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Volume 87 | Number 40
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NEWSTALK RODNEY ELLIS secures county disparity study
P2 NATIONAL RON DELLUMS dies at age 82
P3 SPORTS ROBERT BRAZILE in NFL Hall of Fame
THE FIGHT AGAINST
INCARCERATION H PAGE 6
P10 TOP EVENTS
Joshua Watson, LaRence Snowden and Brian Fitzgerald at Verizon Summer STEM held at TSU
P12
Sandra Bland
Dak Prescott
The mysterious case is still unsettling for family members and an upcoming HBO documentary examines the circumstances and unanswered questions that continue to haunt their lives.
The Dallas Cowboy is stepping up and speaking out against those athletes that choose to protest the national anthem. Find out why he’s supporting his team owner in calling for an end to anthem protests.
documentary on HBO
blasts anthem protests
H PAGE 5
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DEFENDER | AUGUST 2 | 2018
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Ellis secures Harris County disparity study By VON JILES Defender
not discuss the issue at length and there are “legal restraints” keeping Metro from participating in the study. NAACP Houston Branch President Dr. James Douglas, who spoke during the Metro public session, was asked if he knew of any legal restraints. “No, [there are] nine major metropolitan areas including New York, Chicago, Cleveland and Dallas with
Harris County commissioner Rodney Ellis successfully convinced his fellow commissioners to approve the county joining the City of Houston in a disparity study to analyze the county’s use of minority and women-owned businesses. The $600,000 investment to fund the study comes from Ellis’ budget because other commissioners chose not to contribute to the funding of the study. The authorization of the study comes as county residents prepare to vote in a $2.5 billion flood control bond election scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 25. The timing of the disparity study is paramount to ensure minorities and women get a fair share of the substantial flood dollars that may result from approval of the bond election. “I’m delighted the county is doing a disparity study,” Ellis said. “I would have preferred that all of us on the governing board pay for it but I’m privileged to represent the people from Precinct One. I think it is a worthwhile investment to benefit a people who have been historically disenfranchised throughout the county. Rodney Ellis Recently, Ellis sent letters to Metro chair Carrin Patman and Port of Houston Authority chair Janiece “Overall as a national Longoria encouraging them to also matter, women and minority join the disparity study. Though both organizations are chaired by businesses, especially women, neither had placed the item Black-owned businesses, on their respective agendas for board don’t get their fair share of consideration. work without a real At a recent Metro meeting (MWBE) program.” Patman said that because the disparity study was not on the agenda they could
Colette Holt
a race-based, narrowly tailored goal-oriented MWBE program which is what I am asking Metro to do,” Douglas said. “If all these other major cities are doing this, there is no legal impediment to Metro doing it. I don’t know where they are getting this. The Supreme Court has already said you can have
race-based programs as long as they are narrowly tailored and that’s all we are asking Metro to do. There is nothing illegal about what we are asking them to do.” A spokesperson for the Port of Houston, Lisa Ashley, said that only the port commissioners could make the decision on the disparity study and it would have to be placed on the agenda in the future. There was no definitive date of when the disparity study would be placed on the port’s agenda. According to Colette Holt, president of Colette Holt & Associates – who is currently conducting the City of Houston disparity study – the benefits of the study are threefold: it provides government entities with facts regarding their MWDBE program in the case of a legal challenge in court, gives information about the capacity to do business with minority and women-owned businesses and serves as an outreach tool for building relationships with the contractors gaining their input and feedback. Holt, known as an authority on disparity studies, has been in business since 1994. The Harris County disparity study “piggybacks” off the City of Houston disparity study, which began in January 2017. The projected start date for the county’s study is around Labor Day, however Holt emphasized that, “the timetable is driven by one thing and that’s how long it takes the [county] to get us the contract records. “If the county is doing great, we will tell them that,” Holt said. “If there are improvements to be made, we will tell them that. Overall as a national matter, women and minority businesses, especially Black-owned businesses, don’t get their fair share of work without a real (MWBE) program.”
localbriefs EARLY VOTING BEGINS WEDNESDAY, AUG. 8 at 45 locations for the Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) bond election. The election, called by the Harris County Commissioners Court, is Saturday, Aug. 25. Registered county voters will be asked to vote on what could be $2.5 billion in bonds for flood risk reduction projects throughout the county. The potential projects have been identified by the HCFCD. Projects include repairs to flood-damaged drainage infrastructure, channel modifications to improve stormwater conveyance, regional stormwater detention basins, voluntary buyouts of floodprone properties, drainage improvement partnerships and upgrading the county flood warning system. For more
information visit www.hcfcd.org or www.harrisvotes. com……..A TEXAS DOCTOR ACCUSED of sexually assaulting several patients was sentenced to 10 years in prison after he was convicted of assaulting a woman who sought care for a physical disability. Donald Ozumba, 45, was found guilty of aggravated sexual assault of an elderly person in a trial that Collin County prosecutors said was one of the most appalling they ever encountered involving a physician victimizing patients. Ozumba’s attorney asked the jury to sentence the doctor to probation, while prosecutors asked for a 45-year prison sentence. The jury could have sentenced Ozumba to up to life in prison. Six other sexual assault cases are still pending
against the Nigerian-born doctor, who investigators said showed a pattern of abuse……..MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER CREATED the City Council Economic Development Subcommittee on Education, which will focus on improving educational opportunities to support a flourishing workforce. The subcommittee will uphold the Economic Development Committee’s mission to build prosperity through job creation and business and trade opportunities. It will enact policy, funding and public awareness initiatives. It also will work with educational communities across the city to further develop the necessary skill sets for Houston’s industries. Councilmember Karla Cisneros will serve as subcommittee chair.
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U.S.briefs GEORGIA CONGRESSMAN JOHN LEWIS was released from the hospital with a “clean bill of health.” The 78-yearold lawmaker was on a flight from Detroit when he started feeling dizzy and sweaty. He was expected to appear at an Atlanta event but could not attend. There were no other details as to why he was hospitalized. As a young activist and leader of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), Lewis worked with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to lead the historic voting rights march in Selma, Ala. in 1965. In 1986, he was elected to Congress representing Georgia’s 5th Congressional District…….. AUTHORITIES IN MINNEAPOLIS RELEASED BODYCAM VIDEO from two police officers in the fatal shooting of a 31-year-old Black man, with the footage showing the man shot from behind after a frenetic foot chase and what appeared to be a gun in his hand. Officers were responding to a 911 call of a man firing a gun into the air on the city’s north side on June 23. The video shows them pulling their cruiser up and a man – Thurman Blevins – seated on a curb near a woman with a child in a stroller. As the officers pull up, one started yelling and Blevins took off. Blevins was shot multiple times while he ran. A gun was recovered at the scene. Blevins’ death prompted earlier demonstrations and community advocates demanded transparency and urged the swift release of body camera footage……..A MASS SHOOTING IN NEW ORLEANS on July 29 left three dead and seven injured. Two armed individuals walked up to a crowd outside a strip mall near the French Quarter and randomly opened fire. Before fleeing they took time to stand over one person. Police are calling on witnesses to come forward and help them find the killers and not take matters into their own hands.
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Black men three times more likely to be killed by police Defender News Services
Police violence and homicide have persistently and disproportionately affected Black communities for decades. A new study found the proportion of Black Americans killed by police is significantly higher than previous research suggested. Across the country, Black men are over three times more likely to be killed by police than white men, according to a study published in the American Journal of Public Health. In an analysis of all male homicides between 2012 and 2018, 8 percent Pallbearers carry the casket of Thurman Blevins, a Black man killed by Minneapolis occurred at the hands of police, police. Photo Credit: AP researchers found. Of nearly 6,300 reported deaths ent places,” Edwards said. “How police operate is during the six-year count, almost often determined by the race of the person they’re 1,800 were Black, researchers found. Police killinteracting with and the racial compositions” ings remained highest among Black men across the While the data marked significant increases in United States, though the risk varies dramatically the rate at which Black men are killed by police and by region. In some Midwestern cities, rates of Black the share of police homicides in general, Edwards men killed by police are eight times higher. Nearly said he thinks of the findings as “conservative estitwo-thirds of the reported killings were concentrated mates.” in suburbs and rural areas, lead author Frank EdPolice departments aren’t legally required to wards said. “It’s not a problem confined to a single region or report police killings and all data collected in the Bureau of Justice Statistics’ Arrest-Related Deaths is type of place,” he said. voluntarily provided. While coverage of police violence is often cenEdwards said distrust in police following killings tralized in cities and large urban areas, police killings can end up feeding crime. Instilling fear and distrust in rural communities account for 10 percent of all in communities makes them less likely to report homicides, though underreporting by law enforcecrimes and more likely to suffer from unpoliced ment and local media can obscure those numbers. criminal activity. “Police operate completely differently in differ-
Former congressman and mayor Dellums dead VOLUME 87 • NUMBER 40 AUGUST 2, 2018 Publisher Sonceria Messiah-Jiles Ad/Client Relations Selma Dodson Tyler Strategic Alliance Manager
Clyde Jiles Art Director Tony Fernandez-Davila Videographer
Jodie B. Jiles
Editors ReShonda Billingsley Marilyn Marshall Contributing Writer Aswad Walker Sports Editor Max Edison Engagement Manager Margo Williams Hubbard
The Defender newspaper is published by the Houston Defender Inc. Company (713-663-6996.. The Defender is audited by Certified Audited Circulation. (CAC). For subscription, send $60-1 year to: Defender, P.O. Box 8005, Houston TX 77288. Payment must accompany subscription request. All material covered by 2012 copyright. (No material herein may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher).
Defender News Services
Ron Dellums, a former California congressman and mayor of Oakland, died July 29 at age 82. Dellums served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1971 to 1998 and was mayor from 2007 to 2011. Dellums, a Democrat, was a cofounder of the Congressional Black Caucus. As chairman of the House Committee on the Armed Services, he was a critic of military spending. He also spoke out against South African apartheid. His views earned him a place on
President Richard Nixon’s enemies list. After leaving Congress, Dellums worked as a lobbyist. He returned to the political spotlight when he was elected mayor of Oakland at age 70. Dellums was born in Oakland in 1935. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps and later earned a bachelor’s degree from San Francisco State University and master’s degree from Berkeley. He became a community activist and was elected to the Berkeley City Council in 1967. Survivors include his wife Cynthia and five children.
Ron Dellums
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SUMMER READS
New books to add to your collection Defender News Services
We’re in the last month of summer and there’s no better time to wind down with a good book. The Defender has compiled some fiction summer reads you can add to your collection. • “An American Marriage” by Tayari Jones (Oprah Bookclub pick) What’s it about? Newlyweds Celestial and Roy are the embodiment of both the American dream and the new South. He is a young executive, and she is an artist on the brink of an exciting career. But as they settle into the routine of their life together, they are ripped apart by circumstances neither could have imagined. Roy is arrested and sentenced to 12 years for a crime Celestial knows he didn’t commit. Celestial takes comfort in Andre, her childhood friend, the gangs want him to join their ranks, but he’s the only one and best man at their wedding. As Roy’s time in prison passes, she left who can save his little brother. is unable to hold on to the love that has been her center. After five Different circumstances lead each of them to The years, Roy’s conviction is suddenly overturned, and he returns to Markham Hotel in downtown Houston, where they hope to Atlanta ready to resume their life together. find solace, comfort and answers. • “The Book in Room 316” by ReShonda Tate Billingsley • “Bad men and Wicked Women” by Eric Jerome What’s it about? Savannah Graham thought she had the Dickey perfect marriage until grief drove her husband into the arms of What’s it about? As a low-level enforcer in Los Angeles, his best friend’s wife. Now, she believes revenge is the only way Ken Swift knows danger, but nowhere does he feel it more than her heart can heal from the betrayal…For 52 years, Ollie Moss in his tangled romances. Divorced from one woman, in love lived side by side with the love with another, and wrestling with of his life, his wife Elizabeth. a strong desire to get to know But now that she’s gone, so is a third, he has a life far from Check out our Saturday book corner @ his desire to live, despite the perfect. It becomes all the more love from his children, and his complicated when his troubled beloved grandson Samuel. Can daughter resurfaces on the same anything save Ollie’s life?... day as a major job. Anna Rodriguez just wants to work and provide for her three As the tension-filled father/daughter reunion escalates into a children by any means necessary. But her decision to break the clashing of wills and desires that spread far beyond their family, law in order to get a job is threatening life as she knows it…Trey Ken’s latest contract spirals quickly out of control, and he finds it Brown is known in his neighborhood as a hustler, so much so that is not only his daughter looking to seek revenge.
Got a book you’d like featured in our online Defender Book Corner? Email us at news@defendermediagroup.com
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• “Envy” by Victoria Christopher Murray (Soon to a be a Lifetime movie from T.D. Jakes) What’s it about? Gabrielle Wilson has the perfect life: a Beverly Hills mansion, a loving family, and a massively successful PR firm. When her father admits that an affair he had years before resulted in a daughter, Gabrielle is shocked, but is actually happy. Could this be the sister she has been praying for all her life? Keisha Jones’s life is a struggle. Her late mother worked on the streets, and school was its own nightmare. When Gabrielle offers to fly Keisha out of Arkansas to meet the family, Keisha instantly agrees. But Gabrielle doesn’t realize that Keisha has known about the Wilsons for years. Keisha is determined to have everything she has always envied, and nothing can stand in her way.
what’sup OMAROSA MANIGAULT-NEWMAN is teasing that her upcoming tell-all book will be off the hook. The former “Celebrity Apprentice” star took to social media to promote her book, “Unhinged: An Insider’s Account of the Trump White House,” along with the hashtag “#ComeClean45.” What exactly President DONALD TRUMP needs to “come clean” about will likely be revealed when the book drops Aug. 14. The publisher, Gallery Books, calls it an “explosive, jaw-dropping account” of Manigault-Newman’s time as a White House insider……..Actor VING RHAMES said that officers once held him at gunpoint in his own
home in Santa Monica, Calif., after neighbors reported a break-in. According to Rhames, in 2016 while watching TV, he was confronted by three police officers, the captain of police and a police dog. The situation de-escalated after the captain recognized the “Mission Impossible” franchise star from their sons’ playing sports together and apologized. He said police told him they were responding to a 911 call from a woman who “said a large Black man was breaking into the house.” When Rhames and police questioned the woman who had allegedly made the report – she lived across the street – she denied ever calling…….
CARDI B decided that she won’t be going on tour with BRUNO MARS like anticipated – and she’s doing it for her baby, Kulture. The “Bodak Yellow” breakout rap diva said her mommy duties are taking precedence so she has put the Bruno Mars‘ 24K Magic World Tour on the back burner for now so she can continue to make mommy moves and bond with her new baby girl. The 25-year-old, born Belcalis Marlenis Almanzar, also said she wanted more time to rest and heal and give her body time to recuperate. Baby Kulture, born to Cardi and rapper OFFSET, is just a little over two weeks old.
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Story of Sandra Bland being told on HBO film Defender News Services
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The mysterious death of Sandra Bland is still unsettling for family members and an upcoming HBO documentary, set to air in December, examines the circumstances and unanswered questions that continues to haunt their lives. In “Say Her Name: The Death and Life of Sandra Bland,” her loved ones will question the circumstances surrounding her death while wading through a steady stream of misinformation from authorities. Bland was arrested after a traffic stop in July 2015 in Waller County, Texas, and died in her cell three days later. The police claimed her death was caused by suicide. “We were told: ‘Once you get here, it will be proven, without a doubt. You’ll be able to see that she contributed in her own death,’ ” Bland’s mother, Geneva Reed-Veal said in the film. After the family was shown security tapes taken the day the 28-year-old died, what they watched only prompted more questions about the chain of events. “The video that we viewed when we went down [to Texas], it was only for the morning of Monday, July 13. There are no time stamps, there are no dates. Her cell was all the way at the back corner. She was in cell 95. The way they choose to phrase it is, ‘Where she was did not have cameras.’” Bland’s sister, Shavon, added, “I think that’d be strange. Then how are you monitoring your inmates?” The film is directed by Kate Davis and David Heilbroner, whose short film “Traffic Stop” was nominated for an Academy Award this year. In addition to questions and comments from Bland’s mothers and sisters, the directors also chose to weave Bland’s own voice into the film through her online video series, “Sandy Speaks.”
TSU student awarded BeyGood scholarship Defender News Service
Jordan Davis, a senior Healthcare Administration major at Texas Southern University, is one of eight recipients of the 2018-2019 BeyGood Homecoming Scholars Award. He will receive a scholarship totaling $25,000. Beyoncé, through her BeyGood initiative, announced the scholarships in April. Davis participates in Habitat for Humanity and is a member of TSU Honors College Enrichment, Urban Gardening, Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, and is a Young Life Christian Fellowship counselor. He plans to start a home health-care business after graduation. “[TSU] is proud of Mr. Davis and his academic achievement. His hard work and dedication has led to this prestigious award from one of Houston’s most recognizable natives,” said TSU President Austin A. Lane. “We know that this honor will continue the mission of this university and Beyoncé Knowles-Carter to support excellence in higher education.” Homecoming Scholars were selected from seven other HBCUs: Bethune-Cookman University, Fisk University, Grambling State University, Morehouse College, Tuskegee University, Wilberforce University and Xavier University.
*2017 Calendar Year. **Not all buyers will qualify for Ford Credit financing. 72 months at $13.89 per month per $1,000 financed regardless of down payment on 18MY Escape, 18MY Edge, 18MY Explorer. Ford Credit Bonus Cash requires Ford Credit financing; not all buyers will qualify. For all offers, take new retail delivery from an authorized Ford dealer’s stock by 8/31/2018. See dealer or go to BuyFordNow.com for qualifications and complete details. ***Not all buyers will qualify for Ford Credit financing. 60 Months at $16.67 per month per $1,000 financed regardless of down payment is available on 18MY F-150; excludes Raptor. For all offers, take new retail delivery from an authorized Ford dealer’s stock by 8/31/2018. See dealer or go to BuyFordNow.com for qualifications and complete details.
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DEFENDER | AUGUST 2 | 2018
Fighting ‘New Jim C
D
Smart Justice Initiative co
By ASWAD WALKER Defender
espite decreasing crime rates, the United States locks up more people than any other country, with over 2.1 million individuals currently in prisons or jails. More than half of these inmates are Black (33 percent) or Brown (23 percent) and are charged with non-violent offenses. The negative impact incarceration has on individuals, families and communities is devastating, especially for those who have been wrongfully convicted and imprisoned. Enter the Smart Justice Initiative, a collaboration between ACLU Texas and Texas Southern University’s Urban Research and Resource Center (URRC). Its mission is to combat the incarceration epidemic and its horrendous impact on the economics, education and politics of Black and Brown communities. Ohio State professor Dr. Michelle Alexander said the impact is so devastating she labeled it the “New Jim Crow.” The Smart Justice Initiative recently hosted a kick-off reception at TSU’s Thurgood Marshall School of Law. Sharon Watkins Jones, director of political strategies for ACLU of Texas, said its goal is two-fold: “We want to reduce mass incarceration by 50 percent and we want to address racial disparities in
the system.” Jones said the cost savings alone would be worth supporting the effort. “In Texas, we spend $3 billion [annually] on putting and keeping people in cages,” she said. “Imagine what we could do with that money if we focus on giving Texans the education, healthcare, mental health and addiction treatment they need to avoid imprisonment. “Imagine the great things we could achieve if we focused our resources on ensuring our citizens are contributing successfully to society, rather than punishing them for the sake of punishment only.” Anthony Graves, who was wrongfully imprisoned for 18½ years for a crime he did not commit, and who since his exoneration and release from prison in 2010 has become one of the most respected criminal justice reform voices, has imagined such a reality. Thus, he immediately signed on as a consultant with the ACLU, bringing with him an idea to help reduce mass incarceration by training formerly incarcerated persons for employment using their experiences to influence lawmakers to support incarceration-reducing policy changes. The vehicle is the Smart Justice Speakers Bureau. “The speakers bureau is the first project of the [ACLU/URRC] collaboration,” said Marcia Johnson, a professor at the Thurgood Marshall School of Law and director of the URRC. “It will serve various purposes, including educating the students in
Marcia Johnson
telling ex-offender’s stories in meaningf justice policy. We also hope the training facilitating, inspirational speaking and m According to Johnson and Graves of the cooperative as previously inca the most informed and moving storie
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Anthon crimina y Graves: fro ntline l justic e refor mer
Locked u 18½ years, p in a Texas prison fo r wit tary confin h 16 of those years in ement for a solicri commit, A nthony Gra me he did not ves was ex and release onerated d in 2010. Amazingly , Graves, w 12 years on ho endure death row and the stre d two separa ss of te executio n da join the wo rld angry, b tes, did not reut was abso determined lute to fight for criminal ju ly reform. stice Graves has affected ch number of ange in a ways, inclu ding being internation an ally soughtafte criminal ju stice reform r speaker, consultant best-selling and author of “ Infinite Ho book that sh pe,” a ares his pers onal story. He found Foundation ed the Anthony Grav es ,w ingful crim hich seeks to bring m eaninal justice reform acro nation, but ss the with an em phasis on T Anthony the death p Grav e xa enalty is m ost often pre s as not know the veics was wrongfully co here and th nvicte tims, sc ev e stakes are ri much high bed idence linking him tohad an airtight alibid of multiple homic wrongfully id e with witn th r for convicted in e crime sc esses and es even though h ene. dividuals. e there wa The Huma s also no did ne Investig Success) w physical front of the a ti o n o rk P ro in ject (HIP) st g with wom fou counseling ands at the e n and investig ndation’s fight, with in need of dir resu forea co ato ection and including th lting from traumatic wrongfully rs to work through th ncerted effort by atto changes in o se rn tr e convicted. ansitioning eys ove justice syst their lives rwhelmed em to free Graves’ fou by daily life from incarceration, a the n d a buse or wo tion also se issues. initiative (C Graves’ late men eks to laun hanging H st in it ia c h ti p th ve, the Spe artnership e C.H.O.I.C urtful Opti a w k ons Into Ch it e .E h rs A .S Bureau, CLU Te . oices Ensu Resource C ring enter will tr xas and TSU’s Urban established in ain exonere Research a own voices es to use th nd to affect ch e power of ange in the their criminal ju stice system .
ombats over-incarceration
Sharon Watkins Jones
ful compelling ways to impact criminal g and bureau will help launch careers in more.” s, the bureau is a critical component arcerated persons possess some of es about the pitfalls of America’s
criminal justice system. The collaboration seeks to tap the knowledge of this underutilized human resource, allowing formerly incarcerated individuals to be trained in public speaking and serve as ambassadors on criminal justice issues. The bureau, an idea Graves envisioned while incarcerated, aims to advocate for and empower these individuals by providing educational and skills training to obtain meaningful employment. The bureau’s inaugural group of participants is scheduled to begin classes this fall on the TSU campus with specialized coursework designed to maximize their influence on U.S. criminal justice policies. TSU professor Dr. Serbino Sandifer-Walker will provide academic instruction. “I just felt like those who can actually speak to the real issues that are failing our criminal justice system are not the scholars, but those who have actually gone through it,” Graves said. “It’s their experience 24/7 for however long they had to go through it. “They have seen the underbelly of the beast with the criminal justice system. They see things that the media doesn’t print. These are things others theorize about, but they can take you on that journey to understand why we need criminal justice reform,” Graves said. By developing an army of spokespersons Graves believes they can inspire policy changes. This belief comes from his experiences traveling the world sharing his story.
e Houston area for over 85 years
“What made me really know that this could work, is after audiences hear my story they come up to me saying, ‘I don’t agree with what happened to you; how can I help?’ “The thing that blew my mind is they were conservatives and my story was touching them, resonating with them…That’s what these stories do – they change people’s minds. They open their minds up to the possibility that an injustice system is truly failing a class of people.” Johnson believes the kick-off reception successfully launched the bureau as a weapon to help defeat the “New Jim Crow,” as all event goals were met, including “introducing the initiative and speakers bureau to the general public, recruiting formerly incarcerated persons as program participants, enlisting community partners and securing donor investments for the bureau.” Graves is excited about the bureau’s future, viewing it as the building of a new, more just justice system. He said that in his travels, people often ask how the criminal justice system can be fixed. “For a long time I used to try to answer that. Then it dawned on me – the criminal justice system ain’t broke. This is the way it’s always been designed to work. We don’t need to be tinkering with a system already designed to oppress us. We need a new system.” For more information about the Smart Justice Speakers Bureau call 713313-4858.
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DEFENDER | AUGUST 2 | 2018
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Study looks at Black men, prostate cancer Defender News Services
About screening
Black men are twice T:4.79” as likely to die of prostate cancer as white men. U.S. government scientists said Most prostate cancers These Texas Lottery Commission they are launching a study to found by screening are scratch ticket games will be closing soon: try and discover why. small and slow growing Official End The aim is to gather Game Game Name / Odds $ Close of Validations and may not be fatal. Some # samples from 10,000 prostate Game Date men may have a faster cancer patients to see if 1858 Break The Bank - Overall Odds are 1 in 4.80 $2 8/10/18 2/6/19 growing prostate cancer genes, stress, segregation or other factors account for the and will benefit from early higher rates of the disease in treatment. $1 9/26/18 3/25/19 1622 Pick 3™ - Overall Odds are 1 in 2.78 African-American men, the Older men, AfricanNational Institutes of Health American men and men 1874 Big Money - Overall Odds are 1 in 4.43 $2 9/26/18 3/25/19 said. who have a family history “Understanding why of prostate cancer have a 2025 Game Of Luck - Overall Odds are 1 in 4.12 $5 9/26/18 3/25/19 African-American men are greater risk for developing more likely to be diagnosed prostate cancer. If you 2029 Numbers Game - Overall Odds are 1 in 3.90 $5 9/26/18 3/25/19 with aggressive prostate are concerned that you cancer than men of other For detailed odds and game information, visit txlottery.org or call 800-375-6886. racial and ethnic groups may have a greater risk, Must be 18 or older to purchase a ticket. The Texas Lottery supports Texas education and veterans. PLAY RESPONSIBLY. For help with a gambling problem, ncpgambling.org. is a critical, unanswered talk to your doctor about © 2018 Texas Lottery Commission. All rights reserved. question in cancer disparities screening. Medical groups research,” said Dr. Ned do not agree on screening Sharpless, director of the recommendations. National Cancer Institute, in One screening test is a statement. a blood test, which can The $26.5 million be abnormal for several study, part of the Obama reasons besides prostate1 W74681_HNDF_EOG_AFAM_0802.indd administration’s 21st Century Cures Cancer cancer. The only way to saved at 7-24-2018 3:38 PM None printed at 396-MB15 from by Tommy Salazar / Eddie Jacobson Moonshot initiative, will know if an abnormal test approvals fonts & images be a joint effort among the is due to cancer is to do ajob info job # creative dir None W74681 Fonts National Cancer Institute biopsy. client art director None TEXAS LOTTERY Helvetica Neue LT Std (95 Black, 57 Condensed, 97 and the National Institute on headline/tag AUG EOG AD copywriter None Condensed, 87 Heavy Condensed, 77 Bold Conden Source: CDC trim account mgr VALERIE CRUZ 4.79” x 3.25” (Regular) Minority Health and Health bleed proofreader None None live None Images Disparities, both part of NIH color setup BW None Damali Martin, who will help notes institutes, as well as the vendor/pub HOUSTON DEFENDER media type NEWSPAPER Inks direct NCI’s work on the study. DUE: 07/26 Prostate Cancer Foundation. Black die cut None PUB: 08/02 “The ability to integrate Prostate cancer is diagnosed genetic and environmental in about 164,000 American men factors, including individual, every year. It kills about 29,000 a neighborhood and societal 2500 factors, bee caves rd • suite 300 • austin, tx 78746 year, according to the American t 512.479.6200 f 512.479.6024 into one large study will enable us Cancer Society. to have a better understanding of “African-American men how all of these factors contribute have about a 15 percent chance to the aggressiveness of prostate of developing prostate cancer in cancer,” Martin said. their lifetimes, compared to about The team will find the 10,000 a 10 percent chance for white participants using cancer database men, and African-American men information. are more likely to be diagnosed “No group in the world is with aggressive disease,” the NIH hit harder by prostate cancer said. than men of African descent, “In addition, the risk of dying and to date, little is known about from prostate cancer for Africanthe biological reasons for these American men is about 4 percent disparities, or the full impact of compared to about 2 percent for environmental factors,” said Dr. white men.” Jonathan Simons, CEO of the Any number of factors could Prostate Cancer Foundation. explain the differences, said
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Cowboys QB Prescott standing for anthem At his usual campopening news conference, Jerry Jones said Dak Prescott’s best his usual things about test yet as the new face the anthem, and then of the Cowboys came some. Son Stephen two days after owner Jones, executive vice Jerry Jones once again president of personnel, declared that all Dallas suggested a day later players will stand for that the Cowboys would the national anthem cut any player who and even said they stayed in the locker wouldn’t be afforded room. the alternative of stayThe option of staying in the locker room. ing off the field was The star quarterpart of a policy owners back didn’t pause or approved in May but stammer. He didn’t was put on hold not stop himself to conlong after the Associsider what his peers ated Press revealed that might think. He made the Miami Dolphins it clear he will stand Dak Prescott said the national anthem isn’t the time would consider susand doesn’t think it’s or venue to protest social injustice. pending players up to right to do otherwise. four games for kneeling “Whether I was or otherwise protesting during the anthem. wearing the star or not, whether I was Just as he did when he showed up two playing for Jerry Jones, Stephen Jones or any other owner, I believe in what I believe years ago as the overshadowed third quarterback on Tony Romo’s team, Prescott in and that’s that,” Prescott recently said. Associated Press
offered his opinion plainly and simply, and in so many words. There are countless more people listening now. Prescott replaced an injured Romo in 2016 and had one of the best rookie seasons for a quarterback in NFL history while leading Dallas to an NFC-best 13 wins and ultimately sending Romo into retirement. Now 15-year tight end Jason Witten and franchise touchdown catch leader Dez Bryant are gone. The former Mississippi State standout is the leading voice, and not hesitating to use it. “I’d never protest during the anthem, and I don’t think that’s the time or the venue to do so,” Prescott said while adding that he respected the right of others to protest. “We know about social injustice. I’m up for taking a next step, whatever that step may be for action and not just kneeling.” Prescott didn’t have any immediate specifics for that community action, but it’ll be a few months before he can concentrate on it fully. Right now he’s trying to get the Cowboys back to the playoffs after his encore fell flat.
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Oiler Robert Brazile NFL Hall of Famer By MAX EDISON Defender
T
heologians would have you believe that a promise delayed is not a promise denied. For retired Houston Oiler linebacker Robert Brazile, the 29-year delay is over. Brazile is a proud member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2018. The Mobile, Ala. native is joined by linebackers Ray Lewis and Brian Urlacher, safety Brian Dawkins, offensive lineman Jerry Kramer, wide receivers Randy Moss and Terrell Owens and contributor Bobby Beathard. The enshrinement ceremony will air at 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 4. on NFL Brazile excelled in Bum Phillips 3-4 defense Network and ESPN. “People ask you, ‘How does it feel?’ All I can say is you have to be in my shoes,” said Brazile, nicknamed “Dr. Doom.” “We all have different feelings. There’s no one word that expresses or tells you how we feel. I felt good, but I do hope that everybody that played the game or had a chance to put a football helmet on at least gets this feeling at least once in their life about football. “This is what the NFL is telling me right now: ‘Robert, you worked so hard, you loved the game, and we love you back. We haven’t forgotten about you. We love you, man.’ That’s how I feel about it.” Brazile was the sixth player selected in the first round of the 1975 NFL draft from Jackson State. At 6-feet-4, 240 pounds and with 4.6 forty speed, Brazile was the perfect complement to Oiler head coach Bum Phillips newly installed 3-4 defensive alignment. The position fit Brazile like a glove. He was the 1975 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, a seven-time Pro Bowler, five-time first-team All Pro and a member of the NFL’s AllDecade team for the ‘70s. He is widely regarded as the preeminent outside linebacker in the NFL during Brazile was a Houston Oilers star a 10-year career. The mold for the linebacker from 1975-1984. linebacker position made famous by NFL greats like Lawrence Taylor and Derrick Thomas
Robert Brazile
was created by Brazile. With Brazile’s impressive resume, why did it take 29 years for him to receive his invitation to Canton? The opinion here is that the Oilers’ move to Nashville in 1997 had an adverse effect on Brazile’s HOF candidacy. Media and fans in Nashville had no real knowledge of their new franchise’s rich history or the players who created it. Brazile and all his accomplishments were literally exiled to the NFL’s “Twilight Zone.” One place where there was never a question about the greatness of Brazile was at his alma mater, Jackson State. Former JSU athletic director and Tiger historian Dr. Walter Reed recalled that the university’s teams featured not only Brazile, but Walter Payton, the late Chicago Bears star running back and Hall of Famer. “There was never any doubt in my mind when I saw Bubba, that’s what we called him here at Jackson State, play that he would be a great pro,” Reed said. “He came here from Mobile as a tightend. Head coach Bob Hill moved him to defense and he adapted immediately. “With Bubba on defense and [Payton] running the ball, Jackson State could have actually competed against some of the larger schools. Both players were first round draft picks in 1975.” With the moment of induction at hand, Brazile reflected on those who helped him get to this moment in time. “I thought about all the people that got me to this point,” he said. “I started to think about Walter and what part he played…I talk to him like he’s still here sometimes. I think about Bum Phillips. I think about Bob Hill, who passed away. This is the news I think they would want to hear from me, that I finally got that pat on the back; that somebody shined my shoes that day and said, ‘Okay, you can take another step, brother.’ ”
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AUGUST 2 | 2018 | DEFENDER
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Yates, Washington among 13 new campuses Defender News Services
Thirteen new HISD campuses will open this month and five more are slated to open in January. New schools set to open for the start of the 2018-2019 school year include Askew Elementary School, Lawson Middle School, High School for Law and Justice, and Yates, Washington, and Energy Institute High Schools. Campuses that have completed renovations or additions and are set to open in August include Young
Women’s College Preparatory Academy, Eastwood and Pilgrim Academies, Garden Oaks and Wilson Montessori Schools, and Hilliard Elementary School. The temporary campus that will house Braeburn Elementary School will also open this fall. To date, the district has opened 27 bond and non-bond projects and expects the current portfolio of building programs to surpass 80 percent completion by the end of 2018. “I’m excited about these new openings and all the
progress in the last year,” Construction Services Officer Derrick Sanders said. “We’re hitting a lot of milestones, which is really energizing the team as we push toward the finish.” As the 13 schools prepare to open, several others will open at the beginning of the year. Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, Wharton Dual Language Academy, and Worthing (phase two), Jordan, and Madison High Schools will all open in January 2019.
Back-to-school shopping tips to buy parents time Family Features
Shop during tax-free holiday Aug. 10-12 It’s almost time for school to start again,and that means the state’s sale tax holiday is just around the corner. This year, Texas’ sales tax holiday is scheduled for Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 10-12. The law exempts most clothing, footwear, school supplies and backpacks priced below $100 from sales tax, saving shoppers about $8 on every $100 they spend during the weekend. You can buy merchandise from a Texas store or from an online or catalog seller doing business in Texas. In most cases, you do not need to give the seller an exemption certificate to buy qualifying items tax-free. “As Texas families begin the process of replacing their beach bags with book bags, Texas’ sales tax holiday is the perfect opportunity to save some money on the supplies families need before the school bell rings,” said Comptroller Glenn Hegar. This year, shoppers will save an estimated $90.3 million in state and local sales taxes during the sales tax holiday. Texas’ tax holiday weekend has been an annual event since 1999. For a list of apparel and school supplies that may be purchased taxfree visit TexasTaxHoliday.org.
Parents are preparing for the rush of back-to-school with a seemingly never-ending to-do list. As you run around to purchase school supplies, uniforms and sneakers it can be a busy and expensive time of year. Tackle back-to-school season with these tips to save money and maybe even help you buy back a little time before the school bell rings. 1.Get the kids involved before you leave home. Jumping in the car and hoping for the best as you travel from store to store isn’t likely to net much more than a headache – especially with the kids in tow. Instead, get them involved before hitting the shops and have them browse online retailers and catalogs. With a list in hand, you can plan your trip before you leave the house or take advantage of free shipping or in-store pickup offered by many retailers. 2. Shop early and often. The back-to-school season seems to get earlier every year and many retailers offer deals each week on everyday school supplies and electronics. For those looking to save, shop early and often during the 3-4 weeks leading up to your child’s start date and subscribe to retailer newsletters online for deals delivered directly to your inbox. 3.Check sizes before you start. You may know there are three good
pairs of jeans in your child’s drawer, but the first cold morning of fall is no time to discover that they’re now an inch too short. Before you shop, try on what you already have to determine whether it’s time to size up and get a better idea of what needs to be replaced. 4. Anticipate the need for shoes. One inevitable truth about kids: they grow, seemingly overnight. All the hours you spend shopping can feel futile when your child needs a new pair of shoes just weeks after school starts. To save time and money, be ready when your kids hit their next growth spurt with subscription services like EasyKicks. Delivered ondemand, it offers the latest Nike and Converse sneakers for preschoolers through teens. When kids are ready for a new pair, swap them for a new size or style and return the old pair in a prepaid envelope to be donated or recycled. Learn more at easykicks. com. 5. Double-up on everyday supplies. If possible, buy back-up school supplies while you’re making the rounds – especially if you spot a buy-one, get-one-free deal. If your school supply list asks for one box of crayons, buy an extra set and put it aside in a designated drawer at home. Without fail, kids will run out of notepads or pencils at some point during the year, and you can send in fresh supplies without another trip to the store.
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Happening in Houston For event coverage email: events@defendermediagroup.com
topevents
SUMMER STEM PROGRAM……..The closing ceremony of the Verizon show off their skills to parents and other supporters. Attendees included event Summer STEM Program was held recently at Texas Southern University’s organizer John Beaudion, legendary swimming coach Johnnie Means, HISD H&PE Arena. The three-week program exposed over 100 middle school Board President Rhonda Skillern-Jones, Ana Yanez Correa, Brandon Dudley, minority males to lectures and experiences in science, technology, engineering Henry Hutchins, Amari Walker, Hannah Gibson, Jameica, Tyrone and Ava and math with the hope of preparing them for future tech careers. Participants Washington, Christall Harper, Kevin Murcia and others……..#YEAROFJOY enjoyed hands-on learning experiences in next-gen technologies and instruction OOH LA LA LUNCH……..In a celebration of girl power and French cuisine, in the areas of robotics, augmented reality and 3D printing, 25 girls from Hype Freedom Schools were transported to entrepreneurship training and college-aged mentors. Attendees Paris –without leaving Midtown – for the #YearOfJoy Ooh Defender TOP EVENTS La La Lunch at Artisans Restaurant sponsored by journalist at the closing event included program director LaRence More photos on defendernetwork.com Snowden, Johaf Amir Chowdhury, Jeff Lindsey, Grant Joy Sewing. Renowned Chef Jacques Fox prepared a Eason, Valencia Fletcher, Landon Harvey, Carmella and four-course meal for the girls, ages 8-13, who also made Evan Blackshear, Jaylen Walker, Sonya Davis and many their own French macarons. Moreover, poet Lyn Stewart more……..SPLASHDOWN SWIM COMPETITION……..Harris County performed a girl-power themed work and Monica Lewis, an etiquette expert, Aquatic Center hosted its annual Splashdown Swim Competition where all of led the girls in an etiquette session. Attendees included event organizer the developmental swim sites in the county come together for a fun-filled day of Kali Sellars, Dr. Kathy Flanagan, Ashley Small, Brandi Brown, Paris competition in multiple swim events. Youth who trained hard all summer long Williams, Amiya Henderson, Alicia Thomas, Misty Starks, Ja’Rayanna in swim classes all across the county used Splashdown as the opportunity to Price and more.
Joshua Watson, LaRence Snowden, Brian Fitzgerald
Brandon Dudley, John Beaudion, Johnnie Means, Ana Yanez Correa
Monica Lewis, Joy Sewing
Evan Blackshear, Carmella Blackshear
Henry Hutchins, Amari Walker
Ja’rayanna Price, Amari Vann
Jaylen Walker, Sonya Davis
Jameica Washington, Tyrone Washington, Ava Washington
Eva Canning, Karma Dean, Zoe Davis
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