse generation demanding justice and equality. Though the current protesters are multi-generational, the majority seem to be millennials (ages 24-39) or younger, and that’s a good thing, It’s a good thing because our future presidents, members of Congress, governors, mayors, police chiefs and Supreme Court justices might just be in the crowds demanding change. It’s a good thing because we need the energy, talent, courage and conviction that so many young people bring to the table. Former President Barack Obama said it best during a recent town hall meeting. “Part of what’s made me so hopeful is the fact that so many young people have been galvanized and activated and motivated and mobilized,” he said. “Because historically, so much of the progress that we’ve made in our society has been because of young people.” We miss you, Mr. President
The more Obama speaks out about what’s happening, the more many of us miss his leadership, compassion, intelligence and eloquence. The same holds true for the former first lady. If only they still lived at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. “We Shall Overcome”
During the protests we’re witnessing, some demonstrators have been singing “We Shall Overcome” in unison. Their harmony brought tears to my eyes. The anthem of the Civil Rights Movement, long associated with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the segregated South and demonstrations of the 1960s, is once again echoing through the streets of America. And “deep in my heart, I do believe that we shall overcome one day.” In this week’s Defender…
• We are privileged to provide coverage of George Floyd’s funeral services. Staffers Terrance Harris and Jimmie Aggison were there, capturing the moment and the emotions. • African-American elected officials are tackling police reform, and in a Defender exclusive, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and Congressman Al Green share national solutions. • The Houston Police Department has its problems as well, and local reform is being addressed by five City Councilmembers: Jerry Davis, Carolyn Evans-Shabazz, Tiffany Thomas, Edward Pollard and Martha Castex-Tatum. • In this week’s centerfold, three generations of activists answer the question on a lot of our minds: “Where do we go from here?” For more news you can use, go to www.defendernetwork.com. Let us know what you’re thinking on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Family members stand up and react as the Rev. Al Sharpton gives the eulogy during the funeral for George Floyd on Tuesday, June 9, 2020, at The Fountain of Praise church in Houston. GODOFREDO A. VáSQUEZ/HOUSTON CHRONICLE VIA AP, POOL
Publisher | CEO Sonceria Messiah-Jiles
VOLUME 89 - NUMBER 33 - JUNE 11, 2020 The Defender newspaper is published by the Houston Defender Newspaper Inc. and audited by Alliance for Audited Media (AAM). Only digital subscriptions are available at: www.defendernetwork.com/subscribe No paper subscriptions available. All materials covered by 2020 copyright. No materials herein may be reproduced without the written permission of the Publisher. 713-663-6996 | P.O. Box 8005, Houston, Tx 77288
Ad/Client Relations Selma Dodson Tyler Strategic Alllance Clyde Jiles Engagement Manager Margo Williams Hubbard
Managing Editor ReShonda Tate Billingsley Creative Director Michael Grant Associate Editor Marilyn Marshall
People Editor Aswad Walker Photographers Ray Carrington III Jimmie Aggison Sports Terrance Harris Jodie B. Jiles
June 11, 2020 |
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DEFENDER NETWORK
DN News Mayor Sylvester Turner signed an executive order that will ban the use of chokeholds by officers in the city of Houston.
Go online to see what County Commissioner Rodney Ellis has proposed regarding police reform.
TSU legend Dr. Thomas Freeman dies at 100
Defender News Service Jerry Davis
Dr. Carolyn Evans-Shabazz
Edward Pollard
Martha Castex-Tatum
Tiffany Thomas
HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL
Black Councilmembers focus on police reform Aswad Walker
Sample of what councilmembers seek: For the community • Accessible online dashboard that provides complaints against officers and other essential HPD data, updated daily • Restructuring of the current Independent Police Oversight Board (IPOB) to include City Council designated nominations and public communication of priorities For HPD • HPD chief to sit before the Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee, upon request • Adopt “Duty to Intervene Policy” for police who witness abuse. • Release of body camera footage per family’s request and pending administrative and investigation completion
Policing | Public Safety Meeting
June 25, 10am Council Chambers, City Hall (second floor) 901 Bagby St, 77002
Five Black Houston City Councilmembers issued a joint statement regarding their stance on the Houston Police Department, and their recommendations for what they called “necessary and meaningful public safety reforms.” Councilmembers Jerry Davis, Dr. Carolyn Evans-Shabazz, Tiffany Thomas, Edward Pollard and Mayor Pro-Tem Martha Castex-Tatum noted their “efforts to initiate meaningful change began before the death of George Floyd.” Efforts included meeting with HPD leadership seeking answers and information regarding the deaths of six Houston-area Black and Latino men, Nicholas Chavez, Christopher Aguirre, Adrian Medearis, Rayshard Scales, Randy Lewis, and a still-unidentified man. According to the statement, conversations centered on police accountability and the ultimate production of a “community-informed and data-driven” set of recommendations to be given to Mayor Sylvester Turner. The group aims to present Turner and the general public with their reform package within 90 days. Part of creating their reform package involves an upcoming Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee meeting, an open-to-the-public event
scheduled for June 25 at 10 a.m. The agenda: discuss sound policing and the Independent Police Oversight Board’s effectiveness. “Mr. Floyd’s death rocked the heart of our country and, for many, shifted the conversation from Houston to Minneapolis,” said the councilmembers. However, we want to reinforce that our focus never changed. If anything, it magnified how incredibly important this moment is for us and you — we must get this right because Black Lives Matter, too. “We have a responsibility to regulate policing for all Houstonians — while acknowledging the complicated history between Black Americans and law enforcement.” Council member Leticia Plummer said after meeting with dozens of citizens, she wants more training and more accountability within the police department. She wants to use $11 million set aside for new HPD hires to be used in other ways, including the creation of a civilian oversight board with the power to do its own investigations of police misconduct; creation of an online complaint portal for people to report issues with officers that would cost $1 million; and an additional $3 million for officers de-escalation training and crime diversion programs.
Dr. Thomas F. Freeman, a legendary Texas Southern University debate coach and educational icon, died June 6 at age 100. He was also longtime minister of Mount Horem Baptist Church. Freeman arrived at TSU in 1949. Under his leadership, the debate team garnered multiple titles. In 2009 the Honors College was named after him. “This is, most definitely, a sad day at Texas Southern University,” said TSU Interim President Kenneth Huewitt. “Dr. Freeman exemplified all that is good about our university…” Freeman’s students included the late Congresswoman Barbara Jordan and Congressman Mickey Leland. He advised Denzel Washington in the 2007 film, “The Great Debaters.” Freeman was born in Richmond, Va. He received a B.A. from Virginia Union University, a Bachelor of Divinity from Andover Newton Theological School, and a Doctor of Philosophy from the Divinity School of the University of Chicago. He is survived by his wife Clarice, who will turn 100 later this year. They reared three children, Thomas Jr., Carter and Carlotta, and have several grandchildren. A memorial fund has been established in his honor. Visit https://giving. tsu.edu/freemanfund/
The late Dr. Thomas F. Freeman -Photo by Earlie Hudnall
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DEFENDER NETWORK
DN News Ruth Simmons, president of Prairie View A&M University, was named to the Federal Reserve Bank of Texas Houston branch to serve an unexpired term ending Dec. 2020.
Gen. Charles Brown Jr. was confirmed as next Air Force chief of staff, becoming 1st Black military service chief in American history.
Democrats unveil police reform, kneel Associated Press
Democrats proposed a sweeping overhaul of police oversight and procedures, potentially far-reaching legislative response to the mass protests denouncing the deaths of Black Americans in the hands of law enforcement. Before unveiling the package, House and Senate Democrats held a moment of silence at the Capitol’s Emancipation Hall, reading the names of George Floyd and others killed during police interactions. They knelt for 8 minutes and 46 seconds — now a symbol of police brutality and violence — the length of time prosecutors say Floyd was pinned under a white police officer’s knee before he died. “We cannot settle for anything less than transformative structural change,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, drawing on the nation’s history of slavery. The Justice in Policing Act would limit legal protections for police, create a national database of excessive-force incidents and ban police choke holds, among other changes, according to an early draft. It is the most ambitious change to law enforcement sought by Congress in years. Rep. Karen Bass, D-Calif., chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, which is leading the effort, called it “bold” and “transformative.” “The world is witnessing the birth of a new movement in this country,” Bass said. Despite the worldwide protests, with tens of thousands of demonstrators taking to the streets in cities across America and abroad since Floyd was killed May 25, the idea of broad-based U.S. police reforms remains politically polarized and highly uncertain in this election year. While Democrats are expected to swiftly approve the legislation this month, it does not go as far as some activists want to “defund the police.” The outlook for passing the package in the Republican-held Senate is slim. President Donald Trump also met with law enforcement officials at the White House, and was quick to characterize the Democrats as having “gone CRAZY!”
From left; Rep. Lacy Clay, D-Mo., House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Majority Whip James Clyburn of S.C., listen to questions from reporters during a news conference to unveil policing reform and equal justice legislation on Capitol Hill. AP/MANUEL BALCE CENETA
CALL TO ACTION: Call, email and post on the social media of your Congressperson and Senator, that you want them to vote to pass the Justice in Policing Act immediately. To find your Congressional Representative paste this link in your browser and type your zip code: bit.ly/mycongressrep To contact the two Texas Senators John Cornyn (Houston: 713-572-3337 | Washington DC: 202-224-2934) and Ted Cruz (Houston: 713-718-3057 | Washington DC: 202-224-5922)
As activists call for restructuring police departments the president tweeted, “LAW & ORDER, NOT DEFUND AND ABOLISH THE POLICE.” Republican campaign officials followed suit. “No industry is safe from the Democrats’ abolish culture,” said Micahel McAdams, a spokesman for the House Republican campaign committee, in an email blast. “First they wanted to abolish private health insurance, then it was capitalism and now it’s the police.” Democrats fought back.
This isn’t about that,” Pelosi said. Congress is not calling for any wholesale defunding of law enforcement, leaving those decisions to local cities and states, she noted. The package confronts several aspects of law enforcement accountability and practices that have come under criticism, especially as more and more police violence is captured on cellphone video and shared widely across the nation, and the world. The proposed legislation would revise the federal criminal police misconduct statute to make it easier to prosecute officers who are involved
in misconduct “knowingly or with reckless disregard.” The package would also change “qualified immunity” protections for police “to enable individuals to recover damages when law enforcement officers violate their constitutional rights.” The legislation would seek to provide greater oversight and transparency of police behavior in several ways. For one, it would grant subpoena power to the Justice Department to conduct “pattern and practice” investigations of potential misconduct and help states conduct independent investigations. It would ban racial profiling and boost requirements for police body cameras. And it would create a “National Police Misconduct Registry,” a database to try to prevent officers from transferring from one department to another with past misconduct undetected, the draft said. A long-sought federal anti-lynching bill stalled in Congress is included in the package.
TRUMP’S POLL NUMBERS PLUMMET
57%
disapprove of Trump’s job performance
60%
disapprove of Trump’s handling of race relations
65%
say response to George Floyd death harmful
84%
believe protests over racial injustice/police brutality justified
70%
violence not justified *CNN poll
June 11, 2020 |
DEFENDER NETWORK
Strengthening our commitment to Houston Throughout our community, we see families, neighbors, businesses and teammates working together more than ever. To help, we added $100 million to our ongoing support to organizations making a difference — national and local nonprofits addressing critical needs here, including Houston Food Bank and Greater Houston COVID-19 Recovery Fund. The funds will help increase medical response capacity, focus on vulnerable populations and address food insecurity. We’re also providing $250 million in capital to Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) loan funds and CDFI- and minority-owned banks to extend assistance to more small businesses. As your neighbors in Houston, we are all in this together. Our thoughts are with all of you and your families.
Hong Ogle Houston Market President To see how we’re supporting our local communities, please visit bankofamerica.com/community.
Bank of America, N.A. Member FDIC. © 2020 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved.
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S:9.25”
Let the summer play. or celebrating out, catch music-themed movies, enjoy your favorite music networks, and stream top apps like Pandora, Music Choice and more right to your TV. This is what summer sounds like. And no matter what it brings, Xfinity Black Film & TV has your soundtrack. Simple. Easy. Awesome. Visit xfinity.com/discovermore to learn more.
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Celebrate all the legends and soon-to-be legendary music that heats up
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DEFENDER NETWORK
DN InFocus FOCUS SOCIAL HOUSTON, THE NATION REMEMBER GEORGE FLOYD
Terrance Harris
George Floyd may have seemed like an ordinary man, but little did he and those who loved “Big Floyd” know, his life would transcend beyond the public housing project where he was raised in Third Ward — into an international symbol of injustice. “Third Ward, Cuney Homes, that’s where he was born at,” Floyd’s brother, Rodney, told mourners who packed the Fountain of Praise church. “But everybody is going to remember him around the world. He is going to change the world.” The ordinary man from the Third Ward was here to help change the world and it seems that the senseless way his life was taken away on May 25 when a white police officer in Minneapolis drove his knee into Floyd’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds until his body lay lifeless in the street. Floyd died that day but a movement that was rumbling around his funeral service lives. His death has sparked a national uprising and has citizens and lawmakers talking about police reform, racial discrimination and the senseless killings of Black men at the hands of white police officers in ways that might bring serious change. The funeral services of a man who was not known to most of the world just three weeks ago brought dignitaries like Civil Rights leader Al Sharpton, Congressman Al Green, Democratic Presidential hopeful Joe Biden and Mayor Sylvester Turner, celebrities like Jamie Foxx and Floyd Mayweather, while drawing a near-packed house in the 3,000-seat sanctuary and hundreds of local and national media members on the outside of the mega church for the private service. The public viewing the day before saw 6,300 pass through Fountain of Praise. This week’s services were the last of three national memorials for Floyd, whose final resting place is in Pearland next to his deceased mother.
Photos by Jimmie Aggison
I would like to say a word to white churches.We are better than we used to be, but we are not as good as we ought to be. That is not good enough, which means you have to take up the work of racial justice. Racism did not start in our lifetimes but racism can end in our lifetime.” - Steve Wells, South Main Baptist Church
Is this going to be like so many other movements — a moment of anger and rage and back to business as usual? You could say that because the prejudiced and the bigoted are not going to change. But we can do some things to change them… Obviously the first thing we have to do is to clean out the White House.” -Reverend William ‘Bill’ Lawson
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DN InFocus FOCUS SOCIAL
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? A multi-generational perspective on change ASWAD WALKER
I
n the wake of the murders of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd, a global, multi-racial recognition of the reality of violence against Black people has taken hold. Some have declared this the birth of a new movement. Others are not yet willing to label Deric Muhammad
(Generation X) - Activist, organizer & youth mentor What now? The murder of George Floyd is the straw that broke the camel’s back. Had Officer Derick Chauvin treated a dog the way he treated “Big Floyd” he would have been immediately arrested and thrown underneath the jail. The sad and painful truth is that the American justice system has more respect for the life of a German Shepherd than for the life of a Black man in America. It is fascinating to me how a man who was considered a “nobody” to this country a month ago became the central figure of a movement that has held American cities hostage for several days. Only God can do that! Like George Floyd, Black people have been considered “the nobodies of society” for 465 Deric Muhammad years. The knee on our neck is economic, spiritual, educational, cultural and political. George Floyd is a sign that we are more critical than you think we are. Our time is now! Our liberation is not dependent upon how white people see Black people. Our liberation is dependent upon how Black people see Black people. We must first see ourselves as justified and made equal to all mankind. Now is the time to mobilize for independence. Dr. King said that he feared that he’d integrated our people into a “burning house.” His fears were warranted. The house is (literally) on fire. Waste no time trying to gather buckets of water to put out the fire. It is time to go to work on building our own house. Protests are fine, but if we put more energy into what we are “against” than we put into what we are “for,” we will end up working for what we are against and working against what we are for. We must have a clear agenda. We must unify and organize our forces like never before around that agenda. Seize the time!
Philonise Floyd,
George Floyd’s brother, spoke before the House Judiciary Committee:
the current energy a 21st century justice movement. However, all are asking the same question, “Where do we go from here.” The Defender spoke to individuals from three different generations to get their answers to this question. Mya Billingsley
(Generation Z) - Activist, Howard University junior Fashion Design major Seven years ago, the murder of Trayvon Martin shook the entire United States to its core. Now, today, more than ever, the Black Lives Matter movement is pushing full force ahead. Social media has become an important factor in our everyday lives, prompting celebrities and big businesses to use their platform to speak on the atrocities happening in our country right now. Corporations are succumbing to the pressures of their customers and some are announcing that they are standing in solidarity with protesters and the movement, while others take a more subtle approach. This made me start thinking about activism and how we use our voices. Understanding performative activism is key to understandMya Billingsley ing why some people are speaking up at all. When I went to a recent protest, I kept having the urge to pull out my phone and record what was happening, take photos of myself with my sign, and other acts to “prove” I was there fighting for a cause. I noticed the same thing from people around me. Everyone was glued to their phones! The protest was still strong, and it was obvious the majority of people were there for the same reason I was, to be the change we wanted to see. But therein lies the problem. I thought I was the change. In theory, I am. But only collectively as a movement. There was nothing wrong with taking those photos, videos, or posting them to social media. It is the era in which we live, and we were simply just spreading awareness. But on June 2, 2020 my timelines went black with the same dark screen post that supported the #BlackoutTuesday hashtag. This is when I had to take the time to reevaluate myself and my peers. I spoke with a few people on why they had even posted the black screen. They soon realized that their posts were drowning out things posted by people in actual need of aid and with actual information on the protests. That they weren’t helping the movement, rather silencing it. This is performative activism, a brainless post because your friends or your peers are posting or posting about the BLM movement because it will get you more likes. It is great to know that you are spreading awareness but if you’re not doing it in an educational and effective way, there is no point.
....honor George, and make the necessary changes to make law enforcement the solution and not the problem. Hold them accountable when they do something wrong, teach them what it means to treat people with empathy and respect. Teach them what necessary force is. Teach them that deadly force should be used rarely and only when life is at risk.”
Algenita Scott Davis
(Baby Boomer) - Former president, National Bar Association & Houston Lawyers Association In Dr. Martin Luther King’s last major book, “Where Do We go from Here: Chaos or Community,” he prescribes the courage necessary to dampen the fires of hell, saying, “No great victories are won in a war for the transformation of a whole people without total participation.” America is undergoing a transformation, especially concerning the issue of police reform. The steps of President Barack Obama’s 2015 community policing plan required that every mayor immediately work to enact the provisions of his reAlgenita Scott Davis form. Every mayor, city and county leader should have been held accountable to put these measures in place. This is a single item agenda for the electorate. In Texas, we are afflicted with disdainful sycophants on the state level that only sing President Donald Trump’s songs of regressive policies. Reform will only be accomplished by changing the seats in state government that seek to limit the programs and services in our low- and moderate-income communities. State limitations on Houston’s ability to govern itself contribute to our city and county funding of health, housing and judicial services. The faces must change to those that support reform of our justice system, another single item agenda for state senate, legislative, and official elections. In 2018, the U. S. Commission on Civil Rights called for reinstating regulatory authority (and related funding) of the Justice Department over city police departments across the nation. Progress in the Justice Department during the Obama administration was dismantled by the current administration. Regulatory authority is monitored by Congress and the Senate, but the Senate is trembling in fear of doing anything that is different from what the current president demands. Senatorial courage comes with support of the vote and the money to get out the vote. Every senator must be held to the single item litmus test of whether he/she desires to keep us in hell or not. Like the Senate, many of our federal courts have been contaminated with controlled minds. Only the November election can stem the tide. Every public venue, every public meeting and hearing, every public agenda must be subject to the question of whether those in power are taking the necessary steps to put out the fire of hateful brutality. Marches are just one tool to keep the issue front and center. They make people uncomfortable and get in the way of “normal operations.” They must continue if we are to get out of the hell of police brutality and judicial oppression. We have the organizations. Each must adopt strategies and implement actions that keep us moving to get out of hell. And each of us must participate.
Kim Ogg, Harris County District Attorney is dropping the charges against nearly 800 protestors.
Mya Billingsley at June 2 March for George Floyd
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DEFENDER NETWORK
DN InFocus FOCUS SOCIAL PAST & PRESENT
BLACK LEADERS ON UNREST, PROTEST
Defender News Services
As protesters around the world continue to call for an end to racism and police brutality, many are echoing the same sentiments voiced by African-Americans decades ago. Here are thoughts on unrest and protest from leaders past and present.
PAST
“Until the killing of Black men, Black mothers’ sons, becomes as important to the rest of the country as the killing of a white mother’s son — we who believe in freedom cannot rest until this happens.”
Ella Baker
(NAACP, SCLC & SNCC organizer)
PRESENT
What we are witnessing now is the opening up of imaginations, where people are beginning to think more expansively about what the solutions could be. We have our solutions. We want the rights of protesters to be respected. We want a divestment from the police and an investment in Black communities. We are demanding immediate relief for our communities. We want community control. We want an end to this war against Black people.” Alicia Garza
People are protesting because Black people have been treated as less than human in America. Because our country has never fully addressed the systemic racism that has plagued our country since its earliest days. It is the duty of every American to fix. No longer can some wait on the sidelines, hoping for incremental change. In times like this, silence is complicity.” Kamala Harris
U.S. senator
Black Lives Matter co-founder
“We claim for ourselves every single right that belongs to a freeborn American, political, civil and social; and until we get these rights we will never cease to protest and assail the ears of America. The battle we wage is not for ourselves alone but for all true Americans. It is a fight for ideals, lest this, our common fatherland, false to its founding, become in truth the land of the thief and the home of the slave…”
W.E.B. DuBois
“The nation is sick. Trouble is in the land. Confusion all around. That’s a strange statement. But I know, somehow, that only when it is dark enough, can
And for those who have been talking about protests, just remember, this country was founded on protest. It is called the American Revolution. And every step of progress in this country, every expansion of freedom, every expression of our deepest ideals, has been won through efforts that made the status quo uncomfortable. And we should all be thankful for folks who are willing in a peaceful, disciplined way to be out there making a difference.” Barack Obama
Former president
you see the stars. And I see God working in this period of the twentieth century in a way that men, in some strange way, are responding — something is happening in our world. The masses of people are rising up. And wherever they are assembled today, whether they are in Johannesburg, South Africa; Nairobi, Kenya; Accra, Ghana; New York City; Atlanta, Georgia; Jackson, Mississippi; or Memphis, Tennessee — the cry is always the same — ‘We want to be free.’”
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The reason why we are marching all over the world is we were like George [Floyd], we couldn’t breathe, not because there was something wrong with our lungs, but that you wouldn’t take your knee off our neck. We don’t want no favors, just get up off of us and we can be and do whatever we can be. There have been protests all over the world…but the thing I want us to be real cognizant of is there’s a difference between those calling for peace and those calling for quiet. Some of ya’ll don’t want peace, you just want quiet. You just want us to shut up and suffer in silence.” Rev. Al Sharpton
“I learned early that crying out in protest could accomplish things. My older brothers and sister had started to school when, sometimes,
they would come in and ask for a buttered biscuit or something and my mother, impatiently, would tell them no. But I would cry out and make a fuss until I got what I wanted. I remember well how my mother asked me why I couldn’t be a nice boy like Wilfred; but I would think to myself that Wilfred, for being so nice and quiet, often stayed hungry. So early in life, I had learned that if you want something, you had better make some noise.”
Malcolm X
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DEFENDER NETWORK
DN InFocus FOCUS SOCIAL U.S. REPS. ADDRESS POLICE BRUTALITY MARILYN MARSHALL
Elected officials are chief among those seeking solutions to the policing problems gripping the nation. The Defender reached out to Houston Congressmembers Al Green and Sheila Jackson Lee for answers to the question, “What can Congress do immediately to address police brutality in America?” Congressman Al Green
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee
“Our nation is in a state of unrest caused by an explosion of long-suppressed, justified rage that was triggered by a Minneapolis police officer kneeling on Mr. George Floyd’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds as outraged onlookers recorded. As we seek justice for Mr. Floyd’s senseless Congressman killing, Congress must also seek justice for Al Green America’s original sin – racism – and other forms of invidious discrimination that have been spawned over the centuries. On June 4, 2020, I filed a resolution declaring unconditional war on racism and invidious discrimination and providing for Congress to pass legislation, which I intend to file, to establish a Cabinet-level Department of Reconciliation charged with eliminating racism and invidious discrimination. American history is replete with examples of systemic racism and invidious discrimination that have emboldened far too many bad actors, and a systemic problem demands a systemic response. We cannot rest until we end the recurrence of such vicious and merciless actions by law enforcement agents against unarmed Black people and all other innocent civilians across our nation.”
“Direct action is important, but to be effective it must be accompanied by political, legislative, and governmental action. That is why this week, I will take the next steps to begin addressing this systemic disease through the introduction of H.R. 7100, The George Floyd Law Enforcement Congresswoman Trust Integrity Act of 2020 and a National Terminated Officer Registry bill, as well as Sheila Jackson Lee a push for passage of H.R. 4399, The Racial and Religious Profiling Act. The George Floyd Law Enforcement Trust and Integrity Act addresses the issue of police accountability in order to eliminate police brutality. The legislation provides incentives for local police organizations to adopt performance-based standards to ensure that incidents of misconduct will be minimized through appropriate management, training and oversight protocols. These are three major steps toward preventing police brutality. We offer this legislation with a renewed commitment to change our broken system of law enforcement and to create systemic change. All of these murders were egregious and violent and go against the commitment of the police to protect and serve. In America, the greatest nation in the history of the world, no law enforcement officer should be allowed the role of judge, jury, and executioner.”
If I could do one thing, I’d have a daycare closer to work. If you could do one thing for your community, what would it be? More daycare centers? More funding for Head Start? Completing the 2020 Census is a safe and easy way to inform how billions of dollars in funding flow into your community for hundreds of services. Respond online, by phone, or by mail.
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DEFENDER NETWORK
DN Feature We have to reject anyone, any institution that sees this as just a Black problem and not OUR problem. This is a problem for OUR community, not just the Black community. We all share in this pain.” - Brian Courtney Wilson
From here we have to take a look at every system, not just law enforcement, the entire criminal justice system education, housing, our policies and laws to make sure we achieve the change we say we want to see.”
It is better to be judged by twelve than to be carried out by six. Black men must develop strategies for survival. Knowing how to fight is worth one dollar. Knowing when to fight is worth $99.” - Georgia Provost
- Ray Shackelford
Federal Rules of Engagement Laws must be enacted immediately to eliminate the unjust killings of African Americans, which will ultimately benefit all Americans. - Ted Irving
We have to cure the root cause of the issue and not just deal with the symptoms.”
Surviving now will make us stronger yet.” - Michelle Barnes
- Crystal D. Hadnott
See other videos. Visit: www.DefenderNetwork.com To share your opinion and raise the consciousness and awareness of what you are thinking go to: bit.ly/hearthepeople_georgefloyd
LET THE PEOPLE BE HEARD!
The Houston Defender Network will “LET THE PEOPLE BE HEARD,” opening the door to allow our community to post their 60-90 second videos. The death of Houstonian George Floyd has generated a range of emotions, opinion and perspectives that deserve to be heard. We invite the public to share their responses to the questions: Why is the death of George Floyd different? Where do we go from here? How do we keep this tragedy from becoming just another hashtag?
June 11, 2020 |
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DEFENDER NETWORK
DN Sports Shaq urged Saints to stick together
Former NBA great Shaquille O’Neal got involved with the Drew Brees national anthem controversy, urging the other New Orleans Saints to not let the media divide them the way the media divided “Me and Kobe.”
ANALYSIS
Florida A&M joins SWAC
The FAMU Rattlers will officially become the 11th member of SWAC joining the conference on July 1, 2021 and leaving the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
Will Kaepernick benefit from new NFL stance?
Terrance Harris
oppression of Black players, coaches, fans It seems the NFL’s understanding of and staff,” Goodell said. the oppression African Americans face is But the direct apology to Kaepernick, changing overnight. who took the 49ers to the Super Bowl In the wake of the senseless killing of in 2013, came way short. Goodell never George Floyd at the kneeling knee of a white mentioned Kaepernick in his minute and police officer, there has been an awakening half apology, but it seemed that he might inside the most influential sports league of be reaching out to the quarterback who the racism and hatred that has caused so had not been able to get a job in the NFL many deaths of African Americans, espe- since he kneeled during the playing of cially at the hands of white police officers. the national anthem. It’s an about-face for a league that has Goodell said he would be “reachthreatened and punished its African-Amer- ing out” to players who have “raised ican players for peacefully their voices.” protesting against the social What hasn’t been injustice that they and othsaid is whether that ers face on a daily basis. means Kaepernick, RIGHT: In this But there is no clear who received a major Oct. 2, 2016 file indication of the future of endorsement deal with photo, quarterback quarterback Colin KaeperNike and also reached Colin Kaepernick, nick, who has been blackan out-of-court setthen with the San balled since 2017, because tlement with NFL Francisco 49ers, kneels during the he dared protest police bruowners, will now be national anthem tality by taking a knee. invited to any of the before an NFL Texans coach/general 32 teams’ training football game. -AP manager Bill O’Brien camps this summer. Photo/Marcio recently made his stronGoodell seems to agree Jose Sanchez gest statement yet against with some NFL coaches the institutional racism that like Seattle’s Pete Carroll African Americans still face. and current 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan. “We have to stand with the Black commu“I think people understand it so much nity, we have to heed the call to action and more now than they did three years ago challenge each other to live out the change and I’m all for protests. I’m all for change,” that we want,” O’Brien said. “I’m sad, I’m said Shanahan, who came aboard as the frustrated because I’m questioning, `what 49ers coach after Kaepernick left the team. can I do?’ I’ve got to do more, I’ve got to “What’s different now and then, it’s embartalk to our players.” rassing to say, probably, but I think white The loudest statement that seemed to cap- people are more passionate about it now ture the nation’s attention came later from than then... Whatever’s got to get changed, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who let’s do it.” released a video via Instagram where he But we haven’t heard a word from most admitted that he and the league were wrong of the 32 NFL owners who ultimately will in fighting against player protests. Goodell have to pull the trigger on allowing their promised that in the future peaceful protests franchise to sign Kaepernick. Until that hapby players would not be frowned upon. pens it will be hard for many to separate the “Without Black players, there would be talk of change from the indifference the NFL no National Football League and the pro- has shown in the past. tests around the country are emblematic Follow Terrance Harris on Twitter of the centuries of silence, inequality and @terranceharris.
Sports Notes: Tough schedule for the Rockets The Rockets are one of the 22 NBA teams that will return when the league resumes next month, but it will be a tough run to the playoffs. All of the teams will play an abbreviated eight-game regular season schedule in Orlando before the playoffs start. Under the guidelines, all teams must play the next eight opponents who would have been on their schedule (provided they made the 22team cut) before play was stopped in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That means the Rockets will face a daunting schedule that includes the Los Angeles Lakers, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacrament Kings, Dallas Mavericks, Milwaukee Bucks, Indiana Pacers, Philadelphia 76ers and Toronto Raptors. Making the playoffs could prove extremely challenging. Strong academic spring for PVAMU Prairie View A&M athletics posted an impressive slate of grades for Spring 2020 with 10 teams delivering a 3.0 GPA or better during the semester. Women’s tennis posted the highest spring GPA among all Panther athletics programs with a 3.66. The men’s golf program had the highest semester GPA among all male sports with a 3.27 mark. Joining these programs in the ‘3.0 club’ for the semester were baseball, men’s track & field/cross country, women’s track & field/ cross country, bowling, softball, women’s golf, soccer and volleyball.
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DEFENDER NETWORK
DN Business
Black unemployment hits highest rate in almost a decade Defender News Service
Even though the overall unemployment rate has dropped, it has risen for African-Americans. According to a recent report by the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, the overall rate dropped to 13.3 % but the unemployment rate for African-Americans have risen to 16.8 %. This means that there are now 87,000 more Black workers who are unemployed due to the coronavirus pandemic. This is the highest the Black unemployment rate has been since 2011. “At a time of unprecedented anguish for our country, today’s jobs report demonstrates just how far we have to go to rebuild the economy, especially for Black Americans,” former U.S. labor department economist William Rodgers said in a statement. “This is consistent with previous recessions and recoveries: Blacks are the first to get fired and the last to get rehired.” The Center for Economic Policy Research has shown that African-Americans are more likely to work in frontline careers like transportation, maintenance, grocery and convenience stories, postal service, warehouse, trucking and social services. African-Americans account for 29.7% of the workforce in the fields while white people make up 19.2 %. Bill Spriggs, chief economist at the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, said that these rates confirm that blacks were the first to get fired from their jobs and have not been called back to work even though jobs are reopening. Besides being hit hard by the unemployment caused by the pandemic, African-Americans are said to also have experienced COVID-19 at higher rates. According to research from the APM Research Lab, African-Americans died at a rate of 50.3 per 100,000 people, compared with 20.7 rate for whites.
U.S. unemployment dropped unexpectedly in May to 13.3% as reopened businesses began recalling millions of workers faster than economists had predicted, but Black unemployment rose. -AP Photo/ Tony Dejak
BLACK UNEMPLOYMENT White vs. Black employment
16.5
%
Blacks unemployed
Last year vs. this year
12.4
%
Whites unemployed
May 2019 May 2020
6.2% 16.7%
Unity Bank calling for changes in Payroll Protection Program Defender News Service
Vice-President Mike Pence meets with Unity Bank officials.
Unity Bank’s Atlanta Branch recently held a roundtable discussion featuring Vice President Mike Pence, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Purdue, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and local recipients of the Small Business Administration’s Payroll Protection Program (PPP). While noting that PPP has been a great start to helping some small businesses, Unity’s Board Chair, Dr. Kase Lawal noted that more is needed to be done. “Unity was founded during uncertain times and challenging circumstances and has served as a beacon of light and source of strength for its communities for six decades,” said Lawal. “Relative to its size, Unity has more customers than many large financial institutions. Currently, Unity has
more than 11,000 deposit accounts (70% with balances less than $250.00.) Unity’s leadership remains committed to the vision of providing banking services to historically underserved businesses and individuals and serving a diverse customer base. During these unprecedented difficult times, we can only continue to do so with the Administration’s support and assistance.” Lawal urged the administration to consider the following additional steps, such as: • Simplify the forgiveness process for customers • Create a COVID-19 Reserve so defaulted loans would not impact Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs) • Facilitate the growth and expansion of MDIs by making additional capital available
June 11, 2020 |
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DEFENDER NETWORK
DN Feature
Coronavirus Things to Know
ReShonda Tate Billingsley
Almost all Texas businesses are allowed to open at 50% capacity Gov. Greg Abbott has announced his third phase of reopening Texas businesses during the coronavirus pandemic, allowing virtually all of them to operate at 50% capacity. That is effective immediately, and there are “very limited exceptions,” Abbott’s office said. Restaurants were already permitted to be open at 50% capacity. Abbott is allowing
them to immediately increase their table size from six people to 10, and on June 12, they can ramp up their capacities to 75%. Abbott’s latest order also brings news for professional and college sports that are played outdoors, letting the former shift from 25% capacity to 50% capacity at their stadiums and allowing the latter to resume for the first time, also at 50%. Protestors urged to get tested As Texas continues its reopening, and people are gathering in large numbers for
Health officials say if you attended one of the protests, you should now get tested for COVID-19. -SNAP KIDS PHOTOGRAPHY
protests, Texas Medical Center leaders are seeing a concerning amount of new patients. In the coming days, if you attend a protest or find yourself around a large group of people, don’t get a coronavirus test the following day. Experts say you should
wait three to five days, which means now is the time to test if you were at last week’s protest with 60,000 people. Experts hope last week’s protest doesn’t create a spike in cases. The Texas Medical Center has seen a rise in new patients over the past week.
CLASSIFIED The HARRIS CENTER for Mental Health and IDD (formerly known as MENTAL HEALTH MENTAL RETARDATION AUTHORITY OF HARRIS COUNTY) will be accepting Request for Proposals for the following: AGENCY WIDE SECURITY GUARD SERVICES Specifications may be secured from The HARRIS CENTER, Purchasing Department located at 9401 SW Freeway, Houston, Texas 77074; telephone (713) 970-7116 and/or via The HARRIS CENTER website www.theharriscenter.org or the Electronic State Business Daily Site https://portal.cpa.state.tx.us/, beginning Tuesday, June 16, 2020. A Non-Mandatory Conference with vendors will be held via Lifesize (call in by phone: 1-877-422-8614, Meeting ID 3818790#) on Tuesday, June 23, 2020 at 11:00 AM. Deadline for prospective vendors to submit questions to this RFP is Friday, June 26, 2020. Solicitation documents must be submitted to Purchasing Services, 9401 SW Freeway, Houston, Texas 77074 by 10 A.M., Friday, July 10, 2020 in a sealed envelope marked "RFP FOR AGENCY WIDE SECURITY GUARD SERVICES” - DO NOT OPEN UNTIL - FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2020 AT 10:00 A.M. Any questions pertaining to this solicitation should be addressed in writing to James Blunt, Buyer II or E-mail questions to james.blunt@theharriscenter.org cc: sharon.brauner@theharriscenter.org., or via fax at (713) 970-7682. Historically Underutilized Businesses, including Minority-Owned Businesses and Women-Owned Businesses, are encouraged to participate. The HARRIS CENTER reserves all rights to reject any and/or all proposals, to waive formalities and reasonable irregularities in submitted documents as it deems to be in its best interests, and is not obligated to accept the lowest proposal.
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DEFENDER NETWORK
Helping Texas businesses so they can help their communities
When Peacock Alley founder Mary Ella Gabler was looking to expand her business beyond its Texas roots, she turned to Google to grow her customer base. Now 75 employees strong, Peacock Alley is stepping up for their community by sewing protective cotton masks for two essential local groups, Baylor Medical and the Community Partners of Dallas.
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Find free resources for your small business at google.com/smallbusiness
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