Houston Defender: September 3, 2020

BIGGER THAN BASKETBALL Professional athletes are taking action to ďŹ ght against social injustice and walk the talk while demanding change.

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OBITS

CARLA LANE

CHADWICK BOSEMAN

Strategies for job hunting during the pandemic are recommended.

Volume 89, issue 45 September 3, 2020

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FIT & FINE Arist Wright Age: 34 Occupation: Owner, Sweat Elite Athletics; Product manager, BeePrint Education: University of Kansas Major: Applied Behavioral Sciences Motto: “Just Love”

MY MOTIVATION… Self-improvement and the challenges of life.

Protesters clash with deputies of the Los Angeles Sheriff ’s Department after they shot and killed Dijon Kizzee, a Black man, on August 31, 2020, in Los Angeles, Calif. AP/Christian Monterrosa

Message from the Managing Editor who were going to the GOP Convention. (Just I’m tired. Or in the words of my grandcurious, in this day and age, NOBODY took mother, I’m ti’ed. I’m tired of seeing Black video of that????). When pressed, Trump simmen killed at the hands of those who are supply said he can’t say more because “it’s being posed to protect and serve. This time, Dijon investigated.” The American people deserve Kizzee, a Black man running from police in an explanation. It was bad enough to float LA was reportedly fatally shot in the back 20 conspiracy theories as a candidate. But this times. Let me be clear, I am not disparaging waiting for the big reveal works for a reality of police in general. The majority are good, show star, not a president. On another note, hard-working men and women who simply Joe Biden’s announcement of Kamala Harris are trying to do their job. But comedian as his Vice-Presidential nominee helped him Chris Rock summed it up best: “Some jobs set a record fundraising haul for August of ReShonda Tate can’t have bad apples. Some jobs everybody $350 million. Perhaps that’s why Trump is Billingsley has to be good, like pilots.” He was joking, running scared and throwing everything but but he was spot-on. When it comes to dealing with suspects, the kitchen sink in his attempt to take down Biden. we can’t have the attitude like y’all’s president recently said: “Some cops just choke, like in golf.” (I wish I was kidding, but IN THIS WEEK’S PAPER he really said that).

This week’s Defender is information-packed. You’ll enjoy Our police MUST be held to a higher standard. I under- Sports Reporter, Terrance Harris’ deep dive into how athletes stand that there are times when they are fearful for their lives, are fighting social justice. So much for ‘Shut up and dribble.’ but that’s where training comes in. I’m aware that a suspect These athletes are using the power of their platform to speak going for what an officer believes is a knife (Jacob Blake) or out about why Black Lives Matter. running AWAY like Kizzee, could make an officer fearful. All In honor of Labor Day, the Defender’s Associate Editor, many of us are asking for is the same grace and benefit many Marilyn Marshall, lays out some job-hunting tips and techofficers extend to white, knife-wielding suspects. If a suspect niques that are bound to help boost the unemployment rate, is running away, or his back is to you, or he’s on the ground, which right now sits at 10.2 percent. By the way, Marilyn is or it’s 47 of y’all and one restrained suspect, we’re just asking leaving the Defender after 75 years. Okay, it’s not that long. that officers not unload a round of bullets into a suspect’s back. But she has been with us more than 30 years and decided it And yes, I know some people legitimately commit crimes. But was time to retire. We wish her all the best. She will be missed. police should not be the ones handing down the death penalty.

We’re tired. You want the protests to stop? Stop killing us.

ON THE WEB • The tributes keep pouring in for actor Chadwick Boseman EVERYTHING BUT THE KITCHEN SINK as more people are focusing on colon cancer, which killed Donald Trump is getting desperate. He’s stirring up a whole the 43-year-old actor. pot of racism, with a side of conspiracy theories in an effort to • Why 58% of African Americans say they won’t take the win re-election. In a recent interview (on FOX, where else?)

COVID-19 vaccine. he claimed that Joe Biden is being “controlled by people in the • And why Mayor Sylvester Turner is cautiously optimistic dark shadows” and cited a plane full of “thugs in dark clothes” about where we are with the Coronavirus in Houston.

FED UP

IG: @itrainwright IG: @sweateliteathletics Read more on Friday about Arist at defendernetwork.com If you are Fit & Fine email: fitnfine@defendernetwork.com

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DN News Jeanette Epps will make history as the first Black woman to both live and work on the NASA International Space Station for a long-duration mission.

Judith Batty is the first African American to take the reins of Girl Scouts USA in the organization’s century-long history.

Texas sues over plans to send mail ballot applications Associated Press

The fight over mail balloting in Texas, one of the few states not allowing more people to vote by mail in November, grew recently when Monday when the state sued to stop more than two million registered voters around Houston from receiving applications to submit their ballots by mail.

Harris County this month announced plans to send all registered voters the application, regardless of whether they qualify to vote by mail — which is generally restricted in Texas to voters who are 65 or older, disabled or will be outside the county on Election Day. Several states have loosened mail voting restrictions this year because of COVID-19 concerns, most recently New York. But Texas’ GOP leaders have resisted calls to expand mail balloting, keeping them aligned with President Donald Trump, who has claimed that making mail voting more widespread could increase election fraud and uncertainty. There is no evidence of widespread voter fraud through mail-in voting.

“Harris County’s scheme can lead to voter fraud & compromise election results,” Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said on Twitter.

The lawsuit filed by Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton asks a judge to stop Harris County from sending the applications. Harris County

Yates High School

Two HISD schools selected for Microsoft Imagine Academy Defender News Service

officials said they previously sent applications to all registered voters over the age of 65, and that it would be up to other voters who receive applications to decide for themselves whether they’ll be eligible and want to cast a mail ballot.

“If the Secretary of State would take the time to meet with us instead of jumping into court, they would see that the information we plan to share with voters provides clarity about voters’ rights and eligibility to vote by mail,” Harris County Clerk Chris Hollins said.

The Texas Supreme Court ruled earlier this year that fears of contracting the coronavirus do not qualify as a disability under Texas election law. Voters filling

out a mail-in ballot application have to check a box indicating which criteria they meet and return for processing by county officials.

Texas Secretary of State Ruth Hughs received a letter from the U.S. Postal Service in July saying that under the voting timeline allowed under Texas law, some voters may not receive their ballot in time to vote and some ballots mailed in closer to the state’s Nov. 4 deadline for receiving ballots run the risk of not arriving in time to be counted.

The Texas Secretary of State’s office has not said whether they will make any adjustments to voting deadlines in response to the USPS letter.

Students at HISD’s Edison Middle School and Yates High School will receive innovative technological instruction through the Microsoft Imagine Academy as part of the company’s partnership with the City of Houston to stimulate digital literacy in economically disadvantaged communities.

Edison Middle School and Yates High School students will receive virtual instruction in coding, IT infrastructure, data science, and attend virtual Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) camps. High school students will also receive training in Artificial Intelligence, modern workplace tools and office productivity in preparation for earning certifications.

“This is an incredible opportunity for students at Edison and Yates, who will gain the tools and knowledge they need to close high-tech skills gaps,” HISD Interim Superintendent Dr. Grenita Lathan said. “Participating in the Microsoft Imagine Academy has the potential to be a game-changer for our middle and high school students.”

Council members suggest sweeping police reforms Defender News Service

A group of five Houston City Council members have asked Mayor Sylvester Turner to take action on more than two dozen police reform proposals.

In a letter to the mayor, signed by City Council members Martha CastexTatum, Jerry Davis, Carolyn EvansShabazz, Edward Pollard and Tiffany Thomas, the council members lay out 25 proposals, including changes to the city’s Independent Police Oversight

Board, an online public complaint dashboard and a city council vote on a cite-and-release policy for minor offenses.

“The urgency needed to address police misconduct and racial injustice requires solutions that lead to actionable and impactful reform,” the letter reads.

The letter in particular stressed a “complete overhaul” to the oversight board, saying the council members

had “no confidence” in the board in its current form.

The letter cited a June 25 Houston City Council hearing on police reform, in which hundreds of people spoke out for reform, and members of the oversight board struggled to provide recommendations or answer basic questions put forth by council members.

Read the entire letter at www.DefenderNetwork.com.

Martha Castex-Tatum, Edward Pollard, Tiffany Thomas, Jerry Davis, Carolyn Evans-Shabazz

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DN News

LA enraged after deputies fatally shoot Black man Defender News Service

Jacob Blake’s father, Jacob Blake Sr. talks to a crowd at a rally. AP/Morry Gash

Donald Trump stokes racial tensions with Kenosha visit Associated Press

Donald Trump is diving into the latest eruption in the nation’s reckoning over racial injustice with a trip to Kenosha, Wisconsin, over the objections of local leaders.

The city has been driven by protests since the Aug. 23 shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man shot seven times in the back by police as he was getting into a car while they were trying to arrest him. On the eve of his visit, Trump defended Kyle Rittenhouse, a teenage Trump supporter and member of a white nationalist militia, accused of fatally shooting two men at a demonstration in Kenosha last week and accused Democrat Joe Biden of siding with “anarchists” and “rioters” in the unrest.

“I’m there for law enforcement and for the National Guard because they’ve done a great job in Kenosha. They put out the flame immediately,” said Trump as he boarded Air Force One. But Wisconsin’s Democratic governor, Tony Evers who deployed the National Guard to quell demonstrations in response to the Blake shooting, pleaded with Trump to stay away for fear of straining tensions further.

Biden has assailed Trump over the deadly protests that have sprung up on his watch. But Trump, claiming the mantle of the “law and order” Republican candidate, is offering himself as the leader best positioned to keep Americans safe.

He insisted his appearance in Kenosha could “increase enthusiasm” in Wiscon-

sin, perhaps the most hotly contested battleground state in the presidential race, as the White House said he “wants to visit hurting Americans.” The White House said Trump was not going to meet with Blake’s family.

“We don’t need more pain and division from a president set on advancing his campaign at the expense of our city,” Justin Blake, an uncle, said in a statement. “We need justice and relief for our vibrant community.”

The NAACP said neither candidate should visit the Wisconsin city as tension simmers. Biden’s team has considered a visit to Kenosha and has indicated that a trip to Wisconsin was imminent but has not offered details.

Biden, in his most direct attacks yet, accused Trump of causing the divisions that have ignited the violence. He delivered an uncharacteristically blistering speech in Pittsburgh and distanced himself from radical forces involved in altercations.

Biden said of Trump: “He doesn’t want to shed light, he wants to generate heat, and he’s stoking violence in our cities. He can’t stop the violence because for years he’s fomented it.”

Trump, for his part, reiterated that he blames radical troublemakers stirred up and backed by Biden. But when he was asked about one of his own supporters who was charged with killing two men during the mayhem in Kenosha, Trump declined to denounce the killings and

suggested that the 17-year-old suspect, Rittenhouse, was acting in self-defense.

The president also suggested that some police officers “choke” when faced with challenging situations and offered an odd comparison, likening them to golfers who “miss a 3-foot putt.”

Trump aides believe that tough-oncrime stance will help him with voters and that the more the national discourse is about anything other than the coronavirus, the better it is for the president. In an interview with Fox, Trump insisted that if he were not president, “you would have riots like you’ve never seen.”

Another Black man has died after being shot in the back by law enforcement.

Deputies in South LA shot Dijon Kizzee following a pursuit after he allegedly violated a vehicle code.

The latest shooting took place after two sheriff ’s deputies witnessed Kizzee riding his bicycle and believed he was violating vehicle codes but didn’t specify which ones. Sheriff Lt. Brandon Dean Dijon Kizzee said that when the officers approached Kizzee, he abandoned his bike and fled on foot.

Dean stated there was an escalation as a pursuit took place that resulted in Kizzee reportedly being shot 20 times.

“Our suspect was holding some items of clothing in his hands, punched one of the officers in the face, and then dropped the items in his hands,” the lieutenant said. “The deputies noticed that inside the clothing items that he dropped was a black semi-automatic handgun.”

The Los Angeles County Sheriff ’s Department declared Kizzee dead at the scene. He was identified by his family and Black Lives Matter Los Angeles.

Dean said the investigation was still underway when he was asked why the deputies used deadly force.

“But if this individual was reaching for a semi-automatic handgun, I would suggest that, you know, that’s probably why deadly force was important,” Dean said.

VOLUME 89 - NUMBER 45 - SEPTEMBER 3, 2020 Publisher | CEO Sonceria Messiah-Jiles Ad/Client Relations Selma Dodson Tyler Strategic Alllance Clyde Jiles Engagement Manager Margo Williams Hubbard

Managing Editor ReShonda Tate Billingsley Creative Director Michael Grant Associate Editor Marilyn Marshall

People Editor Aswad Walker Sports Terrance Harris Jodie B. Jiles Photographers Ray Carrington III Jimmie Aggison

The Defender newspaper is published by the Houston Defender News-paper Inc. and audited by Alliance for Audited Media (AAM). Only digital subscriptions are available at: www.defendernetwork.com/subscribe No paper subscriptions available. All materials covered by 2020 copyright. No materials herein may be reproduced without the written permission of the Publisher. 713-663-6996 | P.O. Box 8005, Houston, Tx 77288

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DN Obits CHADWICK BOSEMAN LEGACY REMEMBERED lead in a successful superhero film.

Kobe Bryant. Rep. John Lewis. And now, “For him to pass at this time when we are Chadwick Boseman. disproportionately affected by COVID and So far, 2020 has been marred with bad have all of these attacks by law enforcement, news and tragedy with the deaths of sev- and him being the symbol bringing us to eral popular Black icons including Wakanda, it’s just a blow,” Sharpton Bryant, Lewis and recently said. “To hear that our superBoseman, who died Frihero who projected a posday. All three were itive light was now gone, viewed as leaders in it was a gut blow.” their respective fields Boseman was eleof sports, politics and vated to a stage that film — places where many Black actors people, particularly in don’t get the chance to the Black community, occupy, said Los Angehave often looked for les Lakers star LeBron inspiration during a year James. And his ability to of racial tension and protests be “transcendent” on that against the police brutality stage brought a comic book of unarmed Black people. character to life for many But for many, the loss in the Black community. of another major fig“Even though we ure such as Boseman knew that it was like a is taking a toll. The fictional story, it actuactor, who starred in ally felt real. It actually the blockbuster superfelt like we finally had hero Marvel film “Black our Black superhero and Panther,” shockingly died nobody could touch us. So at the age of 43 in his to lose that, it’s sad home in Los Angeles Top -Chadwick in “James Brown.” in our community,” after he privately bat- Bottom - Chadwick in “Thurgood James said, lamenttled colon cancer for Marshall.” ing on the loss of “the four years.

Black Panther and the Black Mamba in the “These are pillars in our community,” same year.”

Rev. Al Sharpton said. “In times of instabilIn January, Bryant died in a helicopter ity, you depend on pillars. It’s bad enough crash involving eight others including his when there’s a storm outside and you hear 13-year-old daughter, Gianna. Lewis died the lightning and thunder. It gets worse in July after being diagnosed with pancrewhen the pillars that you’re building and atic cancer last year. standing on (are) shaking. It’s like they’re Other notable deaths this year include chipping away at our foundation. The very actress Naya Rivera, civil rights leader C.T. building is shaking down because the Vivian, music executive Andre Harrell and things that undergird and protect us from most recently, legendary Georgetown Unithe storms are being removed.” versity basketball coach John Thompson.

Sharpton called Boseman an important Activist Martin Luther King III called pillar that humanized several Black his- Boseman’s death another “great loss.” But torical trailblazers in his roles — includ- he encourages people not to lose hope even ing color-line breaking baseball star Jackie in a year of tumult.

Robinson, legendary singer James Brown “We could easily say ‘Oh my God. This and the first African American U.S. is the most terrible year that existed.’ But I Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. choose not to say that,” said the son of the Boseman’s family said he endured “count- Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. “Our ancesless surgeries and chemotherapy” while tors had to go through so, so much. And portraying King T’Challa of Wakanda in yet, we’re still here. We are nowhere where the Oscar-nominated “Black Panther,” a we need to be, but we are always making film that proved a person of color could progress and moving ahead.”

Associated Press

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DN InFocus SOCIAL

ATHLETES FIGHT SOCIAL INJUSTICE Terrance Harris

T

here is no doubt in Russell Westbrook’s mind that he is an unstoppable force in the backcourt.

But the Rockets star guard knows he was put on this earth to be far more than that.

“I believe, at least for me personally, that God has put me in this position for a reason and it’s not just to be able to play basketball,” Westbrook said, “but to use my platform to better be able to help other people and to help our youth and to help people across the globe to understand how important different things in life are.”

That has become the mission of Westbrook and many athletes across this country. They won’t just shut up and play. They are speaking up and pushing back against racial injustice and police brutality that seems to be unfairly afflicting Black people in this country.

It all culminated last Wednesday when the players, following the lead of the Milwaukee Bucks, declined to take the court during the NBA playoffs, leading to a three-day work stoppage that some called a boycott by the players.

“I think we needed a couple of days to sit back and reflect on what’s going on in the world,” Rockets guard James Harden said.

“And I think the world needed to know we are involved with them. We understand what’s

going on. This is bigger than basketball and we wanted to show the world we are with them.”

In doing so, the NBA players showed the world the impact they can have on bringing awareness to social injustice. When NBA players pushed pause, the WNBA and some MLB, NHL and NFL teams followed suit.

Respected sports sociologist Harry Edwards believes the players made a powerful statement, proving that their value is far greater than what they do athletically.

“I could see this one coming some time ago,” Edwards said on ESPN’s First Take. “These basketball players are not just basketball players.

They live in this society and they go and play games, but many of them fearing that they will be shot [driving] to or the game. They share that reality with the broader community.”

Edwards says now is the time for the players to organize and come up with a plan of what they want to see from ownership, which has the ears of local and national politicians.

“They must begin to come together and understand the urgency of this moment,” Edwards said. “They have moved beyond protest to where a statement is made to boycotting where you are sending a message. Now that message has to be meaningful and that means getting everybody on the same page and beginning to approach those people who have power to make changes.”

SUN., AUG. 23 Jacob Blake, a Black man, is shot in the back seven times by Kenosha, Wisconsin police officer Rusten Sheskey.

MON., AUG, 24 Milwaukee Bucks guard George Hill tells media, “First of all, we shouldn’t even come to this damn place, to be honest. …” during a discussion about the social injustice Black people in the country are facing.

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James tweets, “And y’all wonder why we say what we say about the Police!! …”

TUES., AUG. 25 Following the Los Angeles Clippers Game 5 win over the Dallas Mavericks, Clippers coach Doc Rivers delivers impassioned speech about social injustice and racial inequality during the post-game press conference.

WED., AUG. 26 The Milwaukee Bucks refuse to take the floor for the playoff game against the Orlando Magic and the game is canceled.

The Los Angeles Clippers pay tribute to the Black Lives Matter movement prior to their NBA first round playoff game against the Dallas Mavericks.

AP/Ashley Landis

Kenny Stills talks social justice Texans wide receiver Kenny Stills has easily become the face of active NFL players in the movement against police brutality and injustice toward Black people.

When Stills was a member of the Miami Dolphins he began joining Colin Kaepernick in taking a knee during the playing of the national anthem as a form of protest. And the 28-year-old veteran has continued to be active in the movement.

In July, Stills was among 87 protesters arrested in Louisville when they marched to the home of Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron to demand action against the police officers who shot and killed Breonna Taylor in her home in March.

The charges were dropped a couple of days later, but with continued senseless shootings like the one that took place in Kenosha, Wis. last month where Jacob Blake was shot seven times in the back

NBA stoppage Timeline

by a police officer, don’t think that will be the end of Stills protesting against the injustices Black people face in this country.

Stills recently talked about Taylor, the Kenosha shooting, and his protesting. Here is some of what he had to say.

Defender: What were your takeaways from the experience of being arrested in Louisville?

Kenny Stills: “We went to Louisville to bring more attention to Breonna Taylor’s case. We’ve tried to do everything we can to get in touch with Daniel Cameron to sit down and have a conversation with him and figure out what’s going on with this case. It’s been over 155, almost 160 days, I think, now. There’s been no justice served in this case. Yeah, we went there to bring more attention to this case and we’re hoping that something can happen soon. We need the officers to be arrested, fired and prosecuted for what they did to Breonna Taylor.”

Defender: What was your reaction to the latest police brutality incident with Jacob Blake in the context of everything that has happened this year?

Stills: “Yeah, I think it further proves the point that we need to make a change with what’s going on with our law enforcement. We have another unarmed Black man being shot seven times in front of his children. I think there’s other ways to deescalate these situations and just another horrible example of what our law enforcement is doing to our people.”

Defender: What were your conversations like with Roger Goodell, and what do you think about him saying he should have listened to Colin Kaepernick about kneeling?

Stills: “Honestly, I don’t really have too many thoughts about it. He can say whatever he wants to say now, but in a sense, if we would’ve taken a more stern stance and he would’ve listened to us at the beginning of this, there would’ve been so many lives that could’ve been saved. There’s a lot of progress that we could’ve made within our law enforcement, within our police. It’s a nice gesture, I guess, to say he wishes he would’ve done something different.

But look at the NFL.”

Rockets-Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Lakers-Portland Trail Blazers playoff games canceled because the players refuse to play.

NBA takes action Terrance Harris

physically, mentally … the pause was for a greater cause and not just for basketball, but for all of the social issues in our When the Rockets prepared for Game 5 of the playoffs, world today. Obviously, based on recent events across the something didn’t feel quite right. Another Black man had world and recent police killings and shootings, it allowed us been shot by the police just a few days earlier. This time a to use our platform to be able Kenosha, Wisconsin police to stop what we are doing and The NBA and the NBA players have agreed to enact officer pumped seven bullets recognize.” the following commitments: in the back of Jacob Blake as Suddenly, NBA players not his young children watched.

1. Immediately establish a social justice coalition, with only had the attention of team Playing basketball in the representatives from players, coaches, and goverowners but seemingly the Orlando bubble just seemed nors, that will focus on a broad range of issues, inworld.

Next thing they knew empty for many NBA players cluding increasing access to voting, promoting civic their contemporaries from the that day. Then word got out engagement, and advocating for meaningful police WNBA, MLB, NHL, and NFL that the Milwaukee Bucks and criminal justice reform. also stopped working temwere refusing to take the court 2. In every city where the league franchise owns and porarily. Athletes using their for their first-round playoff controls the arena property, team governors will platform to stand up against Game 5 against Orlando. Their continue to work with local elections officials to racial injustice and police brudecision had a domino effect convert the facility into a voting location for the tality dominated the news and on the next games that day 2020 general election to allow for a safe in-person the issue of police reform took at Disney World, including the voting option for communities vulnerable to COVID. center stage.

Rockets-Oklahoma City game.

“For us to be able to pause It would be the first day of 3. Work with the players and their network partners and take a break, and to be a three-day stoppage in the to create and include advertising spots in each NBA able to come to a few things bubble that was highlighted playoff game dedicated to promoting greater civic by emotional meetings among engagement in national and local elections and rais- that we think, is important the players and then a meeting ing awareness around voter access and opportunity. for now …” Westbrook said.

“Obviously, there are so many between the players in the other things going on in our society that we can tackle. But I bubble, NBA commissioner Adam Silver and the owners. think initially tackling our voting and finding ways to be able The coming together produced an action plan that mostly to use our arenas and our teams to be able to understand involved voting initiatives, but it was a start.

“I think it’s great. I think we all needed a pause,” said why voting is important. I think that is a trickle-down effect Rockets guard Russell Westbrook. “I think emotionally, on our police reform.”

WNBA announces that its players will not participate in their playoff games and will stand with the NBA in boycotting the playoffs.

Some MLB games are called as players stand with the boycotting NBA players.

Tennis Star Naomi Osaka pulls out of the semi-finals of the Western & Southern Open in protest of injustice.

NBA players in the bubble meet until the early morning hours with rumblings that some players want to leave the bubble and end the season, but more players want to play and finish out the playoffs.

THURS., AUG. 27 Players meet again and decide that they will resume the playoffs at some point.

NBA owners and the commissioner meet to discuss the situation and come up with a game-plan on how they hope to proceed.

No basketball is played for the second day in a row.

FRI., AUG. 28 National Basketball Players Association Board of Governors and NBA reach a resolution on voting outreach and social justice initiatives. It’s decided that play will resume Sat., Aug. 29.

SAT., AUG. 29 NBA Playoffs in the Orlando bubble at Disney World resumes.

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DN InFocus SOCIAL Legendary Georgetown coach John Thompson Jr., known simply as “Big John” throughout college basketball, has died at age 78.

Rockets center P.J. Tucker and Oklahoma City guard Dennis Schroder were both fined $25,000 for their altercation during Game 5 of the playoff series.

HOUSTON NATIVE IS FACE OF WNBA SOCIAL JUSTICE MOVEMENT Terrance Harris

Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike comes across as gracious, kind and extremely well-read.

But any confusion that the WNBA is just joining the social injustice and police brutality fight will draw a cutting response. While the WNBA followed the NBA last week in boycotting playoff games in their respective Florida bubbles, the women’s league has been anything but followers in this movement.

The WNBA has been out front in protesting social issues for a long time, and Ogwumike is quick to let you know.

“Our movement has met its moment,” said Ogwumike, a native Houstonian who starred at Cy-Fair High School before moving on to Stanford and the Sparks. “To talk about what’s happening now as something we are apart of in a lot of ways discounts what we have already done leading up to this point.

“But it’s unique circumstances that has allowed us to work, organize and mobilize in incredible ways that we may not have envisioned before. With that we understand that what we are doing now exists within us and being able to execute is something that also exists.

We found our place in this historical moment as very much fitting in and also ensuring that we are not forgotten and who we are representing is also not forgotten, either.”

As the president of the WNBA Players Association, Ogwumike has in many ways become the face of the league’s movement against racial injustice and police brutality. Ogwumike is everywhere these days. On a recent Friday, she did hits in the morning on CBS and ESPN, then made it to shoot around before scoring 17 points in 35 minutes in a playoff win over Connecticut in the return of WNBA play.

The days can be long and draining, but Ogwumike doesn’t complain because she knows her service is important to contemporaries in the game and her play is critical to her teammates.

SportsNotes ANDRE JOHNSON STEPS DOWN Retired Texans star receiver Andre Johnson has decided to step down from his position as special advisor to general manager/coach Bill O’Brien.

There wasn’t a specific reason given but both Johnson and O’Brien said he would still be around the team but just not in an official capacity.

“Andre is an awesome guy. Loves the Texans,” O’Brien said. “He just decided that at this point in his life he wanted to concentrate on some other things but he’s going to be around.

He’ll still come around and come to practice, be in the locker room. He’s a Ring of Honor guy and he and I have a really good relationship.”

TEXANS EXTEND CUNNINGHAM Texans linebacker Zach Cunningham has received a hefty raise.

Cunningham received a fouryear extension that will pay him an average of $14.5 million per year. In the meantime, there has been no movement on extension talks between the team and quarterback Deshaun Watson.

UH FOOTBALL CANCELS PRACTICE The University of Houston football team called off practice last weekend in protest of the Jacob Blake shooting. Many of the players took to their social media accounts to express their outrage and concerns about the 29-year-old father being shot in the back seven times in front of his children by Kenosha, Wisconsin police officer Rusten Sheskey.

Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike (30) celebrates after making a basket and getting fouled by Phoenix Mercury forward Brianna Turner (21) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game, Saturday, July 25, 2020, in Ellenton, Fla. -AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack

Our movement has met its moment.”

Nneka Ogwumike

“I really find strength in my team and these women that are here in the bubble with me,” said Ogwumike, a nine-year WNBA veteran. “It was much harder doing this job while I was quarantined alone in my house than it is now with

my team, my Sparks family and of course all of the players here kind of in arms reach in Florida.”

One person who understands what Ogwumike is balancing is Sparks head coach Derek Fisher. Like Ogwumike, Fisher spent several years serving as the president of the NBA Players Association during his playing days.

“There are times when we just look each other in the eye and she can tell that I know what she is going through and she can tell that I remember what it felt like to be in her position,” Fisher said. “It’s hard to explain to people that haven’t been in that seat before, how challenging it is for Nneka to do what she is doing.”

TOYOTA CENTER SERVES AS VOTING CENTER FOR 2020 ELECTION The Houston Rockets and the Harris County Clerk’s Office announced that the Toyota Center will be used as a voting center for the 2020 Presidential Election. In efforts to promote greater civic engagement in national and local elections, the NBA and NBPA announced in a joint statement that all its arenas will turn into polling locations for the 2020 election.

“These commitments follow months of close collaboration around designing a safe and healthy environment to restart the NBA season, providing a platform to promote social justice, as well as creating an NBA foundation focused on economic empowerment in the Black community,” the statement read in part.

The Toyota Center will be open to any registered voter in Harris County during early voting from Oct. 13-30 (seven days a week) and on Election Day on Nov. 3, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

September 3, 2020 |

| 9

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Special

JOB-HUNTING DURING THE PANDEMIC

Marilyn Marshall

PREPARE FOR VIRTUAL INTERVIEWS

Labor Day is Monday, Sept. 7, a day to pay tribute to the contributions and achievements of American workers. This year’s holiday, however, is much different than in the past, as the country grapples with an economic crisis brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The overall U.S. unemployment rate, which was 3.8% before the pandemic, stood at 10.3% in July, as the unemployment rate gap between whites (9.2%) and Blacks (14.6%) Carla Lane widened.

The good news is there are still jobs available, and to gain insight, the Defender turned to two local experts.

Carla Lane is president & CEO of Lane Staffing, which offers contract, temporary, direct hire and specialized recruiting staffing support. Ken Kral is executive director of the Corporate College at Lone Star College, which partners with global corporations to provide customized training, open enrollment courses and professional seminars.

Here are their suggestions for looking for work during the pandemic:

TREAT JOB-HUNTING LIKE A JOB Kral offered advice for recent college graduates that can also be used by anyone searching for employment.

“There are jobs out there,” he said. “One just has to be persistent and treat their job search like a job.

Show up every day until you find employment. That means searching for jobs on the web, networking to get leads on job openings, submitting resumes to new job openings, following up on previous leads you received or calls or emails from the employer.

“You have to be able to use the virtual platform that’s available today. This is a time of transition for the country economically and globally as well so the better the skill set you have, that increases your chance of employment.”

BE SOCIAL MEDIA SAVVY Many recruiters use social media networks like LinkedIn to publicize job openings. Kral noted that potential employers also use social media to gain greater insight into applicants’ backgrounds and character.

“Employers are checking out an applicant’s online behavior with Twitter, Instagram and Facebook before bringing that person in for an interview,” he said. “Candidates should seriously think about how their social media presence presents themselves to others.”

Because of social distancing and remote working, more companies are conducting virtual job interviews with apps such as Zoom or GoToMeeting.

Lane offers the following tips: Test the connection using the designated software.

Arrive early for the video call.

Dress professionally (at least from the waist up).

DETERMINE TRANSFERABLE SKILLS If you lost your job in an industry hit hard by the pandemic, consider which skills might be transferable to another job.

“Career fulfillment is important, but so is having stability in times as unprecedented as these,” said Lane.

“Instead of looking for something brand new, look at how existing skills can be transferable to other industries. Employers are looking for fresh talent with new perspectives but with relevant measurable success and job skills.

One CareerBuilder survey found that 70% of employers use social networking sites to research candidates and nearly half said that if they can’t find a job candidate online, they are less likely to contact that person for an interview.

“Also, remember the thing about firms like mine is that one can test the waters in varying industries while attempting to find their ‘next.’ The more time that goes by, searching for a job becomes more difficult emotionally and employers will have questions about employment gaps, not to mention the financial toll it can take.

In addition, 57% found content that caused them not to hire candidates. Content employers most objected to included provocative or inappropriate photographs, videos or information, posts about candidates drinking or using drugs, and discriminatory comments related to race, gender or religion.

“If you worked in hotels, restaurants and retail, your customer service skills and ability to communicate are probably exemplary. If you were a hostess at a restaurant or worked at a hotel front desk, you are probably really organized and know how to multi-task. Make a list of what skills you used in those environments and then check out the job boards to see where there is overlap.”

Interview at a location with no background noise, interruptions, clutter or distracting décor. Lane suggested virtual backgrounds.

Smile during the interview.

Look up, not down at the camera (no one wants to look up your nose).

Position yourself so that you are seen from the shoulders up (no talking heads).

Check the lighting (no direct sunlight, no overhead light).

Look into the camera, not at yourself and not at the screen.

Have questions about the role on real paper so you can jot them down (don’t take notes on your computer).

Listen carefully and don’t interrupt the interviewer.

10 | September 3, 2020 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Special

JOBS IN DEMAND AMID PANDEMIC Marilyn Marshall

One of the keys to successful job-hunting during the pandemic is knowing who’s hiring. The Defender has compiled the following list of industries and positions with input from Carla Lane, president & CEO Lane Staffing, and Ken Kral, executive director of the Corporate College at Lone Star College.

Construction – Employment in the industry is bouncing back after taking a hit at the beginning of the pandemic. Positions include project engineers and managers, superintendents, inspectors and laborers.

Contract tracing – Health departments need contract tracers to reach everyone who recently came in contact with a person diagnosed with COVID-19, conduct a symptom check by phone and refer them for testing according to established protocols.

COVID-19-related manufacturers –

Various positions are available with companies that manufacture hand sanitizers, face shields, masks, paper towels, toilet paper and cleaning supplies.

Grocery stores – General managers are needed, as well as managers in departments such as bakery, deli and seafood.

Other positions include clerks, checkers and stocking associates.

Delivery & shipping services – “Urgently hiring” drivers, package handlers and warehouse workers.

E-commerce – Positions include analysts, inventory specialists, marketing managers, sales executives, customer service representatives, clerks and drivers.

Health care – Need for epidemiologists, nurses, technicians, respiratory therapists, orderlies and health screeners.

IT – Jobs include software and web developers, robotics and cyber security engineers, cloud architects and data analysts.

CLASSIFIED

10 IN-DEMAND JOBS THAT PAY WELL Sample job titles on Indeed paying $50,000 or more.

Job title

National avg. salary

Requirements

Owner Operator Driver

$184,436

Owns at least one cargotruck and manages own truck-driving business, high school diploma or GED preferred

Software Engineer

$104,907

Bachelor’s degree in Software Engineering

Registered Nurse ICU

$99,161

Bachelor’s degree in Nursing, state license

Physical Therapist

$93,487

Doctorate of Physical Therapy

Registered Nurse

$87, 158

Bachelor’s degree in Nursing, possibly medical/surgical specialized education

Real Estate Agent

$80,543

High school diploma or GED, valid state real estate license

Dental Hygienist

$78,005

Completion of post-secondary program approved by Commission on Dental Accreditation

Engineer

$69,750

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering

Registered Nurse

$68,020

Bachelor’s degree in Nursing, state license

Getting Bids Wanted

2100 Memorial Senior Living Complex BLOCK Builders, LLC has been awarded 2100 Memorial, a Senior Living Complex located at 2100 Memorial Drive, Houston, Texas. This project is funded by the City of Houston and is subject to MWSBE, Section 3, Pay or Play and Davis-Bacon and Related Acts.1 building, 5-stories, podium over parking, 197 units of new construction. We are seeking bids from qualified contractors. City of Houston Certified MWSBE and Section 3 Business concerns are encouraged to submit proposals. The bid date is September 17, 2020 at 11:00AM. This is a City of Houston Project with DR requirements. Please contact Adrian Villarreal at avillarreal@blockcompanies.com

Operations and Maintenance Services RFP

Houston First Corporation requests proposals from experienced contractors able to provide comprehensive operations and maintenance services throughout its facilities. Services are to be available 24/7 on an as needed basis. Please visit https://www.houstonfirst.com/do-business for complete details.

NOTICE OF ASSUMED NAME STATE OF TEXAS Notice is hereby given, pursuant to law, that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the assumed name of NYTESHIA RACHEAL DIAH, holds both Equitable Title and Legal Title to the Assumed Name in a UBOT in a competent jurisdiction of exclusive equity. Details regarding this notice are as follows: ASSUMED NAME: NYTESHIA RACHEAL DIAH; PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS: 1101 Elder Street, Houston, Texas [77007], the [u]nited [s]tates of America; NAMEHOLDER(S): Name: Diah, Nyteshia Racheal; Address: c/o 1333 Old Spanish Trail, Suite G151, Houston [Non-Domestic], Texas [77054], The united States of America, Republic. All Rights Reserved. Signed by: Diah, Nyteshia Racheal – a living woman, dba NYTESHIA RACHEAL DIAH – a registered business entity (July 28, 2020) as confirmed by Minnesota Secretary of State (SOS), Steve Simon, evidenced by filing number 1169165200025.

NOTICE OF ASSUMED NAME STATE OF TEXAS Notice is hereby given, pursuant to law, that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the assumed name of KHALID ASIM NOYAN DAVIS, holds both Equitable Title and Legal Title to the Assumed Name in a UBOT in a competent jurisdiction of exclusive equity. Details regarding this notice are as follows: ASSUMED NAME: KHALID ASIM NOYAN DAVIS; PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS: 11800 Astoria Boulevard, Houston, Texas [77089], the [u]nited [s]tates of America; NAMEHOLDER(S): Name: Davis, Khalid Asim Noyan; Address: c/o 1333 Old Spanish Trail, Suite G151, Houston [Non-Domestic], Texas [77054], The united States of America, Republic. All Rights Reserved. Signed by: Davis, Khalid Asim Noyan – a living man, dba KHALID ASIM NOYAN DAVIS – a registered business entity (July 5, 2020) as confirmed

by Minnesota Secretary of State (SOS), Steve Simon, evidenced by filing number 1166185300020.

Started Safely Call 811 before you dig.

When it comes to digging safely, you make the call.

Whether you’re working on a large excavation, or simply planting a tree in your yard, natural gas and utility line safety should always be job one – and that means calling 811 before you dig. Calling 811 helps you know where natural gas, electric, water and other underground lines are located. It also helps you avoid causing serious injuries, service interruptions, or possibly costly fines for damaged infrastructure. Make the call. It’s easy. It’s FREE. Respect the lines. Dig with care. After all, safety is in your hands, but always on our minds.

We’re investing in infrastructure, technology and services that help keep you safe.

More information on natural gas safety is available at: CenterPointEnergy.com/Safety.

NOTICE OF ASSUMED NAME STATE OF TEXAS Notice is hereby given, pursuant to law, that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the assumed name of TASHIMA EILEEN DIAH, holds both Equitable Title and Legal Title to the Assumed Name in a UBOT in a competent jurisdiction of exclusive equity. Details regarding this notice are as follows: ASSUMED NAME: TASHIMA EILEEN DIAH; PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS: 450 Clarkson Avenue, Brooklyn, New York [11203], the [u]nited [s]tates of America; NAMEHOLDER(S): Name: Diah, Tashima Eileen; Address: c/o 1333 Old Spanish Trail, Suite G151, Houston [Non-Domestic], Texas [77054], The united States of America, Republic. All Rights Reserved. Signed by: Diah, Tashima Eileen – a living woman, dba TASHIMA EILEEN DIAH – a registered business entity (July 5, 2020) as confirmed by Minnesota Secretary of State (SOS), Steve Simon, evidenced by filing number 1166182700025.

©2018 CenterPoint Energy 187119

CENT-0450_2018_Spring_Gas_Safety_Texas_4-79x6-5.indd 1

3/26/18 9:30 AM

September 3, 2020 |

| 11

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Feature ‘Not Forgotten,’ 40 missing children recovered in U.S. marshal operation Defender News Service

“When we track down fugitives, it’s a good feeling to know that we’re putting the bad guy behind bars. But that sense of accomplishment is nothing compared to finding a missing child,” Darby Kirby, chief of the Marshals Service Missing Child Unit, said in a statement.

Children were found in 20 counties around the metro Atlanta area, ABC affiliate WSB reported, including Gwinnett, Fulton, Clayton and Forsyth counties.

In 2019, the USMS helped locate 295 missing children after requests for assistance from law enforcement and contributed to the recovery of a missing child in 75 percent of cases received. The news released noted that, of the missing children recovered, 66 percent were recovered within seven days of the USMS assisting with the case.

“It’s hard to put into words what we feel when we rescue a missing child, but I can tell you that this operation has impacted

1

every single one of us out here. We are working to protect them and get them the T:4.79" help they need.”

LEGAL NOTICE These Texas Lottery Commission scratch ticket games will be closing soon: Game #

Game Name / Odds

$

Official Close of Game

End Validations Date

2207

James Bond 007™ - Overall Odds are 1 in 3.90

$5

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10/2/20

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2220

Emerald 8s - Overall Odds are 1 in 4.40

$2

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4/2/21

2127

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$2

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$5

10/14/20

4/12/21

2208

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10/14/20

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T:3.25"

Nearly 40 children who had been missing were recently found in Georgia as part of a two-week mission dubbed “Operation Not Forgotten,” the U.S. Marshals Service announced. Many of these children were at risk for child sex trafficking, abuse and exploitation, the law enforcement agency said.

Twenty-six children were rescued and 13 others were safely located in the mission, which also involved the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Office of the Georgia Attorney General and other state and local agencies. The children ranged in age from 3 to 17.

The operation also led to the arrest of nine people for alleged charges of sex trafficking, parental kidnapping, registered sex offender violations or other related crimes.

Txlottery.org is the official source for all pertinent game information. Game closing procedures may be initiated for documented business reasons. These games may have prizes unclaimed, including top prizes. In addition, game closing procedures will be initiated when all top prizes have been claimed. During closing, games may be sold even after all top prizes have been claimed. Must be 18 or older to purchase a ticket. For help with a gambling problem, ncpgambling.org. © 2020 Texas Lottery Commission. PLAY RESPONSIBLY.

L07170_HNDF_EOG_AFAM_0903.indd

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8-25-2020 5:03 PM

C02C2B34MD6M-mbp16

by

L07170 TEXAS LOTTERY SEP EOG AD 4.79" x 3.25" None None BW HOUSTON DEFENDER NEWSPAPER None

410 BAYLOR ST • ATX 78703 t 512.479.6200 f 512.479.6024

Prepared by THIRD EAR 2019. All rights reserved.

printed at

Tommy Salazar / Tommy

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job info job # client headline/tag trim bleed live color setup vendor/pub media type die cut

from

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fonts & images creative dir art director copywriter account mgr

notes DUE: 08/27 PUB: 09/03

None None None MICAELA ACOSTA

Fonts Helvetica Neue LT Std (95 Black, 77 Bold Conden Condensed), Times (Regular) Images None Inks Black

12 | September 3, 2020 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

Getting more masks to where they’re needed most Across the country, Bank of America continues to work with local organizations to provide critical resources to vulnerable and underserved populations hardest hit by the coronavirus.

To support the safety and health of those most at risk in our community, we are partnering with local leaders and organizations to distribute PPE masks here in Houston.

This is in addition to the four million masks we donated earlier this year in cities across the country — and part of our ongoing commitment to provide millions of masks to help slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Together, let’s work to help Houston recover.

Hong Ogle Houston Market President

600,000 masks distributed to our neighbors here in Houston.

We’re partnering with: Houston Complete Communities Initiative

Houston Food Bank

To learn more, please visit bankofamerica.com/community.

Bank of America, N.A. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender

© 2020 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved.