07.16.2026_Defender-e-FULL

Is Texas ready for a

BLUE WAVE?

FEATURE

FEATURE

KANDACE WASHINGTON

TRAE THA TRUTH

Mother of former LSU star Kyren Lacy transforms tragedy into purpose.

Volume 95, issue 39 July 16, 2026 SUPPORT US

The celebrated rapper is giving back to his hometow wn with his popular Trae Day.

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DN To the POINT

Rapper Jay-Z and singer Beyoncé Knowles are displaying for all to see what it means to create a generational legacy. Credit: Getty Images.

Message from the Reporter Every seat, every vote, and every absence changes the math on legislation that shapes Jay-Z opened his Reasonable Doubt whether our neighbors keep food assistance 30th anniversary run at Yankee Stadium and health coverage. This provides Demothis month, the way a proud father would, crats with a strategic opportunity to stall by folding his family into the story he built.

President Donald Trump’s legislative and Beyonce stepped in for Mary J. Blige on judicial agenda heading into the November “Can’t Knock the Hustle.” Then his 14-yearmidterms. old daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, sat down at The immediate vacancy shifts the bala piano and played “Feelin’ It” while he ance of power on critical committees and watched, visibly moved by his self-taught complicates key Republican initiatives, and Laura Onyeneho child.

Black Houston cannot afford to look away The career-spanning residency showcased their endur- from who fills the gap. ing musical partnership and featured deeply intimate family moments that went viral on social media. Night two of the Is World Cup commentary better in English or residency drew over 45,000 fans, breaking the all-time record Spanish? for the largest single-night crowd for a solo artist at Yankee Across the country, plenty of English-only speakers have Stadium. been flipping their World Cup viewing to Spanish-language They have significantly influenced global music, business, broadcasts rather than English coverage, even though they and culture for decades, showcasing exceptional artistry, understand only fragments of the commentary. Viewers strategic ownership, and record-breaking achievements, describe the Spanish-language calls as more emotional and impacting multiple generations from Jay-Z and Beyoncé to energetic, with cameras that stay on the action rather than their children. cutting to commercials. I happen to agree.

This is a family whose rise mirrors what so many Black I might not be fluent in it, but when I watch it, you can feel families here are trying to build. Something that outlasts one the commentators’ passion for the sport. Spanish broadcasts generation. Watching a teenager casually carry that kind of focus entirely on the pitch and truly respect the atmosphere talent and access is a reminder that Black wealth and Black of the global game, rather than overexplaining standard rules artistry can be inherited like an heirloom, not just chased for or veering off topic like American analysts. And I absolutely one lifetime. What are we building right now that our own dislike being choked with the same commercials over and kids can inherit later? over again when I click over to the English side. And streaming the tournament via Peacock (which broadcasts TelemunWhat Senator Lindsey Graham’s death means do’s feed) is significantly cheaper than paying for platforms for Democrats that carry Fox and FS1.

Recently, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham died from a sudThis small viewing habit says something bigger about den aortic dissection, days after returning from an overseas where American culture is headed. In a political climate trip. His death removes one of the Senate’s more experienced fixated on borders, language restrictions, and immigration Republican voices at a moment when the chamber’s majority crackdowns, it is worth noticing that millions of Americans is already thin, with another senior member, former GOP are voluntarily leaning into Spanish because it feels more leader Mitch McConnell, who was hospitalized following a alive and exciting. fall and pneumonia.

That instability matters here because the same Senate is On The Web deciding the fate of a sweeping budget package that includes • Why I miss 90’s Black Sitcoms. new SNAP requirements and Medicaid work rules, policies • Tay Butler uses art to elevate Black consciousness. with direct consequences for Black households nationwide.

• College students’ views on Trump and politics.

What the Carters remind us about legacy

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| 3

DN News Community demands accountability after fatal ICE shooting an officer before an agent fired in self-defense.

Community advocates argue those claims should not be accepted without body-camera footage and other evidence. They point to recent ICE shootings in Minnesota and other places where video and witness accounts told a vastly different story than the tale ICE spokespersons told.

In the wake of the Houston killing, ICE officers in Maine fatally shot a motorist, Joan Sebastian Guerrero, a 26-year-old Colombian native who was authorized to work in the U.S. and had a Social Security number, according to advocacy groups. Reportedly, body cameras were not used during either fatal incident.

By Aswad Walker

Community leaders, elected officials, and the family of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo are demanding answers after the Houston man was fatally shot recently during an encounter with ICE officers in Magnolia Park.

Standing with the family were U.S. Reps.

Al Green and Sylvia Garcia, along with leaders from LULAC, the Greater Houston Justice Coalition, the NAACP, FIEL, and other organizations. They are calling for an independent investigation, the release of body-camera footage, and congressional oversight.

“We must have a thorough, complete, and transparent investigation before there can be accountability,” Green said. “We must... have a hearing so that the public can see and hear as much evidence as is available, especially body camera footage.”

Green also warned that Congress should not approve additional ICE funding without mandatory body cameras and pledged to conduct his own investigation.

Whitmire calls for moratorium During a July 15 CNN interview, Houston Mayor John Whitmire called for a 90-day moratorium on ICE traffic stops while federal officials review enforcement policies.

U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-TX) speaks during a vigil honoring Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston on July 11, 2026. She is joined by (l-r) U.S. Reps.

Christian Menefee, Lizzie Fletcher, and Al Green. Credit: Getty Images.

“They should go [on] moratorium till they can fit everybody with a body camera,” Whitmire said. “Body cameras work... We need DHS to allow independent authorities to investigate.”

Whitmire also criticized what he called a lack of compassion from the federal

government, saying, “These are human beings.”

Conflicting accounts DHS said Salgado Araujo was not the intended target of the immigration operation.

The agency alleges he ignored commands, struck an ICE vehicle, and attempted to ram

Family seeks justice Relatives said Salgado Araujo spent decades working construction, had no criminal convictions, and was driving a work crew to a job site when he was killed.

“He did not deserve to die,” said his son, Ronaldo Salgado. “He deserved to live a quiet life as Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a husband, a father, and a job creator for dozens of men who also wanted the American dream.”

Green warned against allowing ICE to investigate itself, saying, “We cannot allow a cover-up to take place.”

4 | July 16, 2026 |

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DN News New deadline for student loans

By Laura Onyeneho

For over seven million student loan borrowers, a massive wave of federal repayment changes has arrived, bringing fresh uncertainty over what comes next.

The Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan, once celebrated as the most generous incomedriven option in history, is being phased out. Federal loan servicers are set to start distributing individual transition letters on July 1, 2026. However, a recent Department of Education court filing Federal student loan borrowers could face significantly clarified a vital grace period. No higher monthly payments due to the Trump administration’s borrower will be dropped from policies. Credit Getty Images. the SAVE program until September 29, 2026, at the very earliest.

“The SAVE Plan was the most forgiveness timelines.

Instead of a sudden cutoff, borrow- generous student loan repayment “For those of you in Public Serers will enter a staggered, personal program available. Now, you are vice Loan Forgiveness, you only 90-day window based on when they going to have to get out of SAVE have 10 years total,” Adams warned. receive their notice. Those who fail and get into another income-driven “Every month you stay in SAVE, to proactively switch to an repayment plan,” Adams you are losing a month toward foralternative, such as the said. “People are already giveness. If you can afford to start newly unveiled Repayreceiving letters with making payments again, please do.” ment Assistance Plan 2028 deadlines, but do The remaining repayment (RAP), risk being autonot wait. At any time, options, Income-Based Repayment, matically transferred you can receive a 90-day Pay As You Earn, and Income-Conto standard or tiered notice. Start researching tingent Repayment, are still availpayment structures, which now.” able. Adams advises all borrowers to Ja’Net could cause monthly bills to Adams Adams wants borrow- visit studentaid.gov, sign in, and use surge overnight. ers to understand that the the loan simulator to find the plan Launched in 2023, the much-discussed July 1 date that produces the lowest monthly Biden administration does not apply to every- payment based on their income. initiative faced immeone equally. That dead“That is the one you pick,” she diate, fierce legal resisline primarily affected said simply. “And if the number is tance, leading to court people who needed to still too high, you figure out where rulings that ultimately consolidate loans to trig- to find the gap. Cut back, pick up a blocked key provisions ger a new repayment plan, side job. Because if you do not pay, before the current adminis- Phoenix specifically, Parent PLUS they will garnish your wages and tration moved to dismantle Jackson loan holders who have not take your tax refund. This is no it entirely. What remains yet completed consolidation. longer a game.” now is the transition For those borrowers, the The economic weight of this period, and for millions window has effectively moment goes beyond repayment of borrowers, the deciclosed. plan logistics. Phoenix Jackson, sions made in the next “If you have not the Houston-based co-founder and few months will shape already consolidated CEO of PHIND Work, a workforce their finances for years your Parent PLUS loans development app connecting peoto come. to get into the Income-Con- ple to jobs, apprenticeships, and Alan Ja’Net Adams has watched tingent Repayment plan, that resources in construction, trades, Pruitt these numbers play out in is unfortunately going to be and green tech, sees the downreal time. Adams is the founder very hard to accomplish before July stream consequences every day. She and CEO of Debt Sucks University, 1,” Adams said. “Those borrowers says the people coming through the a financial literacy organization that need to go to studentaid.gov right PHIND pipeline are making imposhas helped borrowers secure more now, look at all their options, and sible financial decisions. than $4 million in student loan for- understand what their new pay“People are having to prioritize giveness over 15 years. She paid off ment is going to look like.” shelter, food, transportation, their $50,000 of her own debt in two years For borrowers currently in the basic needs, before they can even after a layoff cost her family 60% of SAVE forbearance, the stakes consider paying off student loans its household income. Today, she is are different but equally urgent. or credit card debt,” Jackson said. one of the most sought-after voices Those who remain in SAVE are “We have people who are actively on federal student loan policy, and not making payments, but their defaulting and becoming delinquent she says the confusion surround- loan balances continue to grow as not because they do not want to pay, ing the collapse of the SAVE Plan interest accrues. Critically, those but because they simply cannot.” is unlike anything she has seen. months do not count toward loan She described a young man who

had completed two years of college Beautiful Bill, the forgiveness timebefore dropping out to pursue weld- line extends to 30 years, up from 20 ing, a decision driven directly by to 25 years under prior programs. student loan anxiety and economic But there is a catch most borrowers instability. do not know. Any amount forgiven “He now has a guaranteed role at the end of that timeline is treated when he is done,” Jackson said. as taxable income.

“People are rescuing themselves.”

“Let’s say you have $50,000 forJackson said that Black women given and you are in the 22% tax have been disproportionately bracket, you could be looking at an impacted by federal layoffs under additional $11,000 owed on your the Trump administration, and tax return, “ he said. “After 30 years that their role as economic anchors of payments and all that interest.” in Black communities makes their The student loan interest deducfinancial instability a communi- tion, meanwhile, remains capped ty-wide crisis. at $2,500 per year, a figure Pruitt “We cannot afford to lose 300,000 called deeply inadequate given curto 350,000 jobs. Our community is rent balances. the minority. A comHis advice for anymunity that has 125 one panicking is to start million constituents with what you know. cannot absorb what oth“Know how much ers can. And when you you have coming in, have over eight percent look at your bills, and of Black women unemfigure out what you can ployed, and they are realistically afford. Then Learn what the breadwinners, that look at all your options, you can affects all of us.” because depending do to get ahead Alan Pruitt, a Houson when you took out ton-based certified your loans, there are still public accountant and paths forward,” he said. founder of Pruitt Prep CPA LLC, “But please, do not set it and forget breaks down what borrowers often it. Take a proactive stance. And if overlook. you can build a side hustle, do it.

Under the new Repayment Assis- Having a job and a side hustle is a tance Plan introduced by the Big cheat code when it comes to taxes.”

RESOURCES

Go to studentaid.gov to log in, view your loan types, and use the Loan Simulator to compare repayment plan options. Do not use third-party .com sites. Contact your loan servicer directly for account-specific questions.

VOLUME 95, NUMBER 39 - JULY 16, 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

Kandace Washington Turns son’s legacy into a lifeline

By ReShonda Tate

On April 12, 2025, two days before a grand jury was set to hear the case that had consumed his life for months, Kyren Lacy was gone. He was 24.

A star wide receiver with an NFL future in front of him, Lacy was reduced online to a single accusation. After a December 2024 chain-reaction crash that claimed the life of a 78-year-old man, Louisiana State Police charged Lacy with negligent homicide, felony hit-and-run, and reckless operation, alleging he caused the crash by illegally passing another vehicle. But a grand jury later declined to indict him, determining the evidence did not support the claim that he caused the fatal collision. Lacy died by suicide just days before the grand jury was scheduled to hear the case. The court of public opinion had already delivered its verdict, long before any courtroom could.

The burden came to be too much for the young athlete, and he took his own life.

His mother, Kandace Washington, has spent 12 years as a school counselor, guiding other people’s children through exactly this kind of pressure. She never imagined she’d need those same instincts to try to save her own son — or that she wouldn’t get the chance.

Now she’s turning that grief into something else: the K2 Foundation, a foundation built in Kyren’s name, meant to catch the next young athlete before the internet, the courts, and the weight of it all close in.

Kyren Lacy during LSU Pro Day at LSU Football Indoor Practice Facility on March 26, 2025 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Credit: Tyler Kaufman/ Getty Images

Kandace Washington, the mother of late LSU football player Kyren Lacy, (pictured with her son, Jayden Allen), is working to keep his legacy alive. Courtesy Kandace Washington.

“I was talking with my therapist, and she was saying to me that I have all this love and care for Kyren, and she said, ‘You have to put it somewhere,’” Washington said.

That conversation became the foundation’s origin story — a way to turn her love for her son into something he would have wanted to see come to life.

Remembering Kyren Washington is intentional about keeping the focus on who her son was, not just what happened to him.

“I want people to know that Kyren was a gentle giant, he had a huge heart,” she said, describing him as someone who loved his community, showed up for the people around him, and was known for making others laugh.

The K2 Foundation’s first initiative is direct: Covering counseling costs for student-athletes. If an athlete has insurance but can’t afford the copay, the foundation pays it.

If an athlete is uninsured, K2 covers up to five counseling sessions in full.

“So our foundation is based on offering support for athletes,” said Washington, pointing to the gap she saw between the pressure college athletes face and the resources actually available to them — especially at the level Kyren competed at.

That pressure, she says, has only intensified with the rise of NIL money and the always-on nature of social media, where an athlete’s public image can flip overnight.

“I think social media is the biggest issue

right now, because one second you’re doing something good, you’re a hero,” Washington said. “And the second you do something wrong, the things that people say online are really atrocious.”

She added that athletes are still full-time students underneath the spotlight — juggling classes, practice, and a social life like anyone else their age, even as the public treats them like they aren’t.

The mission, at its core, is about shifting perspective.

“The core message is, and the mission is to always be a simple thing of changing your perspective,” Washington said.

“I wanted to use my platform to recognize any and every single person that feels unseen,” Washington said. “So if God gave me this platform, I’m going to use it for the good things.”

For Washington, that kind of visibility is exactly what a young nonprofit needs. The foundation is still building out its website and formal infrastructure, and she says volunteers and donations go a long way.

“The biggest contribution is people donating and helping out,” she said, “so being able to get help from other companies or organizations and partnering with other people has really been a help for the foundation to go above and beyond.”

Taking the message to Houston Washington’s story has resonated across the country, particularly among those who see

firsthand the unique pressures young Black athletes carry. Andrea Odom, co-founder of Black Sports Moms, said Kyren’s story struck her immediately, and she’s invited Washington to deliver the keynote address at the organization’s upcoming conference in Houston on July 18 (blacksportsmom.com).

Odom said the story of an athlete performing under bright lights, only to be turned on after a single misstep, felt painfully familiar.

She described the online backlash athletes face as relentless, comparing it to being outnumbered by bullies with no way to fight back.

“In this case with Kyren Lacy, he was tried in the court of public opinion and never even made it to court,” Odom said. She pointed to that as part of the reason Washington’s message matters: people need to be kinder online, and remember there’s a real person on the other end of every comment.

Looking Ahead Washington’s long-term goal is for K2 to become one of the most dependable resources available to student-athletes navigating the mental toll of competing at a high level — with a full roster of therapists who understand the specific pressures of that world.

She measures success not by scale, but by whether the foundation reaches even one athlete who needs it.

“I feel him every time I do something at every event that we have,” Washington said. “I think he would be very proud of the work and the family coming together and just making sure that this is a really successful foundation.”

6 | July 16, 2026 |

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DN InFocus

‘BLU UE W WAVE’

A possibility in Texas?

By Tannistha Sinha

or nearly two decades, Texas Democrats have held out hope for a “blue wave,” particularly amid changing demographics.

The state’s population is growing rapidly.

Its major cities are becoming younger and more diverse, with Black, Latino, and Asian Texans accounting for much of that growth.

Every election cycle seems to bring another round of predictions that Texas is finally on the verge of becoming a Democratic state.

Yet, Republicans continue to win statewide.

The question heading into the 2026 midterms elections has shifted from whether Texas is changing to whether that change will translate into political power.

There are people who have been so disengaged in the past few voting cycles that they’re having a hard time buying in. Seeing the rest of us buy in, seeing people who have voted every election cycle, even though we perhaps have been let down, is gonna bring those people out in the same way.”

Where is the optimism coming from?

A part of the optimism rests on the woman Democrats hope will break a three-decade statewide losing streak, State Rep. Gina Hinojosa of Austin, who won the Democratic nomination for governor in March against Gov. Greg Abbott with 60.5% of the vote. She cited recent wins as evidence.

“It happened in Tarrant County, where we flipped the state senate. It happened in Leander, where we flipped the mayor’s seat,” Hinojosa said.

In January, union machinist Taylor Rehmet won a runoff for Texas Senate District 9 with 57% of the vote, flipping a Fort Wortharea seat the GOP had held since 1991, in a district President Donald Trump had carried by 17 points in 2024. Weeks later, Na’Cole Thompson won a special election for mayor of Leander, a Williamson County suburb Trump had carried by roughly four points, with 57% of the vote in a nonpartisan race that national Democrats nonetheless celebrated.

Meanwhile, following their runoff wins, Congressman Christian Menefee, Harris County judge nominee Letitia Plummer, and

ADRIANNA IVORY Attorney

Fort Bend County judge nominee Dexter McCoy vowed to channel their focus into turning Texas blue.

“We are united in ensuring that Democrats win every single county-wide race in Harris County, win every single county-wide race in Fort Bend County, and do all we can to flip the state of Texas and make sure that flows through Harris and Fort Bend County,” Menefee said.

These upsets could be what’s fueling the optimism within the Democratic Party.

“II really think this is the time that Texas can turn blue,” said Joe Dumas, an attorney.

“It’s going to be hard. I don’t think it’s gonna be like a 60-40, but it’s gonna be a 51-49 kind of split. There are Republicans who are also upset and gonna vote angrily against their own party this time.”

Adrianna Ivory, also an attorney, sees the same trend.

“There are people who have been so disengaged in the past few voting cycles that they’re having a hard time buying in,” Ivory said. “Seeing the rest of us buy in, seeing

people who have voted every election cycle, cycle even though we perhaps have been let down, is gonna bring those people out in the same way.”

Is there merit to the optimism?

Special elections, though, draw small and motivated turnouts that have not always predicted what happens once the full electorate shows up.

Trump carried Texas by 13.7 percentage points in 2024, the state’s widest presidential margin in two decades, up sharply from 5.6 percentage points in 2020, while Ted Cruz beat Allred by 8.49 points in the U.S. Senate

race race, six points wider than his narrow 2018 win over O'Rourke. Abbott beat O'Rourke by 10.9 points in 2022 in the general election for Governor of Texas, barely down from his 13.3-point margin in 2018.

No Democrat has won statewide office in Texas since the mid-1990s, and none has won a U.S. Senate seat there since Lloyd Bentsen in 1988.

Several voters reconciled that gap by pointing at the rolls rather than the polls.

“If you look at the voter records, there are a lot of people that are on record that have voter registrations. They just don’t vote,” said Karla West, the Democratic precinct chair for downtown’s Precinct 16, citing her own

Congressional District 18.

18 “We’re We re the most diverse city in the entire nation...generally, not everybody, but most people of color generally vote Democrat. We need more people to stand up, use their voices, and hold people accountable so we can easily flip Texas blue.”

Zora Smith, a graduate student at the University of Houston with a focus on policy and advocacy, said the young voter pool has the potential to create meaningful change, but remains skeptical.

“I’m often on the fence,” Smith said. “We just need every young voter to come out and vote. We need people on college campuses.

We need our elected officials to come out and actually encourage young people to have

these conversations. conversations What we’re we re really missing is transparency. We need more community organizing.”

Some young voters, like Mariah Adeeko, an organizer with the youth-focused nonprofit Young Invincibles, are not so sure, attributing low turnout to logistical issues and low motivation.

“No, I do not think that the 2026 midterm elections will turn Texas blue…it will probably take us another two general elections for us to turn Texas,” Adeeko said. “But it will move the needle forward…I’m seeing people canvas, organize, but I am still wary about excruciatingly long lines at all of the polling centers.”

Too many cooks?

Michelle Durham, a resident in her third year of voting in Texas, pointed to party discipline that still reveals gaps in organization.

“We have to get out into the community and inform all of us more,” Durham said.

“People should go everywhere…and talk to people in a way that helps ‘em understand how their vote will matter in their day-to-day life. We have too many different candidates sometimes even within the Democratic party that are saying different things, and we really need a unified voice for that everyday voter.”

Education, showing them how important it is, not just registering voters, but getting them out to the polls.

That’s a priority.”

IHSAN BAHA Precinct chair

R Redistricting di t i ti g efforts ff t and d iimpact t

Redistricting has also complicated the question of whether Texas’ growing Black population is translating into greater political influence. Voting rights advocates and political analysts argue that recent congressional maps have reshaped, and in some cases diluted, Black voting power.

Voting rights activist Pamiel Gaskin told the Defender that Black voters were effectively “packed” into fewer districts, reducing their influence elsewhere.

Ihsan Baha, a precinct chair, agreed that Black voter turnout has lagged, but called it fixable.

“I don’t think we’ve had enough [turnout] to come out for this past election, but we’re working on it,” Baja said. “Education, showing them how important it is, not just registering voters, but getting them out to the polls. That’s a priority.”

When it comes to the upcoming Senate race between Attorney General Ken Paxton and State Rep. James Talarico, voters like Darrell Jordan, a U.S. Army veteran and former Harris County judge, pointed to Paxton’s record as an indication that the seat can be flipped in November. Paxton was indicted on securities-fraud charges in 2015 and impeached, then acquitted, in 2023.

“We can flip that seat because there are a lot of people who are upset with him, who do not support the things that he’s been accused of,” Jordan said. “If Talarico does his part, comes out to the African American community and all communities and asks for their vote specifically, I think this is the time that we can have a statewide seat.”

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8 | July 16, 2026 |

DN Feature

Girls Inc. HOUSTON CHAPTER

Prepares girls to run the world

By Aswad Walker

Malcolm X famously noted that Black women are the most disrespected group in society, a reality that begins well before adulthood. Girls Inc., a national program with a powerful local presence, seeks to profoundly change this reality for the better.

Current hurdles

From kindergarten through 12th grade, Black girls face harsher, more frequent disciplinary actions than their white peers for the same infractions.

This is driven largely by “adultification”— the practice of perceiving Black children as older and more mature than they are, stripping them of their innocence and exposing them to systemic bias.

Compounding these classroom hurdles, school-aged Black children are less likely to have health insurance, more likely to carry trauma from losing a loved one, and routinely exposed to teachers with implicit or explicit biases. Combined with societal sexism, Black girls face unique, monumental obstacles.

Enter Girls Inc.

Founded in 1864 to support young women navigating the upheaval of the post-Civil War era, Girls Inc. operates across 1,690 sites in the United States and Canada. Its core Bill of Rights reflects a lasting commitment to helping girls grow up healthy, educated, and independent.

Celebrating 29 years of local impact, Girls Inc. of Greater Houston (GIGH) dedicates

itself to this exact mission for girls of all backgrounds. Led by CEO Treopia Cannon, the organization envisions a future of “powerful girls in an equitable society.”

Part of a larger federated network of 75 affiliates, GIGH inspires girls to be “strong, smart, and bold” through six essential elements: mentoring, intentional programs, girls-only environments, sustained exposures, interactive activities, and research-based curricula.

Holistic and preventative programming

Serving youth ages 6 through 24, the organization delivers comprehensive programming integrated directly into school curricula, summer camps, and Saturday sessions.

It operates on three distinct organizational pillars designed to build foundational life skills: • Strong: Focuses on mental and physical healthy living.

• Smart: Prioritizes academic enrichment, STEM, financial literacy, and reading.

• Bold: Teaches leadership and self-advocacy.

To ensure success is never restricted by financial limitations, corporate partnerships allow GIGH to offer all programming entirely free of charge to girls and their families. Furthermore, initiatives like Project Insight combat middle school dropout risks by connecting participants with a network of trained mentors and licensed, in-house social workers.

Family is everything, and so is your home.

Confronting barriers and personal mentorship

For Cannon, a woman of color herself, these systemic hurdles are not new—they are historic challenges that have simply been exacerbated by modern times. In response, the organization launched its latest campaign: “Here we come. Get Ready.”

The true heartbeat of the Houston chapter is its hands-on mentorship. Cannon personally reviews resumes and conducts mock interviews with participants before placing them with corporate partners.

Recognizing the need for ongoing support, she also extended services to include alumni up to age 24. In one instance, the organization hired a former participant who had to drop out of college due to hardships as a paid intern, and later helped her secure a corporate

internship paying $20 an hour.

Community Impact and Future Outreach

The tangible benefits of this dedication are felt deeply in local schools. Justine Ritsema, former principal of Deanda Elementary School—where 92% of the student body is economically disadvantaged—noted that participating scholars have shown increased classroom confidence and a greater interest in math and science.

Currently serving over 3,000 girls in the Greater Houston area through schools, community centers, and local partnerships, Girls Inc. of Greater Houston plans to keep expanding wherever the organization is invited.

To support Girls Inc, or for more information, visit girlsinc-houston.org.

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DN Feature REPORT

Young adults

Can’t afford to leave home

By Laura Onyeneho

She has a Penn State degree, a communications career, and a nearly completed grad school program. But at 27, Tipawa Kaunda still lives with her parents in Dallas.

“I looked at Houston,” said Kaunda, a Zambian American grad student and communications strategist. “I was doing the math. Rent, utilities, car insurance, groceries, and everything I was finding was pretty much equaling what I make in a month. I was working a decent job, and I still couldn’t make it work.”

A new analysis by Realtor.com found that 25.2 million adults under 35 lived with a parent in 2025, roughly one in three young adults, surpassing even the pandemic-era peak.

Roughly 70% of those in the 25-34 age group are employed, pointing squarely to housing costs rather than employment as the driver. The national median home listing price hit $430,000 in 2025, up 34% from 2019. The median asking rent climbed to $1,673, up nearly 18% over the same period.

Houston has long marketed itself as one of the more affordable major cities in the country. According to Kaunda the C2ER Cost of Living Index 2025 Annual Average, the city’s housing costs sit 20.2% below the national urban average. But local data tells a more complicated story for Black residents. The Kinder Institute for Urban Research at Rice University flagged a Anderson decline in Black homeownership across Harris County in its most recent State of Housing report, noting that home prices in heavily Black outer-loop neighborhoods, including Acres Homes and South Acres, rose by 30% to 60% between 2020 and 2025.

Meanwhile, a Houston household needs an annual income of roughly $91,200 to afford the typical monthly homeownership costs here, according to the Houston Association of Realtors, a benchmark out of reach for many young workers.

For Brittani Anderson, a Prairie View A&M University graduate who has lived and worked in Houston since 2017, the barriers became clear after a divorce left her a single mother.

Houston-based realtor and real estate investor Jennifer Sutton with Keller Williams. Courtesy: Jennifer Sutton/LinkedIn

She moved in with her parents in July 2025.

“Credit and just trying to save,” said Anderson, 34, who is now pursuing a master’s in social work while raising her daughter. “When you want a house, they want you to put down a certain amount of money. And it seems like once you pay your bills, you really don’t have any money after that. It seems like you have to get a second job just to save.”

Anderson said when she and her ex-husband attempted to buy a home together, her credit score was the obstacle, even though they had saved enough for a down payment. She believes the system needs to be restructured.

“As long as people can prove they have an income and they’re working,” she said. “I don’t think a credit score should stop someone from being approved for a home.”

Kaunda and Anderson described navigating family dynamics as adults living under their parents’ roofs, renegotiating independence, setting boundaries, and balancing gratitude with the weight of unmet expectations. For Kaunda, her Zambian background helped reframe the experience.

“In our culture, the older you get, living with your parents is still very much a normal thing,” she said. “I recognized I was in a privileged position. Parents who don’t kick me out, that don’t make me pay rent. But I also wanted to maintain my own autonomy.”

Anderson, who had not lived with her parents since age 18, said returning home as a 34-year-old mother reshaped her relationship with them. “I’m still your child, but I’m your adult child, and I have a child,” she said. “Living with my parents now, I appreciate them so much more. I feel blessed that they’re in a position to let me and my daughter stay here.”

Learn how to change the narrative.

| 9 Notice of Class Action Settlement Authorized by the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York

— Notice of Class Action Settlement —

Si desea leer este aviso en español, llámenos o visite nuestro sitio web.

TO: All merchants in the U.S. who accepted Visa or Mastercard credit or debit cards at any time since December 18, 2020.

This notice (“Notice”) is authorized by the Court to inform you about an agreement to settle the equitable relief claims in a class action lawsuit, called In re Payment Card Interchange Fee and Merchant Discount Antitrust Litigation, No. 05-md-01720 (BMC)(JAM)(E.D.N.Y.). The lawsuit claims that Visa and Mastercard, separately, and together with certain banks, violated antitrust laws and caused merchants to pay excessive fees for accepting Visa and Mastercard credit and debit cards, including by adopting interchange rules and rates, and other network rules, which the lawsuit has claimed constituted unlawful price fixing, unreasonable restraints of trade, and monopolization.

The defendants say they did nothing wrong. They maintain that their business practices are legal, justified, and the result of independent competition, and have benefitted both merchants and consumers. The Court has not decided who is right because the parties agreed to a settlement, which was preliminarily approved by the Court on June 9, 2026.

A. What Merchants Will Get from the Settlement • The cost of an Independent Auditor who will ensure that Visa and Mastercard comply with the credit card During the lawsuit, the Court previously certified interchange-rate reduction commitments, and an Equitable Relief Class under Federal Rule of • Attorneys’ fees and expenses, including any Civil Procedure 23(b)(2) and has now preliminarily named Class Representative service awards, as approved a settlement of the Class claims (the approved by the Court.

“Rule 23(b)(2) Class Settlement” or “Settlement”).

Under the Settlement, Visa and Mastercard have agreed The money in this fund will be distributed only if the to substantive changes to the Visa and Mastercard rules Court grants final approval of the Settlement, and the applicable to merchants who accept their cards as a money for attorneys’ fees and expenses, and service form of payment. awards to Class Representatives, will be distributed The Class includes all persons, businesses, and only if the Settlement has become final and all entities that accept any Visa-Branded Cards and/or appeals are exhausted, and the Court approves the Mastercard-Branded Cards in the United States at any application for attorneys’ fees and expenses, and Class time during the period between December 18, 2020 Representatives’ service awards. and the date of preliminary settlement approval, or Attorneys’ fees and expenses, and service awards June 9, 2026. The Court has set November 16, 2026 to the Class Representatives: For work done through as the date for a final approval and fairness hearing (the final approval of the Settlement by the Court, as well “Fairness Hearing”) in connection with the Settlement, as any work they will be required to do in the future, after members of the Class have had the opportunity to Class Counsel will ask the Court for attorneys’ fees and evaluate the Settlement and exercise their rights, as set reimbursement of reasonable and necessary litigation forth in the Notice. Further information regarding the expenses, and any service awards to the named Class Settlement and the Fairness Hearing will be posted on Representatives that the Court may award, in an www.InterchangeEquitableReliefSettlement.com. amount not to exceed $206,000,000. The Settlement Under the Rule 23(b)(2) Class Settlement, Mastercard Agreement requires Visa and Mastercard to pay these and Visa will modify certain rules to preserve, establish, fees and expenses separately from the other Settlement or expand the circumstances in which merchants can, financial obligations and they will not reduce any other among other things, do the following: benefits of the Settlement; members of the Class will • Decline acceptance of Visa- or Mastercard-Branded not be required to pay any amount toward these fees Commercial Credit Cards and/or Premium and expenses.

Consumer Credit Cards.

C. Legal Rights and Options • Surcharge customers a fee for the use of any Visa or Merchants who are included in this lawsuit have the Mastercard-Branded Credit Cards, including based on the type of card used (e.g., a different surcharge legal right to Object to the Settlement. The deadline to object is: September 14, 2026. To learn how to object, for rewards and non-rewards cards).

• Offer discounts to customers who do not pay with visit: www.InterchangeEquitableReliefSettlement.com or Visa or Mastercard-Branded Credit Cards, or call toll-free: 877-318-7713. based on the financial institution that issued the Note: You cannot elect to be excluded from the Rule 23(b)(2) Class Settlement.

Visa or Mastercard-Branded Credit Card.

• Decline acceptance of Visa or Mastercard-Branded For more information about these rights and options, Cards at all outlets that operate under the same visit: www.InterchangeEquitableReliefSettlement.com or trade name or banner, even if that merchant call toll-free: 877-318-7713. accepts those same cards at outlets that operate D. If the Court Grants Final Approval of under a different trade name or banner. the Settlement • Engage in Pilot Programs whereby they accept Visa or Mastercard-Branded Credit Cards at some If the Court grants final approval to the Settlement, but not all outlets operating under the same trade members of the Rule 23(b)(2) Class will be bound by name or banner for a limited duration or test out the terms of the Settlement and will release all claims various acceptance, surcharging and discounting against all released parties listed in the Settlement options at some but not all outlets operating Agreement. The Settlement will resolve and release under the same trade name or banner, including any claims by payment card acceptors against Visa, not accepting Commercial or Premium Consumer Mastercard and other defendants that were or could Credit Cards, for a limited duration. have been alleged in the lawsuit, including any claims • Accept some digital wallets at brick-and-mortar based on interchange or other fees, no-surcharge rules, locations but decline others and enable some no-discounting rules, honor-all-cards rules, and any digital wallets for on-line transactions but not other network rules. The Settlement will also resolve enable others, and “steer” among the cards within any payment card acceptor claims based upon the a digital wallet under the same rules that govern future effect of any Visa or Mastercard rules as they steering among traditional cards. were or are in place on December 18, 2020 and up to • Receive the benefit of credit interchange rate the Settlement Final Date (as defined in the Settlement reductions: Visa and Mastercard will reduce Agreement), the modified rules provided for in the published and negotiated Credit Card interchange Settlement, or any other rules substantially similar to rates for U.S. merchants. those rules. The release will not bar claims involving • Receive the benefit of Credit Card interchange certain specified standard commercial disputes arising rate caps: The Settlement Agreement reduces in the ordinary course of business. and caps “Standard” Consumer Credit Card rates at a specified level and otherwise caps Credit For more information on the release, see the Superseding Card interchange rates, such that neither Visa andAmended Rule 23(b)(2) Class Settlement Agreement nor Mastercard will increase any of its published at: www.InterchangeEquitableReliefSettlement.com.

E. The Court Hearing About This Settlement Credit Card interchange rates above the rates effective as of March 31, 2025 and each will On November 16, 2026 at 11:00 am ET, the Court reduce its network-wide average Credit Card will hold a hearing to decide whether to approve the interchange rate to or below the specified level. proposed Settlement, Class Counsel’s request for • Form Merchant Buying Groups that meet certain attorneys’ fees and expenses, and service awards for criteria to negotiate with Visa and Mastercard. the named Class Representatives. The hearing will take • Receive access to a Merchant Education Program, place at: established and administered under the Settlement United States District Court for the Agreement, to help understand and maximize Eastern District of New York the benefits of the rule changes, including how to U.S. District Judge Brian M. Cogan effectively “steer” in States that restrict surcharging.

225 Cadman Plaza East B. Monetary Aspects of the Rule 23(b)(2) Brooklyn, NY 11201 Class Settlement You do not have to attend the Court hearing or hire There is no monetary payment to members of the Class an attorney, though you may do either at your own in this Settlement. This Rule 23(b)(2) Class Settlement expense. The Court appointed the law firms of Hilliard concerns only the Equitable Relief Claims set forth Shadowen LLP; Grant & Eisenhofer P.A.; Freed in the lawsuit. Claims for monetary damages arising Kanner London & Millen LLC; and Nussbaum Law out of the defendants’ alleged antitrust violations Group, P.C. to represent the Class (“Class Counsel”). are the subject of a separate settlement for the F. Questions?

Rule 23(b)(3) Class. For information concerning the separate Rule 23(b)(3) Cash Settlement Class, please For more information about this case (In re Payment visit the website: www.PaymentCardSettlement.com.

Card Interchange Fee and Merchant Discount The Settlement does provide for Visa and Mastercard Antitrust Litigation, MDL 1720), you may: to make certain payments into the Rule 23(b)(2) Class Call toll-free: 877-318-7713 Settlement Escrow Account, which money will be used Visit: www.InterchangeEquitableReliefSettlement.com to pay: Write to the Class Administrator: Interchange B2 Class Administrator, P.O. Box 6340, Portland, OR • The cost of settlement administration and notice, 97228-6340 as approved by the Court, or Email the Class Administrator: • The cost of Merchant Education Program expenses, as approved by the Court, info@InterchangeEquitableReliefSettlement.com

10 | July 16, 2026 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Sports

Zachary Marshall (center) makes the calls for the offensive line up front. Credit: Texas Southern.

TSU CENTER

ZACHARY MARSHALL Ready to build on freshman season

By Terrance Harris

Zachary Marshall only had one Division I scholarship coming out of high school in Florida and Texas Southern was it.

But that didn’t stop the offensive line prospect from setting his expectations high when he arrived on campus last summer, only to have them realized.

“I was coming in, intending to be a starter,” said Marshall, the Tigers’ center. “I had to beat out a sixth-year senior for the job. He got hurt in fall camp, and when I came in in fall camp, I just stayed for the rest of the season.”

That isn’t typical of how things go for a virtually recruited freshman, especially at the offensive line’s most challenging position. But Marshall quickly proved he wasn’t a typical freshman.

The Tigers’ coaching staff became aware of Marshall when his high school coach from Bartram Trail High School in the Jacksonville area reached out to TSU offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Steven Smith. The two had a good conversation, which led to Smith receiving Marshall’s game tape, which then led to an on-campus visit with Marshall and his parents. Marshall got to hear TSU’s plan, and the coaching staff had an opportunity to understand the depth of football knowledge the 6-foot-4, 290-pound youngster possessed.

From there, all parties were sold on each other.

“He is probably one of the smartest dudes you will ever talk to,” Smith said. “When it comes to football, he did it from Day 1. From Day 1 on his recruiting visit, I put it up on the board, talked about it, and he was able to feed

it back to me just like that. He’s been the same way ever since.”

And once injury met opportunity, Marshall seized the moment and never looked back. He started all 12 games at the leadership position of the offensive line, where blocking assignments are made, and one missed call could result in the quarterback being sacked or the running game being stuffed.

Marshall anchored an offensive line that ranked in the Top 25 of all FCS programs.

Now, Marshall is ready to build on that with an even better sophomore campaign.

“I had a great freshman year,” he said.

“There are still a lot of things I can improve on, and I was working on in the spring. I’m going to go into the summer getting better and coming into the fall even better than I was last year.”

Marshall has spent the offseason improving on his technique and run blocking. Smith has been impressed with his progress.

“Big growth from last year to now,” Smith said. “He’s getting stronger. He has always been a fighter, which was the one thing I loved about him when we recruited him.

He’s smart, and he is a fighter, and he’s getting better and better.”

Marshall is a part of a talented young interior offensive line core, which includes 6-foot-3, 350-pound Jayden Daniels and Sterling product Malachi Godfrey, who is 6-foot-4 and 340 pounds. Both are guards, and all three were starters last season as freshmen.

The experience they gained from last season and the chemistry they have were on display during spring practices when they

often dominated the line of scrimmage, giving the quarterbacks ample time to find open receivers and opening gaping holes for the running backs.

“The three young guys, I think they did a really good job,” Smith said. “The three freshmen who started progressed well in the spring, the same way they did last year.”

Marshall believes they will be even better this upcoming season, despite losing offensive tackles Braden Cain and Dennis Jones to FBS schools in the transfer portal.

“We’re a lot tighter as a group,” Marshall said. “From just playing last year, things click better, better than they did just coming in and trying to figure everything out.”

For Marshall, last year was about figuring

The offensive line, we will be great. Last year, we were really good. I think we were ranked Top 25 in FCS as an O-line. This year, we are going to try to come back and be better than that.”

ZACHARY MARSHALL

a lot out as he learned to exist in a difficult cultural environment. But he adjusted to and embraced the culture and environment of playing college football at an HBCU. “It was a great experience,” Marshall said.

“The bands in the SWAC are just amazing, and all of the crowds are great.”

Marshall has appreciated the welcoming environment both on the field and around campus. He appreciates what he has learned so far from head coach Cris Dishman, Smith, and the other members of the coaching staff who either played in the NFL or have coached in the NFL or other major college programs.

Last season, Dishman and his assistant coaches helped produce TSU’s first NCAA-recognized winning seasons in more than two decades. The expectation is that the Tigers will build on that success this season.

“We can be really good,” Marshall said.

“We have a great receiving corps, a lot of people coming back. Our running back room is amazing, and the quarterback room is amazing as well.”

Zachary Marshall.

Credit: Texas Southern.

July 16, 2026 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

| 11

DN Sports FROM OVERLOOKED TO TEXAS

McKale Lee Finally got her chance

By Jimmie Aggison

McKale Lee was hardly a newcomer to the track world.

Long before winning a UIL state championship, Lee had already established herself as a 10-time All-American and a four-time Junior Olympian. Yet without a trip to the UIL State Track and Field Championships, the senior remained largely unknown to many college recruiters and to high school track fans across Texas.

That changed when Lee ran 2:09.08 in the 800 meters at the regional meet, qualifying for her first UIL state meet as a senior. Weeks later, she lowered her time to 2:08.69, captured her first UIL gold medal, and suddenly became one of the state’s hottest recruits. Soon after, the University of Texas extended an offer, which Lee quickly accepted.

Now, after making her first appearance at Nike Outdoor Nationals and running 2:08.41, Lee has proven that her breakout season was years in the making.

“I think a lot of the overlooking and doubt came during my junior season,” said Lee. “Despite my accomplishments and winning every 800-meter race up until the Area meet, I was rarely seen.”

Lee said the disappointment wasn’t rooted in a single race but in a combination of limited exposure, missed opportunities, and one moment that overshadowed everything she had accomplished.

“I’m from Alief, a small place where not many athletes get recognized,” said Lee. “I didn’t get to go to the big meets like Rice, Victor Lopez, and the A&M Invitational meet. When all eyes were on me at the Area meet, I fell during the race. So, I guess I can understand why a lot of people began to overlook me, why colleges didn’t reach out, and why coaches doubted me. But despite it all, I never stopped working.”

Despite already accomplishing more than most runners her age, Lee’s résumé still lacked one achievement: Qualifying for the UIL state meet. She finally checked that box by running 2:09.08 at the regional meet during her senior season, putting herself on the state’s radar.

“Qualifying for the state meet honestly meant everything,” said Lee. “Every year I would watch the state meet from my room, so finally having the opportunity to prove myself, to show everyone I was among the best in Texas, meant more than words can describe.”

Alief Taylor High School graduate McKale Lee rounds the final curve during the 800-meter race at the Class 6A Area Qualifying meet at Crump Stadium.

Credit: Jimmie Aggison/ Defender.

For the first time, the rest of Texas noticed.

The performance drew attention from college programs, but Lee was still waiting for the opportunity she had spent years working toward. Texas Southern, UTSA, and Prairie View A&M had shown interest before the state meet, yet none had extended an offer.

“As a senior with no offers, I was more motivated,” said Lee. “In some of those moments, I did worry. It hurt, but I never doubted myself. I stayed focused and

“The thing I remember most from my state 800-meter race is the last 300 meters,” said Lee. “The part of the race I had worked so hard on for years, the moment I realized I had won. Seeing my family and my coaches’ proud faces is something I’ll never forget.”

Her winning time of 2:08.69 was all the University of Texas needed to see.

Suddenly, the senior who had entered the postseason without a single scholarship offer received one from her dream school.

“Texas has always been my dream school,” said Lee. “In the months leading up to my outdoor season, I spent a lot of time emailing coaches, sharing my story, and updating them on my season. When the UT coach called my parents and I, it was a done deal.”

“The campus’ home feel, the close proximity to home, and the amazing coaches and runners made me feel right at home,” said Lee. One race transformed Lee’s recruiting future and validated years of work. Now committed to one of the nation’s premier track programs, she has shifted her focus from proving she belongs to proving how far she can go.

At the Nike Outdoor Nationals & USATF U20 Championships in Eugene, Oregon, Lee ran 2:08.41, finishing seventh in the nation and proving her state championship perforEvery year I would mance was no fluke. watch the state “At Nike Nationals, I wanted to show everyone that I was capable of meet from my room, competing with the best, even with so finally having the so much other talent in the field,” opportunity to prove said Lee. myself, to show “I’ve had the privilege of watching her grow not only as an athlete everyone I was among but also as a leader and competitor,” the best in Texas, said Hawkins. “Her dedication, dismeant more than cipline, and heart will continue to words can describe.” shape her into an outstanding runner. She is an exceptional athlete, MCKALE LEE and there is more to come as she continues at the collegiate level.”

While her state title introduced consistent, never losing sight of my goals.” her to Texas, her seventh-place finish at the Despite everything she had accomplished, Nike Outdoor Nationals and USATF U20 nothing was guaranteed.

Championships introduced her to the rest “After people witnessed, read about, and of the country. the media covered McKale Lee running “Looking back to where I started, it all 2:08.69 and winning the State Champion- feels so bittersweet,” said Lee. “I always knew ship in the 800 meters, they couldn’t help I had it in me, but to see the things I used but view her as a true competitor,” said Alief to pray for all come true is the most beauTaylor head girls track and field coach Karen tiful thing; something I will always carry Hawkins. with me.”

12 | July 16, 2026 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Feature

Trae Day

Celebrates 19 years of community impact

By Laura Onyeneho

What began as a birthday celebration has become one of Houston’s most enduring community traditions. For 19 years, rapper and humanitarian Trae Tha Truth has transformed his July birthday week into Trae Day, a free, week-long initiative that connects thousands of Houston families with school supplies, health resources, and direct support. No admission. No strings attached.

In 2008, then-Mayor Bill White made it official, declaring July 22 Trae Day in the city of Houston, the first time the distinction was given to a rapper. Since then, the celebration has expanded from a single afternoon into a multi-day event drawing families, elected officials, athletes, celebrities, and volunteers from across Greater Houston and beyond.

This year, the 19th Annual Trae Day runs July 16-22.

Trae Tha Truth, born Frazier Othel Thompson III, says the nerves never go away.

“Every year I get nervous,” he said. “You want it to just be successful. You don’t want any issues.”

That anxiety, he explained, is matched only by the weight of responsibility he feels to Houston’s families, who have come to count on Trae Day the same way they count on the holidays.

“They look at Trae Day the same as Thanksgiving or Christmas,” he said. “That’s one less stress they’re going to have to deal with every year.”

The financial commitment behind that peace of mind is substantial. Trae Tha Truth said he spends nearly $250,000 each year during Trae Day week alone, in addition to the holiday giveaways, disaster relief efforts, and spontaneous community events he runs throughout the year. Through his nonprofits, Angel by Nature and the Relief Gang, he has led responses to Hurricane Harvey, the COVID-19 pandemic, and natural disasters in Louisiana and Puerto Rico.

When asked what keeps him going, Trae Tha Truth doesn’t point to metrics. He points to people. He recalled a moment during his special needs event when a mother broke down in tears as her nine-year-old son got his first-ever haircut.

Nineteen years in, the infrastructure behind Trae Day is, as he put it, “a well-oiled machine.” He named his children and his team as the foundation of its future.

“I do plan on having it go on for the rest of Houston’s life,” he said. “This year I’m doing everything on my own,” he said, “and we are up to the finish line.”

I do plan on having it go on for the rest of Houston’s life.

This year I’m doing everything on my own,” he said, “and we are up to the finish line.”

TRAE THA TRUTH

Trae tha Truth was the first rapper in Houston history to receive a designated city day. Courtesy Trae Tha Truth.

Kim SoMajor, a Houston-based media personality, filmmaker, and Recording Academy member, has watched that evolution up close. She first covered Trae Day as a journalist and an on-air personality before stepping into a volunteer role, a shift that happened naturally after Hurricane Harvey pushed her deeper into community work.

“I wanted to see how I can help,” SoMajor said. “I know Trae does so much.”

What she has witnessed over years of involvement goes beyond the school supplies and giveaways.

“Every year it just feels like a reunion,”

SoMajor said. “It humanizes everybody,” She described neighbors from surrounding apartment buildings walking over to participate, local entrepreneurs gaining exposure, and families making memories together. The presence of celebrities working side by side with community members, without a stage or a platform between them, carries its own message.

For SoMajor, the longevity of Trae Day speaks to something the broader culture often underestimates about Houston’s Black community.

“Don’t let social media or the algorithms

fool you,” she said. “We are a strong community here. People come out and show out.”

Trae Tha Truth shared that sentiment without framing it as competition with anyone else in the city’s philanthropic landscape. He resists the impulse to tell others they should replicate what he does.

“I don’t look at anything as competition,” he said. “I’m in my own lane. What I’m doing is for my own personal reasons that God placed within my heart. Any step up from where we were the previous time is an accomplishment. I’m grateful for the small and the big things.”