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Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick proposes penalties for schools that keep “vulgar” books on library shelves, but who determines what’s vulgar. Credit: Getty Images.

Message from the Managing Editor gorilla, and has received threats. She believes Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick says he is on a Donald Trump and other Republicans have mission to rid our public schools of what he helped create an environment in which this calls “filthy, dirty, vulgar books.” Imagine my rhetoric is not only tolerated but rewarded. surprise when I learned that my debut novel, Whether it comes from an elected official, a My Brother’s Keeper, is among the more than political operative, or someone with nearly 2,000 titles on the list he recently promoted. two million followers, the message is the That is sooo crazy because I do not write same: Black women who seek power should filth. expect to be dehumanized.

Apparently, confronting real life now I hate giving the 33-year-old Loomer makes a book dangerous. The list also tarattention.

(Yes, she’s 33. Where is Jasmine ReShonda Tate gets The Color Purple, The Kite Runner, The Crockett with a good “bleach-blonde, badHandmaid’s Tale, and even Elie Wiesel’s Night, a landmark built” comeback when you need her?) But after the laugh account of the Holocaust. comes the truth: Ignoring hateful rhetoric is part of how we Patrick has warned school districts that he will push legis- got here. Silence does not starve racism; too often, it gives lation to lower their state accountability rating by a full letter racism room to spread. We must call these attacks what they grade if they do not remove books deemed inappropriate. are, demand consequences, and hold accountable not only Think about that. Ratings intended to measure how well the people who say such things, but also those who amplify, schools educate children could become a weapon used to excuse, and politically benefit from them. Hate survives when enforce one group’s reading preferences. decent people decide it is easier to scroll past.

Parents absolutely deserve a voice in what their own children read. What they should not have is the power to decide Black representation is more than a face what every child may read. Books allow young people to And once again, we have another indication of why Black encounter difficult truths safely, ask questions, and recog- representation matters, especially in the rooms where advernize themselves in stories. Calling every uncomfortable book tisements are conceived, approved, and released. “filth” does not protect children. It narrows their world—and Mielle Organics, a Black-founded hair-care brand that was punishes schools for refusing to help do it. bought out in January 2023 by Procter & Gamble recently faced backlash over a Rosemary Mint ad. On the “before” side, And hate lives on a Black woman’s full, less-defined Afro was labeled “weak & Some days, I wonder how far we have come. Then Laura dull.” On the “after” side, her hair appeared shinier and more Loomer opens her social media account. defined beneath the words “shiny & strong.”

The right-wing activist recently called Florida Democratic Technically, the ad never said kinky hair was ugly. It did not U.S. Senate nominee Angie Nixon a “ghetto Black commu- have to. Black women know the visual language. Mielle has nist b----,” mocked her speech as “Ebonics,” and said she since apologized. But the damage has been done. needed her “leash” tugged. When criticized, Loomer did not retreat. She doubled down and insisted she had simply “spoke On the Web the truth.”

• W hat future will college Class of 2030 create?

No. She spoke racism.

• T he changing face of Martha’s Vineyard.

Nixon says she has been called a dog, monkey, ape, and • W hich HBCU has the best marching band?

Apparently, I write “Filth”

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DN News

| 3 Dr. Alexander Johnson - Brentwood Baptist Church’s pastor-elect, preaches his first sermon Sunday, Sept. 6 at 10 am.

Darrel Walls - Congrats on winning the Stellar Award for Best Gospel Artist of the Year and Grammy for Best Gospel Album.

Why Imani School welcomed Ted Cruz visit

By ReShonda Tate

When U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz walked the halls of The Imani School in Houston on Aug. 25, the visit did not go unnoticed.

Photos of the Republican senator touring the predominantly Black Christian school, talking with students, and meeting with parents quickly circulated, prompting criticism from some members of the community who questioned why the school would welcome a politician whose positions have often put him at odds with many Black voters. Some characterized the visit as little more than a photo opportunity and questioned whether Cruz’s appearance suggested the school supported his politics.

Pat Hogan Williams, director of The Imani School, says it did not.

“We are proud of what we do. We are happy to show it off,” Williams told the Defender. “Many people come to visit our school. They want to know what we’re doing, that we’re successful. And so we show them.”

Williams said Cruz’s office contacted the school after hearing about its academic success and asked if the senator could visit. The school welcomed Cruz, just as it has welcomed political leaders, educators, entrepreneurs, and others from across the political spectrum during its nearly four decades in Houston.

“We’ve had a Republican president, a Democratic first lady, two congresspersons, mayors, educators, entrepreneurs coming from out of state, and even the British Broadcasting Company,” Williams said. “Different races, different political persuasions.”

According to Cruz’s office, he met with students, teachers, and families and discussed both Texas’ Education Freedom Account program and the federal Education Freedom Tax Credit.

For Williams, allowing a sitting U.S. senator to visit was not an endorsement of Cruz or his politics. “That doesn’t mean that we agree with his stand on anything,” she said.

A visit, not a political rally

Williams also pushed back against the perception that students were assembled

Regardless of what his motive was, what he saw was, he saw a school that celebrates Black culture. He saw Black excellence. He saw achievements. Black inventions on display.”

PAT HOGAN WILLIAMS

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz talks with students during a visit to The Imani School in Houston. School officials say the visit was not a political event or endorsement, but rather an educational experience. Credit: Ted Cruz’s Office.

scholarship programs would give more children the opportunity to attend schools such as Imani.

The American Federation for Children, which helped arrange the visit, said 60 of Imani’s 402 students are recipients of Texas Education Freedom Account awards.

“He saw first graders who were reading fluently above grade level,” she said. “He saw children who were smart and capable, engaged, and confident. And he saw children who were excelling.”

That, Williams said, matters more to her than the political affiliation of the person walking through the door. “We have always been about exceeding expectations,” she said.

“We’ve challenged the expectations that people put on our children.”

‘I can’t speak to what his motive was’

Parents question lack of notification

What school choice money means for Imani for a political event. There was no schoolwide assembly and no campaign speech, she said. Most students were not told in advance that Cruz would be visiting. Instead, Cruz followed much the same route that other visitors take through Imani.

He read a Bible story to a kindergarten class, stopped to listen to first-graders read, and observed first-graders working on coding and programming in a STEM classroom.

He also visited an eighth-grade civics class, where he talked about his upbringing and his father’s Cuban background, and answered students’ questions.

The eighth graders were among the few students told in advance about the visit because they were studying government and would have the opportunity to interact with an elected official, Williams said.

“It wasn’t a campaign rally, (it) wasn’t a political event for our students,” Williams said. “There was no assembly. Our children weren’t asked or indoctrinated.”

Cruz also met with a small group of parents to discuss why they chose Imani and school choice programs.

The senator’s office described the visit as an opportunity “to celebrate historic school choice victories.”

“It was inspiring to visit The Imani School and see firsthand the incredible work its teachers and staff are doing to prepare the next generation of Texas students,” Cruz said in a statement following the visit.

He called school choice “the civil rights issue of the 21st century” and said federal

That official framing, along with photographs distributed after the tour, contributed to questions about whether Imani had been used as a backdrop to promote Cruz’s school choice agenda. Williams said she cannot answer that question for the senator.

“Honestly, I don’t know what it was for him,” she said. “I don’t know what his motive was. I can’t speak to that.”

She noted that Imani has been photographed with numerous high-profile visitors over the years, including former President George H.W. Bush, Hillary Clinton, and the late U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee. What Williams can say, she said, is what Cruz saw while he was there. “Regardless of what his motive was, what he saw was, he saw a school that celebrates Black culture,” Williams said. “He saw Black excellence. He saw achievements. Black inventions on display.”

The school describes itself as offering an academically rigorous education to an African American student body while incorporating cultural education and a faith-based foundation specifically designed for children of color. Williams said that the mission was on full display during Cruz’s visit.

Another concern raised following the visit was why parents were not notified beforehand. On that point, Williams acknowledged she understands the criticism.

“In hindsight, perhaps I should have done that,” she said.

But Williams said notifying parents before visits from public officials has not generally been the school’s practice. The exception, she recalled, was when U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock visited while promoting a book. Because the school was helping promote the event, families were notified.

The school may now have to consider whether visits by elected officials, particularly highly polarizing ones, should be handled differently in an era when a few photographs can travel across social media before students have made it home from school.

Williams believes much of the reaction to this particular visit can be traced directly to the visitor.

“Ted Cruz is a very controversial and a polarizing figure,” she said.

As a nonprofit organization, Williams said, Imani is nonpartisan and does not endorse candidates or take partisan political positions.

4 | September 3, 2026 |

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DN News

Texas places 1.2M voters in ‘suspense’ Defender News Service

Ahead of the November midterm elections, more than 1.2 million Texas voters are on the state’s voter “suspense” list.

In Houston, roughly 300,000 voters have been flagged. This is not the first time this has happened in Texas. In 2024, more than twomillion Texas voters were placed in “suspense,” out of 17 million registered voters.

Being on this list does not mean that a voter has been purged or is ineligible to vote.

Instead, it just means county officials have reason to believe the voter may no longer live at the address on their registration, according to the Texas Secretary of State’s office.

That can happen when a voter registration certificate, jury summons, mailing, or other official correspondence is returned as undeliverable.

But voters who remain “in suspense” can eventually be removed. Under Texas procedures, a voter who fails to update or confirm an address and remains on the suspense list through two elections for state or county offices can have their registration canceled.

At the polls, a suspense voter can still vote after completing a statement of residence confirming their address.

CONFIRM YOUR VOTER REGISTRATION go to: Am I registered (portal)

OCTOBER

Credit: Getty Images.

REGISTRATION DEADLINE

5

There is another way a voter can be placed on the suspense list, warned voting rights activist Pamiel Gaskin. In Texas, private individuals can challenge another person’s eligibility to vote through sworn statements based on personal knowledge.

While Gaskin says the voter purge system itself “does not inherently discriminate against Black and Brown voters,” voter residency challenges disproportionately occur in minority communities, she added.

“These challenges do happen a lot in minority communities,” Gaskin said. “Sometimes they don’t even have to have a reason to do a challenge. They just do it, but the registrar’s office has to act upon the challenge.”

A major election-year issue Texas reported more than 1.2 million registrations in suspense. The state has now entered the 90-day period before the Nov. 3 federal election during which federal law generally prohibits systematic voter-roll removals.

Texas election officials were reminded that the moratorium began Aug. 5, although removals for reasons including death and a voter’s own request can continue.

Houston voters face an outsized impact The numbers make Houston one of the epicenters of the issue. Harris County had

more than 198,000 voters in suspense out of about 2.7 million registered voters as of March, according to the Texas Secretary of State. Add to that the neighboring counties of Montgomery, Fort Bend, and Brazoria, and roughly 300,000 Houston-area voters are in suspense heading toward November.

That matters in a county already struggling with uneven voter participation.

Despite having the largest number of registered voters and votes cast in Texas during the November 2024 general election, only 58.8% of Harris County’s registered voters turned out to vote, according to a county analysis.

Moreover, voter turnout in the county is unevenly distributed. Fewer than 50% of registered voters turn out in 418 precincts in East and Central Harris County. Voters in suspense can still cast a ballot after verifying their address at the polling place, Gaskin said.

She advises Texans to regularly check their registration status and respond promptly to correspondence from election officials.

Texas voters can check their registration through the state’s Am I Registered? portal.

The registration deadline for the Nov. 3 election is Oct. 5. Early voting runs from Oct. 19 through Oct. 30.

Edward Pollard wants new gas stations halted

By Tannistha Sinha

Does Houston have too many gas stations?

Houston City Council member Edward Pollard thinks so. He asked his colleagues on the City Council to temporarily halt new gas station projects near residential neighborhoods, citing concerns about crime and safety. But, Pollard says he is holding off on bringing his proposed 90-day moratorium on new gas stations for now.

Asking the city to temporarily stop Edward Pollard approving new gas station applications that would place fuel pumps within 200 feet of residential property lines, Pollard sent a letter to Whitmire.

He said the request grew out of weeks of outreach from his office to neighborhood

leaders and civic organizations, who raised concerns about what happens when gas stations cluster near homes.

In response to Pollard’s request, Whitmire told the Defender that his team is strategizing the next steps.

“My administration has reviewed the request and is in the process of determining the best strategy for moving forward.

Testing and data analysis will be included in our recommendations,” Whitmire told the Defender.

A 90-day pause “They [resident organizations] have concerns regarding some of the dynamics that are created when you have a gas station near a neighborhood that could attract loitering, public safety risk, drug sales, or other illegal activity that happens…a lack of true security at some of these establishments,” Pollard said. “When you have property that’s near

residential areas, and each available piece of land goes for gas station development, it diminishes the opportunity to have other commercial businesses come in that may make it a more diverse…retail, restaurants, banking, office buildings.”

The letter Pollard sent is careful to frame the request as temporary and narrow. It would not affect gas stations that already have construction approval, and it is not meant to shut out the industry.

“It won’t disrupt any current gas station or any current construction of a gas station,” Pollard said. “But it will give the community an opportunity to express their issues and concerns and see if it’s valid and if there needs to be more change or not.”

Instead, the 90-day pause is framed as a chance for the administration, City Council, the Houston Health Department, neighborhood representatives, and industry stakeholders to gather data and work

out whether additional safeguards or policy changes make sense.

Concerns from organizations More than 40 organizations across Houston, including 10 super neighborhoods and several neighborhood clubs and associations, sent a letter to Whitmire. The council supports the temporary administrative hold on gas station development near homes.

“You have already heard from residents about this issue, and from the Houston Health Department, whose preliminary testing near an operating station found elevated benzene levels at the fenceline, where benzene is a known carcinogen,” said the letter, obtained by the Defender.

Read the entire article.

Publisher | CEO Sonceria Messiah-Jiles

Content Manager Terrance Harris

Special Assignments Reporter Tannistha Sinha

VOLUME 95, NUMBER 46 - SEPTEMBER 3, 2026

Strategic Alllance Clyde Jiles

Associate Editor Aswad Walker

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 2025 copyright. No materials herein may be reproduced without the written permission of the Publisher.

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DN Sports HOUSTON FOOTBALL

High School Stars to watch

By Jimmie Aggison

The 2026 high school football season is filled with elite talent across the Houston area, from nationally ranked recruits and future college stars to emerging playmakers still waiting for their opportunity.

Among this year’s top players are athletes who have already made their mark at the state and national levels.

Some are committed to Power Four programs, while others remain uncommitted and have the chance to make their cases throughout the season.

From dominant defensive linemen and record-setting running backs to explosive receivers and elite track athletes, these 10 players are among the Houston area’s names to watch in 2026.

See more about the players at DefenderNetwork.com

Dillon Mitchell C.E. King High School

Few players in the Houston area can match Dillon Mitchell’s combination of football production and worldclass speed.

The 5-foot-8, 167-pound Class of 2028 four-star receiver and kick returner produced 1,779 all-purpose yards and 17 touchdowns as a sophomore while helping C.E. King reach the Class 6A Division II state championship game.

C.E. King High School four-star wide receiver Dillon Mitchell (1) uses pure speed as he breaks free from a Summer Creek defender. Credit: Jimmie Aggison/ Defender.

Summer Creek High School four-star defensive end Xavier Muhammad is poised to make a big impact after transferring from South Houston High School.

Credit: HTX Sportz.

Xavier Muhammad Shadow Creek High School

At 6-foot-5 and 280 pounds, Xavier Muhammad brings an imposing combination of size and athleticism to Shadow Creek’s defensive front. The four-star Class of 2027 defensive end, committed to Michigan, enters the season aiming to make an even bigger impact after an interrupted junior campaign.

As a sophomore, Muhammad recorded 49 tackles, six tackles for loss, three sacks, three pass breakups, and two fumble recoveries. Severe food poisoning forced him to miss the final half of his junior season, yet he still produced 22 tackles, six tackles for loss, three sacks, eight quarterback hurries, one forced fumble, and two pass breakups.

Muhammad was also named to the Touchdown Club of Houston’s 2026 preseason team.

His track accomplishments, however, have made him a national name. Mitchell ran a wind-aided 9.88 seconds in the 100 meters at the Texas A&M Bluebonnet Invitational, then won the Class 6A state championship in 9.92 seconds with a +4.0 m/s wind. At the World Athletics U20 Championships, he helped the United States win gold in the 4x100-meter relay while setting an Under-20 world record of 38.16 seconds.

With offers from Texas, TCU, Baylor, Stanford, USC, Alabama, LSU, and others, Mitchell enters his junior season as one of the nation’s most intriguing athletes.

Langham Creek High School four-star defensive tackle Ezekiel Ayangbile (14) wreaks havoc on a Cypress Lakes offensive lineman as he makes a tackle in the backfield.

Credit: Jimmie Aggison/Defender.

Ezekiel Ayangbile Langham Creek High School

Ezekiel Ayangbile has already established himself as one of the Houston area’s most disruptive interior defenders for the class of 2027. The 6-foot-3, 280-pound four-star defensive tackle recorded 60 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, 13 quarterback hurries, one fumble recovery, and an eye-catching five blocked punts as a junior.

Committed to the University of Miami, Ayangbile is the son of former NFL offensive lineman Duane Brown, who played at Virginia Tech and was selected by the Houston Texans in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft.

Ayangbile also competes in track and field, throwing the shot put and discus, and was named to the Touchdown Club of Houston preseason team.

Richmond Randle High School fivestar running back Landen WilliamsCallis (1) outruns the entire Marshall Defense on his way to the endzone. Credit: Jimmie Aggison/ Defender.

Lamar High School fourstar defensive back Prince Washington will look to keep opposing offenses from scoring through the air as he uses his speed and agility to lock down wide receivers.

Credit: Prince Washington’s Twitter.

Westfield High School four-star linebacker Davon Smith (1) will lead the Westfield defense as the team hopes to make a deep playoff run. Credit: Jimmie Aggison/Defender.

Prince Washington

Davon Smith

Peter Dorsey

Prince Washington brings elite speed and versatility to Lamar’s secondary.

The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Class of 2027 four-star defensive back is a dual-sport athlete who also competes in track. Washington has recorded a 4.44-second laser-timed 40-yard dash and a top speed of 22.2 mph, according to Catapult.

Committed to Colorado, Washington was named to the Touchdown Club of Houston preseason team and enters his senior season as one of the area’s defensive backs to watch.

Davon Smith has already proven he can be the centerpiece of a defense.

The 5-foot-10, 220-pound Class of 2027 four-star linebacker recorded 121 tackles, 26 tackles for loss, three interceptions, two sacks, and 10 quarterback hurries as a junior, earning District 14-6A Defensive MVP honors.

Committed to Arizona, Smith was also named to the Touchdown Club of Houston preseason team.

Peter Dorsey made his presence felt in the backfield last season.

The 6-foot-3, 240-pound Class of 2027 defensive end recorded 24 sacks as a junior, finishing second in the district in sack totals.

A two-sport athlete who also plays basketball, Dorsey remains uncommitted and has an opportunity to elevate his recruiting stock with another disruptive season at Wheatley.

Lamar High School

Westfield High School

Landen Williams-Callis Randle High School

Landen Williams-Callis enters 2026 with a chance to etch his name into Houston football history.

The 5-foot-8, 190-pound Class of 2027 five-star running back was one of three finalists for the 2025 Gatorade National Player of the Year award following a spectacular junior season. He rushed 324 times for 3,502 yards and 59 touchdowns, added 266 receiving yards and another touchdown, returned a kickoff for a score, and finished with 4,035 all-purpose yards.

Williams-Callis is just three touchdowns away from tying his older cousin, Jacquizz Rodgers, for the most career touchdowns in Houston high school football history.

After receiving more than 70 offers, Williams-Callis committed to Texas and was named to the Touchdown Club of Houston’s 2026 preseason team.

Jordan Simmons Yates High School

Jordan Simmons may be one of the most versatile playmakers in Houston.

The 5-foot-7, 165-pound Class of 2027 receiver and running back averaged 12.7 yards per carry, 26.1 yards per catch, and 37.5 yards per punt return last season. He finished with 1,691 all-purpose yards, averaging 20.8 yards on every touch.

A track sprinter, Simmons brings the kind of speed that can change a game from anywhere on the field.

Like Dorsey, Simmons remains uncommitted, giving the Yates standout plenty of motivation heading into the 2026 season.

Wheatley High School

Milby High School wide receiver Artavion Davis (3) ended his junior season 6 receptions short of 100 receptions for a single season.

Credit: Jimmie Aggison/ Defender.

Jack Yates High School wide receiver Jordan Simmons (5) keeps his hands active as he attempts to stiff-arm Needville’s Jaedon Williams (2). Credit: Jimmie Aggison/Defender.

Wheatley defensive end Peter Dorsey (57) crashes his way into the backfield, denying a block by a Kashmere High School offensive lineman.

Credit: Jimmie Aggison/ Defender.

Artavion Davis Milby High School

Artavion Davis enters his senior season following one of the most productive receiving campaigns in the Houston area.

The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Class of 2027 receiver caught 94 passes for 1,602 yards and 22 touchdowns as a junior. According to MaxPreps, Davis led Texas in regular-season receiving yards.

He came within 67 yards of the Houston-area single-game receiving record in last season’s opener, finishing with 352 receiving yards.

Davis remains uncommitted but has received offers from programs including Prairie View A&M, Central Missouri, and Grambling State.

Almeta Crawford High School four-star wide receiver Alvin Mosley is ready to show why he is considered an all-around athlete in both football and basketball. Credit: Rafael Lopez.

Alvin Mosley Crawford High School

Alvin Mosley is a two-sport standout capable of impacting a game in multiple ways.

The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Class of 2027 four-star receiver accounted for 1,720 all-purpose yards as a junior, including 1,091 receiving yards and 23 receiving touchdowns. He also rushed for 155 yards and six touchdowns, threw a 67-yard touchdown pass, and added 376 punt-return yards.

His athletic ability carried over into basketball season, where Mosley won another district MVP award after averaging 13.4 points and 4.4 rebounds per game while helping Crawford reach the Class 4A Division I state championship game.

The University of Mississippi commit was also named to the Touchdown Club of Houston preseason team.

8 | September 3, 2026 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Feature Local students retrace Civil Rights history

Freedom Tour

shared memories of King and Malcolm X. Before the students left, O’Neal shared her wisdom on the importance of showing up to the polls.

“Before departing, Ms. O’Neal, with obvious emotion and vulnerability, looked each of us in the eye and expressed her fears that all of her hard work, blood, sweat, tears, trauma, and strength will go in vain because now people don’t even want to vote,” Howard said. “This wake-up moment shook me to the core. I now understand that it is imperative for my generation to continue the groundwork of the foot soldiers.”

During the tour, Howard also connected the lived experiences of Native Americans and African Americans.

“My spirit was moved as we watched a Mardi Gras performance. It was very insightful to learn the impact it had on our enslavement,” Howard added. “I learned how Native Americans, and their culture, are intricately woven into the fabric of African American history. There is truth to the saying ‘I have Indian in me!’”

By Tannistha Sinha

Every summer, a group of Houston-area teenagers boards a bus before sunrise and spends a week retracing the roads of the Civil Rights Movement.

The Freedom Tour, an immersive weeklong journey organized by the Expose Excellence Youth Program, takes students to the cities where Black Americans organized and reshaped the country: Selma, Tuskegee, Montgomery, and Birmingham, Alabama; Memphis, Tennessee; and New Orleans, Louisiana.

Many Houstonians are familiar with another Freedom Tour, the one founded by SHAPE Community Center, which has been taking this same journey for over 30 years.

SHAPE’s Freedom Tour, which took over 50 students and chaperones this summer on their annual trip, only missed one year, due to COVID. During the Expose Excellence Youth Program’s Freedom Tour, for BraShard Jackson, history came alive through the voices of people who endured it. The South Early College High School student listened to incarcerated people’s stories and encountered holographic representations of enslaved ancestors. It helped the senior follow a timeline of racial injustice at the Legacy Museum in Montgomery. The experience forced Jackson to reconsider how close the civil rights era is to the present.

“I learned that when people say ‘it wasn’t that long ago,’ they mean it,” Jackson said.

“To go and talk to people who actually experienced and fought through segregation alongside these influential faces like Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X just shows how much we have overcome, but there is still much for us to do.”

The Freedom Tour

This year’s trip expanded its reach through a partnership between Expose Excellence Youth Program, founded by Fort Bend County District Attorney Brian Middleton, and Harris County Precinct One Commissioner Rodney Ellis.

Since its founding in 2021, Expose Excellence has reached more than 2,000 students through mentoring, after-school programs, leadership academies, cultural activities, and career exposure. The organization began conducting the Freedom Tour in partnership with the YMCA of Greater Houston in 2023, taking roughly 30 to 40 students annually to civil rights sites.

The tour was funded through the Expose Excellence Youth Program’s nonprofit

Houston-area teenagers walked historic Civil Rights sites during the Freedom Tour. Credit: Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis’ office.

Walking through history

The Freedom Tour turns pivotal Civil Rights landmarks into immersive classrooms. Credit: Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis.

Read the rest of this story at DefenderNetwork.com

fundraising efforts. Additionally, this year, Ellis’ office provided approximately $37,500 to allow 15 Precinct One high school students to join the tour alongside participants from Fort Bend County.

The funding reflects a broader concern about who gets access to formative experiences during summer activities. A 2024 Gallup survey found that just 38% of children from households earning less than $50,000 participated in structured activities in 2023, compared with 67% of children from households earning $100,000 or more.

Kyah Muhammad Howard, an 11th grader at Iowa Colony High School, said the tour included “eye-opening experiences,” especially with Joyce O’Neal, a 78-year-old foot soldier who recounted her experience during

the 1965 voting rights campaign in Selma.

Howard said O’Neal vividly described life before and after Bloody Sunday and

The distinction between reading history and physically entering formed the foundation of the tour.

At the Edmund Pettus Bridge, students walked where about 600 peaceful demonstrators attempted to begin a 54-mile march from Selma to Montgomery on March 7, 1965. Alabama state troopers and local law enforcement officers attacked them with clubs and tear gas in an assault that became known as Bloody Sunday. Televised images of the violence intensified national support for voting protections and helped propel the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Brown Chapel AME Church, another stop on the tour, served as the marchers’ starting point and as a base for organizing during the Selma voting rights campaign.

CLASSIFIED BID NOTICE HUB Subcontractor Opportunity Estrellita, Inc. is bidding on Houston Independent School District Project 26-04-46, Instructional Curriculum Materials, Supplies, and Digital Resources. Our company is looking for possible HUB subcontractors. We are currently looking for subcontractors for the following products or services: 1. Instructional curriculum materials 2. Instructional curriculum supplies 3. Instructional curriculum digital resources 4. Spanish translation/document review If you are interested in this opportunity, please contact Jose Pinedo at jose.pinedo@estrellita.com or 303779-2610 by 09/18/2026

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DN Profile

WATCH

VIDEO

Master P

No Limit blueprint for the next generation

By Laura Onyeneho

Percy “Master P” Miller built No Limit Records into one of hip-hop’s most successful independent labels by retaining ownership of his masters and a majority cut of his own record sales, at a time when few artists in the industry did either.

Master P returns to headline the Cash Money & No Limit Tour when it opens Sept. 11 at Toyota Center, the first stop on a 17-city run reuniting two of Southern hiphop’s most influential labels. Ahead of the show, he sat down with the Defender to discuss what that music ownership model means today, as artificial intelligence and shrinking streaming payouts reshape how young artists build their careers.

“I’ve been doing it for over 30 years,” Miller said. “And I think the sustainability comes from one, having integrity, two, consistency, and not being afraid to put the work in.”

He pointed to the years he spent hand-delivering records to Houston DJs and club promoters, passing out jackets and posters, and once dressing homeless people in No Limit T-shirts to turn them into what he called “walking billboards,” building the label’s name before he had a marketing budget to buy it.

He also invested directly in his own education. Miller said he once paid $25,000 to work with an attorney who had represented Michael Jackson, specifically to learn the business side of the industry.

“You’ve got to constantly want to grow to know the business,” he said.

“That’s the only way you’re going to survive.”

Miller founded No Limit Records in 1991 after opening a small record store in Richmond, California. By 1996, the independent label had struck a distribution deal with Priority Records that let Miller retain full ownership of his masters and keep 85% of record sales, an arrangement almost unheard of in the industry at the time. No Limit went on to sell more than 100 million albums worldwide, according to multiple reports, turning Miller into a mogul and artists like Snoop Dogg and Mystikal into some of the era’s biggest stars.

That ownership model is the foundation Miller wants young artists to study now, even as the tools of the business shift under them. AI-generated music has surged industrywide; the streaming platform

Master P speaks with the Defender ahead of the Cash Money & No Limit Tour’s Sept. 11 stop at Toyota Center in Houston. Credit: Jimmie Aggison/ Defender.

Deezer reported receiving roughly 75,000 AI-generated tracks a day in 2026, accounting for 44% of all daily uploads. Miller said he isn’t rattled by it.

“Even as AI grows, they still need

somebody behind it,” he said. “We talk about streaming, the game has changed, but I feel like if you own your stuff, you’ve just got to be able to keep up with the times.”

Miller said he tells young artists to be

honest with themselves about whether they want to run a business or simply make music. “Being a boss and being an entrepreneur is not for everybody,” he said, recalling a $1 million, seven-year record deal he turned down early in his career to invest in himself instead. “You’ve got to know what you want.”

“Everybody has 24 hours. What are you doing with your 24 hours?” Miller said artists who spend that time partying instead of building a brand shouldn’t expect the same results as those who don’t. “You got to know what you want. Everybody don’t have to be the boss... any company need workers.”

Miller attended the University of Houston on a basketball scholarship before a knee injury sent him to Merritt College in Oakland, California, where he studied business administration, training that later shaped how he ran No Limit. Houston also took in members of his extended family and community after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and his son, Mercy Miller, is entering his second season as a guard for the UH Cougars, who reached the NCAA Final Four in 2025.

“Houston is like my second home,” Miller said. “I done brought many houses for my family out here in Houston, so just to be here, you just feel like home, a home away from home.”

The Sept. 11 concert will reunite Cash Money artists Birdman, Juvenile, Mannie Fresh, and B.G. with No Limit’s Silkk the Shocker, Mia X, Mac, Fiend, Choppa, and Mr. Serv-On, along with special guest Boosie. The show follows the labels’ Oct. 25, 2025, Verzuz battle at ComplexCon in Las Vegas, which reintroduced both catalogs to a new generation of fans. Proceeds from the tour benefit Miller’s Team Hope Foundation, which supports mental health resources in Black communities.

“This tour is already opening doors to new audiences, the same way Verzuz did,” Miller said. “What’s next for me is being able to educate the next generation.”

He is developing an early-childhood education project, Captain Ace, aimed at reaching kids before middle school, alongside his continued work coaching and mentoring young athletes in Houston.

“Don’t be afraid to invest in yourself,” he said. “And don’t forget where you came from.”

10 | September 3, 2026 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Sports PVA&M, TSU WINNING STREAKS FUEL

LABOR DAY CLASSIC RIVALRY

By Terrance Harris

PRAIRIE VIEW – For decades now, the Labor Day Kickoff Classic that pits Prairie View A&M and Texas Southern has been almost everything a good rivalry should be.

Highly competitive games that came down to the final play.

Spirited play on the field.

Smack talk.

A healthy dislike for each other.

A game that divided families, households, and friendships.

The only shortcoming is that sometimes, both programs weren’t very good with respect to the SWAC West Division. But in the past couple of years, that has changed with programs showing a resurgence at the same time, which has amplified this rivalry that renews Sunday morning at 11 a.m. in Prairie View in front of a national ESPN2 audience.

“I think it’s really good,” said second-year Prairie View coach Tremaine Jackson, who has been on both sides of this rivalry as a head coach, and as a player and assistant coach at TSU. “I think it’s good for the SWAC, I think it’s good for FCS football in the state of Texas. We’ve got a lot of FCS football around us, so everybody being good helps us all. So we want to make sure that we are doing our part.”

The feeling now is that the SWAC West really runs through Houston, and that seems more than rhetoric after Prairie View won last season’s opener against TSU on a run-off touchdown. The Panthers went on to win the division and the SWAC Championship, and represented the conference in the Black college football national championship game.

TSU, meanwhile, finished second in the division just two games behind Prairie View while posting the program’s first NCAA-recognized winning season in 25 years. Were it not for one busted play in the end zone as time expired last season, the Tigers might have experienced the success the Panthers enjoyed.

“Last year, the winner of this game really was for the West championship,” said PV athletic director Anton Goff, who is heading into his fourth Labor Day Classic. “We look at it similarly. Both of these programs are really good. We have always talked about how the West should come through Texas, and in order for that to be true, we both have to be really good. Right now it looks like two great programs.”

For TSU coach Cris Dishman and Jackson as the game nears, it’s less about the implications for the season or even the rivalry. It’s about both getting a win and starting out conference play 1-0.

Prairie View coach Tremaine Jackson (left) and TSU coach Cris Dishman (right) weren’t exactly friendly but were far more cordial than last year, when barbs were thrown by both coaches during the Labor Day press conference.

Credit: Terrance Harris/Defender.

It’s for the city, in my opinion, and I’m a Houstonian. That matters to me. It matters to people in my family.

But for our program, it’s about the Western Division championship. You get a chance to go 1-0 in the West, and be 1-0 for a little bit, and get to see some other people work it out before we get back to SWAC play. So it’s a blessing and a curse. You get to find out what your future is going to be, and hopefully it plays out in your favor.”

TREMAINE JACKSON

In the SWAC preseason predictions, Prairie View was picked to repeat as SWAC West champs, while the Tigers are predicted to finish fourth in the division. In the

meantime, the Inaugural Black College Preseason Football Poll has the Panthers ranked No.2 in the country and TSU ranked No. 9.

“For me, it’s for the West,” said Dishman, who is 1-1 in the Labor Day Classic going into his third season. “The winner of this game will be the winner of the West. That’s what we are trying to do, is win the West.”

Both programs got a chance to find out a little about themselves during last weekend’s opener, with TSU coming away feeling pretty good after defeating North Carolina Central 42-30 at home in a classic SWACMEAC showdown. Jackson isn’t happy about his team’s 19-point loss in the non-conference matchup, but he understands what’s most important for his program is how it navigates the SWAC season.

“We make no qualms about it,” Jackson said. “We don’t have to talk about those things that we have already talked about.

We came here to win. We want to win every game. We wanted to win last week.”

An indication of how far this game has come now that both programs are good and viable in the SWAC race, Goff hammered out a deal that gives the Labor Day Classic stand-alone status on ESPN2. The game had to be moved to early Sunday morning, but for a couple of hours, the weekend before the NFL fully kicks off, the only football action will be Panthers vs. Tigers.

While the exposure is top-tier for both

This game means a lot to our fans, alums, players, and our coaching staff. What we try to do when it comes to Prairie View is look at what we can do better and then do it better.”

CRIS DISHMAN

schools and programs, and for SWAC and HBCU football in general, shifting the game to Sunday morning has not set well with some, especially TSU fans.

Jackson is good with the time slot, but he has a message for fans of both programs who might prefer to watch from the comfort of home after the church service instead of packing Panther Stadium, as both coaches hope.

“I don’t care where the game is. You need to come to the game,” Jackson said. “I’m a little concerned. Everybody wants to go to hear the sermon on Sunday when they’ve missed (last Sunday). But this coming Sunday, they’ve got to go to this service.”

September 3, 2026 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

| 11

DN Sports

Brian Scott Jr. BELLAIRE H.S. SENIOR

Balances basketball and volleyball

By Jimmie Aggison

Many 6-foot-8 athletes follow one path.

For Brian Scott Jr., the gym has never had just one court. During the winter, he anchors the paint as a left-handed center, scoring efficiently, protecting the rim, and threading passes that few players his size even see.

When basketball season ends, he trades the hardwood for the volleyball court, rising at the net as a right-side hitter for Houston Volleyball Academy’s nationally ranked 17U Red Team.

While many athletes specialize early, Scott is proving it is still possible to thrive in two demanding sports, using footwork, vision, and timing to excel both above the rim and above the net.

“Last season, during my junior year, I realized I could compete at a high level in both sports,” said Scott.

Since then, Scott has embraced the challenge of balancing both sports while maintaining the same competitive mentality, regardless of which court he’s on.

“When I step onto both courts, I have the same mindset, execute, and destroy my competition,” said Scott.

Although Scott has become known in two sports, basketball laid the foundation for his athletic career. Last season at Bellaire High School, he averaged 12.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game.

Scott, an agile center, offers much more than traditional post play. He can handle the ball on the perimeter, attack defenders off the dribble, and knock down mid-range shots.

“I have improved my ball handling the most this offseason, focusing on ball handling on the perimeter and getting to my moves in traffic,” said Scott.

While Scott has worked to expand his offensive game, his impact extends well beyond scoring.

“What stands out most is his leadership,” said Bellaire High School boys basketball coach Cedric Netty. “He is the voice and anchor of the defense.”

Often the tallest defender on the court, Scott has applied skills from volleyball to basketball, where Netty says his timing, discipline, and shot-blocking ability make him a defensive force.

“In volleyball, you have to be disciplined when approaching the net to block the

Bellaire senior Brian Scott Jr. stands 6-foot-8 and has the ability to dominate on both the basketball and volleyball courts. Credit: Jimmie Aggison/Defender.

I have more coaches interested in me for volleyball right now than for basketball, but it will not stop my grind for either sport.”

BRIAN SCOTT JR.

opponent’s shot and not lower your arms to hit the net,” said Netty. “So, for me, when you translate that to basketball, it’s hard for kids with his shot blocking abilities to keep their arms vertical without coming down on the offensive player.”

But basketball isn’t the only sport that has shaped Scott’s athletic career. He was introduced to volleyball by his sister, whose

passion for the sport sparked his interest.

“She played volleyball for a long time, which forced me to be around the sport,” said Scott. “After that, I began playing beach volleyball, then I branched off and started playing the sport for myself.”

Now a right-side hitter, Scott uses his size and athleticism to attack, block, and defend at the net.

“Brian’s athleticism and power are key, and being left-handed gives him a natural advantage on the right side,” said Marco Meoni, coach of the Houston Volleyball Academy 17U Red Team. “The set comes from his left, allowing him to anticipate or delay his attack more easily than a right-handed player. It also opens better angles, making him very difficult to defend.”

The skills Scott developed on the basketball court have also translated to volleyball.

“While the two sports are quite different, his basketball background shows up in his footwork control, body coordination, and especially his ability to read and anticipate trajectories,” said Meoni. “Volleyball is a game of quick decisions and timing, and his

experience in basketball has clearly helped him develop those skills.”

Balancing two varsity sports requires more than athletic ability. It demands discipline, careful time management, and a willingness to constantly switch between two very different games.

“The biggest challenge I face when playing two sports is choosing which sport to play if schedules overlap,” said Scott.

Netty believes Scott should continue pursuing both passions for as long as possible.

“I tend to stay away from the topic of encouraging Brian to play both sports, but I have mentioned to him, that ‘People make time for what they love,’” said Netty.

“So, if you love both sports and can continue giving both your all, then continue doing what makes you happy.”

Even as Scott continues to grow in both sports, the next question every high school athlete eventually faces is: What comes next?

“I have more coaches interested in me for volleyball right now than for basketball, but it will not stop my grind for either sport,” said Scott. “I am fully open to both sports in college. I believe they can provide me with amazing opportunities in college and for my future.”

Whether his future unfolds on a basketball court or a volleyball court, Scott already knows sports won’t be the only part of his story. He hopes to study psychology or marine biology.

“I’ve always been fascinated by the brain and the different ways people think and process emotions. I also enjoy helping people, especially when it comes to mental health.

At the same time, I’ve been interested in marine biology my entire life because I’ve always loved the ocean and the animals that live there. There’s still so much we have yet to discover beneath the surface, and if I ever have the opportunity to explore it, I’d love to do that.”

For now, Scott isn’t rushing to choose between the rim and the net. Instead, he’s continuing to pursue both passions, waiting for the opportunity that recognizes the value of an athlete capable of excelling on either court.

12 | September 3, 2026 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Feature

LATE SUMMER, FALL

Urban gardening tips

By Aswad Walker

For many Houston-area gardeners, spring gets most of the attention, while fall is also popular thanks to Texas’ mild winters. Summer, however, is often viewed as gardening’s off-season.

With Houston’s heat index regularly topping 100 degrees, many gardeners put away their tools until cooler weather arrives. But experienced growers say late summer is actually one of the year’s most important gardening periods.

It’s the ideal time to prepare for a productive fall harvest while helping many spring crops recover from the stress of extreme heat.

Fall is Houston’s second growing season Brukendra Fillmore, Harris County Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Agent with Prairie View A&M University Extension, says Houston’s location in USDA Zones 9A and 9B gives local gardeners a major advantage.

“Late summer and early fall can serve as a second growing season,” Fillmore said, provided gardeners choose crops that can handle

lingering heat.

Warm-weather vegetables that still perform well include okra, southern peas, cucumbers, summer squash, peppers, eggplant, and sweet potatoes. Depending on the variety, pumpkins, winter squash, beans, and some tomatoes can also be planted.

Marcus Glenn, program developer with Black United Fund, says there’s still plenty of time to get growing.

“It’s still time for okra,” Glenn said. “I’d also start planning my fall garden” with leafy vegetables, fall tomatoes, and cucumbers.

He recommends planting heirloom varieties alongside hybrids proven to thrive in Zones 9A and 9B.

Local gardening experts explain why Houston’s intense summer heat shouldn’t stop planting, offering practical strategies for thriving fall harvests and healthier gardens. Credit: ChatGPT.

Start fall crops before fall arrives One of the biggest mistakes gardeners make is waiting until cooler weather arrives before planting fall vegetables. As temperatures begin to ease, Fillmore recommends transitioning to broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, collards, kale, Swiss chard, mustard greens, lettuce, carrots, beets, radishes, turnips, and peas. Garlic and onions

can be planted later in the season.

Herbs also transition with the weather.

Basil can continue growing in the heat before gardeners switch to cilantro, parsley, and dill.

Ron McFarlane, chief urban agriculturist at Harlem River Farms, urges gardeners to begin even sooner.

“Fall gardening starts now—not when it finally feels like fall,” he said.

He recommends starting slower-growing

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vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, collards, and kale indoors or in shaded areas so healthy transplants are ready when outdoor conditions improve.

Small gardens can produce big harvests.