Houston Defender: June 22, 2017

NEWSTALK

CPS ACCUSED OF DISCRIMINATING AGAINST BLACK CHILDREN, FAMILIES P2

facebook.com/DefenderNetwork

Houston’s Leading Black Information Source

Volume 86 | Number 35

JUNE 22, 2017 |FREE

www.defendernetwork.com

twitter.com/DefenderNetwork

NATIONAL PHILANDO CASTILE NAACP calls for Federal investigation

P4

FEATURE SOCIAL MEDIA Employers checking accounts before hiring

HISD on the hot seat

P5 SPORTS DESHAUN WATSON working hard at camp

SUPT. TALKS

P10

H PAGE 6

Ruth Simmons tapped to lead PV

She is the only Black woman to lead an Ivy League University, now Simmons is taking over the helm at Prairie View A & M University as interim president.

The former Brown president will replace George Wright, who announced his retirement.

H PAGE 3

TOP EVENTS

Tupac

Biopic in theaters

“All Eyez on Me” is out but the film about the iconic rapper has not been without its share of criticism. From two multimillion-dollar lawsuits, a rotating door of writers and directors, and public bashing from Tupac’s friends, the movie is garnering mixed reviews.

H PAGE 8

85 years defendernetwork.com • Serving the Houston area for over 80

Khambrel Marshall, Judson Robinson III and Frederick Barksdale at the Houston Area Urban League gala.

P12

2

DEFENDER | JUNE 22 | 2017

newstalk

TSU announces partnership with KIPP Defender News Services

Citing matching demographics served and a mutual desire to dramatically increase the number of low-income high school students who go “to and through college,” Texas Southern University, KIPP Foundation and KIPP Houston Public Schools recently partnered to achieve that goal.

A memorandum of understanding to develop programs that address the challenges of low-income, collegeeligible students was signed by leaders of those institutions during a ceremony at TSU’s Rod Paige Education Building.

“If you think about what the landscape of Texas will look like in 2030, I don’t have to tell you that it fits the demographics of both KIPP and TSU,” said TSU President Austin A. Lane.

“That’s why we are so excited about this partnership. We know that we have a golden opportunity to train those next leaders and have them graduate from Texas Southern University. I couldn’t think of a better partnership than with KIPP.” Sehba Ali, KIPP Houston Public Schools superintendent, announced KIPP will send 30 freshmen to TSU this fall, joining 43 KIPPsters already enrolled.

Signing the TSU/KIPP agreement are (seated, l. to r.) TSU President Austin A. Lane, KIPP Houston Public Schools Superintendent Sehba Ali and KIPP co-founder Mike Feinberg. (Photo by Earlie Hudnall)

defendernetwork.com

CPS discrimination alleged Panelists and speakers listed poverty as a big culprit. Additionally, blame was placed on the CPS system being set up to On the heels of a federal civil rights fail Black children due to underfunding. suit filed in Houston charging Child Protec“Currently, we’re working with a tive Services (CPS) with discriminating debtor’s prison type system that punishes against Black children and families, the the poor,” said State Rep. Gene Wu. “The Coalition for the Preservation of the Black vast majority of children removed from Family held a town hall meeting at SHAPE homes live in poverty.”

Community Center to discuss causes and Wu said he didn’t blame CPS case proper responses. workers for discrimination. “They make Attorney Pamela Williams Muham$30,000 a year working 60-hour weeks. mad, who announced the federal suit, shared And most of them are Black and Hispanwith attendees that Black children in Texas ic. I blame the government for underfundare four times more likely ing case workers.” than white children to State Sen. Borris be placed in foster care.

Miles argued that children She labeled this inequity do better when living “disproportionality.” with family. He said that “Disproportionality in cases where CPS does means that Black children allow a removed child to are represented in CPS live with a relative, the at a rate higher than our state grossly underpays percentage in the general that relative, providing population,” said Wil$1,000 a year to care for liams Muhammad. the child.

According to a Derek Wilson, Ph.D. Deborah Green, 2013 study by Racial Eqan expert in child abuse prevention and uity Consultant Joyce James, “In Texas, as disproportionality, listed confrontational in the nation, African-American, and to a experiences with CPS workers as another lesser extent Hispanic children, are more hurdle, and provided a list of things to do likely to be taken out of the home and if a person is ever visited by CPS. placed into foster care than whites, even Derek Wilson, Ph.D., president of when families have the same characteris- the Houston Association of Black Psytics and problems.” chologists, listed the negative outcomes James added that Black children in of removing children from families.

Texas are twice as likely to be removed “The younger the child, the greater from their families and four times as the feeling of abandonment,” said Wilson. likely to be placed in foster care when He added that younger children suffer compared to their white and Hispanic more anxious behavior, experience the counterparts, and that once in the system, same level of trauma as if they had an they stay longer without family reunifica- abusive parent, and are hampered in their tion. ability to develop healthy attachments.

Williams Muhammad shared 2006 “When you can’t form positive statistics that painted the five zip code relationships with others this opens the areas in and around Sunnyside as the door to mood disorders, distrust, anxiety, place where the highest number of Black depression, and a feeling that the world children are removed nationwide. owes them something,” Wilson said.

By ASWAD WALKER Defender

localbriefs TEXAS GOV. GREG ABBOTT SIGNED the Sandra Bland Act into law to address the circumstances that led to Bland’s death in July 2015. The new law mandates that county jails channel those with mental health and substance abuse issues to treatment and aims to make it easier for defendants to receive bond if they have a mental illness or disability. It also requires officers to receive de-escalation training and agencies to investigate jail deaths. Bland, 28, had just moved from Chicago to start her new job in Texas when she was arrested, and later found dead in her jail cell. Investigators ruled her death a suicide…….ABBOTT ALSO SIGNED Senate Bill 2118, which allows the Texas Higher Education

Coordinating Board to authorize certain public junior colleges to offer baccalaureate degree programs in the fields of applied science, applied technology and nursing.

Lone Star College will develop proposals for a Bachelor in Nursing and Applied Technology for approval by the Coordinating Board and the Texas Board of Nursing.

The proposals will include details on the program and course delivery, dual credit agreements, clinical capacity and faculty recruitment plans…….LEADERS IN THE HIP-HOP COMMUNITY have joined forces with the Houston Public Library to provide youth with the opportunity to receive scholarships to pursue their career

goals. Scholarships include: Franklin Beauty School; On the Grind, which will award $500 scholarships to two aspiring, young entrepreneurs seeking to open a business; No Sisters Left Behind, which will provide $250 scholarships to four aspiring, young entrepreneurs seeking to open a business; the AIDS Foundation Scholarship of $500 toward college tuition; and Barron Recording Studios, which will award two aspiring vocal artists a fourhour recording, mixing and mastering studio session and a chance to meet and speak executives. The application deadline is Friday, June 30.

Visit www.houstonlibrary.org/hip-hop-literacy for details.

defendernetwork.com • Serving the Houston area for over 85 years

defendernetwork.com

JUNE 22 | 2017 | DEFENDER

Simmons will temporarily lead PVAMU Texas Tribune

Prairie View A&M University has lured a prominent former Ivy League president to temporarily lead the historically Black university – a move that will likely surprise many in the higher education world, and even surprised the new president at first.

The decision was finalized by a unanimous vote of the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents. Ruth Simmons, who became first Black president of an Ivy League university when she took over Brown in 2001, will be interim president until a permanent replacement for current President George Wright can be found.

Simmons presided over Brown for 11 years, and was once named by Time magazine as the best university president Ruth Simmons in the nation.

The current president, George Wright, The Houstonian has been retired since announced that he was stepping down to 2012 and said she never expected to take a return to the faculty. job like this. In an interview, she said she did Simmons said she has received numerous it because the university has a mission that inquiries about returning to higher educashe believes in. tion since she retired, and she has regularly “Frankly, I was flabbergasted when I was dismissed them outright.

But when A&M approached about this – I didn’t know what System Chancellor John Sharp approached to think,” Simmons said.

her about this job, she hesitated to reject him.

Then, she allowed herself to be talked into the move, she said.

She said she received her undergraduate degree from a historically Black college (Dillard), and owes a lot to schools like Prairie View, which one of her 11 siblings and a few of her nieces attended. And she said she’s intrigued by Prairie View’s devotion to engineering and other science and technology disciplines. Black people are underrepresented in those fields, she said, and the university can do a lot to combat that.

“If I can go into Prairie View to take care of the place during the interim, it would seem to me that it would be untoward if I did not step up to that,” she said.

A&M System leaders touted the hiring as a coup.

“Dr. Simmons has been an important figure on the national stage for decades,” Sharp said in a statement. “She has the credentials to be the president of any university in America.”

Simmons said she only agreed to the job if the system made clear that she was taking it temporarily, “because I am old and I’m retired.”

She also said she has no plans to be a placeholder. Simmons will start work July 1.

Free HIV testing

*

at select Walgreens June 27, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

June 28, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

For testing sites, visit greaterthan.org/Walgreens.

We can help you stay healthy.

The first step is knowing your status.

*Testing provided by health departments and AIDS organizations. ©2017 Walgreen Co. All rights reserved. | 487328-368

3

4

DEFENDER | JUNE 22 | 2017

defendernetwork.com

national

U.S.briefs

Castile acquittal causes

OUTRAGE: NAACP seeks federal investigation

A

Defender News Service

frican-Americans expressed outrage in the acquittal of Officer Jeronimo Yanez in the death of Philando Castile, a 32-year-old Black man.

Yanez, who fatally shot Castile on July 6, 2016 during a traffic stop in Falcon Heights, Minn., was acquitted on all charges by a jury. Castile’s death sparked protests and made national headlines.

The shooting’s aftermath was streamed live by Castile’s girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds. She said Castile was shot while reaching for his ID after telling Yanez that he was armed and had a gun permit. Reynolds and her 4-year-old daughter were in the car with Castile.

Following the acquittal of Yanez, thousands of demonstrators gathered in St. Paul, Minn., and state police arrested 18 protestors.

The attorney for Castile’s mother said a civil lawsuit will be filed against Yanez in federal court.

“I’m mad as hell right now, yes I am,” Valerie Castile said.

“My first born, number one son, dead, here in Minnesota. Under the circumstances, just because he’s a police officer, that makes it OK. Now, they got free reign.”

The NAACP said it stands in solidarity with the Castile family during a time of profound disapJeronimo Yanez pointment.

“Although the St. Anthony Police Department has made the important decision to terminate Officer Yanez’s employment, without a conviction justice has not been served,” the organization said in a statement.

“The egregious facts of this case underscore the failures of the criminal legal system even in clear cut cases of police violence. Without provocation, Officer Yanez shot Philando Castile five times during a 2016 traffic stop. Officer Yanez’s statements at the scene contradicted his testimony and that of other witnesses, yet he was acquitted. This case makes it crystal clear that police officers may murder with impunity.”

W.C. Jordan, state president of the Minnesota NAACP, called for justice and accountability.

“Mr. Castile’s family has already lost their loved one to violence and now they are being denied justice,” Jordan said. “If Philando Castile was not safe driving his family to buy groceries, no one is safe.”

“Law enforcement has to begin to acknowledge the

Philando Castile

racism that many times shapes both their decisions and the outcomes that result from those decisions,” Jordan said. “Despite multiple discussions with state leaders on this issue and others, we have seen no change.

Progress must start with accountability.”

Leon Russell, board chairman of the NAACP, said the verdict shows the need for criminal justice reform.

“The acquittal of Officer Yanez, coming on the heels of the acquittal of [Tulsa Officer] Betty Jo Shelby for the murder of Terence Crutcher, is an affront to justice, and a chilling reminder of the urgent need for reforms,” Russell said.

“We have seen this scenario play out too often, and we cannot accept the status quo: no accountability when our trust is betrayed and our lives are taken by the people who are sworn to protect and serve us.”

Russell said police violence “cannot go unpunished.”

The NAACP is calling for: 1) The federal prosecution of Yanez for civil rights violations.

2) A Department of Justice investigation for use of excessive force.

3) The state of Minnesota to enact immediate measures to provide greater transparency, accountability and civilian oversight of police.

FORMER ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC HOLDER has completed an investigation into claims of sexual harassment and discrimination made against Uber. Holder was hired after the ride-share company experienced a number of mishaps and bad press. The report indicated that Uber’s chief executive, Travis Kalanick, who has stepped back for a leave of absence after being accused of flouting regulations, should have his responsibilities reallocated. It also called for more board oversight as well as an improved human resources program and better training, including “a robust and effective complaint process.” In order to diversify the workplace, the report also suggested that Uber should look at more diverse hiring sources, such as historically Black college and universities…….TWO WHITE SEATTLE POLICE OFFICERS are under fire after they fatally shot a 30-year-old Black mother who had called them to investigate a burglary and whose family said had deteriorating mental health. Both officers opened fire on the woman, named by family as Charleena Lyles, inside the apartment building after they said she confronted them brandishing a knife, police said. She died at the scene. There were several children inside the apartment at the time, though they were uninjured, police said…….MILWAUKEE COUNTY SHERIFF DAVID CLARKE said he is withdrawing his name from consideration for assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, but the agency declined to confirm the appointment, saying it announces such senior appointments once the DHS secretary makes them official. The tough-talking Clarke, who is known for his provocative social media presence, is an outspoken supporter of President Donald Trump.

According to a statement, Clarke said he “is 100 percent committed” to Trump’s success and that he “believes his skills could be better utilized to promote the President’s agenda in a more aggressive role.” Clarke is “reviewing options inside and outside of government,” the statement said.

VOLUME 86 • NUMBER 36 JUNE 22, 2017 Publisher Sonceria Messiah-Jiles Ad/Client Relations Selma Dodson Tyler Digital Editor LaGloria Wheatfall Art Director Tony Fernandez-Davila Proofer Maia Shelby

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

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

defendernetwork.com • Serving the Houston area for over 85 years

defendernetwork.com

JUNE 22 | 2017 | DEFENDER

5

More employers relying on social media Defender News Service

Before posting pictures of your late-night revelry or complaints about your job on social media, think again – 70 percent of employers use social media to screen candidates before hiring, up significantly from 60 percent last year and 11 percent in 2006.

The national survey was recently conducted online on behalf of CareerBuilder by Harris Poll. It included a representative sample of more than 2,300 hiring managers and human resource professionals across industries and company sizes in the private sector.

“Most workers have some sort of online presence today– and more than half of employers won’t hire those without one,” said Rosemary Haefner, chief human resources officer at CareerBuilder.

“This shows the importance of cultivating a positive online persona. Job seekers should make their professional profiles visible online and ensure any information that could negatively impact their job search is made private or removed.”

Social recruiting is becoming a key part of HR departments – three in 10 employers (30 percent) have someone dedicated to the task.

Employers aren’t just looking at social media – 69 percent are using online search engines such as Google, Yahoo and Bing to research candidates as well, compared to 59 percent last year.

Of those who decided not to hire a candidate based on their social media profiles, the reasons

included candidates who…

• Posted provocative or inappropriate photographs, videos or information: 39 percent • Posted information about them drinking or using drugs: 38 percent • Had discriminatory comments related to race, gender, religion: 32 percent • Bad-mouthed their previous company or fellow employee: 30 percent • Lied about qualifications: 27 percent • Had poor communication skills: 27 percent • Were linked to criminal behavior: 26 percent • Posted too frequently: 17 percent Your online persona doesn’t just have the potenT:9.5”

tial to get you in trouble. Cultivating your presence online can also lead to reward. More than four in 10 employers (44 percent) have found content on a social networking site that caused them to hire the candidate.

The survey also found that 57 percent of employers are less likely to call someone in for an interview if they can’t find a job candidate online. Of that group, 36 percent like to gather more information before calling in a candidate for an interview.

Just because you landed the job doesn’t mean you can disregard what you post online. More than half of employers (51 percent) use social networking sites to research current employees.

T:6.5”

Make “the perfect new home for us” happen New neighborhood. Bigger house. Closer commute. Whatever your reason for buying your first or next home, we’re here to help you every step of the way.

You’ll have personal support, low down payment options, and online resources to help you find the right loan—and enjoy your new home for years to come.

Information is accurate as of date of printing and is subject to change without notice. Wells Fargo Home Mortgage is a division of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. © 2017 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. NMLSR ID 399801

Call: 1-888-424-4943 Explore your options at: wellsfargo.com/yournewhome

6

DEFENDER | JUNE 22 | 2017

Conversations & Coffee

HISD on the hot seat SUPT. TALKS

By RESHONDA TATE BILLINGSLEY Defender The Houston Independent School District has seen its share of conflict and criticism. In fact, in the nine months that he’s been on the job, Superintendent Richard A. Carranza says he has seen every conceivable challenge. But Carranza says he’s already facing those challenges head on.

At the Defender Conversations & Coffee event, Carranza talked about some pressing HISD issues in the Black community.

Carranza on… paying attention to those six components in all of those feeder pattern Top accomplishments at HISD during the first year… schools. Last year at this time, Worthing had one of the highest “One of the biggest is we’ve gotten our bond program back on unfilled teacher vacancies. We made a leadership change, now track. We are now opening schools and schools are now coming in Worthing is almost completely staffed. Not with brand new teachers, under budget. With the savings, we’ve been able to reallocate that but experienced teachers who are coming to make a call to action. money back into construction.

School improvement is not lofty ideas. It’s hard blue collar work. We “We’re also starting to have some very targeted conversations are bringing experienced teachers, great leadership, we’re actually about meeting the needs of all students. We’re revamping our student networking the schools in the feeder pattern and we’re providing nutrition services. If you consider the fact that over 85 percent of our time in the school day for professionals to collaborate and apply best students qualify for free and reduced lunch, this is the place where practices. We are also providing coaches who are embedded to give many of our students get advice. We’re coaching the professional.” one, two or three of their Fixing the attendance penalties that offset the Find out what Carranza has to say meals, we have to have good federal dollars from Title 1, which provide funding nutrition. for at-risk and poor children… about Recapture, Charter Schools “Also, there was no

“That is exactly the kind of equity and HISD’s magnet programs at trust in the school district issues we’re diving into. Title 1 is meant to provide so I made it a point to be additional resources for students in poverty. So, very visible and accessible. the very fact that we have a district process that And we made our presence penalizes schools that need that money the most is known in Austin this legislative session.” something we’re going to stop. There are federal regulations on how to Plans to avoid Worthing (and other low-performing schools) regulate Title 1 funding and how you report. So, without the nuances from being taken over by a conservator with the Texas Education of every detail there, I can tell you the conversations are that we are Agency… not going to penalize our historically underserved schools. We will be “The school board has the authority, the voice and the fixing that issue.” responsibility to set the policy direction of the school. So, when On improving the education of Black males in HISD... you have a conservator that comes in and takes over those “We look at who has been served the least. When you talk about decision-making responsibilities, what you’re doing is abdicating failing schools, you put the blame on the schools. We are the problem. the responsibility to our students. So, our plan for Worthing and This past school year, 57 percent of all suspensions were AfricanKashmere and a number of other schools is working with Achieve American students, yet they make up 24-25 percent of our student 180 to provide resources, support, structure so they have a chance to population. Fifty-one percent of all expulsions, were African-American come out of their low performance. students. They are African-American boys. So, we can’t be politically “Specifically, we look at the feeder patterns and how we are correct when we talk about this issue. The board has been visionary

defendernetwork.com

HISD Superintendent Richard Carranza addre invited the Houston community to grade HIS

in casting policies saying we’re not goin second grades. But it’s one thing to have implement that policy. We said this year around services, restorative practices an work. This work is life and death. We ha a permanent underclass. Either we belie learn, won’t learn, it’s on them, or it’s on conversation. I’m calling us out. Look a involved, I get it. But the fact is that Tra for ten days on a zero-tolerance policy t That happens to many of our African Am Trayvon’s parents sent him to Sanford, F didn’t have a zero-tolerance policy, Tray school that next day on Monday and not People want action plans. It’s about our schools.

On HISD teacher salaries lagging “I was appalled to see the salary sch here. Nine months on the job, I can tell y There’s a number of factors and it’s not system where we send money to school for us at the central office in terms of ma have the ability to leverage our size, buy in how we develop teacher capacities. W become more centralized in our approac “We have a very poor school distric doors are poor. We have an incredibly eff provide services for. The problem is that The good news is that the board and I ar to increase teacher and classified worker liveable wages.

“It’s a priority.”

defendernetwork.com • Serving t

defendernetwork.com

7

HISD VIDEO SERIES Begins Monday, June 24 at www.DefenderNetwork.com Supt. Richard Carranza addresses • Education of Black Males • Attendance penalties vs. Title 1 funding in neighborhood schools • Discrimination in funding Magnet schools vs. Non-magnets • The District and low paying teacher salaries • Saving Black schools from conservatorship • Equity in Minority Contracts Visit: www.defendernetwork.com

SPECIAL THANKS To our Conversations & Coffee sponsor Kelsey-Seybold Clinic

esses questions from Defender publisher, Sonny Messiah Jiles at the Kelsey-Seybold Clinic. In addition, the Defender SD.

ng to suspend kids in Pre-K through e a policy. It’s another thing to r, we’re going to talk about wrapnd implicit biases we all bring to our ave a system that is perpetuating eve that Black students can’t n us. I say it’s on us. It’s a hard at Trayvon Martin, there’s racism ayvon was suspended from school that district has. He was kicked out. merican boys, we kick them out.

Fl. I would say if that school district yvon Martin would’ve been in t killed the night before. t the environments that we create in

behind other districts… hedules when I started working you, everybody needs a raise. simplistic. We have a decentralized sites. That creates inefficiencies anaging resources. When you don’t ying power, it creates inefficiencies We are really looking at how to ch. ct. The kids that come through our ffective clientele that we have to t we have a lot of these challenges. re united in the fact that we need r pay so that people are making

COMMUNITY COMMENTS While Richard Carranza has big plans for the district, members of the community are weighing in on where we are now.

As part of the Defender’s Conversation and Coffee, we asked residents to grade HISD on a scale of A to F. Those who voted in the Defender online scoring system gave the district a resounding B. See what some had to say: “Former HISD Superintendent Terry Greer, did more to destabilize our community than any superintendent of HISD. He closed all our schools. He defunded our schools. They created a situation where they tried to make desegregation a cash cow and suddenly our schools in our community were no good but the charter school that just opened up a block away was better. That was a myth that was sold to us that we still can’t undo. What I wish Carranza had said was that we are going to disallow the existence of charter schools in HISD. I would’ve been good with that so we’re not going to get an A yet.”

-Dr. Pamela Boveland “Based on the past, they were really rated an F. They moved up to B+, but I see us going to an A. Mr. Carranza is the first person we really heard talk about equity and the problems in our communities. Through him we see hope that we’ve never seen before.

The jury is still out but at least he talks to us” -Marva Sonya “I like how he was trying to involve everyone and the opportunities he’s talking about. I would give him an A.” -Joshua Sutton

the Houston area for over 85 years

“I loved what he had to say. It’s just a measure of execution. There’s no reason HISD doesn’t have more centralized operations because of the size. That’s how you have more efficiencies when you have one plan that’s rolled out and enacted at all the school sites.”

-Erika Rouse “The board has problems with us not knowing what’s going on. We have questions. And all we get is spin. I give the district a F.” -Jolanda Jones

Grade the performance of the HISD Visit defendernetwork.com

The subject areas are:

w Student Academic Achievement w Teacher Relations w School Finance | Funding w Minority Contracts w HISD OVERALL ANNUAL GRADE Or Visit….https://tinyurl.com/GRADE-HISD

8

DEFENDER | JUNE 22 | 2017

entertainment

Tupac movie hits theaters

T

Defender News Services

he Tupac Shakur biopic “All Eyez on Me” is finally in theaters, but the film, which has been in the works since 2011, has not been without its share of criticism.

The film, which stars newcomer Demetrius Shipp Jr. as Tupac, has been complicated with two multimillion-dollar lawsuits, a rotating door of writers and directors, a noncommittal estate, and a public thrashing from an Oscar-nominated filmmaker.

In the meantime, L. T. Hutton, the film’s lead producer, has had to do it all: beat back critics, allay fan concerns, and dip into his own pockets to finance the production.

“I put it all on the line: house, cars,” he says. “This film damn near took me under. Like Hollywood Shuffle for Robert Townsend, I leveraged everything for this movie. I call it a good investment.”

John Singleton signed on to direct the film but by 2015, Singleton was out as the director, claiming that the people involved with the film were not “respectful” of Tupac’s legacy. Following Singleton’s L. T. Hutton departure, director Benny Boom signed on.

“This project was not easy to make,” Boom said. “The fans expect a certain thing, the haters want to bring you down — and L.T. has been able to work his way through it.”

Hutton added, “I know for a fact that the fight that Tupac wanted me to fight, I fought it. And he’s looking down and he’s proud.”

The story of “All Eyez on Me” begins in 1997, one year after Shakur’s murder on the Las Vegas strip. The rapper’s mother, Afeni, and her imprint, Amaru Entertainment, which controls the rights to Tupac’s music and image, started making the rounds to studios to gauge interest in a biopic.

They soon tabled the idea in favor of a documentary, which became the Oscar-nominated “Tupac: Resurrection.” By 2005, things picked up again, with multiple studios expressing interest. Multiple lawsuits and feuds over creative direction would later stall the project.

Afeni Shakur was fiercely protective of her son’s legacy.

A former Black Panther, activist, and subject of one of Tupac’s most famous songs (“Dear Mama”), she had wanted to be in

“All Eyez on Me” made $27 million on opening weekend.

charge of creative decisions for a biopic from the very beginning.

Since Afeni’s death, Hutton and others working on “All Eyez on Me” have been unclear about whether the estate is still involved in the project — or whether Afeni will be credited as a producer, as was originally stipulated in the agreement.

For many, the controversy over bringing the project to fruition is no surprise. Tupac is beloved by fans and Hollywood continues to have reticence on producing big-budget stories about Black figures — particularly on one that mainstream America once branded as a menace to society.

Hutton also points not just to the lily-white corners of the industry, but to Black investors who were initially apprehensive about financing “All Eyez on Me” in the years before Notorious and Straight Outta Compton were released.

“I went to multiple Black people who have a ton of money,” says Hutton. “They didn’t touch it. They love it now and give it kudos or whatever, but I still look at them and say, ‘You could have made this.’ ” Leila Steinberg, Tupac’s longtime mentor, says the rapper still would have been proud of the work that’s been done around the movie.

“I think Tupac would have loved to have a Black producer and a Black director” working on his film, she says. “After everything, Tupac wanted Black and brown people to have a seat at the table.”

defendernetwork.com

what’sup BEYONCEˊ and JAY Z have welcomed their twins into the world. Even though she was pregnant with twins, Beyoncé has barely slowed down. She has made appearances at events like the 2017 Grammy’s where she inspired with her performance, the Beauty and the Beast LA premier as well as plenty of others. Always showing off her baby bump in glamorous style….After a mistrial was declared in the BILL COSBY indecent assault trial, Cosby’s wife, CAMILLE, has released a comment that many people are calling intense at best. In her statement, Camille attacked the district attorney, the judge, and the media. “How do I describe the district attorney? Heinously and exploitatively ambitious. How do I describe the judge? Overtly arrogant in collaborating with the district attorney.

How do I describe the counsels for the accusers? Totally unethical. How do I describe many but not all general media?

Blatantly vicious entities that continually disseminated intentional omissions of truth for the primary purpose of greedily selling sensationalism at the expense of a human life,” she wrote. The jury deliberated for 52 hours over five days and was unable to reach a verdict. Bill Cosby was facing three charges of aggravated indecent assault and prosecutors have said they intend to retry the case…..Director RYAN COOGLER and actor MICHAEL B. JORDAN are continuing their work together by exploring another real-life story, this time within the classroom.

The duo, which initially collaborated on “Fruitvale Station” in 2013, is set to produce “Wrong Answer,” a feature film based on an article in The New Yorker exploring the 2006 Atlanta Public Schools cheating scandal. Best-selling author TANEHISI COATES will write the script.

Jordan will star as math teacher Damany Lewis, who, along with a language arts teacher, changed answers on middle school students’ standardized tests to prevent the school from shutting down due to not meeting the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act.….

defendernetwork.com

JUNE 22 | 2017 | DEFENDER

9

Is racism drowning African-Americans?

Defender News Services Summertime is here, which means that pool parties and beach days are on tap.

However, according to research from the USA Swimming Foundation and the University of Memphis, don’t expect to see African-Americans in that mix because 70 percent of Blacks do not know how to swim.

So what’s to blame for this alarming statistic? There is the obvious issue of chlorine and the effects it has on Black hair; but according to University of Montana professor Jeff Wiltse, author of “Contested Waters: A Social History of Swimming Pools in America,” the true origin of underrepresentation in the water is attached to deeper historical and generational roots—historically, segregation; generationally, fear.

“It is because of discrimination and segregation that swimming never became a part of African-American recreational culture,” Wiltse said.

Put differently: Lack of access to swimming pools and public beaches meant that many Blacks were denied the opportunity to learn how to swim; and intergenerational fear of the water stops their descendants from learning now.

In fact, Wiltse says, recreational swimming only became popular in the U.S. during the 1920s and 1930s. It was then that many municipal pools began to pop up across the nation. By the time swimming became recognized as a sport in the 1950s and 1960s, segregation in the U.S. was also recognized, widening the racial and economic divide that left many

African-Americans to drown – literally and figuratively.

In fact, the USA Swimming Foundation study shows that “if a parent does not know how to swim, there is only a 13 percent chance that a child in that household will learn how to swim.”

“My mother didn’t know how to swim and had a bit of a fear of the water. That fear was pushed on us, so we didn’t learn how to swim,” says Ty Alexander, author of “Things I Wish I Knew Before

My Mom Died” On the other hand, “My son knows the basics just because he’s a millennial…they are more daring and willing to jump in the water without fear,” she adds.

Then there is the opposite: Black parents who did know how to swim, parents like former University of Texas at Austin competitive swimmer Kelley Robins Hicks. “I never remember learning to swim… as far as I know, I’ve been able to swim my whole life,” she said.

Her parents both swam

classifieds ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS LAKE HOUSTON REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS W. LAKE HOUSTON PKWY AT KINGS CROSSING DR. AND W. LAKE HOUSTON PKWY AT NORTHPARK DR., PROJECT NUMBER T-1006 The Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority (“the Authority”) will receive sealed bids for the construction of the project known as “INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS OF W. LAKE HOUSTON PKWY AT KINGS CROSSING DR. AND W. LAKE HOUSTON PKWY AT NORTHPARK DR.” located in KINGWOOD, CITY OF HOUSTON, HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS. Bids will be received until 1:00 PM local time on Friday, June 30, 2017 by the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority, C/O Cheryl Panobzzo, Allen Boone Humphries Robinson, 3200 Southwest Freeway, Ste. 2600, Houston, TX 77027. Bids received after this time will not be accepted.

Beginning, Monday, June 12, 2017 at 1:00 PM Bid Documents will be available via CivCast at www.CivCastUSA.com search: W. LAKE HOUSTON INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS. There is NO CHARGE to view or download documents. However, Bidders must register on this website in order to view and/or download specifications, plans, and other related documents for this project. Addenda will also be distributed CivCast.

A NON-MANDATORY Pre-bid Conference will be held at 2:00 PM on Tuesday, June 20, 2017 at the offices of Walter P Moore, 1301 McKinney, Suite 1100, Houston, TX 77010. All bidders (general contractors) are invited to attend.

Bidders shall comply with City Ordinance 95-336 (March 29, 1995) and Exec. Order No.1-2 (June 14, 1995), and City of Houston Affirmative Action and Contract Compliance Division Minority/Women Business Enterprise (M/WBE) Procedures (June 1995). The successful Bidder will be required to make good faith efforts to achieve an M/WDBE participation goal of 20 percent.

in high school, and her father also swam in college. “All of my cousins, aunts and uncles swim, too,” she added.

Despite both historical and current impediments, many young Black people love being around water. To cir-

cumvent the constraints of a racist society – from segregation to affordability and accessibility – some Black parents took their children swimming in local lakes, rivers or oceans. The negative side to this is the danger that these bodies of water can present.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. has more than 3,500 accidental drownings every year. That is almost 10 a day. And among these alarming numbers, this: The fatal-drowning rate of African-American children ages 5 to 14 is three times that of white children.

10

DEFENDER | JUNE 22 | 2017

sports

defendernetwork.com

Texans’ mini-camp calm before the storm

T

By MAX EDISON Defender

he Houston Texans recently concluded their mandatory mini-camp and now have a sixweek hiatus until training camp begins. The Texans have become a mature, veteran-laden team that has won the AFC South crown for consecutive years.

There is a quiet confidence in their ability and a confident resolution that better days are soon to come. They know they are capable of being so much better.

Coach Bill O’Brien talked about what he looks for in the team’s pre-training camp spring drills, and also noted the presence of rookie quarterback Deshaun Watson.

“You’re looking for good retention of the system and being able to go out on the field and execute it,” O’Brien said. “OTAs [organized team activities] are hard because from a defensive standpoint, you really don’t know what you’re getting on a down-to-down basis.

“And then from a rookie player like Deshaun, you’re just looking for his ability to improve day to day and not make the same mistake twice.”

O’Brien addressed the matter of players having so much unsupervised down time.

“We’ve put a lot of things in place,” he said. “We train our rookies and we have a rookie development program.

“We have people in place here for the next five weeks – our training room, our strength staff. Our training and strength staff will be here to work with these guys every single day – lifting, running, rehabbing.

A lot of guys go other places. They train with different people and they get the same type of training at other places. But it’s all about being ready to go on July 25th.”

Veteran cornerback Johnathan Joseph explained the prevailing attitude that drives the team in pre-training camp workouts.

“I think what drives everyone on this team, including myself, is trying to get a championship,” Joseph said. “The ultimate goal is to get to the top and win a ring.”

Joseph stressed the importance of managing free time prior to training camp.

“That’s probably the most important time because it’s easy to take care of your business right now while you’re being monitored and while you’re here with the coaches and being around your peers,” Joseph said.

“I think the next month, month and a half while you’re off and while you’re alone to yourself, that’s the hardest time because you have so much free time. Being prepared for training camp is the biggest thing you have

to do for yourself to make the team and be as good as you can be as a player in this league.”

Pro Bowl receiver DeAndre Hopkins likes what he has seen from the offense in mini-camp and OTAs, and noted the work of assistant coach Wes Welker and quarterbacks Tom Savage and Watson.

“I’ve been in this offense for going on four years now,” Hopkins said. “Having Wes Welker out here [who’s a former] wide receiver, it helps out a lot to have a guy that knows this offense. To be here every day working with us, it makes a big difference.

“I think with Tom having been in this system for a few years now he is very comfortable and confident. I think everybody has been impressed with Deshaun and his approach to learning and being a leader.”

With a veteran lineup, Hopkins said the team polices itself.

“I think we do a good job here of telling everybody the concerns and worries of being a rookie, being young in the NFL, having a bunch of time on your hands,” he said.

“We do a good job here and everybody takes care of everybody. This is a close team and we know what our ultimate goal is.”

Rookie quarterback Deshaun Watson receives instruction from coach Bill O’Brien at mini-camp.

Receiver DeAndre Hopkins leads by example.

defendernetwork.com • Serving the Houston area for over 85 years

Cornerback Johnathan Joseph works on his skills.

defendernetwork.com

h.s.zone Kynnedy Flannel becomes Alvin track star was two feet better than silver medalist G’Auna Edwards of Spring High School (19-2.50). Ariana DeValcourt of Baytown Goose Creek (19ynnedy Flannel blossomed into 1.25) won the bronze medal. a star at the 2017 UIL state high “Winning those first two gold medals made school track meet in Austin and me want to work harder in the 200 meters,” she has no intentions of slowing Flannel said. “Then I was ready to go home and down this summer. celebrate.”

The Alvin High School junior came out of The top three finishers in the 6A girls’ nowhere to win three open event gold medals in 200-meter dash were separated by no more than the long jump, 100-meter dash and the 200-mean eyelash as they came around the curve. ter race.

Flannel (23.34 “I honestly don’t have a seconds) bested favorite or best event,” she DeSoto’s Rosaline Who could be the next best girls’ said. “I just go out there and Effiong (23.66) and collegiate distance runner in the U.S.? perform. I don’t feel like I Sydney Washinghave a stronger event. Whatton of Stony Point ever event I’m in, I give it my all every time.”

(23.94) for the gold.

Flannel plans on utilizing that same mindset Then the emergence as she plans for the summer track circuit. of the state’s latest high “I want to try out for the USA World Team, school track and field the New Balance Nationals and the Great star was complete. She’ll Southwest event,” Flannel said. “I’d like to continue tweaking her participate in all the big meets.” immense talents over the Flannel proved to be a big-time performer summer months. in the largest school enrollment classification We can only ponder in Texas (Class 6A) last month with Mike A. what Flannel might have in Myers Stadium serving as the grand stage. store for her senior year.

Her time of 11.43 seconds in the 100-meter dash was good enough to hold off Kaylor Harris Kynnedy Flannel of Mesquite Horn (11.56), Kailei Collins of Katy Tompkins (11.61) and Round Rock Stony Point’s Sydney Washington (11.61) for the gold medal.

“I didn’t know what was going to happen. I was still kind of tired from the long jump,” Flannel said. “It was a mental thing so when I came out of the blocks I fought hard.

“At the end I thought I might have been in front but I wasn’t sure,” she said.

“Then I looked up at the board and it said I won. I wanted to win so bad. It was a lot of fun.”

Flannel was clearly the class of the 6A girls’ long-jump competition. Her best jump of 21 feet, 2.75 inches

K

By DARRELL K. ARDISON Defender

defendernetwork.com

JUNE 22 | 2017 | DEFENDER

11

sportsbriefs SWAC football changes The Southwestern Athletic Conference announced that it will forgo its football championship game following the 2017 Toyota SWAC Football Championship. “With the creation of the Celebration Bowl as a national showcase for HBCU football, the Council of Presidents and Chancellors decided to suspend the championship game format after the 2017 season,” said Commissioner Duer Sharp. “By focusing on the Celebration Bowl, we can continue to grow the Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl (AFRCB) as an HBCU classic for the teams and fans of both conferences and for HBCU football nationally.”

The championship game will be played on Dec. 2 at NRG Stadium. The SWAC champion will earn an invitation to play in the AFRCB at the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Dec. 16.

Williams to be inducted The American Tennis Association is building a new complex in South Florida which will include a Hall of Fame. The first person scheduled to be inducted is Richard Williams, father of tennis legends Venus and Serena Williams. He will be recognized for his success in coaching the two famous sisters from the courts of Compton, Calif., to the world stage. Both sisters have been consistently at the top of the tennis field, with Serena Williams billed as one of the greatest tennis players of all time, if not the greatest. Both sisters are Olympians and Grand Slam champions.

Friday night lights on TV The University Interscholastic League’s legislative council approved a motion to give a one-year waiver to its rule prohibiting live telecasts of regular season high school football games on Fridays. The waiver will allow for a one-time televised showcase on Sept. 1, featuring one or possibly two games aired on Fox Sports Southwest. Although live broadcasts of high school football games in Texas are allowed on other days, the UIL had previously denied permission for any broadcast on Fridays until an hour after the game. The prevailing thought was that fans might opt to stay home and watch the telecasts rather than attend games which would hurt the overall game experience in addition to impacting the participating schools financially according to D.W. Rutledge, executive director of the Texas High School Coaches Association. The particular game or games have yet to be determined. The UIL is the governing body of extracurricular activities in Texas secondary public schools.

UIL explores decision The UIL and the Texas High School Coaches Association are concerned about the growing number of outside influences on high school athletes during the off-season. The push comes from the growth of 7-on-7 football and recent travel teams that have brought together athletes from different schools to travel across country for tournaments. The UIL’s legislative council has formed a sub-committee to study allowing high school coaches in all sports to coach their athletes in some form during the off-season.

Football coaches are only allowed to sit in the end zone and watch 7-on-7 competitions with no involvement with the athletes.

defendernetwork.com • Serving the Houston area for over 85 years

12

DEFENDER | JUNE 22 | 2017

defendernetwork.com

Happening in Houston For event coverage email: events@defendermediagroup.com

topevents

2nd TUESDAYS WITH THE CHAMBER……..The Greater Houston Black Chamber Sheila Jackson Lee were two of several speakers celebrating the official re-opening of the (GHBC) hosted its monthly networking lunch, this time at the Buffalo Soldiers Museum. historic park. Attendees included Theola Pettaway, Sylvia Brooks, Judge Zinetta Burney, This month’s focus was on state politics, as members of the 85th Legislature were featured, Deloyd Parker, Al Edwards, Cecelia Williams, Mary Pendleton, Tracy Hines, TSU along with special guest speaker District Attorney Kim Ogg. Chair of the GHBC, Courtney Police Chief Mary Young, Husani Sallah, Dolores Rodgers, Maia Shelby, Ken Rodgers Rose, along with other GHBC members and guests, were treated to critical information and many more.……49th ANNUAL EQUAL OPPORTUNITY DAY GALA…….The about important legislation out of Austin and the impact it will have on our community.

Houston Area Urban League (HAUL) hosted its 49th Annual Equal Opportunity Day Elected officials on hand as panelists included State Reps. Senfronia Thompson, Shawn Gala at the Hilton Americas Hotel to a packed house. The event showcased the significant Thierry, Ron Reynolds and Jarvis Johnson. Other attendees impact HAUL has had on literacy, unemployment, housing, education included Nicque Montgomery, Steven Farmer, Monica Glover, Defender TOP EVENTS and health awareness. Texas Southern University’s Jazz Ensemble Ellis Hubbard, Hiram Smith, Fern Dawkins, Joy Lacy, and Performers provided musical performances based upon themes More photos on defendernetwork.com more.……..EMANCIPATION PARK REDEDICATION…….. showcasing the areas of focus for HAUL. In attendance were HAUL On Juneteenth weekend the OST/Almeda Corridors president and CEO Judson Robinson III, gala chairs Yolanda Green Redevelopment Authority TIRZ #7, Emancipation Park Conservancy and City of Houston Barnes and Marina Coryat, award recipients Cheryl Creuzot, Sallie Sargent and Ray Parks and Recreation Department hosted the Emancipation Park Rededication. Shown off Shackelford, MCs Khambrel Marshall (KPRC TV 2) and Melanie Lawson (KTRK were the $33.6 million worth of park upgrades amid the festivities which included music, Channel 13), along with Eileen Morris, Janette Cosley, TSU President Austin A. Lane, food, vending and historic re-enactments. Mayor Sylvester Turner and Congresswoman Loren Lane, Sigrid Brown, and more.

Courtney Rose, State Rep. Shawn Thierry

Lauryn McClellan, Sylvia Brooks, Kevonna Hall

Khambrel Marshall, Judson Robinson III, Frederick Barksdale

State Rep. Senfronia Thompson, D.A. Kim Ogg

L.J. Williams, Sumaae Williams, Kim Williams, Raye Macy

Loren Lane, Dr. Austin A. Lane

Norris Dillard (father), Norris Dillard (son)

Councilmember Robert Gallegos, Councilmember Dwight Boykins, State Rep. Gene Wu

Algenita Scott Davis, Marthea Davis, Gabrielle Gunn

defendernetwork.com • Serving the Houston area for over 85 years