09.18.2025_Defender-e-FULL

GOSPEL MUSIC MONTH CELEBRATION

Houston Gospel Voices

NEWS

SPORTS

KP GEORGE E

BIG MONE EY

The embattled Fort Bend County leader speaks out.

Have money games outgrown their value in HBCU football?

Volume 94, issue 48 September 18, 2025

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DN To the POINT CONCERTS

THEATER The Trump administration’s funding boost strengthens HBCUs and Tribal Colleges after years of chronic underinvestment. Credit: Getty Images

GOSPEL

GALAS

Yeah, we have a calendar for Black Events.

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Message from the Reporter At the same time, Miles has pointed to substantial gains under the school district’s New President Donald Trump administration’s Education System. In a recent press conferdecision to reallocate nearly $500 million ence, he noted that HISD recorded its largest toward historically Black colleges and univeryear-to-year improvement in test scores, and sities (HBCUs) and tribal campuses marks a he set a goal for all campuses to reach an A or significant boost for institutions that have long B rating by 2027. faced chronic underfunding.

The commission’s role will be to balance The investment pushes total federal support these perspectives, gathering data and testifor HBCUs to more than $1.34 billion this year mony before issuing reports on the takeover’s and raises funding for tribal colleges to more impact. Its work underscores an essential Tannistha Sinha than $108 million. For schools that often serve question: How can student achievement be as anchors in their communities, these dollars sustained while also honoring community represent vital resources for students and faculty alike. trust and local democratic control?

These institutions will receive this investment in addition It expects to publish reports on the impacts of the takeover, to the 2025 federal budget allocation, totaling an increase of raise awareness about “hostile takeovers” and answer questions 48.4% for HBCUs and 109.3% for Tribal Colleges and Uni- about returning HISD to local control and new forms of eduversities (TCUs). cation following the transition to an elected board of trustees.

The Department of Education framed the reallocation as a shift away from programs it views as less effective, directing Houston housing market sees surge in sales money instead to initiatives it believes will deliver stronger Houston’s housing market continues to defy expectations, outcomes. and August’s numbers prove the point. Single-family home Alongside the HBCU and tribal college investment, the sales surged nearly 12% year-over-year, marking the strongest administration announced $500 million in charter school growth of 2025 so far. At the same time, prices held steady, grants and more than $160 million for civics and American with the median unchanged at $335,000, per an analysis by history education. the Houston Association of Realtors.

The administration says this is to focus on merit, effectiveThis rare combination of rising sales and stable prices gives ness and long-term student success. Education Secretary Linda both buyers and sellers a reason to be optimistic.

McMahon said the changes will redirect money away “from For buyers, the expanded inventory, now more than 30% ineffective and discriminatory programs toward those which higher than last year, means more negotiating power than the support student success.” city has seen in a decade.

A 5.4-month supply of homes places Houston above the New commission to examine HISD state takeover national average, offering opportunities at nearly every price A new Commission on the HISD Takeover, led by State point. For sellers, demand remains strong, especially in the Sen. Molly Cook, State Rep. Lauren Ashley Simmons and faith $150,000 to $249,999 and $500,000 to $999,999 ranges, which leader Collin Bossen, was created to study the effects of the saw double-digit sales increases. state’s intervention in Texas’ largest school district.

Still, the broader picture is encouraging. As mortgage rates The commission will hold sessions to “address the grow- ease, Houston finds itself in a rare sweet spot: Strong demand, ing lack of trust in the state takeover and [Superintendent] stable prices and abundant choice. The challenge now will be Mike Miles by thoroughly investigating the current conditions sustaining this balance in a city with a growing population. within HISD.” The first session highlighted both concerns and aspirations. On the Web Community members voiced unease over teacher turnover, • Houston drivers’ most ignored traffic violations. library closures and changes to specialized programs. Others • Trump’s trouble with Black women. emphasized the need to protect teacher collaboration and • What are we doing to raise up the next Sheila, Mickey ensure public schools remain rooted in community priorities. and Barbara?

Trump administration boosts funding for HBCUs and Tribal Colleges

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| 3

DN News Fort Bend residents fight for political voice

By Aswad Walker

With national redistricting taking hold at the county level in Fort Bend, many residents are refusing to take the attacks on their political voices lying down.

In fact, at a recent Community Dialogue 2025, a breakfast with county stakeholders, elected officials and candidates, attendees promised to engage in the fight of their lives.

Days before the Community Dialogue, Rep. Suleman Lalani urged Fort Bend County residents to submit public comments, contact lawmakers and mobilize quickly in response to state GOP members’ attempts to redraw U.S. Congressional districts.

“Gov. Abbott is busy giving Texas on a silver platter to President Trump,” said Lalani. “We didn’t have any other option but to deny quorum. Breaking quorum is not running away from the responsibilities… it is one of the tools put in Texas legislation by our forefathers. We are accused of running away, walking out. You know what? We are not walking out. We are standing up.”

Defining the challenges

That same level of righteous indignation and fight was on display during the more recent Community Dialogue, which featured

Judge Roderick Garner outlines current attacks on democracy faced

by Fort Bend County residents.

Credit: Aswad Walker.

Mary Kelly calls for Democratic Party political unity to fight against oppressive forces. Credit: Aswad Walker.

Calls for unity and community thoughts on strengthening education.

Fort Bend County commissioners Grady Prestage (Precinct 2) and Dexter McCoy (Precinct 4), judges Monica Rawlins, Roderick Garner, Tyra McCullum and Surendran Patel, and others.

To set the tone of the proceedings, Reynolds provided a history lesson, mentioning “Bloody Sunday” and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, linking the sacrifices of Civil Rights Movement participants to a modern-

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“Here we are in 2025, and they are literally trying to turn back the clock. I hope you realize that this is not like a hyperbolic statement,” said Reynolds. “Literally, as I talk to you today, there are forces of evil that want to turn back the clock. They’re not happy with this new usher of leadership. They want us on the menu, but they don’t want us at the table.

Speaking on the newly drawn U.S. Congressional maps for Texas as ordered by President Donald Trump and delivered by Texas Governor Greg Abbott, Reynolds didn’t mince words.

“We have more African Americans in Texas than in any other state. Did y’all hear that? Yet, we only have four African American seats in Texas,” said Reynolds.

He cited the fact that, though Texas had four “African American” seats, and should have more due to population numbers, the Abbott/Trump map leaves the state with just two.

“We should have like eight. It should be a 50% increase based on the numbers, but we had a 50% decrease. That’s 50-freaking-percent, and I’m still pissed off about it,” shouted Reynolds. “This is our Selma. This is our civil rights moment right here.”

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DN News FORT BEND COUNTY LEADERS SERIES

Judge KP George Charts rise, challenges, political shift

central to George’s dramatic political shift.

Although he began his career aligned with Democrats, George announced this year he was switching to the Republican Party, giving the Fort Bend County Commissioners Court Republicans a 3-2 majority.

“When you talk about social issues, abortion, family, marriage, fiscal responsibility, people coming from our background are very conservative,” he said. “I sided with a party [Democratic] under the impression that we could work out together for the betterment of our citizens, but that is not exactly what I experienced.”

Fort Bend County is experiencing its own redistricting saga, echoing the statewide movement. The controversial redistricting push is intricately tied to broader political shifts following George’s party switch, which happened after his legal troubles arose.

By Tannistha Sinha

Fort Bend County Judge KP (Kyle Prasad) George’s journey from a small village in southern India to the helm of one of Texas’ fastest-growing counties is the story of an immigrant whose American Dream came to life.

Born in Kerala, India, in a village so remote it didn’t receive electricity until 2007, George often invoked his humble beginnings as the root of his empathy for working families and immigrants.

“That is the very reason why I understand people’s desire to provide for their family and the immigrant community at large,” he told the Defender.

Now, those roots are under mounting scrutiny as he defends his record and integrity while preparing for a 2026 reelection bid.

Entering public life George served on the Fort Bend ISD school board for more than five years. His first countywide race came in 2018, when he challenged Republican incumbent Judge Bob Hebert in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.

Fort Bend is often described as one of America’s most diverse counties. Its population is roughly 30% white, 24% Hispanic, 22% Asian, 20% Black and 4% other races, with more than 100 languages spoken across the county. For George, that diversity is both a personal connection and a governing challenge.

“That’s why Fort Bend is a unique place, it’s a melting pot,” he said.

Legal struggles George is navigating the fight of his political life. Once celebrated as the first South Asian elected to lead a Texas county, he is now facing money laundering felony charges that could derail his future. Prosecutors allege he misused campaign funds for personal expenses, including property taxes and a down payment on a home, and concealed those transactions in campaign finance reports.

He has accused the Fort Bend County

Fort Bend County’s growth highlights Judge KP George’s priorities on flooding, housing and public safety. Credit: Jimmie Aggison/Houston Defender

District Attorney’s office of pursuing politically motivated charges to force his resignation, insisted the case is baseless and vowed to fight it in court.

George’s defense is asking the court to dismiss the indictment, calling it legally insufficient. They argue that funding a campaign with personal money and then reimbursing one’s self is lawful and does not constitute money laundering. George was arrested in April 2025 on these felony charges.

“This is actually absolutely absolute abuse of government resources and needs to stop.

I will get my day in court,” he said. “If you

VOLUME 94, NUMBER 48 - SEPTEMBER 18, 2025 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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remember, our President had indictments, but the people elected him to run this country.”

Political realignment One of George’s defining themes has been fiscal balance. Since he took office, the county budget has grown from nearly $500 million in 2023 to $732 million in 2025. He says he has frequently warned that such rapid growth is unsustainable. This year, he has pledged to deliver a “no new revenue” budget, tightening spending while maintaining core services like public safety and flood mitigation.

That focus on financial restraint was also

Infrastructure, flooding and safety George’s administration has prioritized infrastructure and flood control in a county bisected by the Brazos River, which he calls the “crazy river” for its unpredictable shifts. Fort Bend has secured $264 million in funding for 25 major flood control projects, while also working with the Army Corps of Engineers, TxDOT and the state General Land Office.

The county has also invested in disaster response, including drones and over 60 flood cameras to provide real-time data on evacuations and high-risk roads.

With Fort Bend’s population and housing costs soaring, George has acknowledged that affordability is becoming a pressing concern.

Looking ahead Whether George can overcome the legal and political challenges ahead may determine not only his legacy but also the direction of Fort Bend itself.

“I’m not really worried about any legacy and I just wanted to do whatever the best I can do,” he said. “God put me here for a reason and he has a specific vision about me.”

Publisher | CEO Sonceria Messiah-Jiles

Content Manager Terrance Harris

Strategic Alllance Clyde Jiles

Associate Editor Aswad Walker

Managing Editor ReShonda Tate

Culture/Lifestyle Reporter Laura Onyeneho

Special Assignments Reporter Tannistha Sinha Sports Terrance Harris Jimmie Aggison Video Editor Bryan Erdy

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| 5

DN Feature

Baptism comes to the homeless

By Tannistha Sinha

By late morning, the Houston heat was already pressing down like a heavy hand. Sweat beaded on brows, backpacks clung to backs and the air shimmered above the asphalt.

Yet, at the Community of Faith Church’s firstever outdoor baptism for the homeless, “Alive

by Faith,” a long line wound toward the portable baptismal pools, where one by one, men and women stepped forward, some barefoot, some still clutching their few possessions, ready to be submerged in water that promised more than just a short-lived relief from the scorching sun.

Keith James, 70, stood near the front, a white towel draped across his shoulders. Just weeks earlier, he had lost his apartment, ending up on the streets.

“I was close to God once before and I felt like I needed to get rebaptized again,” James said.

When he emerged from the pool, water streaming down his face, James said he felt renewed, like he had closed a distance that had grown over time between himself and his faith.

James hopes he is not lost within the statistics.

In 2023, over 23,000 people in Harris, Fort Bend and Montgomery counties accessed a homeless service, which rises to 52,000

people when clothing Attendees or food assistance is like Comlisa included, according to (pictured) the Coalition for the shared personal Homeless of Houston/ stories of hardship, faith Harris County. The and resilience.

2024 Homeless Count Credit: & Survey shows that Tannistha we can expect to see 3,280 people experi- Sinha/Houston Defender encing homelessness at any given moment in the Houston region.

But organizers said this was a day for second chances. Over 170 people were fed hot meals, and more than 300 T-shirts and towels, donated by the nonprofit Hoodies 4 Healing, were handed out. For the first time, the church’s baptism service extended beyond its walls to meet people where they were, at a corner of Houston where homelessness is visible in every direction.

“Today is the day of new beginnings,” said Bishop James Dixon II, the pastor of the Community of Faith Church. “Pray for us as we baptise God’s homeless sons and daughters.”

Some came for the food and left with more

than they expected. Tony Bursie, 38, has been in Houston since March, fleeing domestic abuse in Detroit. In the sprawling city he landed in, Bursie is still looking for a job.

“Once I get a job, I’ll be all right,” he assured himself, the sun beating down on his shirtless back and unkempt hair. “I get by by the grace of God. If it wasn’t for him, I don’t know where

I would be…If you know what God does, then you know He’s got a funny way of doing things.

He sends you through battles. He wanna see what you’re going to do. This is a test, that’s all it is.”

Minister Jerri Thomas, who has been with the Community of Faith for years, said the event was designed to be both spiritual and practical.

She said showing up for people in need encourages them to fight all odds.

For some, the odds are heavily stacked against them.

Comlisa [last name withheld], experiencing homelessness for the first time, described how difficult it is to simply find a restroom or a safe place to rest. With no job and a gnawing hunger accompanying her every move, she smiles when she says, “Maybe I’m just behind…it’s okay. As long as you’re not taking from anybody, the Lord will provide for you.”

Her words blended into the hum of praise music and the soft splash of baptismal water.

By the time the last person stepped out of the pool, the sun was high and unforgiving. But under the shade tents, volunteers kept serving plates, handing out water bottles and wrapping towels around dripping shoulders.

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DN InFocus Gospel Music Hall of Famer V. Michael McKay. Credit: Aswad Walker.

Gospel artist Kim Burrell.

Credit: Berklee College of Music.

Gospel artist Kathy Taylor. Credit: KathyTaylorLive.com.

Ernest Walker, general manager of KTSU. Credit: Aswad Walker.

Melanie Bivens, Fountain of Praise.

Credit: Aswad Walker.

Gospel artist Brian Dunlap.

Courtesy Brian Dunlap.

James Fortune, gospel artist, producer.

Credit: Gabe Ginsberg/ Getty Images.

William Keith Eason, minister of music, The Fort Bend Church. Credit: The Fort Bend Church.

Gospel Music Hall of Famer Yolanda Adams. Credit: Arnold Turner/ Getty Images

Gospel artist Brian Courtney Wilson.

Credit: briancourtneywilson.com.

Houston voices sing praise of gospel music impact

Gospel music is a force of nature. It not only dominates Black church gatherings and radio airwaves in the U.S., gospel music’s lyrics and melodies can be heard around the world.

W

By Aswad Walker

hat’s just as amazing is that gospel music, once considered “unholy” and “secular” by the gospel lovers of past generations, is now the norm. Houstonians like the late Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, community activist Carl Davis and KTSU General Manager Ernest Walker were instrumental in getting September designated as Gospel Music Month.

To that end, the Defender chose to

celebrate the genre by reaching out to Houston-area members of the gospel music community to gather their perspectives on its significance to the nation in general and to Black people in particular.

Nation

For award-winning gospel music artist Brian Courtney Wilson, gospel music impacts which communities’ stories America is willing to hear.

“I think our country is in the middle of

GOSPEL GREATS WITH HOUSTON ROOTS

By Aswad Walker

Houston is a global hub for gospel music, producing world-renowned artists and institutions that keep the genre thriving.

contending for the stories: Who gets to tell them, who gets to contextualize them, who gets to read meaning into them,” said Wilson. “For me, gospel music has always been a means to telling that story. It uses words and it goes beyond words. That’s why it’s important to me.

“And I think it’s important to the country that space is made for it to be heard, if we’re serious about all the stories.”

William Keith Eason, the minister of music at the Fort Bend Church, uttered similar sentiments.

“Gospel really means the good news.

And right now, we need a lot of good news with the bad times we’re kind of in,” said Eason, one of the winners of the inaugural Defender Ministers of Music Extraordinaire Awards in 2018. “There’s nothing better than a gospel song or gospel music to help pull us through what we’re dealing with; the

PROMINENT ARTISTS Yolanda Adams

Grammy-winning gospel icon

V. Michael McKay

Gospel Hall of Fame songwriter

inflation, the deaths, the assassinations and all the things that’s going on.”

Gospel legend V. Michael McKay offered a sermonic response to the question of what gospel music’s importance is to the U.S. “First of all, gospel music is universal.

It’s just the good news of Jesus Christ,” said McKay, a Gospel Music Hall of Famer. “We sing the word just like we speak the word, we preach the word, we live the word. So, it’s the word of God. It’s the good news of Jesus Christ in songs.”

Melanie Bivens, a powerful part of the music ministry at the Fountain of Praise, preached a word, as well, about gospel music’s national impact.

“For this country, we offer gospel music to God’s people, for the believers and the non-believers, that they can see the good news, they can hear the message that is displayed in gospel music, a message of

hope, a message of security, a message of enlightenment for all the believers,” stated Bivens. “Those who are listening to the music may have a bad day, and they want to hear something that’s played on the radio; Richard Smallwood’s Total Praise or if I feel like I’m all alone by myself, Never Alone by Walter Hawkins.

“So, what it means for t he country is just good news. It’s a HEAR FROM message of hope.

MORE GOSPEL It’s a message ARTISTS of deliverance.

AND HOW It’s a message of THE MUSIC assurance. It’s a IMPACTS THEM message to let us PERSONALLY. know that we are

James Fortune

Kathy Taylor

Kim Burrell

The Walls Group

Brian Courtney Wilson

Gene Moore

Acclaimed singer and producer

Renowned gospel vocalist

Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter

not in this world by ourselves. And there is good news even out of a bad situation.”

Black people

Local gospel greats emphasized the genre’s history when reflecting on gospel music’s importance to Black people.

“When you think of the Black church, to me, that’s kind of part of where gospel music was birthed. But if you go back to slavery time, it was really back with the Negro spirituals,” said Walker. “But when you think of gospel music today and how important it is in the Black church, I think it’s very relevant. It’s a music that has helped us get through challenges in our lives, from what we were dealing with in the 1960s to what we’re dealing with today in 2025.”

Bivens, too, recalled Black people’s experience with enslavement when searching for words to express gospel music’s impact

Houston native and gospel legend

Multi-Grammy-nominated sibling group

Grammy-nominated singer, featured on Houston Matters

on Black people.

“Gospel music, for Black people specifically, goes back to slavery,” said Bivens. “It goes back to the spirituals, how our ancestors would sing songs like Swing Low, Sweet Chariot, ‘coming forth to carry me home.’

Wade in the Water. It spoke of freedom and ‘We’re getting out of here. We’re going to get out of this thing alive. We are not going to stay here forever.’ From the spirituals to the blues to jazz, and now to gospel music, it gives us hope and assurance.”

Wilson dialed up the person known as the “Father of gospel music.”

“Thomas Dorsey was a blues musician who dealt with some tragedy, and it took him to church,” shared Wilson. “He was able to integrate what he was doing in the blues with what he was compelled to do in the church as he healed. And it was for an audience that was refused entry into white

Brian Dunlap

Singer, songwriter

KTSU 90.9 FM

Legendary radio station supporting gospel

spaces, white neighborhoods, white access to agency. He was able to fuse the blues, the sacred and all of those stories and what people were contending with, to give us this legacy of gospel music.

“And not only that, monetize it so we could continue to do it.”

McKay described gospel music as a historical mirror.

“You could tell something about a person’s history by listening to their music.

And this is one type of music that you could listen to and you could tell who we are, where we are in life,” shared McKay. “Starting with spirituals, you could see and hear the oppression. Even in good gospel music today, you still hear and feel the heart of the person singing. It’s about the telling of the story. It’s a story being told, and you just happen to put it in the words of a song.”

MINISTERS OF MUSIC William Keith Eason, Pamela Davis, Leon Lewis LOCAL LEGENDS Hank Neal, Brenda Waters, Ronald Materre

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DN Health

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Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers among men. Men over 50, Black men, and those with a family history of prostate cancer face higher risks. The good news? With early detection, it is one of the most treatable cancers.

This Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, take the opportunity to understand the risks and prioritize screenings.

Understanding the Greater Risk for Black Men Black men are about 1.7 times more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer and more than twice as likely to die from it compared to White men, according to the National Cancer Institute. Several factors contribute to these disparities, but early detection can save lives.

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• Encourage Loved Ones: Families and friends can play a crucial role by supporting and encouraging the men in their lives to prioritize their health and schedule a screening.

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DN Feature

Word in Black Survey Aims to close organ donation gap

Defender news Service

A new national survey is calling on Greater Black Houston to help tackle a life-or-death disparity in organ donation.

“A 2025 rep or t from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) highlights a sobering disparity: Black Americans make up nearly 28% of people waiting for a transplant, but only Mahlobo about 13% of organ donors,” said Christa T. Mahlobo, Ph.D., Word in Black Research and Insights Director. “This means far too many of our brothers, sisters, and neighbors wait longer, suffer more, and sometimes don’t get the second chance they deserve. We know the numbers — but we don’t fully understand the why.”

That’s where the Word in Black survey comes in. In just a few minutes, Black residents can share their thoughts and feelings about organ donation. “By adding your voice,

you help close the gap and shape education, policy, and awareness campaigns that save lives,” Mahlobo emphasized. “It only takes a few minutes — but the impact of your answers could be lifelong.”

Houston Defender Publisher Sonny Messiah Jiles underscored the urgency for local participation: “Family, this is life-saving work. We need Greater Black Houston to show up in this survey so we can uncover why and how to get more of us to say yes to organ donation.

Together, we can save lives—starting today.”

Completing the survey is simple and secure.

Your perspective will inform solutions to ensure more Black patients receive the TAKE THE transplants they SURVEY need and deserve.

Take a moment today to make a generational impact.

Your voice could help rewrite the story of organ donation— one life at a time.

Credit: Getty

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DN Sports ALL MONEY AIN’T GOOD MONEY

HBCU football money games

By Terrance Harris

Grambling State coach Mickey Joseph reignited a controversial conversation recently after his Tigers suffered a 70-0 loss at No.1ranked Ohio State in an early-season college football game.

For their efforts, Grambling State University received a record $1 million payday in what are known as money games. The concept of money games in HBCU football, where Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) programs receive large payouts in exchange for hitting the road and suffering a humiliating defeat to teams in the top level of college football who are better stocked with superior talent and funding, is not new.

But the divide has grown so much wider in this era of the transfer portal, NIL money and now revenue sharing, which has essentially allowed FBS Power 4 programs to put together teams with values that exceed most HBCUs’ total athletic department budgets.

While praising his players and assistant coaches for a valiant effort against the Buckeyes, Joseph let it be known that his program had been asked to stand at the bottom of a mountain that was impossible to climb.

“What do they have, a $35 million roster? I don’t have a $35 million roster,” Joseph quipped in the postgame press conference.

“Maybe we could put our money together and we could come up with $35 million, but I doubt it.”

Joseph’s words have restarted a conversation that has gone on for years: whether these money games are fair to the HBCU student athletes who are outmanned and overmatched in these games, where they are almost always guaranteed to suffer humiliating defeats and

While not a FBS power, Rice is still stocked enough with scholarships and resources that it allowed the Owls to distance themselves in a recent dominant win over Prairie View. Prairie View was paid $350,000 for the short trip to Houston for the game. Credit: Maria Lysaker/Rice Athletics

The No.1-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes pummeled the Grambling State University football team, 70-0, for an FCS record $1 million payday in what is known as a money game. Credit: Getty Images

sometimes serious injury. Deion Sanders raised the point the loudest a few years ago when he was the head coach at Jackson State, when he said the games were unfair to the student athletes and questioned whether the paydays usually in the $300,000 range were enough for the potential risk of injury.

HBCU athletic directors and administrators will tell you that these money games are necessary to provide needed dollars not just to the football team and other athletic programs but also for the bands, which are always a part of these games, and the schools’ general fund.

Joseph questions whether the reward is worth the potential harm these games present to the psyche and health of the student-athletes.

“I guarantee you I didn’t wake up and say, I want to play Ohio State. But we do use it for financial help,” said Joseph. “We did our part.

We helped financially.”

Texas Southern and Prairie View also take part in the money games.

Prairie View went over to Rice and suffered a three-touchdown loss earlier this month in a game in which the Panthers actually led 7-0 early in the first quarter before ultimately losing 38-17 for a $350,000 payday. Prairie View athletic director Anton Goff did not respond to interview requests from the Defender for this story.

Texas Southern went out to Cal of the ACC, where the Tigers trailed just 11-0 at halftime before eventually suffering a 35-3 loss in

exchange for a $625,000 check, which will be shared with football, athletics and TSU’s world-famous Ocean of Soul Marching Band for the trip to the Bay Area. Days later, TSU coach Cris Dishman—without prompting— mentioned the $25 million roster the Bears have in comparison to his nonexistent roster value. The Tigers’ entire athletic department budget is $15,791,738.

But when the Defender asked Dishman about whether the money games should be played, the second-year coach declined to elaborate.

“I can’t really answer that question. I haven’t been in HBCUs or Texas Southern long enough to answer a question like that,” Dishman said to the Defender. “But to me, it’s … whoever is on your schedule, you are supposed to win. You go out there to fight to win the game and whatever happens happens.

“They were on our schedule; we were supposed to win that game. We were in that game to win it. We weren’t in that game just to show up for the money. We were in it to win the game.”

That is likely the case for every HBCU program forced into these money games. But the consequences can be rough.

In a recent matchup between North Carolina A&T and the Big 12’s UCF, the Aggies took a 68-7 thumping. But the Aggies’ top three quarterbacks were knocked out of the game to add insult to injury.

“For our team,” North Carolina A&T

Cal offensive lineman Jordan Spasojevic-Moko displays enthusiasm during the Bears’ recent dominant win over the Texas Southern Tigers, in which they left the Bay Area with a $625,000 payday. Credit: Cal Bears Athletics

Shawn Gibbs responded to a reporter’s question about whether the payday was worth it, “I don’t think it’s worth it. I mean, we got 60+ points put on us and lost three quarterbacks.

Yeah, for me it was a good environment, great platform, but is that worth it? I don’t know.”

September 18, 2025 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

| 11

DN Sports

Kendal White Sparks a comeback after rejection

By Jimmie Aggison

At 1 6 , Ke n d a l White thought her volleyball dreams were slipping away.

After three years of traveling the country and competing at the highest level with one of Houston’s top clubs, she believed she was playing her best volleyball.

But when tryouts came for the 2023–2024 season, her club saw things differently, offering her a spot on a lower-level team. Heartbroken, she declined, unsure if she’d ever play again.

“I felt discouraged and heartbroken,” said White. “I felt the coaches were wrong. I believed I deserved and earned a position on the national team.”

What felt like an ending soon became the spark for her comeback, one that would lead her to a new club, a new family and a starring role on Iowa Colony’s varsity team.

White’s love for volleyball began while watching Reagan Rutherford and her sister, Kennedi, compete at an elite level. Reagan, a close family friend who starred at Ridge Point High School before playing at Kentucky and Texas, left a lasting impression.

“She caught my attention because she was left-handed like me,” said White.

At just 11 years old, White attended camps and clinics before trying out for her first volleyball team. Not only did she make the roster, she earned a spot on the national team, which traveled across the country competing against top clubs.

“I remembered being scared because I didn’t know anybody, but I was just excited to make a team,” said White.

Before fully committing to volleyball, White showed her athleticism on the track with Pearland Track Xpress, running the 100, 200, 400 meters and the 4x100 relay. But when track began conflicting with volleyball, she made a choice.

“Her dad and I realized

that she had real volleyball talent around age 13,” said Lisa White, Kendal’s mother.

“What she lacked in skillset she made up for in speed and agility.”

After years on the national team, White expected to continue her rise. But when her club denied her a national roster spot heading into the 2023–2024 season, instead offering a lower-division placement, it cut deep.

White’s mother recalled how the family processed the setback together.

“We acknowledged her feelings,” said Lisa. “We told her that it was certainly okay for her to feel how she felt. We encouraged her to look for the good in this experience and think about the lessons this experience had taught her.”

With most teams already full, White’s options were limited: Sit out the season or find a new club.

“We stated to her that if she wanted to pursue volleyball in college, she could not afford to sit out an entire year,” said Lisa.

“For a moment I considered quitting volleyball and going back to track,” said White.

The setback weighed heavily not just on White, but on her entire family.

“Her journey had become a family commitment,” said Lisa. “Traveling to tournaments, practices/private lessons and personal trainers became a daily sacrifice for the family.”

As the disappointment lingered, Absolute Volleyball Academy coach Marissa Stinson stepped in and introduced White to an athletic therapist.

“Initially, upon receiving the call, I was dismissive,” said White. “I was still heartbroken from my previous club experience and unsure of what the future would hold.

At first, I did not want to consider the opportunity, but I took the call and I’m glad I did.”

ABOUT KENDAL WHITE Class: 2027 IG: @kendalwhite2027 Twitter: @kendalwhite_07 Position: OPP/DS/L Height & weight: 5-feet-8, 135 pounds Favorite artists: SZA and Drake Status: Uncommitted Favorite subjects: Math and science Shout-outs: My parents, all my previous and current coaches, my strength coach, my mental coach and God

“Her monthly sessions with the therapist greatly assisted in catapulting her game to the next level while developing mental toughness,” said Lisa.

After meeting with Stinton and playing on her club team at Absolute Volleyball Academy for a season, White became aware of an opening at Houston Stellar, where she tried out for their 16 Elite team.

Houston Stellar coach, Maira Perez, immediately saw her potential.

“When we were watching her tryout, she stood out with her court presence,” said Perez. “She was hyping every girl on her team during scrimmage play and had monster energy every time she scored. We watched how she reacted when she messed up, she didn’t flinch or skip a beat. She recovered quickly like nothing happened and moved on to the next point.”

White soon found herself at home with Houston Stellar 17 Elite, this time with a new confidence and maturity.

“My confidence has grown tremendously because I was coached by amazing people who have always pushed me to be my best, along with my two closest friends who have helped push me in my darkest moments,” said White.

That renewed confidence carried into high school. White now leads Iowa Colony’s varsity team with 67 kills and sets the tone as a leader.

“From the moment Kendal joined us at workouts, she has consistently been one of the hardest workers in our program,” said Iowa Colony head varsity coach Tracy Klembus. “She’s a vocal leader, always speaking up during huddles and offering thoughtful reflections on the set or the match. In high-pressure moments, Kendal never backs down. Her ability to embrace adversity as an opportunity to showcase her skill is invaluable, especially for a young program like ours.”

White has learned that rejection and resilience go hand in hand, but her greatest takeaway has been mental toughness.

“I learned that volleyball is a mental game and if I want to be the best, I have to perfect it,” said White.

Her mother hopes those lessons carry beyond the court.

“What we hope she carries with her beyond volleyball is the skill of critical thinking and mental toughness,” said Lisa.

“We have a saying in our home that life will not always go as you have planned, but if you are mentally tough and a critical thinker, it should lead you to the right solution.”

12 | September 18, 2025 |

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