IN-PERSON WORSHIP RETURNS Churches return after more than a year of virtual services.
NEWS
SPORTS
SYLVESTER TURNER
SIMONE BILES
The talented gymnast bows out of team competitions at the Tokyo Olympics to protect her mental health.
Mayor, local leaders call on State to end apartheid-like distribution of Harvey home repairs.
Volume 90, issue 39 July 29, 2021
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DN To the POINT
LET THE PEOPLE BE HEARD
REPOST @VIOLADAVIS “JUST WHEN THE CATERPILLAR THOUGHT IT WAS THE END OF THE WORLD, IT BECAME A BUTTERFLY” ALWAYS A CHAMPION. ALWAYS A GAMECHANGER, A RULE BREAKER. ALWAYS A CONSUMMATE TEAMMATE…A BASTION OF SUPPORT… YOU HAVE SHIFTED THE SPORT AND REMINDED US WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HUMAN… AND BECAUSE OF ALL OF THIS…YOU WILL BE REMEMBERED. @SIMONEBILES @ARIANNAHUFF Comments: @keshapowellbyerly @lovellsmobilenotary @007ladyrosebug All is well stay strong @chclayto Love you so much, Simone!!! You didn’t need to compete with yourself again! Any standard which now exist in gymnastics or the Olympics all gravitate around you!!! @beautifullydonedrapery God’s got her. @rwestbrook49 SALUTE .... A so-called Fan is a FANATIC in it’s simplest form ... A FANATIC has no empathy,no compassion and overlooks HUMANITY all for the sake of a victory and in this case a Gold Medal ... Regardless to what’s said and done throughout the remainder of the Olympics ... Simone Biles is The G.O.A.T. !!! @roberthart8946 You are an elite athlete. You should not step back. @roberthart8946 sure, but respectfully, we’re not talking about boxing. That’s an individual sport. Had Simone continued, not focused, her poor performance could have caused her team to place even lower in the standings. She knew she wasn’t at her best so she removed herself. @spotonpublicrelations Again. #HOUSTONSTRONG. I know #ourmayor @ sylvesterturner surely agrees.
Aquilino Gonell, sergeant of the U.S. Capitol Police, Michael Fanone, officer for the Metropolitan Police Department, and Harry Dunn, private first class of the U.S. Capitol Police, listen while Daniel Hodges, officer for the Metropolitan Police Department, testifies during a hearing of the House select committee investigating the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Getty/Brendan Smialowski
Message from the Publisher ‘I choose me’ ture advisement considering the large number of Can we take a moment and give a shoutout hard-headed Americans who refuse to take the to the Black women who are removing the Suvaccine and those who haven’t gotten around to it perwoman cape, forgoing fame and fortune, and yet. I feel like I have to say this every week – this is choosing their mental health? For the critics real, y’all. Get vaccinated TODAY! slamming Simone Biles for “letting her country down” as one said, kick rocks…Unless you know Blue lives matter, unless you’re Black what it’s like to have a demanding career in the Did you catch the testimony from the four popublic eye, where you are expected to perform at ReShonda Billingsley lice officers who were on the scene during the terthe best of your abilities every single day despite rorist insurrection at the Capitol on Jan. 6? They facing immeasurable scrutiny; Doing so while facing constant delivered emotional testimony about the physical and verbal critique and criticism from strangers, all while battling your abuse they endured from the MAGA mob who couldn’t acown stressors or personal demons, you can’t judge Simone. cept that the grand wizard of white supremacy had lost the We’re not going to even get into how Olympic judges wanted presidential election. Testimony from Capitol Police Offito change how they judge the gymnastics category because cers Harry Dunn and Sgt. Aquilino Gonell—along with two Simone is GOAT and they think it’s unfair to others that she’s members of D.C.’s police force: Officers Michael Fanone and so good. All of that is too much for anyone to carry. So major Daniel Hodges— showed the MAGA maniacs who attemptprops to Simone for saying, I’m choosing me and putting my ed to overthrow the government were anything but peaceful mental health first. and pleasant. Listening to Dunn was heartwrenching as the terrorists hurled racist and derogatory comments to the men You’re smoking weed, vaping and everything who took an oath to protect and serve. Fanone later shared else, but worried about what’s in a vaccine??? with CNN vile voicemails he was left by Trump supporters…. Here we go again…back to increased threat levels because you know those supporters who proudly proclaim they back of the unvaccinated. Trumpsters, I get. Their fearless leader the Blue. They need to change their slogan to we back the has them bucking the system (they don’t even think about Blue…unless you voted blue and definitely not if you’re Black! the fact that he was one of the FIRST ones vaccinated, but yeah, let’s make this political). What I can’t get with are the In this week’s paper increasing numbers of young people who are saying they’re • Churches are returning to in-person worship. not getting vaccinated because they “don’t know what’s in it.” • Commissioner Rodney Ellis calls for annual MWBE One young man, an avid vaper, said he and his friends didn’t Accountability Report. get vaccinated because “nobody knows what’s really in the • Sports reporter Terrance Harris tells us five things to look vaccines.” Mind you, he gave this interview from his hospital for at the Texans training camp. bed where he’d just undergone a double lung transplant after catching COVID. But this is one of the big reasons people ar- On the web en’t getting vaccinated. Look, if you do drugs, get a measles • UT bails on the Big 12. vaccine, a flu shot, or drink Coke....you need to let the benefits • Prosecutors air more claims in R. Kelly case. of this vaccine outweigh your worries. The CDC had lifted • Atlanta cops suspended after video shows Black woman mask recommendations but now we know that was premabeing kicked in the head.
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DN News Local leaders, Mayor call on State to end apartheid-like Harvey rebuilding program By Aswad Walker
Residents and community leaders from Pleasantville, Studewood and Sagemont joined Mayor Sylvester Turner and others at a press conference to draw attention to what they describe as a gross injustice that could devastate for decades Houston area communities heavily populated by people of color and seniors. At issue is the Texas General Land Office’s (GLO) documented practice of funding the rebuilding of Hurricane Harvey-damaged homes in predominantly white, deed-restricted neighborhoods to specifications that meet or exceed the square footage and bedroom number pre-Harvey, while doing the exact opposite in Black and Brown and heavily senior Houston communities. “Pleasantville is one of the first, historically Black neighborhoods in the country protected by deed restrictions, but over the past several months, many residents have raised concerns with the GLO about the rebuilding process, concerned about their desire to be treated with basic respect and fairness,” said Turner. “And unfortunately, those concerns have been ignored by the GLO.” Turner said if at the time of Harvey, homeowners had a three-bedroom home that was seriously damaged or destroyed, “they’re simply asking for that same three-bedroom home after the fact,” adding that prior to the GLO’s 2020 take-over of the city’s $428 million effort to repair and rebuild single-family homes damaged by Harvey, the city was doing just that. “Your home is the most valuable thing that most people own, and especially for people of color or people of moderate means,” said Judson Robinson III, head of the Houston Area Urban League and grandson of Judson Robinson Sr. considered Pleasantville’s founding father and one of the main reasons why the 1948-founded neighborhood became a beacon of Black excellence in the city and country. “[Home ownership] is the vehicle that allows [people] to pass on wealth to the next generation. If you take away the tenets of what it takes to have a successful neighborhood, you diminish the property, you create an environment that does not encourage families to move into it again, you’re doing a disservice to the community, and tax dollars should not be used in a manner that creates disservice.” However, these same tax dollars have allowed residents of predominantly white neighborhoods to receive red carpet
Mayor Sylvester Turner and others during the press conference calling on the GLO to equitably distribute Harvey home repair funding. Photo by Aswad Walker.
treatment by the GLO, the unspoken elephant in the room during the press conference. However, when asked about it, Turner would only say, “I can’t speak to that. It doesn’t make any logical sense. These people are not asking for more than what they had, they simply want their homes rebuilt. I can’t get into [GLO leadership] heads to determine why they are doing it.” Turner, Robinson and other press conference speakers agreed that the GLO’s practice of only agreeing to rebuild a homeowner’s three-bedroom home, for example, with a two-bedroom, or to refuse to build a garage on a home that had one prior to Harvey or replace homes built on slabs with less valuable homes built on piers and beams, the end result is not only a loss of home value and equity for the individual homeowner, but a loss of value for the entire community. “You’re reducing their investments, recognize that the
home for most people represents their largest asset. The storm already hit them once. Government shouldn’t have to hit them twice,” added Turner. Mary Fontenot, president of the Pleasantville Historical Society, and the driving force behind bringing attention to this issue, added that the impact of the current GLO practice regarding these Black, Brown and senior-dominated neighborhoods goes beyond mere dollars and cents. “Read a few articles on the underground communities that were prominent, flourishing Black communities, that entities came in and they just wiped them out. Well, we don’t want to be wiped out and we shouldn’t have to be,” said Fontenot. “Our history is America’s history and it’s important. And it must be preserved whether it’s in Pleasantville or Independence Heights or South Park or wherever it might be. It must be preserved and respected.”
TSU GRAD, KAMAU MARSHALL, TOP BIDEN CAMPAIGN SPOKESMAN, NAMED U.S. TRADE REP. Kamau Marshall, President Joe Biden’s former chief spokesman who helped to guide the 2020 presidential campaign, has taken a top communications job at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). Marshall is now the top deputy assis- Kamau tant for media and public affairs at Marshall the USTR. With extensive experience in politics and communications, Marshall served as a speechwriter and communications advisor for the Department of Agriculture during former President Barack Obama’s administration.
HARRIS COUNTY CLERK TENESHIA HUDSPETH GETS TOP SPOT Harris County Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth was appointed Secretary of the Executive Board of the International Association of Government Officials (iGO), an association that aims to provide professional training and leadership development, through the promotion of programs and Teneshia legislative monitoring on national Hudspeth issues that affect county recorders, election officials, treasurers, and clerks, to better serve the public.
PEOPLE ON THE MOVE MARIA REEVE NAMED TOP EDITOR AT HOUSTON CHRONICLE Maria Reeve, managing editor of the Houston Chronicle since November 2019, has been named the newspaper’s top editor. Reeve is the first journalist of color to serve as Executive Editor at the Chronicle. Reeve, 53, joined the paper from the Star Tribune in Minneapolis. She Maria Reeve previously worked for the St. Paul Pioneer Press and started her journalism career as a general assignment reporter at The Bradenton Herald in Florida, where she covered transportation and the environment.
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DN News Lawmakers testify on Texas voting bill Texas Tribune
U.S. Capitol Police Sgt. Harry Dunn wipes his eyes during the House select committee hearing on the Jan. 6 attack on Capitol Hill in Washington.
‘THIS IS HOW I’M GOING TO DIE’ Officers tell Jan. 6 stories
Associated Press
“This is how I’m going to die, defending this entrance,” Capitol Police Officer Aquilino Gonell recalled thinking, testifying at the emotional opening hearing of the congressional panel investigating the violent Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection. Officer Gonell told House investigators he could feel himself losing oxygen as he was crushed by rioters – supporters of then-President Donald Trump – as he tried to hold them back and protect the Capitol and lawmakers. He and three other officers gave their accounts of the attack July 27, sometimes wiping away tears, sometimes angrily rebuking Republicans who have resisted the probe and embraced Trump’s downplaying the day’s violence by supporters who were challenging his election defeat. Along with graphic video of handto-hand fighting, the officers described being beaten as they held off the mob that broke through windows and doors and interrupted the certification of Democrat Joe Biden’s presidential win. The new committee is launching its probe with a focus on the law enforcement officers who protected them — putting a human face on the
violence of the day. Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone, who rushed to the scene, told the committee — and millions watching news coverage — that he was “grabbed, beaten, tased, all while being called a traitor to my country.” Doctors later told him he’d had a heart attack. Daniel Hodges, also a D.C. police officer, said he remembered foaming at the mouth and screaming for help as rioters crushed him between two doors and bashed him in the head with his own weapon, injuring his skull. Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn said one group of rioters, perhaps 20 people, screamed the n-word at him as he was trying to keep them from breaching the House chamber. Tensions on Capitol Hill have only worsened since the insurrection, with many Republicans playing down, or outright denying the violence that occurred and denouncing the Democratic-led investigation as politically motivated. Democrats are reminding people how brutal it was, and how the law enforcement officers who were sworn to protect the Capitol suffered serious injuries at the hands of the rioters. The officers detailed the horror of
their experiences, their injuries and the lasting trauma as they begged the lawmakers to investigate the attack. “I feel like I went to hell and back to protect them and the people in this room,” Fanone testified. Pounding his fist on the table in front of him, he said, “Too many are now telling me that hell doesn’t exist or that hell actually wasn’t that bad. The indifference shown to my colleagues is disgraceful.” The lawmakers on the committee, too, grew emotional as they played videos of the violence and repeatedly thanked the police for protecting them. Democratic Rep. Stephanie Murphy of Florida told them she was hiding near an entrance they were defending that day and “I shudder to think what would have happened had you not held that line.” The House Republican leader, Kevin McCarthy, withdrew the participation of the Republicans he had appointed last week after Pelosi rejected two of them, saying their “antics” in support of Trump, and his lies that he won the election, weren’t appropriate for the serious investigation. Earlier, the House voted against a resolution offered by the GOP leader to force his chosen members onto the panel.
Texas House Democrats who left the state to block GOPbacked efforts to enact new voting restrictions will testify on those proposals before a U.S. House subcommittee this week. State Reps. Senfronia Thompson of Houston, Nicole Collier of Fort Worth and Diego Bernal of San Antonio are expected to make appearances before the civil rights and civil liberties subcommittee of the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Reform in a specially called hearing on contentious Texas legislation that would rewrite state election laws. The hearing will come in the middle of Texas Democrats’ third week in Washington, D.C., offering them a more formal stage on which to make their case Senfronia against the legislation that prompted them Thompson to decamp to the U.S. capital. “America is facing the most sweeping assault on the voting rights of the people since passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965,” U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, who chairs the subcommittee, said. “Texas is now Ground Zero in this battle, and we are honored to have these Texas lawmakers come to testify before our subcommittee about the struggle to defend basic democNicole Collier racy in their state.” The Texas Democrats have been in Washington since July 12, when they slipped out of the state so they could deny Republicans the quorum needed to advance the legislation. Since arriving, they have conceded they don’t have the votes to keep the Republican majority in the Legislature from eventually passing the legislation. Instead, they’ve attempted to frame their protest as a sum- Diego Bernal mons for Congress to act on far-reaching federal legislation. Their focus is on a pair of federal bills that would reinstate federal oversight of elections in states like Texas with troubling records and set new federal standards for voting access, like same-day and automatic voter registration.
VOLUME 90 - NUMBER 39 - JULY 29, 2021 Publisher | CEO Sonceria Messiah-Jiles
Managing Editor ReShonda Tate Billingsley
Strategic Alllance Clyde Jiles
Associate Editor Aswad Walker
Creative Director Michael Grant
Education Reporter Laura Onyeneho
Photographers Ray Carrington III Jimmie Aggison
Sports Terrance Harris Jodie B. Jiles
The Defender newspaper is published by the Houston Defender Newspaper Inc. and audited by Alliance for Audited Media (AAM). Only digital subscriptions are available at: www.defendernetwork.com/subscribe No paper subscriptions available. All materials covered by 2020 copyright. No materials herein may be reproduced without the written permission of the Publisher. 713-663-6996 | P.O. Box 8005, Houston, Tx 77288
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DN Education U.S. DEPT. OF EDUCATION OFFERS RESOURCES
Improving school ventilation systems By Laura Onyeneho
The Department of Education announced a resource that outlines how the American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds can help schools, colleges and universities improve the indoor air quality to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This is part of the Department’s broader efforts to support schools in preparation of in-person learning this fall. The resource details how to invest ARP funds to test, maintain, repair, replace and/or upgrade the systems in school facilities. “Protecting our schools and communities from the spread of COVID-19 is the first step in bringing more students back to in-person learning and reemerging from this crisis even stronger than we were before,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Dr. Miguel Cardona. “With the American Rescue Plan, schools and districts now have access to unprecedented resources that will enable them to ensure proper ventilation and maintain healthy learning and working environments. At the Department, we are committed to helping communities identify how to use these resources quickly and effectively as they prepare to welcome all students back to in-person learning this fall.” According to a report from the Texas Education Agency (TEA), improving school indoor air quality decreases respiratory-related infection rates and positively impacts student attendance. This includes reducing the severity of asthma symptoms, respiratory illnesses (common cold, flu,
MAYOR’S BACK 2 SCHOOL FEST The Mayor’s Office is partnering with the Houston Food Bank to welcome thousands of students and families for their 11th Annual Mayor’s Back to School Fest presented by Shell.
Two Alief ISD elementary students. Photo courtesy of Alief ISD.
etc.) and COVID-19. Many Houston public schools are gearing up for the school year amidst the concerns of the highly contagious delta variant spreading across Texas. Alief ISD spokesperson, Craig Eichhron told the Defender that the health and safety of students and staff is their first priority. “In light of the rising COVID-19 cases in the Houston area and across the country, Alief ISD will continue to encourage staff and parents of students 12 years and older to get the free vaccine. Unfortunately, since Gov. Greg Abbott’s executive order (GA-36) renders school districts powerless in mandating universal mask wearing while in
schools, we can only encourage everyone to do their part in mitigating the spread of COVID-19 by wearing masks,” he said. “The district’s additional cleaning and safety protocols & procedures will continue. All learning will be in-person due to the state legislature’s failure to pass a virtual learning bill. The district will continue to host vaccination clinics to increase access to the vaccine for those who are eligible.” The infrastructure proposal is part of President Biden’s Build Back Better agenda to equip schools so they are safe and healthy places of learning, energy efficient and have the technology and labs students need to prepare for jobs in tomorrow’s economy.
The annual fest was created to assist economically disadvantaged Houston-area elementary school students and their families as they prepare to return to school. Thousands of students will be provided with school supplies, backpacks, food and masks. The Houston Food Bank will provide produce, protein and dry goods for families in need of food assistance. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, face masks will be distributed as a new procedure to keep the public safe and socially distanced during the event.
Date: Saturday, August 14, 2021 Time: 8am - until supplies last Location: NRG Park Yellow Lot
WHEELER AVENUE HONORS EIGHT EAGLE SCOUTS Defender News Service
Eight local young men will soon be named Eagle Scouts, the highest achievement or rank attainable in the BSA program of the Boy Scouts of America. Nationwide, only two percent of youth who start out in Scouting ever achieve this rank.The Eagle Scout rank has been earned by only 2.5 million youth since its inception in 1911. Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church’s (WABC) historic Boy Scouts of America (BSA) Troop 242, will be bestowing the rank of Eagle Scout on the eight African American young men during the Court of Honor ceremony. Charted in May 1965 by Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church (WABC) Pastor (Emeritus) Rev. Bill Lawson and his wife, Audrey (deceased), and affiliated with the W.L. Davis District within the Sam Houston Area Council (SHAC) of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), Troop 242 holds the distinction of
being Houston’s first Boy Scout troop for African Americans. WABC Troop 242 has been one of the leading troops in the Sam Houston Area Houston Council with 10 Silver Beaver Awardees (the highest award given to adult volunteers by Boy Scouts of America) and leads the nation in producing African American Eagle Scouts with more than 170. The young men receiving their Eagle Scout rank, certificate and names listed on the wall in front of the Boy Scouts of America Sam Houston Council Cockrell Scout Center are: 1.) Cory Eugene-Marcellus Jiles, Jr. 2.) Rashaad Scott 3.) Christopher Batiste Smith 4.) Christopher Lowe 5.) Zachary Clarence Jones 6.) Carrington Bryce Houston 7.) Daniel Kristopher Russell 8.) James Mason Rhodes
Eagle Scout Group Pic (Top Left to Right) Christopher Smith, Carrington Bryce Houston, Scout Master Osakwe Rikondja, Zachary Jones, Daniel Kristopher Russell. (Bottom Left to Right) Corey Eugene-Marcellus Jiles, Jr. and Christopher Delano Lowe.
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Building stronger communities in Houston Bank of America is helping to meet the need for more affordable housing in neighborhoods across the country. Through Community Development Banking, we’re deepening our commitment to create more communities for people to call home. In 2020, we committed $5.87 billion for affordable housing and economic development financing, resulting in over 13,000 housing units for people and families in need — many of which were constructed by diverse developers. In addition, we’re joining Enterprise Community Partners to invest $60 million in capital to support minority developers and their work to build inclusive communities. My teammates and I remain dedicated to helping more people find a place to live they can both love and afford. What would you like the power to do?®
Working together We’re also collaborating with organizations that are supporting affordable housing options here in Houston. They include: Rebuilding Together Houston Habitat for Humanity Northwest Harris County Local Initiatives Support Corporation Houston
Hong Ogle President, Bank of America Houston
Go to bankofamerica.com/houston to learn more about the work we are doing with our incredible partners.
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DN InFocus FOCUS SOCIAL
IN-PERSON WORSHIP RETURNS
By Aswad Walker
The COVID-19 pandemic touched every aspect of our lives, including our religious routines. Namely, how we do church. Over the past yearand-a-half, worship service for many congregations went virtual. Churches already well-versed in the online world, like St. John’s Downtown, made the transition willingly and with little member pushback. Other congregations moved kicking and screaming to “church on the computer” as Blueridge United Methodist Church longtime member Carstell A. Walker Jr. calls it. All faith fellowships, however, longed for the return to face-to-face services in their respective churches, temples and mosques. And though some returned to such services relatively early, the majority took a more pandemic-cautious approach. For many of the more cautious, August is the month for the doors of the sanctuary to once again swing open so members can make a joyful noise unto the Lord together. THE EARLY BIRDS
Blueridge UMC opened back relatively early, in October 2020 to 25% occupancy, with mandatory mask-wearing, entrance temperature checks and social distancing. Families were allowed to sit next to each other, but all others were spaced six-feet apart. And seating was only available on every other row. “We removed all hymnals from the sanctuary to cut down on the possibility of spreading COVID while singing,” added Walker, a former church trustee whose family moved to Houston from New Orleans in 1974 and joined Blueridge the next year. Walker said during most of 2020 Blueridge conducted phone bible classes and countless committee Zoom meetings, while also regularly distributing food to those in need. The church even welcomed a new pastor during the pandemic, Dr. Janice Gilbert. And on the first Sunday of July 2021, the Sunnyside-based fellowship held their first full capacity service. Blueridge was early, but the Fountain of Praise (FOP) technically opened for face-to-face worship even earlier. “We re-opened in June 2020 to host the George Floyd Funeral and Wake with several COVID precautions in place,” said pastors Remus and Mia Wright. “With much prayer and consulting with local authorities and the health department, we were confident that we had the proper protocols in place.” Like Blueridge, FOP opened in October 2020 at 25% capacity after dealing with the congregational challenges brought on by the pandemic.
Rudy and Juanita Rasmus
“The Fountain of Praise is a loving congregation, and historically we socialize in the lobby,” said Mia Wright. “The manner that we fellowship had to be adjusted to stress social distancing. We realize that the threats of COVID-19 are severe, and we continue to emphasize the importance of a healthy spiritual life.” Still, FOP members were ready to come back “home.” “During COVID, we amped our social media connectivity and personal contact by making phone calls to a high percentage of our congregants. Despite these efforts, people missed connecting and seeing each other. Many were ready to be together to experience the presence of God in the presence of others. There is something about the congregational experience that cannot be expressed online,” shared Dr. Remus Wright. The Wrights acknowledged that many FOP members experienced the convenience that comes with service on demand (watching it at a convenient time) and found that they can grow spiritually online and in person. The pair added, “It will be interesting to see how
Dr. Timothy W. Sloan
Remus and Mia Wright
Members are excited to see church family members they haven’t seen in a while. The importance of corporate worship, especially in the Black Church, is really important. We’ve done much to poll our members and I haven’t heard of any who are hesitant.”
Dr. Timothy W. Sloan
this hybrid dynamic plays out in the future of the church.” THE CAUTIOUS
St. John’s Downtown, the Luke Church, the Shrine of the Black Madonna and others are planning to resurrect in-person worship in August. Dr. Rudy Rasmus, who shepherds St. John’s along with his wife Juanita and their dynamic ministerial
team, reflected on pandemic lessons learned as he prepares for their congregation’s first service back in the sanctuary Sunday, August 1. “We’ve learned several things. Number one, the cover has been snatched off the reality that a building isn’t required for a faith practice. Number two, clergy leaders are, if they were honest, more reluctant to go back [to in-person church] than many of their parishioners. Number three, I don’t think we
have really embraced the death toll in the Black community,” said Rasmus, bemoaning the lack of Blacks getting vaccinated and other vulnerabilities that place Blacks at risk of contracting the virus. Rasmus contends the pandemic brought several unintended consequences, including a break from the normal pastoral time ritual, and others. “It was a heartbreak because we were disconnected in terms of our physical presence, but I
Djenaba Akida and Kalonji Jones
think the institutional church gained some ground. Whether it’s willing to take that learning and move it forward or not, that’s going to be the question.” Rasmus says many churches discovered the vulnerability of being “tethered to an emotional call and response with one talking head” compared to faith institutions “prepared to pivot to a more filmbased approach to faith practice.” “So here we are, a year and a half later, and one of two things have happened. Either churches have made the investment in technology, which is the future of faith practice, or they have minimized their investment, minimized the production value of their worship experience and are waiting on what hopefully will be a return to [pre-pandemic church realities]. But here’s the deal, man. Nobody really knows who’s coming back and at what numbers.” Dr. Timothy W. Sloan, pastor of The Luke Church, located in Humble, hopes their baby-step approach to re-entry provides his parishioners with a clearer picture of what to expect on Sunday, August 1, the date his church officially re-opens to the maximum. “About three months ago we started a staggered
READ ABOUT WHAT FUTURE PROJECTIONS FAITH LEADERS SEE FOR WORSHIP MOVING FORWARD AND RE-OPEN DATES FOR AS MANY CONGREGATIONS AS WE COULD CONTACT.
approach to re-entry with twice-a-month in person services,” said Sloan, who added that approach helped his congregants keep an eye on local and national COVID trends and get a temperature check regarding how members would respond to coming back. “That approach has gone really well. We’ll return to services as normal on August 1 with two services, at 8am and 10am” without the registration required for their lead-up services, he shared. Sloan says his members are sensing on a national level that the present pandemic reality has swung closer to “some sense of normalcy,” and that Luke Church members are ready to be fully reunited. “Members are excited to see church family members they haven’t seen in a while. The importance of corporate worship, especially in the Black Church, is really important. We’ve done much to poll our members and I haven’t heard of any who are hesitant.” Their first service back will be called Homecoming Sunday, focusing on everyone coming back into the corporate space. “One thing important to that first service, we will pause and remember the trauma we’ve gone through, remember loved ones we’ve lost. Reflect on what we’ve been through to get to this moment,” said Dr. Timothy W. Sloan. Similarly, the Shrine of the Black Madonna, which had tentatively scheduled its return to full, in-person worship for August 8, but has since postponed reopening due to the current spike in local COVID cases, will have its entire first service, whenever it’s held, dedicated as a memorial to those loved ones and members lost during the pandemic. “So many people haven’t had a chance to fully grieve those they lost,” said the Shrine’s senior pastor Kalonji Jones. “We want them to know that we haven’t forgotten their loved ones, and neither have we forgotten the trauma that many of us still carry.” According to the Shrine’s executive pastor, Djenaba Akida, the Shrine, which has churches in Detroit, Atlanta, Calhoun Falls, SC and Liberia and Ghana West Africa, not only offered a virtual worship experience, but the Houston fellowship stayed busy and connected to community by regularly distributing food, operating its Buy Black Marketplace outside rather than inside and serving as a Harris County voting location. “Like most other congregations, we’re ready to get back to an in-person worship and feel the energy and Holy Spirit that is always so powerful where two or more are gathered together in the Lord’s name,” added Akida.
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DN Health $1.6 bil invested in vulnerable communities NNPA
Officials are urging people, especially in the Black community to get vaccinated. -Getty Images
Black, Latino communities remain most vulnerable as COVID-19 cases spike again Defender News Service
Many African Americans are skeptical about getting the COVID-19 vaccine and it doesn’t help that there remains the story of a troubling history of unsuspecting Black men who were part of the Tuskegee experiment and suffered greatly at the hands of a horrific governmental experiment. For that reason and more, Blacks are hesitant to embrace the idea of getting vaccinated because of distrust with the government. But despite their concerns, there’s a deadly strain of a new variant of the coronavirus, which has been labeled the Delta variant, on the rise that is giving healthcare officials a much deeper cause for pause and concern. “If you’ve been waiting to get your COVID vaccine, now is the time to stop waiting and do it. COVID vaccines are powerful weapons to protect yourself and prevent the continued spread of COVID in our community, including the Delta variant. The Delta variant is spreading quickly and can cause more severe illness. Unfortunately, the Black community is lagging behind in COVID vaccinations and as a result, is experiencing higher rates of infection and hospitalization. Let’s not allow this terrible disease to decimate our community again,” said Dr. Elaine Batchlor with MLK Community Healthcare. The push to get Harris County residents vaccinated has gone into overdrive. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said Black and Latino communities remain
the most vulnerable. Even though the vaccine is readily available, local leaders said there are many reasons Black and Latino residents are choosing not to get it. One of the biggest reasons is they just don’t trust it. Officials point to a group of Houston Methodist nurses who quit their jobs rather than getting the shot. “That set us back as advocates, because then again, they’re saying they must know something.” Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia said they have to work against misinformation being shared on social media. “Every aspect of the vaccine has been validated,” Garcia said. Dr. Joseph Varon with United Memorial Medical Center treats mainly Black and Latino COVID patients in Acres Homes. He said some of them told him they don’t trust the vaccine, someone they know told them not to, or they just didn’t have the time. Garcia said working with directly trusted sources like churches is key in driving up vaccination numbers. “A neighbor will listen to a neighbor before they trust me, and so we are asking people to be ambassadors and help us encourage those around them,” Garcia said. They said there are other issues affecting underserved communities that have to be addressed, like transportation to vaccination sites and better communication between groups working to help those hardest hit by COVID-19.
As part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s ongoing COVID-19 response efforts, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will invest more than $1.6 billion from the American Rescue Plan to support testing and mitigation measures in high-risk congregate settings to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and detect and stem potential outbreaks. As COVID-19 cases rise among unvaccinated people and where the more transmissible Delta virus variant is surging, this funding will expand activities to detect, diagnose, trace, and monitor infections and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in homeless shelters, treatment and recovery facilities, domestic violence shelters and federal, state and local correctional facilities– some of the hardest hit and highest risk communities across the country. “As we continue the vaccination program to get more Americans protected, it is important that we double down on our efforts to increase testing, especially in vulnerable communities,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, we can make sure high-risk environments like correctional facilities and shelters for those experiencing homelessness have greater capacity for testing to prevent potential outbreaks and continue our nation’s progress in moving out of the pandemic.” This funding will support expanded COVID-19 testing and mitigation measures for: • Mental Health and Substance Use Providers • Shelters for People Experiencing Homelessness, Group Homes and other Congregate Settings • Federal, State, and Local Prison Populations • Local Domestic Violence Shelters and Tribal Shelters Supportive Services for Survivors of Domestic and Dating Violence This funding will also support cultural competency training and technical assistance for implementing rapid onsite COVID-19 testing and facilitating access to mobile health unit services for adult and youth victims of family violence, domestic violence, or dating violence and their dependents, including the development of onsite testing confidentiality policies, procurement of PPE, enhancing information technology, data modernization, and to coordinate confidential reporting with local health departments.
A patient gets the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine. -Getty Images
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DN Health LOCAL PROFESSIONALS ADVOCATE
BLACK MENTAL HEALTH: A PRIORITY
By Aswad Walker
Long before July was dubbed Black Mental Health Awareness Month Dr. Willie Mae Lewis was advocating for Blacks to better care for their mental well-being. For nearly 30 years, Lewis, a counseling psychologist with a Ph.D. from Temple University and undergraduate degrees from TSU and UH, has literally done it all, from seeing patients to teaching at the college level (PVAMU, Temple, Delaware State University and University of Maryland Eastern Shore) to developing entire university counseling programs. Here in Houston, Lewis has made it her mission to help Blacks and others clear the hurdles that keep them from investing in their own mental well-being. “Many people of color fear being labeled crazy or weak, losing their peers, dealing with parents who think you’re telling family business or losing their job because their employer may think something’s wrong with them if they see a therapist,” said Lewis, who categorized most of those fears as myths. But she contends a fear that’s legitimate is that of “trusting your brain to someone trained in mainstream American approaches” that view whites as the norm and ignore culture, spirituality and others things critical to Black people’s well-being. “Dr. Lewis uses non-traditional avenues to address mental health issues; she’s an innovator,” said Sister Mama Sonya, a Black mental health advocate who holds many titles including, “edutainer” poet, playwright, actor, motivational speaker, author, minister and founder of 3sisters in the spirit Theatre Ministry. Lewis’ “non-traditional avenues” emphasize drawing from a person’s culture and family history to address their mental health. “Everything in mental health must center around how to help that person appreciate themselves from wherever they come from in terms of their culture,” said Lewis, who rejects the mainstream (Eurocentric), one-size-fits-all approach that ignores the role a person’s cultural identity plays in them achieving mental and emotional peace. “When you’re strong in who you are, and you become knowledgeable and you have synchronized it with your soul and your spirit, then you are moving toward health and balance. Your decisions in
Jennifer Jones
Dr. Willie Mae Lewis
Sister Mama Sonya
the moment are not going to be dictated only by the past. They’re not in the future. You’re going to use and appreciate the past in terms of making decisions in the present and planning for the future,” Lewis added. According to Sonya, Lewis views improving Black mental health as an allhands-on-deck affair. Thus, she works with faith leaders, educators, parents and activists through a litany of programs and institutions, including the Institute for Psychological Services through which she provides one-on-one therapy to clients. Through the Women’s Resource Center, which Lewis founded, she runs the Imani Faith Health Initiative that conducts a state-approved Battering (abuse) Intervention Program and DWI first-time offender program, two issues Lewis con-
tends stem from a lack of mental/emotional well-being; a weekly pastors’ conference call to pull religious leaders and institutions into the battle for healthier Black minds; and Mending Threads, her weekly Facebook Live show (Tuesdays, 7-8am) and rebroadcast via Houston Public Access TV (Tuesdays, 7-8pm). Lewis also conducts workshops to empower community leaders to better advocate for the mental health of those in their circles. Thankfully, there’s a growing number of individuals, who like Lewis, are taking novel approaches to improve Black mental health. Jennifer Johnson, a millennial who is the founder/owner of Jenuine Nutrition, is one such person. Jones, a certified integrative, holistic
nutrition health coach, personal trainer and wellness educator with a focus on Nutrition Psychology, focuses on how food impacts mental, physical and emotional well-being. Jones doesn’t provide her clients with meal plans but rather lifestyle and nutrition management under the dual mottos “Love yourself to better health” and “Live with intention, eat with intention.” “All of my clients experienced a mental and/or physical transformation,” said Johnson, adding people are slowly recognizing the connection between diet, exercise and mental health. “Diet and exercise aren’t the only two things to look at from a holistic perspective. Your stress levels, sleeping patterns, hormones, self-care, mental health, all play a role in your health.”
LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW JENNIFER JONES AND DR. WILLIE MAE LEWIS ARE IMPROVING BLACK MENTAL HEALTH AT DEFENDERNETWORK.COM
12 | July 29, 2021 |
DEFENDER NETWORK
DN Business
From Left: Harris County Pct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia, Port Houston Commissioner Cheryl Creuzot, Houston Minority Supplier Diversity Council President Ingrid Robinson, Port Houston Executive Director Roger Guenther, President and CEO of the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Dr. Laura Murillo, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Port Houston Commissioner and Business Equity Committee Chair Wendy Montoya-Cloonan, Harris County Commissioner Pct 1 Rodney Ellis, and U.S. Small Business Administration District Director Tim Jeffcoat.
Port Houston unveils MWBE Business Equity program By Von Jiles
Port Houston announced a new MWBE Business Equity Program to address the 2020 disparity study findings of less than 90% of contracts going to minority and women-owned businesses. Described as a “historic” program by Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and “forward-looking” by Port Houston Executive Director Roger Guenther, the new MWBE initiative and Diversity Equity Inclusion effort has set an aggressive 30% aspirational goal for participation and a marketing plan to get the word out. According to sources, this is a culture shift on the part of Port Houston to more directly address the issues of diversity equity and inclusion. This process will evaluate all the Port’s programs inside and out. Even though the previous Port Houston small business program is still in place and is race and gender neutral, the MWBE Business Equity Program will make a difference beyond the procurement and contracting processes. Details regarding the program can be found at: https://porthouston.com/business-equity-enrollment/. Minority and women-owned businesses are encouraged to enroll in the Business Equity Program giving access
Port Houston is in an exciting position to provide better opportunity for minority- and woman-owned businesses. With the new Business Equity initiative we are doing just that. We are creating a race and gender conscious program for our procurements along with other resources to assist those who want to do business with Port Houston. Small, minority- and womanowned businesses have so much to offer and when they succeed, we succeed.”
Chairman of the Port Houston Commission Ric Campo
As a pillar of the Houston and Texas economy, Port Houston is eager to demonstrate its commitment to affording opportunity for all. The new Business Equity Division at Port Houston will provide a roadmap and tools including trainings, workshops, and easier access to Port Houston’s procurements, with a goal to benefit small, minority-, and woman-owned businesses. We at Port Houston are thrilled to launch this vital initiative to realize the positive impact it can make in all our neighboring communities and beyond.”
Port Houston Commissioner Wendy Montoya Cloonan
to Port Houston procurement, getting certified and gaining specific industry training and mentorship. Several pro-
gram bonuses include the BuySpeed opportunity that allows those enrolled to receive notifications of procurement
opportunities and a support team to help guide business owners through the process.
Commissioner Rodney Ellis calls for Annual MWBE Accountability Report By Von Jiles
On the heels of the recent unveiling of the Port Houston’s new MWBE Business Equity program, Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis is calling for an Annual MWBE Accountability Report. As the lead proponent demanding that government entities like Harris County, METRO, Port of Houston and others conduct disparity studies, the findings have revealed a miniscule number of contracts
going to Minority and Women “People ought to ask the businesses (MWBEs). As a question…What are your result, new initiatives are being numbers? Show us your numimplemented to change the bers and let’s see what progress culture of these government we have made,” said Commisentities and focus on diversity, sioner Ellis. Rodney Ellis equity and inclusion. Ellis suggested that Black, Ellis believes this is a prime Hispanic and Women chambers time to consider doing an Annual MWBE along with the NAACP, Urban League and Accountability Report to ensure progress others should combine their effort and is being made and celebrated. every year request the contract numbers
from all the government and quasi-government entities. He pointed out that Fort Bend County voted to do a disparity study and Harris Health is currently doing a similar study. Encouraging Black-owned businesses to get ready, Ellis said, “This is an ‘Atlanta Moment’ when you think about the Port having a program, the County having one, and Harris Health is doing a disparity study. That’s a tremendous opportunity.”
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DN Sports Simone Biles bows out of competitions to focus on mental health Associated Press
Simone Biles will not defend her Olympic title. The gymnastics superstar withdrew from the all-around competition to focus on her mental health. USA Gymnastics said in a statement that the 24-year-old is opting to not compete. The decision came a day after Biles removed herself from the team final following one rotation because she felt she wasn’t mentally ready. Jade Carey, who finished ninth in qualifying, took Biles’ place in the all-around. Carey initially did not qualify because she was the third-ranking American behind Biles and Sunisa Lee. International Gymnastics Federation rules limit countries to two athletes per event in the finals. The organization said Biles will be evaluated daily before deciding if she will participate in next week’s individual events. Biles qualified for the finals on all four apparatuses, something she didn’t even do during her five-medal haul in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. The 24-year-old came to Tokyo as
possibly the face of the Games following the retirement of swimmer Michael Phelps and sprinter Usain Bolt. She topped qualifying July 25 despite piling up mandatory deductions on vault, floor and beam following shaky dismounts. She posted on social media that she felt the weight of the world on her shoulders. The weight became too heavy after vaulting during team finals. She lost herself in mid-air and completed 1 1/2 twists instead of 2 1/2. She consulted with U.S. team doctor Marcia Faustin before walking off the field of play. When she returned, she took off her bar grips, hugged teammates Sunisa Lee, Grace McCallum and Jordan Chiles and turned into the team’s head cheerleader as the U.S. claimed silver behind the Russian Olympic Committee. “Once I came out here (to compete), I was like, ‘No mental is, not there so I just need to let the girls do it and focus on myself,’” Biles said following the medal ceremony.
Simone Biles, of United States, performs her floor exercise routine during the women’s artistic gymnastic qualifications at the 2020 Summer Olympics. -AP/Ashley Landis
-AP/Gregory Bull
HISD inducting inaugural class into newly created Athletic Hall of Honors Defender News Service
The Houston Independent School District (HISD) has a rich history of student athletes not only making an impact but making history in the sports world. The HISD Athletic Hall of Honors spearheaded by Athletic Director Andre Walker and the Hall of Honor Executive Committee are committed to ensuring that these legends, their memories and accomplishments are cemented into historical posterity.
The first group of legends being inducted into the Class of 2021 consist of 16 individuals and one team. They include Super Bowl champions, Olympic winners, a basketball player whose college team inspired the movie “Glory Road,” a tennis champion who led the way for tennis to become a professional women’s sport and the best football team in state history. The inaugural induction will be held August 14 at 4 p.m. at the Delmar Field
House. Tickets to the event are $5 - $15 and can be purchased at https://gofan.co/ app/school/TX27294. The inductees include: • Jackie Carr (Wheatley High School) • Ralph Cooper (Worthing High School) • Eldridge Dickey (Booker T. Washington High School) • Carlette Guidry-Falkquay (Sterling Aviation High School) • Darrell Green (Jones High School)
• Dwight Jones (Wheatley High School) • Monica Lamb (Yate High School) • David Lattin (Worthing High School) • Craig Reynolds (Reagan High School) • Ken Spain (Austin High School) • Joe Tusa (HISD Athletics) • Delvin Williams (Kashmere High School) • Vince Young (James Madison High School) • 1985 Jack Yates Football team
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DEFENDER NETWORK
DN Sports P.J. Tucker, who was shipped to Milwaukee during the middle of last season, is now a champion after being a major defensive part of the Bucks’ NBA title run.
After a shaky start during the second game against the Texas Rangers, Astros lefthander Framber Valdez (6-2) settled down and finished with four strikeouts, no hits allowed, and no earned runs.
Sports Briefs Texans pick up receiver in trade The Texans have received Chicago Bears receiver Anthony Anthony Miller Miller in a trade over the weekend. Miller, a second-round pick in 2018, had been a disappointment in Chicago. In three seasons, Miller made 17 starts in 47 games while catching 134 passes for 1,564 yards and 11 touchdowns. PV and TSU picked at bottom of division The SWAC released its preseason football poll and the Prairie View Panthers Eric are picked Dooley fourth in the Western Division while Texas Southern has been picked to finish last in the division. Western Division newcomer and SWAC power Alcorn is picked to win the division. Area players make AllSWAC team TSU defensive lineman Michael Badejo and PV Michael defensive Badejo lineman Jason Dumas were named to the Preseason All-SWAC second-team defense. No players from either school made the preseason first-team.
5
by Terrance Harris
HOUSTON TEXANS
THINGS TO WATCH IN TRAINING CAMP
The Texans opened their 20th training camp this week with far more questions than they have answers. General manager Nick Caserio and coach David Culley, both in the first years of their respective roles, will have their work cut out for them after turning over much of the roster this offseason. The hope is to improve the results on the field by creating competition. But with the uncertainty at quarterback, questions at the offensive skill positions and a lot of questions on defense, this could be shaping up to be much longer than last season’s 4-12 campaign. That doesn’t mean this season will be without intrigue. Here are 5 things to watch for as the Texans begin training camp. What are the Texans going to do with Deshaun Watson?
It was a mild surprise when Watson reported to training camp with all the other quarterbacks on Sunday. But with the NFL not placing Watson on the Commissioner’s Exempt List ahead of training camp as expected, Watson had little choice but to report or face a $50Kper day fine for each day missed. Moreover, under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, such fines can no longer be forgiven. But make no mistake, having Watson actually take the
practice field is a distraction neither the organization nor the NFL wants. Watson still wants to be traded and that will eventually happen with either Denver or Philadelphia as the most likely trade partners. But his presence will either put pressure on the organization to move him or for the NFL to put him on the Commissioner’s Exempt List while the quarterback works through his legal issues with 22 massage therapists suing him for sexual misconduct. So what does the Texans quarterback situation look like?
Despite all the talk about an open competition, veteran Tyrod Taylor has been brought in as stop-gap quarterback until rookie thirdround draft pick Davis Mills is ready. Mills’ coronation as the Texans’ quarterback of the future will either take place later in the season or most likely next year. It depends on his growth and the Texans desperation. Veteran backup Jeff Driskel has been brought in as an insurance policy because Taylor has struggled with injuries during his last two stops in Cleveland and San Diego. Notice there is no mention of Watson. Who’s going to be the edge pass rusher getting after opposing quarterbacks?
Right now, it looks like Whitney Mercilus
and second-year linebacker Jonathan Greenard are the popular choices to lead the Texans’ pass rush. However, neither has experience playing in the 4-3 defense at this level. But new addition Jacob Martin has played in the scheme, although Lovie Smith’s Tampa 2 defense is different than the typical 4-3 scheme. Jordan Jenkins could also give the Texans some speed at the defensive end position. However it eventually plays out, look for this to be a highly competitive position throughout training camp. Who will be the top two cornerbacks?
Caserio says he wants competition at every position. Well, he certainly has it at cornerback. The Texans have a lot of bodies and a lot of experience in the secondary. Bradley Roby has one cornerback spot locked up. The other side is a different story. Vernon Hargreaves seems the odds-on favorite. However, look for Keion Crossen, Desmond King, Terrance Mitchell, John Reid and Tavierre Thomas to push for a starting spot. The question still remains, can the Texans cover the top receivers in this league? Can the Texans win this season?
No. Losing a generational quarterback like Watson will hurt for a long time as will former coach Bill O’Brien giving away star receiver DeAndre Hopkins for virtually nothing. Pack your patience Texans fans.
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DN Sports FURR RUNNING BACK
JOHNNY ROBINSON READY TO GO By Jodie B. Jiles
With summer coming to a close, football is finally over the horizon. It appears the next crop of gridiron high schoolers are all ready to go. One of Houston Independent School District’s rising stars to watch out for is Furr High School junior running back Johnny Robinson, who is a yard after contact machine on the football field. Robinson’s pinballing abilities to bounce off would-be tacklers on the field make him a threat, particularly on the goal line. Hence, Robinson has played more snaps of varsity high school football than most, going into his third year as a starter. The Defender spoke with Robinson at the HISD Combine at Delmar Stadium to discuss his early start, offseason and expectations going into his junior season. FRESHMAN START “It was nerve-racking and I was nervous. Even though I didn’t really play how I wanted to play, it was interesting seeing how different things were on the high school level.” OFFSEASON GOALS “I have been working on my speed.” 2021-22 SEASON GOALS “Try to make it past the first round of the playoffs.” ADVICE TO OTHERS “The game is just faster and more physical so you have to be on top of your game because its other people out there working harder than you every day.” MAJOR INFLUENCES “I look up to Tom Brady and Christian McCaffrey. I love how they play and remain calm in the most critical situations. I like that.”
ABOUT JOHNNY ROBINSON INSTAGRAM: @lilkodam PLAYERS HE STUDIES: Christian McCaffrey GAME LOOKING FORWARD TO: Wheatley HS
Photo by: Jimmie Aggison
SHOUTOUTS: “My boys Cameron Heard, Caveante Price, Trevion Tallon and my boy Trey.”
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Alise Willoughby U.S. Olympic Silver Medalist
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