To thePOINT DN
(L-R)U.S. Rep.Jasmine Crockett(D-TX), Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-NM) andMarjorie
GA)speak during the hearing on “Unfair Play: KeepingMen Out ofWomen’s
Message from the Reporter
Rep.JasmineCrockettversus
Rep.MajorieTaylorGreene
Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Tex.) hadto calloutRep.MarjorieTaylorGreene(R-Ga.) againbecause sheclaimed Crockett doesn’t understand“theBlack struggle”because she’seducatedand went to privateschool. Greene’s commentwas simplyignorantand clout-chasingbehavior.ItpushesthetiredstereotypethatbeingBlackmeansbeingpooror uneducated,asifsuccesscancelsoutstruggle.
IsidewithCrockettherebecause,likeher, I’maneducatedBlack woman. My parentsworkedhardto makesurewehadopportunitiestheydidn’thave.Thatdoesn’t erasetheirsacrificesortherealitiesofracism.Ourcommunity hasalwaysstruggledtobreakbarriersforthenextgeneration Historyshowsuswhythatisthecaseinthiscountry.
Crockett’s response was“I’mBlack &educated! Many of youare just theopposite &prove my pointabout your hate EVERYSINGLEDAY.”Blacknessisnotdefinedbysuffering butbyresilience,brillianceand perseverance. Greene has repeatedlyclashedwithCrockettandotherwomenofcolorin Congress,andCrockettisalwaysquickwiththecomebacks. At this point, when they go low, you’ve gottomatch their energy andmeettheminHell.
SerenaWilliamsandherweightlossjourney
WhenSerenaWilliamsrevealedsheusedtheweightloss drug GLP-1 to drop 31 pounds,peoplerushedtocriticize her. Some accusedher of taking “the easy wayout.” This remindedmeofhowpeoplecriticizedOprahforherweight lossjourney.ThisisSerenaWilliams, thegreatesttennis player of alltime, amotheroftwo andsomeone whohas givenher body to hersport fordecades. If she decides to usemedicationtosupport herhealth, that’s herchoice.
Weightlossisn’tsimple.Evenwiththestrictestworkouts anddiets,resultsdon’talwayscome.Serena’sbeingopenand honestaboutherjourneyisrefreshing.Toomanycelebrities hide their methodswhile thepublic compares themselves
to impossible standards. At leastSerenais transparent.
That said,it’sonus, notSerena, to make informeddecisions.These drugs aren’t for everyone,and they’renot cheap. If you’re notacelebrity,youmustweighwhatfitsyour budget,yourhealthandyourdoctor’sadvice We live in an ageofinformation overload InsteadofshamingSerena,weshouldthank herfor starting arealconversationabout health,honestyandthemanydifferentpaths toself-care.
AIjudgesBlackwomen’shair?
Newresearchshows that artificial intelligence isn’tneutral whenitcomestoBlackwomen.InastudybyDr.JaniceGassam Asare,AItoolsrankedBlackwomenwithbraidsaslookingless intelligentthanthe same womenwithstraighthair. AI even failed to recognizethatthe images,featuring thesameface andthe same shirt, were of thesamepersonsimplybecause thehairstylechanged.Nosuchnegativestereotypesappeared whenthesametestwasrunwithwhitewomen.
Thisisproofthatracismdoesn’tdisappearintechnology.It getscodedintoit.IfhiringsystemsandworkplacetoolsuseAI thatjudgesBlackwomenbasedonhairstyles,realopportunities couldbeblockedbeforearesumeisread.
We’vealready seen howBlack womenfacediscrimination at work forchoosing naturalstyles, locs or braids.Now,AI is adding anotherlayer of bias.Wecan’t trusttechnologyto solveracism;itreflectsthesameprejudicesalreadyinsociety. Blackpeopleand allies need to keep pushingfor protections like theCROWN Actand call outbiaswhereveritshows up, eveninmachines
ONTHEWEB
•MoreAfricanproverbstoguideour2025walk
•Livingwhilegrieving:Navigatinglifeafterloss
•Houston professionals buildpipelinefor Blackwomen inmedicine
Taylor Greene (R-
Sports.” Credit: GettyImages
LauraOnyeneho
Town hall addresses drugs, violence
ByLauraOnyeneho
LJYoungrememberstheexactmomentthe criminaljusticesystemchangedherlife.
She was a straight-A student, a mother and in the throes of postpartum depression whenanemotionaloutburstledtoadomestic incident. She turned herself in, accepted responsibilityandexpectedtocompletecommunity service
Instead, she was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, jailed for four monthsinHarrisCountyandplacedonprobationforwhatwouldstretchinto14yearsdue tothehighcostofcourt-orderedrestitution.
“I wasn’t going to let it break me,” Young said “I did what I had to do I worked, went backtoschool,andstudiedmentalhealth But Ineverforgotwhatthatexperiencetaughtme aboutthesystem.”
Today, she finds herself back in that system, this time as the mother of a son incarceratedinaprivateprison Hewasdiagnosed with conduct disorder in second grade and Young spent years fighting for services that nevercame Ashegotolder,timeandoptions ran out. He was swept into the streets and arrested Now, Young says, he’s been warehoused in a facility hours away, his mental health worsening while medical and emotionalneedsgounmet.
“Hewasalreadyvulnerable Hehadachemicalimbalance.Hemademistakes Andnowhe’s sittinginacellwheretheydon’tevenrespond
tomedicalrequests,”shesaid “Ihaven’theard fromhimindays.Andnobodyhasanswers.”
Young’sstorycapturesthecomplex,layered realitybehindHouston’syouthviolencecrisis, a cycle shaped by poverty, untreated mental illness, substance abuse and systemic neglect. Andshe’snotalone.
“These kids aren’t monsters,” she said. “They’rebroken.They’redesperate.Andwe’ve giventhemnowayout.”
Communityspeaksout
Young was one of several community
members who recently spoke at Dying for Attention: Our Youth in Crisis, a town hall hosted by activist Deric Muhammad at the KashmereMulti-ServiceCenter Thegoalwastoconfronttheoften-ignored connectionbetweenyouthdruguseandviolent crime and uplift the voices of those closest to theissue.
“We’veseenanexorbitantamountofviolence thissummer,”saidMuhammad “Andtoooften, whenyoudigintothedetails,theperpetrator wasundertheinfluenceofdrugs.”
Violence among youth is linked to other
adolescentissueslikehomelessness,substance abuse, obesity, academic failure and mental health,requiringincreasedpublichealthawareness and interventions. Texas Juvenile Justice Departmentreportsa108%increaseinhomicidechargesand44%increaseinguncasesfrom 2019to2024,with8,686probationersandless than1%sentencedtostatefacilities.
“Ifwekeepignoringdrugabuseinourcommunities,we’llkeepburyingourkids,”Muhammadsaid “Theviolenceisn’trandom It’sfueled bytrauma,addictionanddesperation.”
Muhammad structured the panel at the event to reflect “generational disconnection.” Heseatedyouthleadersandoldermentorson oppositesidesofthestagetosparkhonestdialogueandhealing.
“We’retoooftenlockedinabattleforgenerationalsupremacy,”hesaid “Butifwesitdown and listen to these kids, they’ll tell us how to helpthem.”
One of those voices belonged to Romellow Robins, a peer mentor with Destined for Empowerment, a local program serving formerlyincarceratedorsystem-impactedyouth.
“Iwastheblacksheep.Igotlockedup And people I thought were my family all disappeared,” Robins told the Defender. “Only my mamapickedupthephone.”
Texas moves forward in redistricting
ByTannisthaSinha
Twoofthenation’soldestcivilrightsorganizationsaretakingTexastocourt.TheLeagueof UnitedLatinAmericanCitizens(LULAC)and theNationalAssociationfortheAdvancement ofColoredPeople(NAACP)filedalawsuitchallengingthestate’snewlyapprovedcongressionalmaps,arguingtheydeliberatelyweakenthe votingpowerofBlackandLatinocommunities
“TheOneBigBeautifulMaphaspassedthe Senate and is on its way to my desk, where it willbeswiftlysignedintolaw,”Abbottsaid “I promisedwewouldgetthisdone,anddelivered onthatpromise.IthankLieutenantGovernor DanPatrickforleadingthepassageintheSenate of a bill that ensures our maps reflect Texans’ Votingpreferences.”
Republicansframedthemapaslegal,compactanddesignedtosolidifytheiradvantage, whileDemocratscondemneditasanaggressive gerrymander that dilutes the voting power of communitiesofcolor.
WhathappenedontheSenatefloor?
ThemapclearedtheSenateonaparty-line vote,18-11,justaftermidnight,followinghours ofwranglingonthefloor.Aplannedfilibuster (a prolonged speech that delays progress in a legislative assembly) by Sen. Carol Alvarado,
Credit: Getty Images
D-Houston,nevermaterialized,asGOPleaders used a procedural move to cut off debate, citingafundraisingemailtiedtothefilibuster Protesters in the gallery shouted as the vote cametoaclose.
“They [Republican lawmakers] created an excuse to shut it down,” Alvarado said “If I was the issue, there were a few other senators readyandwillingtostepinandfilibuster,but thatwasshutdownaswell Whatwehaveseen inthisredistrictingprocesshasbeenmaneuvers
andmechanismstoshutdownpeople’svoices. This new map that we were voting on today hadsomeverysignificantchanges,especiallyin Houston,inmyEastEndcommunity.”
Republicans argue the mid-cycle redraw is both lawful and justified by hardball politics elsewhere
“Before I considered this map, I asked that it be reviewed by counsel, in which I had a high level of confidence, to make sure that it was legal in all regards,” said Sen. Phil King,
R-Weatherford.“Iwasassuredthatitwas,and that of course, included all aspects of compliancewiththeVotingRightsAct…Thepurpose wastodrawamapthatwaslegalunderallapplicablelawthatperformedbetterforRepublicans and that created or improved compactness in somedistricts.”
Democrats counter that the plan is a textbook“packandcrack.”
StateSen.BorrisMilesarguedthatHouston’s Blackpopulation,about35%ofTexas’Blackresidents, warrants more, not fewer opportunity districts.Hesaidthemap“packs”Congressional District 18 and “disintegrates” District 9, effectivelyreducingBlackopportunityseatsin Houston(andstatewide)fromtwotoone.
“You have the audacity to act as if you’ve done us a favor,” Miles said “The population [of Black voters] has grown, but you’ve gone backwards with this map…Everyone in this chamberknowsthatBlackfolksinTexasoverwhelminglyvotedemocratic.That’snotasecret toanyone Whenyouweakendemocracy,you take the congressional seats away from the people they belong to and hand them over as property It [the map] is a slap in the face of Black voters, Hispanic voters and every voter whocallsTexashome.”
State Sen. Borris Miles (D-TX) spoke during a Senate Special Committee on Congressional Redistricting public testimony hearing in Austin, Texas.
LEARN MORE ABOUT LOCAL RESOURCES FOR THE YOUTH
Parents, educators and students participated in a community town hall discussion about the silent link between drugs and violence. Credit: Deric Muhammed/ via Facebook
HARRIS COUNTYLEADER SERIES
AnnetteRamirez
WorkstowardreformasTax Assessor-Collector
ByTannisthaSinha
As theHarrisCountyTax Assessor-Collectorand VoterRegistrar, AnnetteRamirez approaches her role with aphilosophy rooted in a childhoodshapedbypublicservice
Apropertytax attorney with morethantwodecadesofexperienceinschoolfinance,Ramirez bringstechnicalexpertiseand communityengagementto anofficethattouchesmore residentsthanperhapsany otherlocal government department.
Shecreditsherupbringinginafamilycommittedtogivingback, particularly her mother,a public school teacher forover30years. Shecompleted aBachelor’s degreeinMaritimeAdministrationfrom TexasA&M University at Galveston anda J.D. (Juris Doctor) from theSouth TexasCollege ofLaw.
Aftercollege,Ramirez beganher career workinginlogistics andoperationsfor oiland gastankers andthenasa property taxattorneyinthe legal departmentfor AldineISD forover20years.Now,asan emptynester,sheseeshernew positionasanopportunityto
extendthatservicetoallofHarrisCounty.
“Ifyou’reonlygonna have oneinteraction withgovernmentayear,it’slikelygonnabeour office,” Ramireztoldthe Defender.“Between propertytax,vehicleregistrationsandtransfers oftitleandvoterregistration,you’relikelygoing tointeractwithouroffice.Ineedtomakesure thatthat’sagoodinteraction.”
Priorities
SincetakingofficeinJanuary2025,Ramirez has focusedonevaluatingevery aspect of the department’soperations.Sheinheritedanoffice that,shesays,hadsufferedfrom“areallackof investment”foroveradecade,resultinginoutdatedtechnology,longwaittimesandhighstaff turnover
Herimmediategoalsincludereducingcustomerwaittimesfromovertwohoursto20–30 minutes,modernizingtechnologytoimprove bothcustomerserviceandinternalefficiency andstabilizingtheworkforcethroughtraining andretentiontoimproveservicequality.
Ramirezhasalsosecuredearlyinvestments fromtheHarrisCountyCommissionersCourt tohelpimplementthesechanges,fromupgradingbranchinternetconnections to replacing outdatedequipment.
Drawingonherpropertytaxexpertise,the office will soon launch “MyHarrisCounty Tax,”aprepaymentplandesignedtohelpresidentsbudgetfortheirannualpropertytaxbills. Beginningin2026,taxpayerscanmakemonthly paymentstowardtheirestimatedbillinsteadof facingalumpsuminJanuary.
Theprogramwillalsofeatureuseraccounts on thecounty’swebsite,allowingresidents to setuppaymentalertsviatextoremail.Ramirez hopesthe plan will reduce delinquencies and helpresidentskeeptheirhomes.
Boostingvoterregistration andengagement
HarrisCounty’sTaxAssessor-Collectorand VoterRegistrarofficealsomanagesoneofthe largest voterrolls in thecountry.Ramirez is rebuilding outreach effortspreviouslyrun by HarrisCounty’snow-defunctElectionsAdministrator’soffice.ThatincludestrainingVolunteer
Betweenpropertytax,vehicle registrations andtransfers of titleand voterregistration, you’re likely goingtointeract with ouroffice. Ineedto make sure that that’s agood interaction.”
Deputy Registrars (VDRs) andpairing them with voterregistrationeventsatschools,universitiesandcommunitycenters,sheexplained. Strengtheningpartnershipswithorganizationslikethe League of WomenVoters, civic andfaith-basedgroupsandlocalelectedofficialstoexpandthe office’s reachintounderrepresentedareas,Ramirezisalsofocusingon digitalcommunication.Theofficehaslaunched anewsletter,increasedsocialmediaactivityand is exploringmorewaystoconnect with residentsonline.
“We’reincreasingtheuseofthosedifferent digitalmediaformstomakesurepeopleknow whatthetaxofficecandoforthem,”shesaid ForRamirez,success will be measured in concrete improvements:shorter wait times, reducedbacklogs,moreregisteredvotersand strongercommunitypartnerships.Butit’salso aboutbuildingtrust.Withablendoflegal expertiseand operational focus, Ramirez is trying to reshapeanofficethatpowersHarrisCountythroughits$10.5billioninannual revenue.
“I just gothere, butI’m gonnagobackto creating an office that thepeopleofHarris County trust,”Ramirez said.“Iwanttoleave this office runninglikeawell-oiled machine withimprovedtechnology…tobeabletoadjust whenweneedto,butmostimportantly,toprovidethebestinclassservicetopeopleofHarris County,‘causetheydeservetheirgovernment torunwell.”
ANNETTE RAMIREZ
Prairie View A&M vs.TexasSouthern
40th Labor Day Classic divides houses across Houston
By Terrance Harris
Before brothers Douglas and Bert Simmons can sit down good, the Prairie View and Texas Southern cracks start coming.
You know, Texas Southern doesn’t have admission standards.
The girls were always prettier at Prairie View
The entire time I was at Prairie View, I don’t know if we ever lost to TSU.
The entire time I was at TSU, we never lost to Prairie View
Going to Prairie View for you was like going to the city, coming from Hemphill
It’s the typical all-in-fun banter between twobrotherswholoveeachotherimmensely butstillenjoytakingjabsateachother’salma maters Abiologymajor,Douglasgraduated from Prairie View A&M University in 1964.
BertmatriculatedatTexasSouthernUniversity from 1975 to 79 before graduating with a bachelor’s degree in economics
They are 14 ½ years apart, more than 10 years separate their time on the respective campuses.Severaldecadeshavepassedsince either one was an undergraduate on Prairie ViewandTexasSouthern’scampuses butyou wouldn’t know it by the amount of pride the brothersstillhaveintheirrespectiveschools.
They are family and Simmons’ first, but they still rep their schools hard
ThePrairieViewandTexasSouthernlines aredrawninpermanentinkintheSimmons
It’s a whole lot of family ties. It’s a lot of good times. Recently, as far as football is concerned, they’ve had the ups on us, but we always take it back when we smash them in basketball.”
BERT SIMMONS
family As the Tigers and Panthers prepare to renew their rivalry in the Aug. 30 college football season-opening Labor Day Classic for the 40th year the sides are as defined as ever
“I want Prairie View to win,” proclaims Douglas, 83. “I will brag about it too. If we winbyonepointortheyfumbletheballinto the end zone going in, as long as they win, I’m going to brag about it.”
The rivalry on the field might have been as intriguing as the back-and-forth among alumni mainly because the series has long been defined by long winning and losing streaksonbothsides.WhenPrairieViewran afoul of the NCAA in the 1980s, they were reduced to non-scholarship status and, as a result lost 14 straight games in the rivalry from 1989 to 2003. The Panthers also notoriously lost 80 straight during that stretch.
In Cris Dishman’s first year at the helm last season the Tigers ended a nine-game losing streak in the Labor Day Classic with adominant27-9win.TSUownsa21-18edge sincetheLaborDayClassickickedoffin1985 and has a 45-34-1 edge during the 80 rivalry games played
“During my time, it’s always been onesided,eitherTSUisonalongwinningstreak orPrairieView,”Bertsaid “Sonow,I’mlooking forward to the game this year because thereisalotofhypecomingfromthePrairie View side and that’s just the way that coach is. Our coach is real laid back.
“Ithinkit’sgoingtobeanextremelycompetitivegameandhopefullyattheendofthe game, TSU will come out victorious We’l see. ”
That’s just how this rivalry goes. These two Historically Black Colleges are 51.3 miles apart, and only an hour and eight-minutedriveseparatesthem However, as far as their rabid alumni bases are concerned, these two institutions are across the world from each other. That sense of separation and superiority crosses family lines, friendship ties and even high school teammate bonds.
Just mentioning Prairie View to a TSU alumnus instinctively brings barb and vice versa.
“When I went to college, Prairie View was more difficult to get in than TSU,” said Douglas, a retired dentist in the area “TSU wasopenenrollmentuntiltheguycameover from UH, John Rudley.”
Butovertheyears,thelineshavebecomea littleblurred.Ithasn’tbeenuncommonfora PrairieViewundergraduatetotraveltoTexas Southern to receive an advanced degree.
While it has been rare for student-athletes to move from one school to another, severa instanceshaveoccurredofprofessors administrators and even coaches seamlessly moving from one rival campus to the other.
TexasSouthernSportsInformationDirector Ryan McGinty and his wife Deborah, are perfect examples of how the lines of this rivalrycaneasilybecomeblurred.Theyboth receivedtheirundergraduatedegreesatPrairie View but after working there, Ryan has worked for TSU for severa years. Deborah, meanwhile,receivedherdoctoratefromTSU
It wasn’t a competition because Prairie View beat them all of the time. Prairie View had the best football teams during the 60s. History tells you that. When we came down and lost to TSU, people went into mourning.”
DOUGLAS
SIMMONS
after earning her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Prairie View Deborah likes to remind Ryan “You are Prairie View made but you are TSU paid.”
Butovertheyears,therivalryhasalsoseen former Prairie View A&M athletic director and graduate Charles McClelland jump to Texas Southern along with current baseball coach Michae Robertson, who began his Division I coaching career at Prairie View
and won a couple of SWAC Championships with the Panthers before shifting to TSU. Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Cynthia Cooper-Dykestartedhercollegiatecoaching careeratPrairieViewbeforemovingtoTSU. It’s also gone in the other direction, with Prairie View first-year football coach Tremaine Jackson playing defensive tackle fortheTigersfrom2002-2003andthenserving as defensive assistant coach at TSU from 2009-2011.Butdon’texpectJacksontobeall sentimenta on the sidelines at Shell Energy Stadiumwhenheisstaringacrossthefieldat his former school for the right to take home the Durley-Nicks Trophy “Itmeansabsolutelynothingtome,being honest,” Jackson said “That school fired me in 2011. They fired our staff, which I was on thestaff.Theyfiredme Inevergotachance to get into the new stadium. They chose to makeachange,andtheyfiredme Myfamily was affected just like everybody else’s “I’veneversathereandsaid Iplayedthere, and it will be so special. That’s another football team across town that we’ve got to go play and get ready for. I certainly relish the rivalry because we love rivalry games, and anytimewecanplayfortrophies,wecertainly want to win the trophy But I don’t care that that’sTexasSouthern ItwasgoodwhileIwas there.Itain’tgoodnomoretome Wearejust goingtodowhatwe’vegottodoonthatday.”
Jackson does acknowledge that the ties to eitherschoolcanbeblurry eveninhiscircle.
“In my family, you either went to Prairie ViewA&MoryouwenttoTexasSouthern It wasjustthatsimple,”saidJackson,whobegan hiscollegeplayingcareeratLouisiana-Monroe before transferring to TSU. “Even if you went somewhere else first, you transferred back to one of those schools. My daughter (Harmony) is a prime example of that She wasatUHandnowshehastransferredhere She is no different than a lot of people in my family I chose to go to the other place as a player
“It’s most definitely a special deal, especially being the 40th year.”
Still, some, like Douglas, just can’t understandwhyanyonewouldpickTSUoverPrairie View
Douglas is still surprised Bert decided to go to TSU over Prairie View which had becomeafamilytradition.AsDouglasrecalls it when he enrolled at Prairie View in 1960, he had 15 cousins in his freshman class, and at a recent family reunion, they counted 83 relatives who were PV grads.
“It was odd, because actually everybody in my family has gone to Prairie View,” said Douglas, who once worked as a part-time dentist at TSU. “My mother went to Prairie View mydaddyactuallywenttoPrairieView for a day or two. All my mother’s brothers went to Prairie View my daddy’s oldest brother went to Prairie View, my aunt who lived here in Houston went to Prairie View, my uncle who owned a barbershop went to Prairie View Everybody in East Texas went toPrairieView PrairieViewwastheplaceto go – if you could get in.”
But Bert, who owns a State Farm InsuranceAgencyinPearland wantedsomething different and in a bigger city than Nacogdoches, where he grew up. Houston and Texas Southern seemed perfect.
“BothofmybrothershadgonetoHBCUs and were extremely successful,” said Bert, whose son, Lance, played baseball at TSU.
“And sometimes you want to be a little trailblazer I guess I got a little bit of that in me
“I wanted to create my own name be my own person So, following my brothers to PrairieViewwasgoingtoputalotofpressure on me That would have been a hard thing to live up to.”
Brothers Bert (left) and Douglas Simmons (right) share an unbreakable bond and love for each other, but they draw a line when it comes to the Texas Southern-Prairie View rivalry Credit: Aswad Walker/Houston Defender.
Bert Simmons and Douglas Simmons enjoy exchanging friendly barbs at each other’s alma mater but it’s all in fun. Credit: Aswad Walker/Houston Defender
See the video of the brothers’ banter.
NewBlack-owned hotspots
By LauraOnyeneho
In thelastcoupleofyears,Houston haswelcomedanexcitingwaveofBlackownedbusinessesthatare reimagining what’s possible in food,beauty, wellness andhospitality.
HerearefiveofHouston’snewestBlackownedbusinesses. Checkthemout then headovertoDefenderNetwork.comtoread all aboutthem.
Dayand NightAlmeda 5101 Almeda Rd (713)497-5061 dayandnightalmeda.com
Eternal Salon &Med Spa 1102 Delano St., SteC (346)636-8988,eternalbeautysalon.com
PeachezHTX
2553 SouthmoreBlvd. (713)969-0601,peachezhtx.com
WanderstayBoutique Hotel 520SampsonSt. (281) 214-2661 wanderstayboutiquehotel.com
Pressed RootsHTX 5000 Westheimer Rd (281) 607-2724, pressedroots.com
YOU’RE INVITED!
Gulf Freeway (I-45S) Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL)Study Public Meetingwith In-PersonOpen Houses
Gulf Freeway (I-45S)PEL StudyLimits: I-69/US 59 (Downtown) to Beltway8 South
TheTexas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)invites youtoa public meetingwithtwo in-personopenhouse meetings andmaterials availablevirtually/online. The purposeofthispublic meetingistopresent updateson thestudy,engagewiththe community,and gather feedback.Atthe meetings,TxDOT will presentthe latest studyupdates andobtaininput on theresults of the second levelofscreeningand resultingrecommended alternatives that couldaddressthe growingsafety, mobility, andmultimodalneedsalong thecorridor.
Thepurpose of theGulfFreeway PELStudy is to explore transportation alternatives to addressthe growingsafety, mobility, multimodal,and infrastructure needsalong the corridordue to theprojected population andemployment growth in theHouston metropolitan area.The study corridorhas been identified as a14-mile stretchofI-45 SouthfromI-69/ US 59 in Downtown HoustontoBW8 South. No changeswill be made to theexistingroadway at this time
Tuesday, September16, 2025 5p.m.to7 p.m. ThirdWardMulti-Service Centre 3611 EnnisStreet, Houston, TX 77004
Thursday,September 18,2025
5p.m.to7 p.m.
Sagemont Church,AnnexBuilding, 11600HughesRoad, Houston, TX 77089
TxDOT.gov| Keyword(s):“Gulf FreewayPEL Study”
713-802-5000
HOU-PIOwebmail@txdot.gov
IH45SouthPEL@txdot.gov
CLASSIFIED
The Metropolitan Transit AuthorityofHarrisCounty, Texas (METRO) is planning to issuethe procurement documents listedinthisadvertisement.
IFB No.Doc165766399:HOV-Diamond IntersectionRestripe Solicitation will be availableon orabout 08/12/2025. Prospectivebidders/proposerscan view and download thesesolicitations by visitingMETRO's websiteatridemetro.org/Open Procurements. If youare unabletodownload the documentsorare having difficulty,pleasecontact 713-615-6125 or emailContracts/Property Services at propertyservices@ridemetro.org
DN Health
NationalImmunization AwarenessMonth
ByYOLANDAAJALA,MD
August is National Immunization Awareness Month,the perfect timeto plan ahead foressential vaccinesthat mayhelp prevent serious illness, keep youhealthy, and reduce the spread of infectionsinyourcommunity.
Disease Controland Prevention(CDC), Black Americansexperience higher ratesofflu-relatedcomplications
WhyVaccinesAre Essential
WhyVaccine
Vaccinesare critical foradults, and of course forchildren,particularly those managing chronic conditions likediabetes,heart disease, and hypertension.Stayingcurrenton vaccinations canreduce theriskof complications thatleadtosevereillness or hospitalization.
Forthe Black community, immunizations areespecially important.According to theCentersfor
Chronicconditions like diabetes and hypertension,which aremoreprevalent in the Blackcommunity accordingtothe CDC,also increase therisks of severe outcomesfromCOVID-19. Stayingup to date on vaccines helps reduce these risksand supportoverall health
Plan Ahead forSeasonal Vaccines Aheadfor Seasonal
• Flu Vaccines: Flu shots aretypically available in GreaterHouston starting in September.The CDC recommends getting vaccinatedbythe end of October to preparefor peak flu season.
Get Care
• UpdatedCOVID-19 Boosters: UpdatedCOVID New COVID-19 booster recommendations areexpectedthisfall. Nowisthe time to check your vaccination status and preparefor updatedguidance.
Whyget theflushot?
•Reducesyourriskofgetting theflu
•Helps preventserious flu complications like pneumonia
•Protectsthose around you, including familyand friends
ScheduleYourVaccinesToday Schedule Your Vaccines Today Vaccinations areakey step toward better health foryou andyour community. Schedule your vaccines at Kelsey-Seybold by calling 713-442-7025 or visiting kelsey-seybold.com kelsey m. Start planning ahead today.
Ajala, MD, is aboard-certified Internal Medicine primarycarephysician whocares forpatients at Kelsey-Seybold’s Pasadena Clinic. Scan to viewher online profile.
Yolanda
HOUSTON TEXANS
Deliver wise words to next generation
ByJodie B.Jiles
With a 23-year-old Pro Bowl quarterback in C.J Stroud, who was recently named TIME Magazine’s Most Influential List, and a rising first-team All-Pro wide receiver Nico Collins, the Houston Texans have some wisdom to pass to the next generation going into the 2025-26 season Also, the Texans’ addition of veteran running back Nick Chubb and wide receiver Christian Kirk adds a pop to the roster this season. The Texans’ new addition of experienced left tackle Cam Robinson should also help strengthen a young offensive line.
The Defender spoke with the Houston Texansveteransandemergingyoungleaders to discuss advice they would like to give to young athletes who want to someday walk in their shoes.
C.J.STROUD
Pro Bowl Quarterback
“I would say you don’t get to this position without grinding For the guys who are trying to get to the positions, like high school,college,whatever,workethiciskey. You have to put in the work, put in the time That’s huge For the guys already in the league, I think they’ve done that They
wouldn’tbehereiftheydidn’t.Fortheguys who are in the league, confidence. I was talking to our broadcast team, and they werelike,‘Whatarethetwothingsyouwish you didn’t hear coming into the league?’
The two things I explained were how hard it’s going to be I don’t believe in putting my own convictions on people I think it’s likeascaretactictomakeyouwanttoplay harderorworkharder,butIthinktheguys in positions to be starting quarterbacks or backups, whatever the case may be, they naturallyworkhard,theyputinthework If youdon’t,youkindofgetweededout.So,I don’tagreewitheverybodysayinghowhard itis Yes,it’shard Everylevelishard Yougo from high school to college, it’s hard You gofromcollegetotheNFL,it’shard That’s kind of a prerequisite and you know that
comingintoit.Thesecondthingwasinterceptions. It’s part of the game. Of course, you don’t want to throw interceptions. It’s not something where you’re like, ‘I’m just goingtothrowitup.’Butyouknow,it’spart of the game The great quarterbacks know howtothrowaninterceptionandmoveon, knowhowtogetacompletionafterandget yourrhythmback Thosearethethingsthat Iwouldsaytothem.Ilovewhatthisleague is bringing There’s a bunch of young guys thatIthinkwillbereallygood.I’mexcited to compete against them this year.”
NICO COLLINS
All-ProWide Receiver
“Just take it one day at a time Build it brick by brick. You can’t get everything you want at once Remember your
mission, remember your why, continue to grow. And whatever you think you need to work on, continue to work on that Don’t get comfortable and continue to have a growth mindset.”
NICKCHUBB Running Back
“Just continue to work hard Every challenge, every day you got to go get it, no matter how you feel There is no excuse.”
CHRISTIAN KIRK Wide Receiver
“Stay consistent to your approach, lean intothesupportthatisaroundyouandjust be present every single day. Don’t look too far ahead and just keep the end goal in mind.”
CAM ROBINSON LeftTackle
“I always tell young guys to take it one day at a time Take it one play at a time One series at a time One week at a time Oneyearatatimebecauseyouneverknow how far you’ll go when you have that kind of mindset.”
Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud tells kids who aspire to be where he is to keep grinding and putting in the extra work to be great. Credit: Getty Images
Nico Collins Nick Chubb
Christian Kirk Cam Robinson
Sports DN
ChaseSanders
Overcomes a fake offer to earn the real one
ByJimmie Aggison
What started as a cruel joke could’ve derailed Chase Sanders’ football dreams for good
The6-foot-5Cy-FairHighSchoolsenior widereceiverwasthetargetofafakescholarship prank, an experience that left him humiliated, doubting himself and facing a senior season with minimal offers. But instead of folding, Sanders responded the only way he knew how, with production, persistence and pride
Now, he’s committed to Texas Southern Universitytoplayinfrontofhishometown crowd,provingthatheart,nothype,iswhat really counts.
Likemanyhighschoolathletes,aphone call from a college coach offering a scholarshipopportunityisamajorboostofconfidence On November 28, 2024, Sanders received what he thought was a call from what he believed to be the University of Incarnate Word
“I was in the car with my brother going toafriend’shousewhenIreceivedthecall,” said Sanders. “Everything seemed real, I was excited as I told my brother, friends and family.”
On the phone, Sanders and the person on the other end set up what Sanders believedtobeavisit,anopportunitytosee the facilities and meet the coaching staff.
“Shortly after, my family and I drove down to the college and talked to coaches, butsomethingdidn’tfeelright,”saidSanders. “They spoke with me, but the coach whom I thought I was talking to on the phone seemed not to know who I was; he even asked my name, which had me confused.”
Sanders spent about an hour speaking with the coach he thought had called him. But after leaving the campus, he received a text from that same coach.
“The text read, ‘Who offered you from our staff?’” said Sanders “I told him the nameIreceivedfromthephonecallearlier and that’s when he informed me that the particularcoachdidn’tmakethephonecall and my offer was fake My heart dropped.”
What would have been Sanders’ first offer quickly turned into confusion, anger and embarrassment.
“It left me in tears seeing all my friends havemultipleoffersandmenothavingany. I received what I thought was going to be my first one and then it turned out to be a prank,” said Sanders. “I felt extremely embarrassed because only my family and I knew it was fake, while everyone else
since he was four years old.
ABOUTCHASESANDERS
Class: 2026
Twitter: @Chase_Sanders07
Position: Wide receiver
Height &weight: 6-feet-5, 190
pounds
Favorite artist: Lil Baby
Status: Committed to Texas Southern University
Favorite subjects: Aquatic science
Shout-outs: God, Galvanis Mbu and Cy Fair
thought it was real They congratulated me on a social media post I made, but I quietly deleted the post after learning it wasn’t true.”
“Youcouldtellhewasdisappointedand alittleshockedthatwhathadhappenedwas true,” said Cy-Fair High School receivers coachTadHammel “However,hedidn’tlet onaboutitandwentonabouthisbusiness.”
Sanders’ calm demeanor didn’t show what he felt inside But after the incident, he began to question the sport he’d played
“What happened to Chase isn’t uncommon; it happens more than one can count whenathletesandfamiliesdon’tknowwhat tolookfor,”saidrecruitinganalystStephon Johnson, owner of Coast2Coast Athletics. “Athletesshouldalwaysbecautiousofoffers that don’t pass through their head coach first or from someone they can’t verify Unconventional sources of communication, like text and emails, should also raise red flags as a real offer won’t come solely through a text or email message. ”
Withnooffersonthetableandhissenior season approaching, Sanders’ parents and brothersencouragedhim.Sandersfocused onimprovinghisrouterunning,explosiveness off the line and blocking technique with his trainer, Galvanis Mbu.
“I stayed silent during the process and kept working because I was hearing that I hadalotofpotential,”saidSanders.“From that day forward, my mindset when I steppedonthefieldwastopunishanyman who stood in my way due to being underrated throughout my high-school years. ”
As a junior, Sanders totaled 491 yards on 35 catches, an average of 14.03 yards per reception, with five touchdowns He
believed he had the skills to contribute on bothsidesoftheballbutlackedtheopportunitytofullydisplayhistalent.Thatcame with pressure
“Ifeltthepressure,butbeingtheunderdogandhavingnoted3-starathletesonthe team with me, I had to come with it if I wanted to be in the same conversation,” said Sanders.
Hammel recognized Sanders’ potential early.
“Firstpracticehehadwithus,youcould tell by his movement and his fluidity for a receiver that tall,” said Hammel “Chase is veryshiftyforsomeonethatis6-foot-5and with the ball in his hands, he makes plays andhedoesn’tgodowneasy Herunsgood routes and is always working to better his footworkandhands.Hehasagreatattitude and is a very good teammate.”
Whileotherschoolsmaynothavetaken thebait,TexasSouthernUniversitybelieved Sanders was the perfect fit and the feeling was mutual
“TSUistherightplaceformebecauseit’s close to home Head Coach Cris Dishman and the coaching staff seemed really genuineandIbelieveI’llbeabletogetplaying time as a freshman,” said Sanders.
Cy Fair High School senior Chase Sanders is looking to have a big year after his commitment to Texas Southern University. Credit:Jimmie Aggison/Defender
Profile DN
Opens East End burger shop Chef Joseph Boudreaux
By Laura Onyeneho
After five years of hosting sold-out pop-up events, Houston Chef Joseph Boudreauxopenshisbrick-and-mortarlocation called Boo’s Burgers in the East End.
“I’m a kid from Houston. I love my city and I hope I’m being a proper reflection of it,”saysBoudreaux,standinginsidehisnewly openedrestaurantonNavigationBoulevard.
Born and raised on the East Side with family roots in Louisiana, Boudreaux is intentional about keeping his business close to home “Montrose, the Heights, they have enough restaurants. I wanted to be somewhere where people look like me Black and Brown people A neighborhood steeped in culture. A place where I could make an impact.”
Boo’s Burgers started like many great thingsdo,outofnecessityandvision After earninghisdegreeinentrepreneurshipfrom the University of Houston, Boudreaux was working in corporate banking. But a layoff in 2018 forced him to pivot.
“Itwasn’trewarding,”hesays “Ilikedthe moneybutfeltmostfulfilledinteractingwith people.”
That led him to coffee.
“I was a barista for about three or four years. Then I started a cafe with one of my goodfriendscalledTippingPointCoffee,”he says. They used the space to build community, activate culture and eventually launch Boo’s. “We started doing food pop-ups. I had it in my mind that I really wanted to doaburgerspot Somethingnostalgic,based on the old-school burger stands I grew up going to.”
His food philosophy is simple. He wants to create a solid burger that everyone can enjoy.He’sproudofBoo’sOGSmashburger, aquarter-poundermadewithmeatground in-house, housemade pickles and sauce, thinlyshavedonionsandachallahbunfrom local bakery Cake & Bacon.
“ThatwasthehillIdecidedtodieon,”he said “We grind our own meat It’s all from scratch.”
For vegetarians, there’s the Shroom Sammie, crispy oyster mushroom clusters topped with mustard greens, cabbage slaw and garlic aioli.
“I put so much time into the OG, it just feltdisingenuoustohandmynon-meat-eatingfriendsanImpossiblepatty,”Boudreaux says. “We want to execute at a high level.”
ThespaceitselfisatributetoBoudreaux’s journey. Designed by Garnish Design, the interiorblendsretrodinerenergywithdeep personal touches.
“These are my grandparents,” he says, pointing to the wall “The spots I looked up to were those old-school joints with the celebrity picture wall This is our version. But these are my people.”
Houston photographer and creative collaborator Josh West, who began working with Boudreaux in preparation for the physical location, says Boo’s is much more than a burger joint.
“Joe’sintentionhasalwaysbeenclear.This
isn’t a me thing, it’s a we thing. He’s not just tryingtomakemoneyslingingburgers He’s showing people what real work, care and
communityinvestmentlooklike,”Westsays. “You can see it in how he sources his food, bringsfolksinandtellshisstory.Thatgrand opening? People lined up before the doors opened and kept coming in waves all day.” Boo’s is still small, but its impact is growing.
“We’re small, but mighty. Quality over volume We want people to come in, get a burger, fries and a drink for under $20,” he says.“That’swhatbeingaccessiblelookslike tome Ifsomeonewantstocometwo,three times a week, they should be able to.”
Transitioning from pop-up to full-scale restaurant came with challenges.
“Staffing was a big one, ” he says. “When wewerejustpoppingup,itwasbasedonmy energy Friends would come work the register, help assemble burgers Now I’ve got a fullstaff People’slivelihoodsdependonme.”
Finding the right space was another uphill battle He told real estate agents that heneededathousandsquarefeet.Theykept offering him 5,000. But Bourdeaux knew what he wanted The current space was a burger stand before he arrived. He is now making it a home.
And when asked what advice he has for otherBlackandBrownentrepreneurslooking to build something for the community, Boudreaux offers three powerful lessons: “First, community is about what you can give, not what you can get. A lot of people talk about what the community can do for them. But it’s about listening, providing something real.”
“Second, fear has no place in this work. Entrepreneurship is hard But anytime there’s fear, I say step into it.”
“And third, execute. Be passionate Hold yourself above any standard anyone else would hold you to.”
Joseph Boudreaux is doing exactly that One burger at a time
Located at 2510 Navigation Blvd on The Esplanade, Boo’s signature OG Burger gives longtime fans and newcomers a permanent spot to enjoy. This cult favorite helped define the brand. Credit: Jimmie Aggison
Boudreaux is a self-taught Creole kid from Houston who learned to cook from his family. Credit: Michael Anthony