06.11.2026_Defender-e-FULL

The lasting impact of CONGRESSMAN

Al Green Volume 95, issue 34 June 11, 2026

PROFILE

SPORTS

DJ YOUNG SAMM

SHYRONE E CHATMAN

The deejay masters skills to elevate careers in the music industry.

The interim TSU baske etball coach is focused on th he business of basketball.

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DN To the POINT

China’s Natasha Doll and popular video channels depicting their citizens abusing and demeaning Black children are disturbing signs of global anti-Blackness. Credit: TikTok.

Message from the Reporter So, raise a glass for the entire Afro-CaribA deeply disturbing trend has gone viral bean family: activists like Stokely Carmiacross Chinese social media involving the chael (Trinidad), legendary writers like “Natasha Doll”—a hand-sized, rubbery Audre Lorde (Grenada) and Claude McKay Black baby doll sold specifically as a stress (Jamaica), and groundbreaking entertaintoy. Consumers stretch, stomp, and brutalers like Harry Belafonte (Jamaica), Cicely ize these dolls to release anger. When quesTyson (Nevis), and Rihanna (Barbados). tioned about the explicit racial design, one This month, we salute the spirit and global social media user explained that a white impact that unite us all. doll feels too human-like to abuse, whereas the Black doll is marketed for its “ugly” and Global ‘Sundown Town’ movement Aswad Walker “abstract” vibe. Compounding this cruelty, Recently, social media posts reveal efforts the market has expanded to target real-life Black infants by a group of people who want to “Make Vidor Great Again.” and children. Dehumanizing channels showcase Chinese More specifically, they want to return Vidor, Texas, to its adults exploiting, humiliating, and laughing at the abuse historic roots as a ‘Sundown Town,’ a place where Blackof African youth, heavily shielded from global scrutiny folk knew/know to get the hell outta dodge before nightfall,

by China’s digital firewalls. A BBC documentary exposed or face murderous consequences. The posts show good ol’ this horrific industry, uncovering a Chinese national in boys approaching fellow whites to sign their Vidor “SunMalawi who filmed local children without parental consent down Town” petition. And from the posts, everyone’s “all for online profit. We can’t do anything about other folks’ white” with the idea. One of the leaders of this movement anti-Blackness. But we can, and must, do something about describes himself as “mixed race,” but he lets Vidor residents our own. Only Black pride and Black love will allow us to know it wasn’t by choice. But this isn’t just a Vidor thing. The create the kind of reality for our people that will protect us Trump administration, following the Project 2025 playbook, from this madness, so we can give the world the reckoning established the Department of Remigration. It’s all about the they deserve, if we so choose.

U.S. government moving to remove all non-whites from the country. Sounds crazy, right? It used to be a fringe racist wet Celebrate Caribbean American Heritage Month dream. Now, it has federal funding, institutional backing, and June is not only Black Music Month. It’s also Caribbean growing global buy-in. Recently, representatives of Western American Heritage Month. This month, we celebrate the rich nations met in Portugal for a Global Remigration Conferculture, history, music, food, and contributions of Afro-Ca- ence, where they celebrated their movement’s exponential ribbeans who have helped shape communities throughout growth. They seek to make all European nations, Russia, America and the world. We honor our kin from Jamaica, the US, Argentina, and any other white or white-identifying Haiti, Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados, Cuba, Guyana, Saint nations literally colorless. You don’t have to believe me. Do Lucia, and all Caribbean nations. Many African Americans your own research. But please know, we’d better embrace and share deep cultural, historical, and family connections with support individuals, organizations, and movements that are the Caribbean. In fact, there’s no Harlem Renaissance, Civil unashamedly pro-Black, because other folks are declaring Rights Movement, or Black Power Movement in the U.S. anti-Blackness with their full chest. without the contributions of Afro-Caribbeans. The leader of the largest Pan-African movement the world has ever seen, On the web Marcus Mosiah Garvey, was an Afro-Caribbean from St. • More Black women are choosing luxury with no guilt.

Ann’s Bay, Jamaica. Without Garvey, there’s no Red, Black, • Before the gold, Nicholas Ferguson was just trying the and Green flag; no movement across the African continent 800. to kick out the colonizers; and no call for Pan-Africanism.

• Marlon Hall turns art into portals of Black healing.

Natasha Doll treatment

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DN News HMAAC condemns vandalism of artwork

By Gregory Stevenson

New data shows more people are dying in traffic crashes than from homicides. Credit: Getty.

Violence down, traffic fatalities up Data shows traffic fatalities outpace violent crime in Houston

By ReShonda Tate

Houston is seeing a sharp decline in violent crime so far in 2026, according to newly released data from the Major Cities Chiefs Association, with murders, robberies, and aggravated assaults all trending downward compared to the same period last year.

But while violent crime is dropping, another deadly trend is emerging on Houston streets: More people are dying in traffic crashes than from homicides.

Data from the Houston Police Department and the Texas Department of Transportation show that during the first three months of 2026, 67 people died in roadway crashes across Houston. During that same period, HPD reported 49 homicides.

The numbers reflect a broader shift in Houston’s public safety landscape, where violent crime continues to decline faster than national averages, even as traffic fatalities remain stubbornly high.

According to HPD’s first-quarter crime data, murders dropped by 36.4% from Jan. 1 through March 31 compared to the same timeframe in 2025. Reported robberies fell by 34%, while aggravated assaults declined by 9.7%. Reported rapes also saw

a significant decrease.

The statistics were compiled by the Major Cities Chiefs Association, which gathered crime data from 76 police departments across the United States and Canada, including 67 U.S. agencies.

Houston’s reductions outpaced national trends in every major violent crime category tracked in the report. Nationwide, homicides declined by 17.7%, rapes dropped 7.2%, robberies fell 20.4%, and aggravated assaults decreased 4.8%.

The latest numbers continue a trend city leaders highlighted earlier this year when HPD released its annual crime report for 2025.

According to that report, overall violent crime in Houston dropped 18.9% from 2024 to 2025. Murders were down 19%, sexual assaults fell 19.9%, robberies decreased 22.6%, and aggravated assaults declined 17.6%. Reports of kidnappings dropped Citywide Murder

10.5%, while human trafficking cases decreased by 34.4%.

Nonviolent crime also declined overall, although theft was one category that increased. HPD reported a 5% rise in thefts from 2024 to 2025. Other property crimes — including burglary, auto theft, and burglary of motor vehicles — each declined by more than 9%.

Despite the encouraging crime statistics, traffic deaths continue to be a growing concern for Houston officials and residents alike.

TxDOT reported 291 roadway fatalities in Houston during 2025, compared to 268 murders reported by HPD over the same year.

The data underscores an uncomfortable reality for Houston: While the city is becoming statistically safer from violent crime, its roads remain among the deadliest threats facing residents every day.

2024

2025

Diff

% Chg

331

268

-63

-19.0%

Sexual Assault

1,722

1,380

-342

-19.9%

Robbery

6,437

4,983

-1,454

-22.6%

Aggravated Assault

18,583

15,306

-3,277

-17.6%

Kidnapping

410

367

-43

-10.5%

Human Trafficking

96

63

-33

-34.4%

27,579

22,367

-5,212

-18.9%

Violent Crime

The Houston Museum of African American Culture (HMAAC) confirmed that “Man in the Garden,” a painting by Clarence Heyward in his current solo exhibition, sustained intentional damage by museum visitors.

Staff discovered the vandalism during routine gallery monitoring, promptly removed the artwork, filed a police report, and engaged art conservators.

In an unconventional move, museum officials halted the initial restoration process to put the damaged artwork back on display. HMAAC CEO Emeritus and exhibition curator John Guess, Jr. explained that the public needs to see the physical consequences when disagreement devolves into destruction.

“Museums exist to encourage inquiry, reflection, and conversation,” Guess stated.

“They are places where people encounter ideas they may embrace, challenge, or reject—but never silence through violence.”

As a leading institution celebrating African American history and culture, and the only Black museum in a major U.S. city operating without dedicated public funding, HMAAC emphasized that attacks on cultural expression can happen anywhere.

Officials noted that the incident raises broader, urgent concerns about how communities engage with differing viewpoints.

HMAAC Chief Executive Officer Davinia Reed reiterated that the museum’s immediate priorities are supporting Heyward and fully restoring the piece, while maintaining a safe environment for open civic engagement.

“Acts intended to intimidate, censor, or damage cultural expression will not deter us from our mission,” Reed said.

After vandals damaged a painting, Man in the Garden by Clarence Heyward, the HMAAC uniquely displayed the damaged work to force a public conversation regarding destruction and cultural expression. Courtesy HMAAC.

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DN News

Karmelo Anthony sentenced to 35 years Witnesses said Austin Metcalf and his brother repeatedly demanded that Anthony leave because he was not part of their team. The disagreement escalated into a heated exchange and eventually a physical confrontation.

Howard argued that Anthony felt threatened and outnumbered and believed he needed to protect himself from a potentially serious assault.

Prosecutors countered that a dispute over seating under a tent should never have become deadly and that Anthony’s decision to use a knife was unjustified.

Metcalf was transported to a nearby hospital after suffering a single stab wound to the chest, but later died from his injuries.

By Aswad Walker

What began as a routine high school track meet ended in tragedy and has now culminated in a murder conviction and a 35-year prison sentence that continues to divide public opinion.

On June 9, a Collin County jury found 19-year-old Karmelo Anthony guilty of murder in the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf during an April 2, 2025, Frisco ISD track meet at Kuykendall Stadium. Anthony was then sentenced to 35 years in prison.

While prosecutors hailed the verdict as justice for a young life lost, many in the Black community viewed the outcome as another reminder of the racial inequities they believe persist within the American legal system.

Concerns over jury composition Much of the controversy surrounding the trial centered not only on the facts of the case but also on the makeup of the jury.

Anthony, who is Black, was tried before a jury that included no Black jurors among either the 12 members or six alternates.

The jury selection process began with approximately 600 potential jurors. By the end of voir dire, three prospective Black jurors had been struck by prosecutors, who said the decisions were based on their occupations as educators and not race.

Defense attorney Mike Howard challenged the strikes, but Judge John Roach allowed the trial to proceed.

The exclusion of Black jurors drew criticism from civil rights groups, including The Next Generation Action Network (NGAN).

“We are deeply disturbed by what we witnessed during jury selection,” said NGAN President and CEO Minister Dominique Alexander. “The exclusion of all qualified Black jurors ... raises questions that cannot be ignored.”

For many observers, the jury composition revived longstanding

The conviction of Karmelo Anthony, a Black teenager, for a fatal confrontation sparks public outcry over systemic inequities and the exclusion of minority jurors. Credit: Screenshot via X.

concerns about whether Black defendants receive equal treatment in the justice system.

Emotional scenes outside courthouse As the trial unfolded, demonstrators gathered outside the Collin County Courthouse. Tensions were heightened by the presence of white nationalist and white supremacist groups that reportedly directed racial slurs toward Anthony, his family, and supporters.

When the guilty verdict was announced, emotional reactions swept through the crowd. One woman’s anguished cry — “This isn’t real!” — reflected the sense of disbelief and frustration felt by many who believed Anthony had not received a fair trial.

The prosecution’s case The central question for jurors was whether Anthony acted in self-defense or intentionally committed murder.

Lead prosecutor Bill Wirskye

and his team called 21 witnesses in an effort to dismantle the self-defense claim. One of the most significant testimonies came from Collin County Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Elizabeth Ventura, who said the single stab wound pierced Metcalf’s heart and was unsurvivable.

Student witnesses also described the confrontation and its aftermath. The prosecution argued that Anthony escalated a physical dispute by introducing a deadly weapon into an altercation that did not justify lethal force.

Roach allowed jurors to consider a lesser manslaughter charge, which carried a potential sentence of two to 20 years. The jury instead convicted Anthony of first-degree murder.

Anthony faced a sentence ranging from five to 99 years, or life in prison.

How the confrontation began The fatal encounter occurred during a rain delay at the track

meet. According to testimony, Anthony, who attended another school, sought shelter under a Memorial High School team tent in the stadium bleachers.

Debate continues Before the case moved into the sentencing phase, Anthony’s mother has asked the court for leniency on behalf of her son. A 35-year prison sentence was the response.

The jury has delivered its verdict, but broader questions about race, jury representation, self-defense, and equal justice are likely to remain part of the public conversation long after Anthony’s sentence is imposed.

VOLUME 95, NUMBER 34 - JUNE 11, 2026 Publisher | CEO Sonceria Messiah-Jiles Strategic Alllance Clyde Jiles Managing Editor ReShonda Tate Content Manager Terrance Harris Community Reporter Aswad Walker

Culture/Lifestyle Reporter Laura Onyeneho Special Assignments Reporter Tannistha Sinha Sports Terrance Harris Jimmie Aggison Video Editor Bryan Erdy

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 2026 copyright. No materials herein may be reproduced without the written permission of the Publisher. 713-663-6996 | P.O. Box 8005, Houston, TX 77288

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DN Feature

Red Foods:

By Laura Onyeneho

Chef Krystal Carter has had a passion for culinary arts since the age of 4.

She knew her way around a kitchen and the story behind Juneteenth. What she did not know was the historical context behind the celebration of red foods. And it wasn’t until she entered Juneteenth Houston’s first red food cook-off competition that she learned of this.

“Before last year, I didn’t have a concept of the importance of red foods as it pertained to Juneteenth or to our people,” said Carter, a Houston home cook who competes under the name Chef Krissy D. “And then I went into research.”

The hibiscus flower, which she had long used in floral arrangements, was brought to the Americas by enslaved Africans, valued for its medicinal properties and deep red hue.

The drink in the pitcher at every cookout she had ever attended was a living artifact of a culture that crossed an ocean and refused to disappear.

“I have a shirt that I wear that says, ‘ My freedom wasn’t free.’ And I think about the blood that was shared by our ancestors to get us to be able to dance in the streets,” Carter said. “To be able to have that cookout, to have that community, to be able to just celebrate where we have come in the amount of time that we’ve made it.”

Carter is not alone in that discovery. Most people sitting at a Juneteenth table have never been told the full story of what they are eating, or why.

A tradition rooted in West Africa

According to culinary historian Michael Twitty, the red foods tradition at Juneteenth traces directly to the Yoruba and Kongo peoples of West Africa, brought to T Texas d during i the final decades of the Atlan ntic slave trade.

Red represented spiritual p power, sacrifice, and transformation. West A African hosts welcomed guests with red-h hued bissap, a drink made from hibiscus flo owers. Those offerings crossed the Atlantiic alongside enslaved people to nourish their bodies, and quietly became tthe centerpiece of the oldest Blacck holiday in America.

John Nicklos, Chair of Juneteenth Houston (right) and winner of Juneteenth Houston’s Red Foods Cook off 2025, and Chef Krystal Carter (left), prepare for upcomin ng Juneteenth festivities s.

Credit: Jimmie Aggison/ / Defender. r.

A Juneteenth celebration

Keeping tradition alive

Red Velvet cake is a signature dish eaten during Juneteenth celebrations. Courtesy: Juneteenth Houston.

Debra Blacklock-Sloan, a sixth-generation Texan with more than 30 years of experience as a genealogist and historical researcher, has spent her career documenting exactly this kind of unbroken line. She is also precise about the history surrounding June 19, 1865, the day Union Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation.

“Texas was part of the Confederacy,” Blacklock-Sloan said. “When (Abraham) Lincoln issued the proclamation, it did not apply to Confederate states. Quit saying we got the news late. We have to tell people the truth about Juneteenth.”

That insistence on accuracy extends to the food. She grew up celebrating June 19 as her mother’s birthday, eating barbecue and drinking red soda water, with no understanding of what the color meant or where it came from.

“We are eating this food, not knowing what the symbolism is,” she said. “We tell them with our friends, with our families, with our kids. Like the griots of West Africa, we have to keep passing it down.”

After emancipation, the Harris County Festival Association raised $800 to purchase 10 acres in the city’s Fourth Ward, land that became Emancipation Park, the first public park bought by formerly enslaved people specifically for Juneteenth celebrations. That history is part of why John Nicklos, Chair of Juneteenth Houston, believes the work being done here matters in a way it cannot be replicated elsewhere.

This year, Juneteenth Houston will launch the second Red Foods Cookout Cook-Off, a backyard-style competition inviting local chefs to create dishes rooted in the red foods tradition. The festival’s date is expected to be announced soon.

Carter won the inaugural title with June’s Jubilee: a champagne cake layered with raspberry coulis and a buttercream made with dehydrated strawberries, honoring both the celebration and the history she discovered in making it.

TRADITIONAL RED FOODS & DRINKS Red Drinks: The most iconic, often including hibiscus tea (historically called “bissap”), red fruit punch, strawberry soda, and Texas-made Big Red soda.

Watermelon: A staple that is in peak season, representing both sustenance and the freedom formerly enslaved people achieved.

Red Velvet Cake: A popular dessert served to honor the occasion.

Barbecue and Meats: Smoked meats, such as brisket and pork ribs, covered in tomato-based red sauces, as well as red-dyed hot links.

Other Fruits/Veg: Strawberries, red berries, and beets.

Dishes using Red Palm Oil: West African dishes like jollof rice.

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DN InFocus The lasting impact of

W

By ReShonda Tate

hen Texas Republicans orchestrated an aggressive, mid-decade redistricting map last year, their motives were clear: Dismantle Black political power, dilute reliably Democratic strongholds, and force an artificial scarcity of representation.

By carving up the historic 9th Congressional District, mapmakers successfully engineered a painful collision, pitting two sitting Democratic incumbents — the iconic 78-year-old U.S. Rep. Al Green and 38-yearold U.S. Rep. Christian Menefee — against each other in a chaotic runoff for the 18th Congressional District.

It was a race neither man wanted. Menefee said as much on election night, noting that he and Green should have remained in Congress. But the redistricting effort accomplished its goal: two Black Democratic incumbents were forced to compete for one seat.

On paper, Republicans won. But what they could not redraw was Green’s legacy.

For nearly half a century, Green has been one of Houston’s most consistent advocates for civil rights, economic justice, and underserved communities. His congressional career may be winding down, but the impact he leaves behind stretches far beyond district boundaries and election returns.

Al Green CONGRESSMAN

Green will exit public office in January 2027 as one of Houston’s longest-serving elected officials, a man whose career has been defined less by political ambition than by a steadfast commitment to speaking up for people often left out of the conversation.

“This effort has been one that was sincere; it’s something that I have done as a labor of love,” Green said. “I have enjoyed all of my time as a member of the Congress of the United States of America... You probably see me smiling. And it’s because this is not the end. This is the beginning of a new chapter.”

Trump were consistent with a worldview shaped by the civil rights era.”

It is a legacy of unfiltered courage that even his fiercest political opponents have had to respect, and one that his successor acknowledges as foundational.

“Congressman Al Green is an icon,” Menefee said. “For decades, he has done what so few in public life are willing to do: he has spoken truth to power, directly to their faces, without flinching. He protested with his body, his voice, and his career on the line...

That is a legacy that will outlast any election.”

A life of service Long before he became a member of Congress, Green had already built a reputation as a public servant. In 1977, he was elected Harris County justice of the peace, a position he would hold for nearly three decades. During that time, he became known for treating the courtroom as more than a place of legal proceedings. It was a place where ordinary people could find fairness, dignity, and respect.

His influence expanded in the late 1980s, when he assumed leadership of the Houston branch of the NAACP during a time when membership and engagement had sharply declined.

Under Green’s leadership, the organization regained visibility and strength, helping advance civil rights advocacy across the region.

Former Texas Southern University

A champion for the marginalized Green’s supporters point to a career spent advocating for those often pushed to the margins of society. He fought for voting rights, affordable housing, labor protections, immigration reform, women’s rights, LGBTQ+ equality, and racial justice.

Even after losing his runoff election, Green made clear that his priorities remained unchanged. He vowed to continue fighting for women, immigrants, Palestinians, laborers, and minority communities for the remainder of his term.

That consistency may ultimately define his legacy more than any headline-grabbing moment.

Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis praised Green’s willingness to stand firm on difficult issues.

“Al Green has consistently fought for his

A consistent advocate for working families, voting rights, and other issues, Congressman Green was recently honored by Commissioner Rodney Ellis, whose office named a pavilion at Hill at Sims in Sunnyside after Green. Courtesy: Al Green

Known for his willingness to challenge those in power, Congressman Al Green became one of the nation’s most recognizable voices on issues of civil rights and social justice. Credit: Getty

President James Douglas, who met Green when he was a first-year law student, said one characteristic has remained unchanged throughout Green’s career.

“He’s a very ethical person,” Douglas said.

“Nobody ever thought he went to Congress for his own gratification or economic benefit. He’s never going to compromise when it comes to what he thinks is right for his constituents.”

The workhorse of Congress When Green arrived in Washington in 2005, he did not seek celebrity. Representing a heavily Democratic district rooted in southwest Houston, Green focused on constituent services, housing issues, financial policy, and committee work.

He became a senior member of the House Financial Services Committee, where much of the less glamorous but highly consequential work of Congress takes place.

Political observers often described Green as a workhorse rather than a show horse.

Over time, Green accumulated something invaluable in Washington: Seniority.

That influence helped him secure federal resources for communities throughout Houston, Missouri City, Pearland, Stafford, Harris County, and Fort Bend County.

His longtime aide, Crystal Webster, said Green’s focus never wavered.

“For 20-plus years, he has woken up with Congress and the people he represents on his mind and gone to bed with Congress and the people he represents on his mind,” Webster said. “This has been his focus.”

Speaking truth to power While Green spent much of his career as an institutional “workhorse,” he earned national renown for his fierce refusal to remain silent.

Guided by the philosophy of his late friend and civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis, Green consistently embraced the necessity of “good trouble,” even when it drew severe blowback.

In 2017, Green became the very first member of Congress to formally introduce articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump from the House floor. At the time, many Democratic leaders considered the move a massive, unnecessary political risk.

Yet Green’s early stand set the historical precedent for the official impeachment votes that followed years later.

That fearlessness made him a national symbol of resistance — and a frequent target for volatile rebukes from the White House. Green was escorted out of the House chamber in consecutive years for peaceful, visual protests during presidential addresses.

Most recently, during the State of the Union address this past February, he was escorted out after holding a handwritten sign reading, “Black people aren’t apes!” — a direct, public challenge to a Trump social media post depicting President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama as apes.

Through criticism, formal House censure, and national ridicule, Green remained unmoved.

“I don’t think he did it for electoral reasons,” noted Michael Adams, a political scientist at Texas Southern University. “He wanted to make a statement. His confrontations with

constituents, spoken with strength and moral clarity, and raised important issues with unmatched courage,” Ellis said. “History will fondly remember his contributions to our community and our country.”

The work continues Though the clock is winding down on his current term, Green has made it clear that his legislative priorities remain absolute. For his remaining seven months, he vows to keep fighting for women’s healthcare access, immigration reform, LGBTQ+ equality, and his ongoing legislative push to establish a federal Slavery Remembrance Day. For those who have worked alongside him, the political maps may shift, but the man remains immovable.

“Public ser vice doesn’t end because an election does,” said former Houston City Council memb er C a r rol l Robinson. “He’s not going anywhere.”

Read more Voices on Green’s legacy.

VOICES ON THE LEGACY OF CONGRESSMAN AL GREEN Al Green has consistently fought for his constituents, spoken with strength and moral clarity, and raised important issues with unmatched courage. History will fondly remember his contributions to our community and our country.

I deeply appreciate his service.”

Proud is an understatement. I don’t have the word big enough to describe how much he is appreciated by me and by members of the community. Because of the things that he’s done for not only just the African-American community, the Latino community, the LGBTQ+ community, the Muslim community, just the immigrant population overall... He has woken up for 20-plus years with Congress and the people that he represents on his mind, and has gone to bed with them on his mind. He has done an outstanding job.”

RODNEY ELLIS HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER

CRYSTAL WEBSTER CHIEF OF STAFF/ASSISTANT TO AL GREEN

8 | June 11, 2026 |

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DN Feature

Black men Confront growing loneliness epidemic

By Laura Onyeneho

James Pierre X remembers the moment his father apologized for crying.

The lesson was immediate and unspoken.

Men do not show emotion. Men endure.

“A man doesn’t cry,” his father told him.

He was reinforcing a belief that shaped how he navigated manhood. X learned to build what he calls “dams,” blocking emotional rivers before they surfaced. Years later, he said he realized the mask he was wearing had become too heavy. So he burned it.

His story reflects what health experts now identify as a growing male loneliness epidemic, a pattern of emotional isolation and social disconnection that is quietly affecting men across the country.

In 2023, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued a national advisory declaring loneliness and social isolation a public health crisis. The report found that chronic loneliness increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, depression, and premature death.

Researchers concluded the health impact can rival smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day.

But what exactly is the loneliness epidemic?

The male loneliness epidemic is a growing, serious public health crisis characterized by a sharp rise in men reporting a lack of close friendships, emotional support, and meaningful social connections.

Licensed therapist Katherine Barner explains that loneliness is not simply being alone. It is the distress that comes from feeling unseen, emotionally unsupported, or disconnected from meaningful relationships.

“Many of the Black Barner men I work with are surrounded by people,” Barner said.

“They have families, jobs, and responsibilities. But internally, they feel like no one really knows them.”

Barner said social isolation refers to having few relationships Dreams or limited contact with others. Loneliness, however, is emotional. A person can be married, employed, and active in church, yet still feel deeply disconnected.

Cultural conditioning plays a significant

Building a healthy network of good friends and enduring friendships to combat loneliness takes time. Credit: Ai

role for Black men.

“Black boys are often socialized to suppress vulnerability very early,” Barner said.

“They are praised for being tough and corrected for being tender. Over time, that suppression becomes automatic.”

Kwesi Dreams is a Houston-based community leader who creates safe spaces for Black men and boys to explore identity, masculinity, and emotional health. Through poetry gatherings, discussion circles, and one-on-one mentorship, he works to dismantle what he calls inherited emotional silence.

“We’re taught what not to be before we’re ever taught what to be,” Dreams said. “To be a man is separate from being human.”

He describes the phenomenon as emotional castration beginning in boyhood.

Boys learn quickly that softness is punished.

Isolation becomes framed as elevation, the lone provider, the stoic protector.

He experienced it firsthand after graduating from college and losing the daily brotherhood he had built on campus. That was the first time he experienced the loneliness epidemic. It felt like graduation, then real life, with no transition whatsoever.

He described struggling to adjust to the distance from close friends and the abrupt

shift into adulthood.

“We gotta be real with ourselves to say, I am hurting, I am in pain,” he said. “I believe that my brothers can help me to get through this pain.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide rates among Black males have risen significantly over the past decade, with notable increases among Black boys and young adults. While overall suicide rates remain higher among white men, experts note that Black men are less likely to access mental health treatment.

Barner said stigma is one of the biggest barriers.

“There is still a perception that therapy is weakness,” she said. “For Black men especially, admitting emotional pain can feel like risking respect.”

She also points to structural stressors.

Systemic racism, economic inequities, and over-policing create chronic stress. When that stress is paired with emotional suppression, it can manifest as irritability, withdrawal, overworking, or substance misuse.

Barner encourages men to start with small steps: naming emotions accurately, scheduling intentional check-ins with trusted friends, and seeking culturally competent counseling.

Key Causes and Factors Shrinking Social Circles: Men often rely on partners or work for social connection, leaving them vulnerable to isolation during life changes like retirement or divorce.

Cultural Expectations: Traditional ideas of masculinity often discourage vulnerability, making it difficult for men to express emotions or seek help.

Fewer Friendships: Men generally have fewer close friendships than women.

Lack of Proactive Socializing: Some argue that men sometimes focus too heavily on romantic validation rather than nurturing platonic, community-based friendships.

“Community can normalize vulnerability,” she said. “Therapy can help unpack trauma beneath it.”

June 11, 2026 |

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| 9

DN Profile

DJ Young Samm

Masters skills to elevate career in music industry

By Laura Onyeneho

Long before he became Slim Thug’s official DJ and producer, DJ Young Samm was a teenager walking the streets of small Texas towns like Cleveland and Monroe, selling tapes out of his hands to anyone who would listen.

Today, the Houston native stands as one of the most versatile talents in the Texas music scene, a DJ, producer, engineer, artist, graphic designer, director, and founder of Break Dem Boyz Off Entertainment, whose fingerprints are on the careers of artists from Megan Thee Stallion to Kirko Bangz.

DJ Young Samm, a Houston-based DJ-producer and founder of Break Dem Boyz Off Entertainment, has spent over a decade building careers for artists and opening doors across the Texas music industry as the official DJ and producer for rap legend Slim Thug. Credit: Jimmie Aggison

“I started off wanting to rap,” Samm said.

“The DJ thing, it kind of just happened.”

Growing up in a Houston home full of records and record players, his love for music was wired in early. By seventh grade, around 2002, he was spinning at teen parties. The real shift came around 2007 and 2008 when a friend named Money Making Boom gave him a regular slot at a Houston club called Motions. That stage is where DJing stopped being a hobby and became a calling.

What separated Samm from the start was resourcefulness. Before industry-standard

media players like CDJs and Serato became the norm, he showed up to gigs hauling a desktop computer, a monitor, and a USB DJ controller running MixVibes.

“I knew how to read waves. So I could get a song and line it up with the next track that way,” he said. “You have to know four-bar count, eight-bar count, how long the verse is, how long the hook is, you have to know how a song is formatted.”

His rise ran through a chain of mentors.

Swisher House’s Master Archie Lee first spotted him freestyling at a park block party at age 14. DJ Chill took him to the

If you’re trying to make it as a DJ, know the music before you touch the equipment. Show up everywhere, and never wait for anyone to hand you an opportunity.”

DJ YOUNG SAMM

Ozone Awards, into clubs like Candy Shop and Club Connection, and the radio at 90.1 Damage Control.

“When I got with Chill, I just started meeting everybody,” Samm said.

From there, Killa Kyleon helped build his video and production credits before introducing him to Rayface of Boss Hogg Outlawz, which led to a collaboration with Slim Thug.

Even that door took patience. Samm spent nearly a year at Boss Hogg quietly producing mixtapes before the right moment came. When Slim Thug needed a road DJ for the Live from the Underground Tour with Big K.R.I.T., Samm raised his hand. He just jumped out there and tried it, and that tour sealed a bond that has never broken.

Not every chapter came easily. In late 2017, bookings dried up, and a career that once had him working five nights a week came to a sudden stop. He hit a depression.

Samm called his father, packed his bags, and moved to Dallas in early 2018.

With a home studio down the hall and long stretches of quiet, he rebuilt, dropping mixtapes monthly on Audio Mac, then making the trip to Houston every Friday to DJ Engine Room’s Guilt Fridays before driving back to Dallas on Sunday. The grind never stopped. It just changed zip codes.

Those closest to him speak to what makes that grind different. Houston comedian Monty, known as Dat Damn Monty, has worked alongside Samm for more than 14 years, first in a rap group and now with Samm as his manager. It was Samm who pushed Monty toward comedy, created his brand, and has held him accountable at every level since.

“Genuine. He’s very transparent,” Monty said. “If he’s going to put his name on something, it’s always for longevity.” He added that Samm refuses to let comfort become a destination. “He does not operate in idleness or stagnation. It’s always another level to reach.”

That drive traces back to a humble beginning in Samm’s career journey. Creating his own seat at the table was his plan for success. The city that shaped him is the same spirit now that powers his company, Break Dem Boyz Off Entertainment, and his mission to mentor the next generation.

“If you’re trying to make it as a DJ, know the music before you touch the equipment,” Samm said. “Show up everywhere, and never wait for anyone to hand you an opportunity.”

10 | June 11, 2026 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Sports TEXAS SOUTHERN ASSISTANT COACH

SHYRONE CHATMAN

Focused on basketball business, not TSU interim label

By Terrance Harris

Shyrone Chatman has been a masterful salesman since he entered the business of college basketball coaching.

How else do you explain his ability to lure players from urban areas in Louisiana and Texas to come play out in the middle of nowhere in the Northeast and in the cold when Chatman was an assistant coach at UMass?

“I’ve always had to sell. I’ve always had to convince,” Chatman said. “I just think each experience has prepared me for the next.”

But no experience could have prepared Chatman for his biggest sales job yet, holding things down and restocking the Texas Southern men’s basketball program as the interim head coach. He has nearly completed the 2026-25 basketball schedule, added five recruits, and retained several players who were headed out the door when Johnny Jones abruptly resigned to take an assistant coaching job at LSU. Chatman has done all of this without the assurances of being the Tigers’ interim coach next season or even tomorrow, for that matter. In fact, the school recently announced it has hired a national search firm to find Jones’ replacement.

“I think you’ve got to get up and keep punching the clock,” Chatman said. “That’s all I know. I’m a fighter. I’ve been a fighter my whole life. I’ve overcome every hurdle and stumbling block that has been placed in my way. I just think you get up, you punch the clock.”

His first order of business was convincing players like Kehlin Farooq, Josh Farmer, Kolby Granger, and Cam Patterson to stick around. Then Chatman had to figure out how to replace 73 points per game from players who ran out of eligibility after this past season.

He jumped in the transfer portal and began replenishing by luring Jason Kimbrough, a JUCO All-American guard, JUCO standout forward Sayed Sayed, Southern Utah guard Jaylan Walton, and Jacksonville State forward Bencao Vungo. Chatman anticipates bringing in a few more before the summer is over.

As an assistant coach at TSU for the last nine years, first under Mike Davis for a

Shyrone Chatman (left) was instrumental in helping develop star TSU players like P.J. Henry (right). Credit: TSU athletics.

season and then eight seasons under Jones, Chatman is entrenched in the culture and knows the type of players the program needs to win.

“Everything is going as planned. It’s kind of business as usual,” Chatman said. “Trying to knock out the portal. First, we had to keep our deal together, making sure who we were going to be bringing back. Now you are just adding the pieces to it.”

But for a couple of weeks after Jones left on the day the transfer portal opened, Chatman sat in his office with the interim title but unsure of what latitude he had.

The portal was open, and Chatman and the remaining staff were naturally anxious to do what assistant coaches do in the spring: Recruit. He started asking questions, and he was eventually given the green light to proceed with doing the business of college basketball as if the job were his.

“I waited for about two weeks. I kind of felt paralyzed with my hands tied behind my back on what I could do,” said Chatman.

“Naturally, for me, this is grind time. I’m used to hitting the ground running and recruiting. Once I found out what I was allowed to do and what my parameters were, and I

I think you’ve got to get up and keep punching the clock. That’s all I know. I’m a fighter. I’ve been a fighter my whole life. I’ve overcome every hurdle and stumbling block that has been placed in my way. I just think you get up, you punch the clock.”

SHYRONE CHATMAN

Shyrone Chatman has been a trusted assistant basketball coach at TSU, first under Mike Davis and, for the last eight seasons, under Johnny Jones.

Now he is the Tigers’ interim head coach. Credit. TSU athletics

was given the okay to recruit, then I started building a roster.”

Arkansas basketball coach John Calipari, who coached Chatman at Memphis and later hired him onto his staff, has been proud of how he has approached this opportunity at TSU. “You coach these young people, and you want them to learn more than just playing basketball, making a basket, and trying to win a game. Trying to take care of themselves, the big picture of how do I make a difference, how do I impact others? How do I impact where I am?” Calipari said. “One of the things I tell young coaches is to work where your feet are. You make the job you have your next job. And that’s kind of how he approached it.”

Long Island head basketball coach Rod Strickland, who was on the Memphis coaching staff with Chatman and remains close, believes Chatman has paid his dues and learned from the right people and deserves real consideration for the permanent job at TSU. “I know he wants it,” Strickland said.

“We’ve had plenty of conversations between the two of us about getting opportunities. I just think it’s well deserved. He can coach, he can recruit, and he knows how to deal with young people.”

Chatman isn’t shy about admitting he wants the job permanently.

“I would be doing myself a misjustice not to,” he said. “I’ve put almost a decade into this place. I think every assistant coach, if you are doing it this long, has to have a dream of one day leading their own program.”

June 11, 2026 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

| 11

DN Sports BELLAIRE HS

RODERICK BROWN Focuses on baseball future, giving back

By Jimmie Aggison

For Bellaire High School junior Rodrick Brown, baseball has never been just a game.

From the moment he first picked up a bat at four years old, the diamond became both a proving ground and a classroom.

Now a three-year varsity player following in his older brother’s footsteps, Rodrick is focused on catching the attention of college recruiters. But beyond the stats and scholarship dreams, his vision extends further, toward building something lasting for the next generation of players seeking both opportunity and guidance.

“My earliest baseball memory is hitting an inside-the-park home run at my tee-ball game,” said Rodrick.

As he grew older, the game began to demand more than mere enjoyment. By middle school, fun gave way to the reality of competition and the need to grow.

“I didn’t make my sixth-grade team at Pershing Middle School,” said Rodrick.

“That same year, I gave up the game-winning grand slam in the district championship on my little league team, and I struggled hitting the ball, too.”

Those moments forced a shift in mindset.

“I shifted my perspective from ‘I’m just going to have fun with my friends’ to ‘I want to be the best player on the field every day,’” said Rodrick.

Rodrick’s journey has also been shaped by the presence of his older brother, Ronald Brown Jr., whose own path through Bellaire set an example, but never a comparison.

“I remember playing my games at Bellaire and the University of Houston and Rodrick being locked in when I was up to bat,” said Ronald Jr. “I feel like my experience at Bellaire set a standard for him, but I never wanted him to compare himself to me. I always wanted him to have his own journey and write his own chapter.”

That balance, learning from someone close while forging his own identity, has defined Rodrick’s development.

“My freshman and sophomore years, I primarily played second and third base while practicing as the backup shortstop,” said Rodrick. “Starting at shortstop my junior year was something I had been waiting for since the day I stepped on campus.”

Early on, Rodrick admits he misunderstood what his team needed from him.

“As a freshman, I showed potential but wasn’t consistent, which led to self-doubt,” said Rodrick.

That doubt lingered into his sophomore

Bellaire High School junior shortstop Rodrick Brown signals to the outfield as he just helped his team get the second out. Credit: Jimmie Aggison/ Defender.

season. Despite earning national recognition from Perfect Game, he often found himself overthinking during games.

He changed his approach this past season.

“I’ve learned to trust myself,” said Rodrick.

“Consistency is better long-term than flashes of greatness.”

That steady growth hasn’t just earned respect from teammates; it has also

positioned him to pursue opportunities at the next level.

“Over the summer, I plan to attend the Houston Christian University Showcase and others while continuing to play travel ball with Offseason Baseball Club,” said Rodrick.

Even as he works toward a college baseball career, Rodrick maintains a grounded perspective shaped by his brother’s experience.

His brother had the opportunity to be drafted out of high school but chose to play at the University of Houston instead.

“Though it gets tough at times, I remind myself that the opportunity I get will be the opportunity I deserve,” said Rodrick. “If I play well enough to be recruited to Division I, then I’ve earned it. If not, I can’t complain.”

While many athletes focus solely on making a roster, Rodrick’s vision extends well beyond his own career. His long-term goal is to establish a youth baseball organization that emphasizes both development and mentorship.

“I want to create an environment that doesn’t just produce advanced players, but molds them into young men, and more importantly, a family,” said Rodrick. “I’ve played with the same travel ball coach since I was about seven. But, having different teammates over the years helped me build bonds and understand people on a deeper level.”

That idea has already been a topic of conversation within his circle.

“Once Rodrick got to high school, we talked about starting our own travel ball organization to pour back into the youth,” said Ronald Jr. “I coach now, and watching the work we put in show up during games, there’s nothing like it.”

Rodrick’s desire to give back is also rooted in experiences beyond the field.

“Being in the Bellaire baseball program has given Rodrick opportunities to participate in various community service activities,” said Rodrick’s father, Ronald Sr. “That’s where his desire to give back really comes from.”

To those closest to him, that mindset reflects who Rodrick has always been.

“The give-back mentality shows who he is off the field,” said Ronald Jr. “Baseball is one of the hardest sports; you have seconds to make decisions. Rodrick carries that into everything: school, his craft, and how he handles failure and adjusts.”

That ability to process failure, stay disciplined, and lead has become central to Rodrick’s identity, not just as a player, but as a person.

For Rodrick, the journey is about more than where baseball can take him. It’s about how far he can take others once he gets there.

“Beyond baseball, success is waking up every day and doing what I love, regardless of money or time,” said Rodrick. “When my playing career is over, I want to be someone people see as a leader, someone who advises others while holding them and myself accountable.”

12 | June 11, 2026 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Feature SAFETY TIPS

Keep Houston kids safe in water

By Aswad Walker

As the scorching Texas heat arrives, families across the Greater Houston area naturally flock to pools, lakes, and neighborhood aquatic centers for relief and recreation.

However, summer’s favorite pastime carries a silent, disproportionate danger.

National and regional data paint a sobering picture of water hazards, particularly for communities of color. According to CDC data, the national drowning death rate for Black individuals was 28% higher in 2021 than in 2019. The disparities are especially stark among youth: Black children aged 10–14 are 7.6 times more likely to drown in a swimming pool than their white peers.

Tragically, a 2018 study revealed that 70% of African American children do not know how to swim.

The crisis hits close to home. Nearly 30% of all Texas child drownings occur in Harris County and its surrounding areas. Between 1999 and 2020, Black Texans experienced higher drowning death rates compared to white or Asian/Pacific Islander Texans.

Furthermore, drowning remains the leading cause of death for children ages 1–4, accounting for 80% of Texas child drownings in that age group in 2020.

Faced with these statistics, local leaders, first responders, and aquatic organizations are uniting to change the narrative.

The myth of the loud drowning

A primary obstacle to water safety is the widespread misunderstanding of how drowning actually occurs. Pop culture often depicts a drowning person as shouting for help and violently thrashing, but real-life scenarios are terrifyingly quiet.

“If a child gets in the pool and they breathe in even a small amount of water, they lose the ability to make noise, and they’re going to go under the water silently,” explains Dudley Wait, chief of EMS for Fort Bend County. “If you’re in your living room listening to the kids play in the pool and saying, ‘Oh, everything’s okay,’ it may not be. You won’t know until one of the kids comes to get you or you look out and see a child on the bottom of the pool.”

First responders stress that these tragedies ripple far beyond the water’s edge.

“In Fort Bend County last year alone, we had eight fatalities,” says Fort Bend County Sheriff Eric Fagan. “This is devastating to the families, but not only to the families, to the first responders going to a call that should have never happened.”

The consensus among experts is absolute: water tragedies are completely preventable through active, visual supervision and proper barriers. Because children out of school often try to “sneak and get in,” adults must remain hyper-vigilant.

Actionable steps for water safety

To keep families safe around water this summer local water safety experts recom mend adhering to a strict set of protocols: DESIGNATE WATER WATCHERS “Make sure that when you’re around water, you have someone designated to watch the water,” said Candess Tucker of Johnnie Means Aquatics. She recommends rotating adults in 15- to 30-minute shifts so the supervisor remains entirely focused and refreshed.

ELIMINATE DISTRACTIONS Visual attention means putting away phones, books, and social media. “Put down your phone. Get rid of distractions, and 24/7, you’re watching that pool. Because a child can drown in a few seconds,” warned Fagan.

CHOOSE HIGH-VISIBILITY SWIMWEAR Avoid loose, baggy garments.

Families should opt for bright, high-visibility colors while avoiding blue swimwear that blends into the water or white swimwear that vanishes against the pool bottom.

IMPLEMENT THE BUDDY SYSTEM Always swim in pairs. “Make sure that there’s a partner that you stay with that’s accountable for you, and you’re accountable for them,” Tucker advised.

STAY SOBER Adults supervising or participating in water activities must strictly avoid alcohol or any other substances that impair judgment and reaction times.

Overcoming access barriers

While supervision is critical, long-term prevention relies heavily on water competency and physical access to safe swimming facilities. However, Black Houstonians frequently face systemic barriers to acquiring these life-saving skills.

“There’s national data that shows that Black children have a high percentage where they don’t know how to swim, particularly if their parents don’t know how to swim,” noted Houston City Councilmember Tiffany Thomas (District F).

Thomas highlights that as Homeowners Associations (HOAs) close private neighborhood pools due to rising maintenance

Houston leaders combat high child drowning rates by debunking the silent drowning myth and promoting access to essential swim and CPR training.

Credit: Mieke Campbell/Unsplash.

costs, public resources become even more vital. Unfortunately, historically underserved neighborhoods often see their facilities closed first or subjected to limited operational hours during municipal budget crunches.

“Regardless of where you’re at in the city, we want to make sure that Houstonians and Black folks have access to training,” Thomas shared.

To counter these gaps, the city, and Thomas’s own District F initiative—the annual Summer of Safety event—rely on partnerships with the Houston Parks Department and local initiatives like Houston Swim Waves to keep public assets fully activated.

of Texas Southern University (TSU).

The program honors the legacy of Coach Johnnie Means, the historic former head coach of the nationally-ranked TSU Tiger Sharks, who later founded the Harris County Aquatics Program.

Houston City “When Harris County ended Councilmember the competitive side, that’s how I Tiffany Thomas started Johnnie Means Aquatics,” (District F) is set to said Tucker. Families can find host the 4th Annual information about their low-cost Summer of Safety, instructional programming at which features a www.meansaquatics.com. huge water safety component. Credit: Aswad Walker/ Defender.

Low-cost swim lessons and local programs

A variety of accessible, low-cost training programs are available across the Greater Houston area to ensure financial limitations do not prevent children from learning to swim.

The YMCA of Greater Houston offers discounted swim lessons as part of its “Safety Around Water” outreach program. Available across all 20 Houston-area YMCAs, the program focuses on fundamental life-saving skills.

“We teach things like teaching kids not to jump in after somebody, how to flip yourself onto your back, and propel yourself to a wall,” says Eric Tiggeman, executive director of the Fort Bend Family YMCA. Another critical local resource is Johnnie Means Aquatics, a competitive swim team and learn-to-swim program operating out

Community action: The Summer of Safety

Targeted community events are also scaling up to meet local demand. In District F, Thomas is spearheading the 4th Annual Swim Safety event as part of a broader “Summer of Safety” initiative at the Alief Neighborhood Center and Alief Aquatic Center.

Scheduled for Saturday, June 13, the event features three distinct training sessions designed to prepare families right after city pools open for the season. Recognizing that safety is a multi-layered effort, the initiative integrates vital adult education.

“Every year we’ve added a component of CPR training. So, if you are watching your kids... if something happens, you’re prepared to respond,” stated Thomas.

Ultimately, the collective goal of these regional efforts is to reshape Houston’s relationship with summer recreation, replacing fear with preparedness.

“The pool should be a fun place where parents should not have to worry,” added Tiggeman. “I would love to see zero drownings this year.”