Houston Defender: August 11, 2022

INFLATION BLACK AMERICA FIGHTS BACK. NEWS

SPORTS

MILLARD HOUSE II

The HISD Superintendent says the district is not prepared for school shootings. What he’s proposing.

Volume 91, issue 38 August 11, 2022

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SERENA WILLIAMS

The GOAT says it’s time to hang up her tennis racket and focus on her family.

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2 | August 11, 2022 |

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DN To the POINT

Police direct traffic outside an entrance to former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, Monday, Aug. 8, 2022, in Palm Beach, Fla. Trump said in a lengthy statement that the FBI was conducting a search of his Mar-a-Lago estate and asserted that agents had broken open a safe. (AP Photo/Terry Renna)

Message from the Associate Editor WAITING FOR THE PERPWALK

their elected officials; the same folk who So, the FBI executed a search warrant on the receive subpoenas to appear in court, and Florida “home” of former reality TV star and just ignore them. Where they do that at? If former president, Donald Trump. Some folk are you or I don’t show up to court, 5-0 shows celebrating that karma has finally visited Trump. up at our door. But now, those who have Miss me with all that. Call me when Trump and bathed in privilege for generations are now all his insurrectionist cronies are perp-walking feeling, dare I say, oppressed. This is shotheir way to get their orange jumpsuits. Renuff “stranger things.”

Aswad Walker member, this nation was literally founded on white privilege. Despite all the rhetoric of no DANGEROUS TIMES one being above the law in the US, wealthy white men One of my mentors told me, things in America are going have always—ALWAYS—operated above the law. Case- to get worse before they get better because so many whites in-point, Trump’s nickname: the Teflon Don. None of his are convinced that Black and Brown people are stealing decades-worth of crimes stick. He openly bragged about their way of life and their country. America’s changing not paying workers, then outspending them in court. He demographics, statistically getting darker, younger and openly called for a foreign adversary (Russia) to under- more progressive daily, has many whites believing the sky mine a presidential election; led a white nationalist coup is falling. And they won’t give up without a fight. Hence, to overthrow a U.S. government he didn’t think it was the rise in violence against Blacks, immigrants and Asians. white nationalist enough. He spit on POC, women, Mus- Hence, the Jan. 6 coup because they see those Black votes lims, immigrants, the disabled, veterans, children and in Atlanta, Milwaukee, Philadelphia and Detroit that gave others, yet still has millions backing him to run for pres- Biden the presidency as illegitimate, because to them, we’re ident in 2024. So, until I see Agent Orange in an orange not “real Americans.” The FBI search of Mar-A-Lago, to jumpsuit, I’m assuming America is business as usual. them, is proof positive that “the system” is now out to get them. And they’re not going to take it lying down. Hell, STRANGER THINGS they’re now calling for Civil War. Literally. The exponential Trump supporters (elected officials, white domestic growth in white militia groups, violent rhetoric and violent terrorist groups and others) are calling to “Defund the attacks over the past few years is just a precursor. I’d love FBI,” the highest level of law enforcement in America. to have something witty to say, or a lighter topic to discuss, Yes, the same “people” who want to throw Black and but these increasingly dangerous times impact everything.

Brown folk under the jail for chanting “Defund the Po- Stay safe. lice,” are themselves now chanting, “Defund the Police.”

Surely, we must be living in the “Upside Down.” Because ON THE WEB these flag-waving, Blue Lives Matter-chanting folk who • Five facts about the “infamous” ‘Bel-Air’ Alpha Phi Alsupported every cop who ever killed an unarmed Black pha episode. person, are now claiming they don’t trust cops. The folk • Expect a larger police presence in many Houston who stood by the criminal injustice systems for decades schools this fall. as we called for its reform, are now claiming they’re being • Check out the Defender channels: Black Women, Ununfairly victimized. Their loudest voices are coming from der 40 and Community Central.

August 11, 2022 |

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DN News HOUSTON NURSE CHARGED Accused of vehicular manslaughter in fiery fatal LA crash Associated Press

A Houston nurse suspected of causing a fiery crash that killed five people, including a pregnant woman, has been charged with murder as officials try to determine what led her to plow through a Los Angeles intersection.

Nicole Lorraine Linton was charged with six counts of murder and five counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office. One murder charge was filed for the pregnant woman’s unborn child.

She could face 90 years to life in prison if convicted of all charges.

Linton, a 37-year-old traveling nurse from Houston, made her first court appearance after being released from a hospital over the weekend. Linton, who appeared in a wheelchair, didn’t enter a plea and her arraignment was continued to October. She

Nicole Linton appears in Los Angeles Superior Court for arraignment on murder charges.

Asherey Ryan and baby. Credit: Family

was ordered held without bail pending a bail hearing next week.

Prosecutors said Linton’s Mercedes-Benz was doing 90 mph last Thursday when it ran a red light and smashed into cars in a crowded intersection in unincorporated Windsor Hills about 10 miles southwest of downtown Los Angeles. Several victims were thrown from the cars and several vehicles caught fire.

The crash killed 23-year-old Asherey Ryan, her 11-month-old son Alonzo Quintero and her boyfriend, Reynold Lester, Sha’seana Kerr said in a GoFundMe posting. The family was on their way to a prenatal appointment.

One murder charge — but not an additional charge of vehicular manslaughter — was filed for the fetus, who was identified by the coroner’s office as Armani Lester and listed as born on the same day he died.

“A young family was destroyed in the blink of an eye,” District Attorney George Gascón said at a news conference.

Two other women were also killed but their names weren’t made public.

“While the wreckage of this fiery crash at this intersection was removed and traffic eventually resumed, there is catastrophic damage to the families and friends of those killed and injured,” Gascón said. “It is not only a tremendous loss to the families but

our entire community who learned of this incredible tragedy or have watched the now viral video of the collision,” he said.

In court, Linton’s lawyer, Halim Dhanidina, said his client has an out-of-state history of “profound mental health issues” that might be linked to the crash but didn’t specify, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Authorities said they haven’t found any evidence that Linton was under the influence of alcohol but prosecutors said she had at least 13 previous crashes — including a 2020 injury accident that totaled two cars — and knew the threat posed by her driving behavior, the Times said.

SUPERINTENDENT

HISD not prepared for active-shooter scenario Houston Public Media

The HISD police department is requesting 200 rifles, 200 ballistic plate shields and rifle ammunition in order to more adequately train for an activeshooter response.

A few weeks before the start of a new school year, the leader of Texas’ largest school district said its police department is not prepared to adequately respond to an active-shooter scenario like the one that claimed the lives of 19 children and two teachers earlier this year in Uvalde.

Houston ISD superintendent Millard House II addressed the preparedness level of the HISD Police Department while discussing proposed expenditures of more than $100,000 for rifles, ammunition and ballistic plate shields during a meeting of the HISD board of trustees. The board is expected to vote on the proposed purchases at next week’s meeting.

“Right now, as we’ve studied the Uvalde scenario and looked at what preparation and the proper preparation that needs to be in place, our officers would not have been prepared for what that looks like,” House said.

Upward of 200,000 students attend

…Our officers need the proper training and equipment so that the district is prepared for a worst-case scenario.”

Millard House II Millard House II

HISD, which employs about 200 police officers. The 2022-23 school year is scheduled to start Aug. 22, with teachers reporting to work Monday.

Trustee Dani Hernandez asked if the desire to fortify the HISD police department is “based on research or our feelings,” also wondering if the expenditure request was in response to community input.

Trustee Judith Cruz said she also had concerns about the proposed purchase, saying the board has adopted a policy to not consider approving items that “perpetuate disproportionate discipline.”

Cruz also mentioned that responding

officers at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, where an 18-year-old gunman killed 21 people inside a classroom, were well-armed with rifles and shields.

HISD Police Chief Pedro Lopez said a lack of training and preparation led to those officers’ waiting more than an hour until they confronted the shooter. So he said his plan is to use the 200 rifles and 200 ballistic plate shields being requested initially for training purposes and then for deployment in the event of an active-shooter scenario on an HISD campus.

“We train every year in active-shooter training,” Lopez said. “But in order to become better and be better prepared, to

provide an adequate response, you need actual scenario-based training with live fire, with shields. You need to learn how to maneuver those doors, how to overcome a breach in those doors. We don’t have that equipment in order to do that.”

HISD released a statement from House in which he expanded on his remarks at the school board meeting. He said several district campuses received upgrades this summer to their fencing, cameras and video storage capacity.

Elementary schools in HISD are assigned patrol units that monitor those campuses throughout the day, House said, while the HISD police department staffs each high school and middle school with a school resource officer.

“As an HISD parent myself, the safety and security of our students and staff is my highest priority,” House said. “As I shared at our recent board meeting, our current assessment is that HISD PD needs additional equipment and resources to ensure they are prepared to respond to just that kind of situation. That is why we’ve put forward several safety-related items before the board for approval on next week’s agenda.”

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DN News

Feds charge cops in fatal Breonna Taylor raid #SAYHERNAME

to a charge of conspiracy, Taylor family attorney Ben Crump said The federal government has though records on her court profiled civil rights charges against ceedings were sealed. Goodlett four Louisville police officers faces up to five years in prison. over the drug raid that led to Local activists and members the death of Breonna Taylor, a of Taylor’s family celebrated the Black woman whose fatal shoot- charges and thanked federal ing helped fuel the racial justice officials. Supporters gathered in protests that rocked the nation a downtown park and chanted: in 2020.

“Say her name, Breonna Taylor!”

The charges — most of “This is a day when which stem from the Black women s aw faulty drug warrant e qu a l ju s t i c e i n used to search TayAmerica,” Crump lor’s home — are said. an effort to hold Taylor’s mother, law enforcement Tamika Palmer, said accountable for the she has waited nearly killing of the 26-year2 1/2 years for police to old medical worker. Breonna Taylor be held accountable.

One of the officers was “Today’s overdue, acquitted of state charges earlier but it still hurts,” she said. this year.

The Justice Department is “Breonna Taylor should be also conducting a non-criminal alive today,” Attorney Gen- investigation of the Louisville eral Merrick Garland said in Police Department, announced announcing the charges, which last year, that is probing whether include unlawful conspiracy, the department has a pattern of use of force and obstruction of using excessive force and conjustice. ducting unreasonable search and The charges named former seizures. officers Joshua Jaynes and Brett In the protests of 2020, TayHankison, along with current lor’s name was often shouted officers Kelly Goodlett and Sgt. along with George Floyd, who Kyle Meany. Louisville police was killed less than three months said they are seeking to fire after Taylor by a Minneapolis Goodlett and Meany. police officer in a videotaped Hankison was the only officer encounter that shocked the charged who was on the scene nation. the night of the killing.

Protesters who took to the Taylor was shot to death by streets over months in Louisville officers who knocked down her were especially critical of Kendoor while executing a search tucky Attorney General Daniel warrant. Taylor’s boyfriend fired Cameron, who presented only a shot that hit one of the officers wanton endangerment charges as they came through the door, against Hankison for a grand and they returned fire, striking jury to consider in 2020. MemTaylor multiple times. bers of the grand jury later came Hankison, Jaynes and Meany forward to complain that Camhad initial appearances in federal eron’s office had steered them court before Magistrate Judge away from charges for the other Regina Edwards, who set their officers involved in the raid. bonds at $50,000 each, according “Thank God that Kentucky to a court clerk official. The three Attorney General Daniel Cammen face a maximum sentence of eron did not get the last word life in prison for the civil rights in regard to justice for Breonna charges.

Taylor,” Crump said Thursday.

Goodlett has pleaded guilty “We have always said this was Associated Press

Tamika Palmer, Breonna Taylor’s mother, says she’s waited 2 1/2 years for justice for her daughter.

a conspiracy to cover up the death of Breonna Taylor. Today the Justice Department put forth the charging documents to show we weren’t crazy.”

Cameron, a Republican running for governor next year, said in announcing the indictment against Hankison in September 2020 that he would leave “issues regarding potential civil rights violations” to federal officials to investigate.

A separate indictment said Jaynes and Meany both knew the warrant used to search Taylor’s home had information that was “false, misleading and out of date.” Both are charged with conspiracy and deprivation of rights.

VOLUME 91 - NUMBER 38 - AUGUST 11, 2022 Publisher | CEO Sonceria Messiah-Jiles

Managing Editor ReShonda Tate

Chief Development Officer Emelda Douglas

Associate Editor Aswad Walker

Strategic Alllance Clyde Jiles

Education Reporter Laura Onyeneho

Creative Director Michael Grant

Sports Terrance Harris Jodie B. Jiles

Administrative Asst.

Stacey Palmer

Photographers Jimmie Aggison

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

August 11, 2022 |

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DN News Housing prices skyrocket Defender News Service

HOUSTON AREA HIT HARD

MONKEYPOX CASES SURPASS 200 Defender News Service

Harris County is reporting a total of 223 cases, with 195 of them in Houston. That’s an increase of nearly 100 more cases than previously reported last week.

Doctor David Pierce with the Houston Health department says, we can expect to see similar trends to the ones we’re seeing in more densely populated communities, like New York, here in Houston.

“This logarithmic growth that we see with epidemics… we’re behind. We’re not seeing here locally what is being seen in other communities. But we need to fully anticipate that that’s going to happen,” he said in a media briefing.

Vaccines remain only accessible to people who have been in contact with monkeypox, or for those who are at high risk.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports 9,492 cases in the U.S. The Texas Department of State Health Services says 701 of those are in Texas.

Now, local health departments are gearing up to administer more vaccines using a new method authorized by the FDA. It should increase the vaccine supply but for now, there are no changes to who is eligible for the shot.

Housing prices have skyrocketed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, rising by 16% in Harris County from 2020-2021.

That’s higher than the typical 6% annual growth average of the last decade, researchers with the Rice University Kinder Institute for Urban Research said.

“This is really one of the first opportunities we have to see post-COVID data,” said the Kinder Institute’s Luis Guajardo.

“This is intended to help us all be on the same wavelength when we talk about housing locally.”

Guajardo made the comments during a recent webinar Wednesday to present the institute’s 2022 State of Housing report.

The report focused on a variety

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of findings, including the significant increase in median sales housing prices. The median sales price of a home is now $285,000 in Harris County and $315,000 in Houston.

Researchers found the spike is linked to the housing shortage and increased prices of home resells, which is “concerning” to researchers, as resells make up a large part of the affordable housing market.

According to the report, demand for single-family homes has driven up prices and lowered inventory. This has made homeownership further out of reach for the median renter household.

The median price of a home in Harris County, $285,000, is nearly double the price a median renter can afford to buy, at $149,000.

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DN News

$80 mil Harris County Kids Initiative launched Defender News Service

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, Commissioner Rodney Ellis and members of the U.S. Congress have announced a multi-million dollar initiative for Harris County’s youngest residents -- Brighter Futures for Harris County Kids. This initiative is the largest allocation of funding for children in Harris County history and the largest known investment of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars by any county or city in the nation for early childhood development and education. The Brighter Futures for Harris County Kids so far includes over $80 million of investments in early childhood and is meant to improve outcomes for its youngest residents.

“This is a historic investment. Never before has Harris County had this focus on children,” said Judge Hidalgo. “Each component of the Brighter Futures for Harris County Kids initiative demonstrates that local government can improve the lives of residents for the long term when working with partners, community members, parents, teachers, and caretakers.

The initiative, which was made possible

Al Green

by the Federal ARPA funds, will consist of multiple programs that will address early childhood education and development, as well as support infant and child health.

“It gives me great pleasure to know that the quality of life for many babies in Houston will greatly improve thanks to the Brighter Future for Harris County Kids initiative,” said U.S. Congressman Al Green. “The Brighter

Lina Hidalgo

Future for Harris County Kids initiative consists of multiple programs that will address early childhood education and development, as well as support infant and child health.”

The more than $80 million in funds will be distributed between five different programs: The Child Tax Credit Outreach Program, the Early Childhood Impact Fund, Maternal and Child Health Program, Child Care

Contracted Slots Program, as well as the Lead Abatement and Prevention Program.

“It is exceedingly important for us to invest in our youth because they are our future. I thank Judge Hidalgo for what she’s done to help make Houston a leading city in early childhood development. I look forward to supporting future similar initiatives that may be launched by Harris County,” Green added.

Do not leave kids or pets in a

CLOSED VEHICLE

for any amount of time! Cars can become an oven in just 10 minutes.

ALWAYS • Park safely • Look in your back seat • Lock up

To report kids or pets in hot cars, CALL 911

August 11, 2022 |

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DN News VAX HOU seeks to increase Black, Brown vaccinated residents

By Aswad Walker

Houston-area residents, like most across the country, have returned to preCOVID-19 pandemic lives and activities, operating as if they are through with the pandemic. However, the numbers of those contracting the virus, those dying from the coronavirus, or those who survived, yet are suffering from long COVID, make perfectly clear that COVID-19 is not yet through with us.

And as usual, those hit hardest by negative health realities are people of color: more specifically, Black people. Even more specifically, Black women.

To address this harsh reality, the City of Houston has launched a counter-attack to get the number of Houstonians, especially those who live in the city’s Complete Communities, vaccinated and boosted.

Enter the Equitable Vaccination Acceptance and Distribution project, or VAX HOU, a grant-funded initiative by the Rockefeller Foundation to increase vaccine equity in Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) and low-income communities around the city of Houston.

“The VAX HOU initiative was designed to provide health interventions in some of Houston’s most socially vulnerable communities by slowing the spread of COVID-19 and its emerging variants,” said Shannon Buggs, director of the Mayor’s Office of Complete Communities.

Though COVID-19 is theoretically colorblind, its impact is not. And that includes vaccination rates.

“Statistics have shown that while over 50% of Americans have been vaccinated against COVID-19, less than one-third of these vaccines have gone to Black people and other people of color. This population across the United States is statistically more likely to die from COVID-19 as compared to white Americans; however, the vaccine is not readily available in BIPOC-dense communities, leading to a serious disadvantage,” said Buggs.

The VAX HOU team is working with the Houston Health Department (HHD), the Houston Health Foundation (HHF), and the Mayor’s Health Equity Response (HER) Task Force to facilitate four vaccine distribution events a month in Houston’s 10 Complete Communities.

“These neighborhoods are historically under-resourced and underserved neigh-

For more info:

• www.houstoncc.org/news___resources/vaccine_equitable_distribution_initiative/index.php • houstonemergency.org/covid-19/ • 832-393-4220 • cdc.gov/coronavirus

borhoods that require extra effort across multiple sectors to address historic inequities and present-day disparities that lessen the life expectancy and diminish the overall quality of life for their residents,” added Buggs.

From VAX HOU’s 91 vaccination events, the organization has facilitated the vaccination of 672 individuals who identify as Hispanic/Latino and 493 Blacks, making up 57% and 37% respectively of those this project has vaccinated.

Statistics show that BIPOC communities have been disproportionately affected by the virus, including lack of access to personal protection equipment (PPE), proper health education, testing sites, and vaccines.

“Our project hopes to increase vaccine rates and decrease infection rates in these communities not only through vaccination efforts but also by providing culturally competent COVID-19 education and personal protection equipment, including masks and hand sanitizers. We are accomplishing our mission by using a three-pronged partnership approach consisting of an education partner, a health partner, and a “physicians of color” group.

Through this collaborative effort, we are breaking down common barriers to receiving quality health care, such as language differences, health misinformation, lack of transportation, and lack of clinics and healthcare facilities close to home,” said Buggs.

Of Houston’s 10 Complete Communities, Sunnyside (275) and Gulfton (211) have the most persons vaccinated by VAX HOU. In fact, 37% of all VAX Hou vaccinations have taken place in just those two neighborhoods. This suggests a lot of work needs to be done in the other eight Complete Communities neighborhoods.

Along with the VAX HOU efforts listed, the entity eventually hopes to establish a permanent vaccination site in each Complete Community.

Visit DefenderNetwork.com to see list of upcoming VAX HOU vaccination events

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PEOPLE FIRST MOVEMENT VISIT FWD.US/PEOPLEFIRST

criminal felon offender inmate convict On any given day, nearly 2 million people in the U.S. are incarcerated in jail or prison and rates of incarceration are highest for Black communities. These are our neighbors, and they are mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, sons, and daughters - but far too often, those aren’t the words media outlets use to describe them. Instead, they’re given harmful labels like criminal, felon, offender, inmate and convict.

Words matter - Research has shown that when we transform the language we use to describe people who have been convicted and incarcerated, we can help change how society treats them. There’s no better time for news organizations to join this language evolution.

It’s well past time to drop the harmful labels and put #PeopleFirst.

8 | August 11, 2022 |

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DN InFocus

INFLATION

MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD WEALTH

$45,870 Whites

HAVE YOUR MIND ON YOUR MONEY

42% Blacks

73% Whites

With prices rising to the highest rates the U.S. has seen in more than 40 years, Black families are bearing the brunt of inflation.

Researchers say Black families will suffer the worst because they lag behind their white counterparts in income, wealth, financial savings and home ownership. However, with smart planning, families can ride the rising inflation wave with minimal impact.

*US Census Bureau 2020

What is the Inflation Reduction Act?

study published by the Federal Reserve Bank found that necessities such as groceries, electricity, and wireless phone service make up a larger share of Black families’ budgets.

Black households are also spending a larger portion of their income on goods and services with prices that change more often, the study said.

Munseob Lee, an economist who co-wrote the study, said many Black Americans are also living in food deserts and paying higher prices for groceries at convenience stores.

Inflation only increases the price of those convenience store products and forces Black shoppers to have to travel farther for groceries, meaning they are subject to the higher gas prices, he said.

“If prices paid by white households increase by 7% over a year, our calculations suggest that one may expect them to increase by 7.5% for Black households,” the study notes as an example.

Senate Democrats recently passed the Inflation Reduction Act 2022 to battle the rising inflation costs. Vice-President Kamala Harris cast the tie-breaking vote for the 755-page legislation, which included a failed provision offered

by Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) that would have capped the cost of insulin products at $35 per month for those with private insurance.

For the most part, this isn’t a bill about 2022, rather 2023 and beyond, economic officials say. It’s about helping the Federal Reserve to fight against persistent inflation.

A DEVASTATING DISPARITY

The disparity leaves many Blacks without the funds to help offset the rising consumer prices and puts greater pressure on their monthly income, economists say. Some economists fear that if lawmakers don’t act soon to combat inflation, Black families may be forced to go without necessities as the threat of another recession looms.

“It’s going to be extremely devastating,” said William Darity Jr., professor of public policy, African American studies and economics at Duke University. “People will have to make very, very hard decisions about whether or not to purchase medicines or buy food or forgo payment of their utilities. It will have harsh effects on people’s well-being.”

Darity said the nation’s wealth gap has made it difficult for Black families to maintain financial savings or transfer wealth through generations like many

If rising costs are hitting your budget, here are some tips to help you cope.

HOME OWNERSHIP

By ReShonda Tate

A

Blacks

$74,912

HOW BLACK AMERICA CAN FIGHT BACK.

white families have been able to do. He said racist policies such as redlining and depriving former slaves of land promised to them have historically set Black Americans behind.

HOW INFLATION HURTS BLACK AMERICA MINIMUM WAGE WORKERS ARE POORER.

Wages are rising at their fastest rate since the 1980s, but they still aren’t keeping up with inflation. With prices rising so fast, minimum wage workers are poorer than they have been in decades. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, about

2 percent of Black workers earned the federal minimum wage or less. Among White, Asian, and Hispanic workers, the percentage was about 1 percent.

incomes. In low-income areas, goods experience an increase in prices since there is no spur of innovation and competition to drive down prices.

INFLATION TENDS TO HURT WORKERS.

FEWER OPPORTUNITIES TO BECOME A HOMEOWNER.

Black Americans constitute 13% of the U.S. workforce, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. So as inflation increases, Black America is hurt.

INFLATION INEQUALITY REINFORCES ECONOMIC DISPARITIES.

With inflation inequality, prices may rise more quickly for those who have lower

Economists say homeownership is an important way to help close the racial wealth gap. Black homeownership dropped to 43% in 2017, erasing all of the gains made since the passage of the Fair Housing Act in 1968. Now due to inflation, the stats will be even more dire. With the boom in home sales slowing down and real estate prices rising, new homes are unaffordable for many people.

“Although not perfect, the Inflation Reduction Act is a step forward. It is troubling that seven Senators blocked the cap on insulin costs for individuals with private insurance. Although diabetes affects far too many Black Americans, the Inflation Reduction Act will allow the government to negotiate prices on prescription drugs, provide continued subsidies for Obamacare, and invest in clean energy,” the NAACP said in a statement.

DEALING WITH INFLATION

Still, despite the bill’s fraught journey and many compromises, there are some victories that directly impact African Americans.

LOWERING THE COST OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS In the area of health reform, the bill takes on making prescription drugs more affordable — but there are some limits. The federal health secretary will be able to negotiate the prices of certain expensive drugs each year for Medicare.

But this won’t impact every prescription drug or every patient, and it won’t take effect quickly. The negotiations will take effect for 10 drugs covered by Medicare in 2026, increasing to 20 drugs in 2029.

TACKLING CLIMATE CHANGE More than $300 billion would be invested in energy and climate reform, the largest federal clean energy investment in U.S. history.

This includes tackling environmental racism in communities of color.

Knowing how much you spend every month is key. Take time to write out how much you spend day-to-day. This will help you see what’s coming in, what’s going out, and which unnecessary expenses you might be able to cut.

Budgets often reveal expenses that can be eliminated entirely or impulsive spending that can be avoided with planning. when it comes to reducing expenses, evaluate every item you purchase and ask, “Is this a need or want to have item?”

SAVE, EVEN IF IT’S $5

The more non-essential expenses you can cut, the more you can save. It’s not possible for everyone, but Gene Natali, cofounder of Troutwood, an app that helps people create financial plans, says it’s ideal to budget to save enough to cover basic necessities for three to six months.

Programs such as America Saves, a non-profit campaign by the Consumer Federation of America, can help create a roadmap. Keep an eye on the monthly fees or service charges that might eat into your savings. But don’t limit your options. Online banks sometimes offer better rates than traditional ones.

CONSOLIDATE AND CURB LOANS

As interest rates rise, experts recommend that you consolidate your loans to have just one fixedrate loan and, if you can, pay down as much of your debt as possible.

But paying off your existing debt is easier said than done. The Federal Trade Commission’s Consumer Advice guide for Getting Out of Debt can help you make a plan. With interest rates high, it’s also not a great time to take out

READERS WEIGH IN ON HOW THEY’RE DEALING WITH RISING PRICES.

new loans for big expenses like cars, though experts do recommend that if you need durable goods such as vacuum cleaners, stoves or dishwashers, you buy them as soon as possible to avoid future price increases.

NEGOTIATE

Since the pandemic, many companies have updated their relief policies and have become more flexible with users, according to Kia McCallister-Young, director of America Saves.

Calling providers of monthly services to negotiate bills — whether it’s utilities, phone service, cable, internet, or auto insurance — can lead to meaningful savings, said McCallister-Young. Individuals can ask for the best rate, any available discounts, rebates, or coupons that can lead to a lowered monthly fee. If a provider is competitive with other companies, there’s an even better chance of getting a discount, she added.

Check out federal programs such as the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which helps cover bills, and Lifeline, which can assist with phone bills.

CHANGE GROCERY SHOPPING PLAN

Grocery shopping with a meal plan, buying generic rather than brand-name or purchasing in bulk are some of the recommendations from the Consumer Federation of America.

“A lot of stores have price matching, so if you show them that a competitor is selling the same product at a lower rate, they’ll match that,” said McCallister-Young. “You also want to be looking at the stores that are closest to you, so you’re not spending the extra money you’d save on gas.”

COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE

If you are experiencing food or housing insecurity, look for nonprofit or community organizations around you. From housing support and food banks to utility assistance, non-profit organizations around the country can help. National organizations such as Feeding America host food banks in all 50 states.

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DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Education DR. NADIA LOPEZ

TAKING ACTION TO ADDRESS PUBLIC SCHOOL CHALLENGES

By Laura Onyeneho

For the last few years, public school education has been at the top of the list of hot button issues. Across the nation, teachers, students, school administrators and parents are under tremendous stress navigating changing pandemic protocols, mass shootings, teacher shortages, learning loss and academic autonomy of educators, among other issues.

Public education in states like Texas has been politicized over debates surrounding what kind of books students should be reading, to whether educators should be allowed to teach about Black history, to parents having control over school curriculum.

Many of these conversations have more to do with social issues than education itself.

Regardless of the current turmoil, there are many dedicated educators who are willing to fight the good fight to find solutions

to this national crisis. Dr. Nadia Lopez is an award-winning educator and founder of Mott Bridges Academy, a STEAM-focused middle school in Brownsville, Brooklyn, N.Y. She recently announced her program “The Lopez effect” to help principals and administrators with the strategic planning tools to deal with leadership and personal development, school improvement strategies, community building, self care and mental health concerns and team development.

Lopez spoke with the Defender about her vision for establishing a STEAM-focused school and lessons she’s learned as an educator and school leader.

in New York City, so why open up another one? For me specifically, having worked in schools that already existed, some of it came down to a lack of buy-in for what education can do for children. But that also stemmed from the lack of leadership. I’m not saying they weren’t good leaders, there was just a lack of accountability for how they showed up and supported their team. Opening and running a school, I know that 100 percent of what my team does is based off of the example that I set. I can’t talk about the struggles of education and what it’s like for teachers if I don’t continue to teach myself.

It was important for me to create a school that I felt embodied the needs of specific community, empower my teachers, give them autonomy and to challenge the system when it wasn’t working right. A lot of people conformed to policies that were put

Defender: Why did you launch the school

you founded? What does it provide that you saw other public schools weren’t?

Dr. Nadia Lopez: There are 1700 schools

into place by people who never stepped foot in our schools or didn’t have leadership qualifications. You have elected officials who have no education background, but yet are making decision for educators. I want my scholars to take over the world. I want to have a school that closes prisons.

Defender: What did you learn about the

inner structure of the public school system from your experience?

Lopez: It’s not designed for our success.

How do we take children from where they are and understand what they know and become practical with their learnings? For example, I had my social science revamp how they teach history. Stop teaching chronological order, teach them thematics, and then within that, you can teach them the timelines to connect the dots.

Watch videos discussing her new program and advice to school leaders and administrators

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August 11, 2022 |

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DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Business

Our doctors are ready to see you Comcast invest more than $1M to help close Houston area digital divide

HOUSTON BENEFITS

Comcast invests $1M to close digital divide

By Laura Onyeneho

Why is the digital divide so wide in the city of Houston?

That was a question raised by many during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when students struggled to keep up with virtual learning.

When it came down to it, the lack of access to broadband internet became a major problem. School districts scrambled to help their students with getting kids connected by providing computers and Wi-Fi hotspots to families.

This is just one out of many challenges Comcast is planning on tackling by giving more than $1 million to local organizations that help students, adults, and people with disabilities to ‘level up’ their computer, career development, tech education skills.

“We’ve been committed to bridging the digital divide for over a decade,” said Misha McClure, director of External Affairs for Comcast’s Houston Region. We know there is a greater digital divide in our community and we found there are three main reasons or barriers to people getting connected at home.”

McClure said those barriers include: COST

Comcast’s low-cost or no-cost connectivity programs such as the Internet Essentials program provides fast reliable internet service when customers enroll in the federal governments Affordable Connectivity Program (APC). She says many families have had to choose between putting food on the table or paying for internet. The program is a cost-effective way to help families who can’t afford it.

LACK OF COMPUTERS AT HOME

She says some families not only can’t afford them, but don’t know how to use them, so accessing the digital world is out of reach for those who don’t have computers at home. The

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“Nationally over the next 10 years, Comcast as a company has committed $1billion to further close the digital divide including Houston, she said. “This investment is a way for low-income area residents to have the tools and resources they need to succeed.”

So far Comcast has given grants to eight Houston area organizations, with more names to be announced this year. One of them is The Boys and Girls Club of Greater Houston to help high school students gain technical and leadership skills through the Workforce Readiness Program.

The Boys and Girls Club of Greater Houston is designated a Comcast “Lift Zone”, which is part of the company’s efforts to provide robust, free WiFi connections inside partner community centers to help thousands of low-income students and families participate in distance learning, employment searches, and other essential services.

“Many of the youth who we support are disproportionately impacted by the digital divide and we’ve developed a long and generous partnership with Comcast to closing this digital divide,” said Mari Bosker, director of Board Governance and Communications for Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Houston. “With their partnership especially during the height of the pandemic we opened what we call ‘Blue Labs’ so kids could come have a safe place to access the internet and homework assistance, while their parents were working.”

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12 | August 11, 2022 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Feature 50TH ANNIVERSARY

HSPVA Black Alumni Homecoming a success

By Aswad Walker

Houston’s Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts’ Black Alumni Network (HSPVA BAN) recently hosted a 50th anniversary homecoming weekend, “Celebrating The Gold Standard” with 3-days of networking, performances and class reunion events with acclaimed alumni Aug 5 – 7. Each event took place at various venues with historical significance to the school’s existence including its original building.

“We were so excited to welcome alumni of The High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (Kinder HSPVA) and the public to our 50th Anniversary celebration,” said Denise Ward, HSPVA alumna and president of HSPVA BAN. “The legacy of HSPVA would not be possible without recognizing the achievements and perseverance of our notable alumni in various creative and influential industries from the arts to community activism.”

The Black Alumni Network’s curated homecoming weekend of events celebrated HSPVA traditions while highlighting contributions by Black alumni to the school’s legacy. The weekend also provided opportunities to support current and future HSPVA students.

The weekend kicked off Friday, August 5 with “Off The Record | Welcome Cocktail Mixer” featuring Grammy Award-winning DJ and HSPVA alum Bryan-Michael Cox at the DeLuxe Theatre. Saturday’s events included “What I Wish I Knew (LIVE): An Edutainment Series” at the Heinen Theatre, the original HSPVA campus.

Saturday evening found weekend participants enjoying “The Happening: Alumni All-Stars.” This star-studded “talent show” took place at Kinder HSPVA’s current Downtown Houston location.

The festivities concluded on Sunday with the “HSPVA Family Reunion” at

For pics, videos and a list of some of the star-studded performers and attendees, visit DefenderNetwork.com

HSPVA alumni and professional performers Chelsea Cymone (Vocal, ‘10), Tarion (Theatre, ‘10) and Lenora (Vocal, ‘09). Photos by Aswad Walker

Axelrad in Third Ward.

“This weekend was our chance to honor the legacy of HSPVA Black excellence, while paving the way forward for the next

generation of HSPVA students. It was truly a much-needed breath of fresh air for myself and our community to be surrounded by so much talent and love,” said Ward.

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All persons, firms, or corporations asserting claims with respect to which the Complaint seeks exoneration from or limitation of liability are admonished to file their respective claims, under oath, as provided in Rule F of the Supplemental Rules for Certain Admiralty and Maritime Claims of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, with the Clerk of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Nathan Ochsner, at P. O. Box 61010, Houston, Texas 77208, and must serve a copy thereof on counsel for Petitioners on or before the 9th day of September, 2022 or be defaulted.

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August 11, 2022 |

| 13

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Sports

Getting Brittney Griner home?

AP

Now that WNBA star Brittney Griner has been convicted of drug possession and sentenced to nine years in prison, attention turns to the prospect of a prisoner swap between the United States and Russia that could get her home.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken went public with that possibility recently, revealing in an unusual announcement that the U.S. had made a “substantial proposal” aimed at securing the release of Griner and another jailed American, Paul Whelan.

With her court case concluded and her sentence pronounced, such a deal — assuming one can be reached with the Russians — is Griner’s best chance of being freed early.

Though the guilty verdict was seen as a foregone conclusion, the imposition of a sentence her lawyers decried as far longer than average could give the U.S. extra impetus to strike a deal palatable to Russia as soon as possible. And the formal end of the court case could be the opening both sides need to forge a diplomatic resolution, too.

A look at what’s at stake: WHAT DID THE U.S. OFFER?

Blinken did not specify the terms other than to describe the offer as substantial and something that he intended to discuss with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

A person familiar with the situation said that the U.S. offered to release Viktor Bout, a convicted Russian arms dealer serving a 25-year prison sentence on charges that he conspired to sell tens of millions of dollars in weapons to Colombia’s former FARC guerrilla army. At the time of his conviction, the group was classified by the U.S. as a foreign terrorist organization, though that designation was lifted last year.

The officials did wind up speaking by phone after the verdict, the highest-level known contact between the two sides since Russia invaded Ukraine. They are also in Cambodia for meetings involving foreign ministers of Southeast Asian countries.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE RUSSIAN RESPONSE?

Minimal, at least in public. Blinken did not provide details after his call with Lavrov about his response. The Russians gave no hint about their interest in the offer, other than a statement chiding the U.S. to pursue the Americans’ freedom through “quiet diplomacy, without releases of speculative information.”

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the Russian government had responded in a “bad faith” manner with an offer that U.S. officials did not regard as serious. She did not elaborate, though CNN reported last week that Moscow also wanted the release of a former colonel from

WNBA star and twotime Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner listens to the verdict standing in a cage in a courtroom in Khimki just outside Moscow, Russia.

AP

one of its spy agencies who was convicted of murder in Germany last year.

WOULD THERE BE A PRECEDENT FOR A PRISONER SWAP?

In many ways, yes — and a recent one too. In April, Russia traded Marine veteran Trevor Reed,convicted of a physical altercation with police in Moscow, for Konstantin Yaroshenko, a Russian pilot imprisoned for a cocaine trafficking conspiracy.

Yet that involved a Russian with far less notoriety than Bout, a former Soviet air force officer who once inspired a Hollywood movie and who earned the nickname the “Merchant of Death” over allegations that he supplied weapons used for civil wars in countries around the globe. He has adamantly maintained his innocence.

But there’s not much recent precedent for public discussions of prisoner swaps, at least by the U.S. government, before the deal is done and planes are in the air. That’s what made Blinken’s announcement from the State Department briefing room all the more striking.

On one hand, it seemed intended to communicate to the public that the administration will do whatever it needs to do to bring home wrongfully detained Americans.

But such a public overture also risks weakening the administration’s negotiating hand to the extent it makes the U.S. look overly desperate for a deal, or signals to other countries that it is willing to meet potentially unreasonable demands.

SO WILL THE DEAL TAKE PLACE?

It’s hard to say, but the contact between Blinken and Lavrov does suggest more progress than has been made before. It also reinforces the idea that the two countries are willing to maintain communication despite extraordinary tensions related to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

Griner is the most prominent American

detained by a foreign country. She is a two-time Olympic gold medalist detained since February when police said they found vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage at an airport in Moscow. And though some Republicans including former President Donald Trump have expressed

opposition to a deal, the conviction and sentence will only ramp up pressure on the administration to reach an agreement that can get her out soon.

For their part, Russian authorities have suggested that they regard a conviction as basically a prerequisite for a prisoner swap.

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14 | August 11, 2022 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Sports

Andrew Body TSU sophomore quarterback anxious for next step

By Terrance Harris

As a true freshman last season, Texas Southern quarterback Andrew Body found the information being thrust his way and the increased speed of the game may have been a bit much to absorb.

But it’s very different this time around.

Thrown into the starting role around midseason in 2021, Body now seems so much more comfortable in his role. It’s evident whether in his attire where he wore a turtleneck underneath his suit jacket in the Alabama heat during last month’s SWAC Media Day or how No. 1 takes control of the offense during practice.

“Honestly, I wouldn’t say comfort level,” Body said to The Defender. “I would say I feel a lot more confident because last year being a freshman, you might have a couple of freshmen moments, but I feel like this year going in, I feel like it’s going to be a lot more… I’m a lot more mature.”

With that growth comes increased expectations. While not much is expected from the long-struggling Tigers this season, all eyes are certainly on their young dual-threat quarterback who came in and immediately made things happen with his arm and legs.

Body threw for 2,017 yards, 11 touchdowns versus four interceptions, while completing nearly 57% of his passes and finishing his freshman season with a 142.1 rating. He also ran for 642 yards and five touchdowns while playing an instrumental role in the Tigers breaking a 16-game losing streak and finishing with three wins last season.

In a league loaded with quarterback talent this season, Body impressed the SWAC coaches enough to select him to the AllSWAC Preseason Second Team despite his team being picked to finish last in the West Division in the preseason poll.

Body simply shrugs off the increased expectations.

“It just comes with it,” said Body, who this summer inked a Name, Image and Likeness deal with local food truck The Fry Guys. “If you play the game right and you do what you’ve got to do, it’s just going to come with it. You just have to go with the play calls and the coaches are going to coach you so you know what you’ve got to do on the field. So going game-by-game, week-by-week, practice-by-practice, it’s just going to be easy because you know what you are doing to execute.”

Body takes a much more serious tone

when the discussion shifts to the low expectations placed on his team. Tigers coach Clarence McKinney played quite a few young players during last season’s 3-8 campaign. So they return much more experienced and the Tigers have also added some talent through the transfer portal which all may not have been accounted for during the preseason poll.

“People are going to pick how they feel, but they are not the people on the field,” said Body, known to his teammates and around campus as A.B. “Based off those rankings, that [has] nothing to do with us.

We are just going to go into every game, but we are going to keep that in the back of our mind though.”

But it all starts with Body.

McKinney, who isn’t quick to wax poetic about his players, wants to see his young quarterback improve over last season when he played on pure raw talent. He has been pleased with what he has seen so far in training camp.

“We hope that there is a huge growth from the first year to the second year,” said McKinney, whose team opens the season facing rival Prairie View A&M in the Labor Day Classic on Sept. 3. “He understands what we are asking him to do a lot better.

Last year he felt like he had to make every play. Now he understands that his teammates can help him make plays, make it a lot easier on him.”

In the meantime, Body is growing into his role and coming into his own in the process.

“Every person has a mojo for sure, so I will just say, I’ve got my swagger for sure, and I’ve got my swagger off the field for sure, for sure,” he said. “I do feel comfortable, I can be myself now. I’m just focused on one thing and that is Week 1 and then going week-by-week and practice-by-practice because it’s helping me and it’s going to be something to look forward to, for sure.”

Sports Briefs Former NJ AG to preside over Watson hearing

After appealing Deshaun Watson’s six-game suspension, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has handpicked former New Jersey Attorney General Peter C. Harvey to preside over the appeal hearing against the former Texans’ quarterback. Harvey was the first African Peter C. Harvey American AG in New Jersey.

Texans set to kick off preseason schedule

First-year Texans coach Lovie Smith is anxious to see what his team looks like in game action. He will get that chance when the Texans host the New Orleans Saints at NRG Stadium on Aug. 13. “Any time they keep score, you want to win, but that’s not the total focus,” Smith said. “Live tackling Lovie Smith the quarterbacks, running backs, cut blocking, all of that. So, what I want to see in the game is how guys finish and it’s more about the individual play before we collectively put the team together. So that’s what I can’t wait to see. We are going to try to give as many guys an opportunity to play as possible. If we win at the end of the day, that’s fine, but it’s something bigger we are trying to get accomplished.”

Stephen Silas attends Texans practice

ABOUT ANDREW BODY Height: 6-feet-2 Weight: 195 High School: Miller (Corpus Christi) Social Media: Twitter (@ANDREWBODY), Instagram (@andrew_bodyfanpage526) NIL Deal: The Fry Guys

A recent Texans practice had a special guest in attendance. Rockets coach Stephen Silas was invited

by Texans head coach Lovie Smith.

It was the first time the two had a chance to meet. The two with Astros manager Dusty Baker, of course, are part of a rare trifecta of African American head coaches in the same Stephen sports market. “It Silas doesn’t happen very often,” Smith said. “In fact, we were just talking about that earlier. We’ve got to get together and get a picture. The city of Houston, it’s diverse. It is. Everything should show that. A lot of times it’s not about the lip service you give, there’s a visual with what we’re doing.”

August 11, 2022 |

| 15

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Sports TENNIS ANNOUNCEMENT

Serena Williams retiring NNPA

Serena Williams is giving tennis one last hurrah before hanging up her racket for good. With 23 Grand Slam titles and 192 career wins, Williams announced that she’s retiring following next month’s U.S. Open.

“This morning, my daughter, Olympia, who turns five this month, and I were on our way to get her a new passport before a trip to Europe. We’re in my car, and she’s holding my phone, using an interactive educational app she likes,” Williams penned in the September 2022 issue of Vogue Magazine. “This robot voice asks her a question: What do you want to be when you grow up?

She doesn’t know I’m listening, but I can hear the answer she whispers into the phone. She says, “I want to be a big sister.”

Williams said it’s time for her to focus on family. Earlier this year, Williams penned an essay for Elle Magazine in which she recounted her reckoning that proved once again that Black women remain three times more likely to die after childbirth than white women. She said she was almost one of them.

“I’ve suffered every injury imaginable, and I know my body,” she wrote. “Giving birth to my baby, it turned out, was a test for how loud and how often I would have

to call out before I was finally heard.”

As Williams recounted, she had a “wonderful pregnancy” with her first child, Alexis Olympia, and even her epidural-free delivery was going well – at first.

“By the next morning, the contractions were coming harder and faster. With each one, my baby’s heart rate plummeted. I was scared,” she continued. “Every time the baby’s heart rate dropped, the nurses would come in and tell me to turn onto my side. The baby’s heart rate would go back up, and everything seemed fine.

“Then, I’d have another contraction, and baby’s heart rate would drop again, but I’d turn over, and the rate would go back up, and so on and so forth.”

The CDC noted significant disparities in the birthing experience of Black women in its most recent report. The agency noted that Black women are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than white women. The agency said multiple factors contribute to these disparities, such as variation in quality healthcare, underlying chronic conditions, structural racism, and implicit bias. The CDC added that social determinants of health prevent many people from racial and ethnic minority groups from having fair economic, physical, and emotional health opportunities.

After an emergency C-section, Williams gave birth to her daughter, Alexis. “I have never liked the word retirement,” Williams wrote for Vogue. “It doesn’t feel like a modern word to me. I’ve been thinking of this as a transition, but I want to be sensitive about how I use that word, which means something very specific and important to a community of people.

“Maybe the best word to describe what I’m up to is evolution. I’m here to tell you that I’m evolving away from tennis toward other things that are important to me.”

The U.S. Open, which begins in New York on August 29, will be Williams’ last tournament. “Unfortunately, I wasn’t ready to win Wimbledon this year. And I don’t know if I will be ready to win New York,” Williams stated, directing her message to her fans. “But I’m going to try. And the lead-up tournaments will be fun. I’m not looking for some ceremonial, final on-court moment.

I’m terrible at goodbyes, the world’s worst.

“But please know that I am more grateful for you than I can ever express in words. You have carried me to so many wins and so many trophies. I’m going to miss that version of me, that girl who played tennis.

And I’m going to miss you.”

Maybe the best word to describe what I’m up to is evolution. I’m here to tell you that I’m evolving away from tennis toward other things that are important to me.”

Serena Williams

Serena poses for the cover of Vogue. Credit: Vogue

16 | August 11, 2022 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

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