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FIVE MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT HBCUs THAT NEED TO END TODAY P14

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Volume 86 | Number 1

NOVEMBER 3, 2016 | FREE

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LOCAL DWIGHT BOYKINS works to rebuild Sunnyside

BLACK

FEATURE VICTORIA BROUSSARD pursues presidential pardon

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OPINION SPORTS K.C. KEELER coaches #1 Sam Houston Bearkats

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TOP EVENTS

matter

Why you should go to the polls ALSO:

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU VOTE r PAGE 10

Farrakhan

Lee Daniels

The Nation of Islam leader speaks out about the upcoming presidential election and candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump during a recent speech. Hear his advice to African-Americans going to the polls.

The creator of the hit “Empire,” is bringing another show to Fox in December. It’s titled “Star,” and it’s about a family experiencing the highs and lows of success. Find out which stars and newcomers appear in the show.

analyzes election

Sherman and Nicole Lewis attend Habitat for Humanity Breakfast.

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unveils new show

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DEFENDER | NOVEMBER 3 | 2016

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Sunnyside revitalization underway

By JASEMINE KNOWLES Defender

unnyside may be getting a makeover, thanks to revitalization efforts from the city. Councilman Dwight Boykins is leading the effort, along with members of the tax increment reinvestment zone (TIRZ) board of directors to improve the Sunnyside neighborhood. A little over a year ago, Houston City Council Members voted unanimously to approve the creation of the Sunnyside TIRZ #26 that brings in more resources to revitalize the community. Boykins said he pushed for TIRZ because of Sunnyside’s “lack of infrastructure and economic development, with many residents feeling as though the area has been underserved and overlooked.” Now that TIRZ has been approved, Boykins has appointed a board of directors to create a financing plan to carry out these local land and residential infrastructure developments. Deborah Walker, community resident and president of the Sunnyside Civic Club, said she hopes the TIRZ board will not only work with the community but take their thoughts into consideration. “What a lot of people on the outside of our community like to do--is come in and tell us what our needs are instead of listening to us,” she said. “I would like for the TIRZ board to listen

and work with us for the betterment of our community.” In conjunction with Walker’s sentiments, newly appointed co-chair, John Guess, said the TIRZ board is unique Dwight Boykins because it’s made up of community people who understand and are mindful of the resident’s needs. “My role in serving on the board is ensuring the community’s needs are met and seen through,” said Guess. “I’m also over commercial development, and looking to bring more franchises, strip centers, and stores to Sunnyside. This is needed because new developments will bring in more money to the neighborhood.” Aside from Guess’ suggestions, the first improvements coming to the area consist of an investment of public funds for project costs like the construction of streets such as Bellfort and Sterling, storm drainage improvements, and a $25M rebuild of the MultiService and Health Centers. The new service centers will be rebuilt over the current Sunnyside Park at 3502 Bellfort St., exactly 1.9 miles away from its current existing site on 9314 Cullen Blvd. This change sparked concerns from residents who believe the new land is too toxic to build on, however, Council-

The Sunnyside police station (above); a roadside sign welcoming visitors to the Sunnyside neighborhood.

man Boykins assured residents that the area is not hazardous. “The soil has been tested by a third-party environmental consultant and the report indicated that the land is safe for construction of this type of facility,” he said. “Once the building location is identified within the city

park, more soil testing will be conducted.” The build will begin in early 2017 with an expected construction completion date of Aug. 2019. For more information on Sunnyside’s TIRZ improvement plan, please visit: www. houstontx.gov/ecodev/tirz/26.html

localbriefs OPEN ENROLLMENT HAS BEGUN for Texans seeking health insurance coverage under the federal Affordable Care Act. Residents face rising costs but could also receive more financial assistance. Those seeking care can go to Healthcare. gov, the federal health exchange website, to sign up for health plans available in their area. But the sign-up period comes after several health insurers — including Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, Scott and White and insurance start-up Oscar — have called it quits on the federal website. Texas consumers’ monthly health insurance bills could rise an average 25 percent, according to a federal Department of Health and Human Services report…..CIVIL

RIGHTS COMPLAINTS are pouring in from advocates who say they have received scattered reports of poll workers sharing inaccurate or incomplete information about the state’s recently modified voter identification rules, painting a fuller picture of early confusion at the polls. The Texas Election Protection coalition, a combination of several civil rights groups, has received 325 calls since early voting kicked off. Many of the calls, which included complaints and requests for information, signaled ongoing confusion about what forms of ID Texans must bring to the polls….. AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION BAKE SALE by a conservative group at The University of Texas is threatening

the school with legal action after the administration condemned the club’s bake sale as “inflammatory and demeaning.” The group held the bake sale, offering cookies at different prices based on the race and sex of the buyer. The university says it “does not and will not take any punitive action against an organization or its members for exercising their constitutional right to free speech.”….. KIPP CHARTER SCHOOLS HAVE OPENED ENROLLMENT, and thousands of kids are hoping to get one of the coveted spots. Only 15 percent will get a spot at these highly successful, fast growing schools. KIPP Houston schools are free public charter schools that focus on college.

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U.S.briefs

Officer in Eric Garner death faces fed charges Defender News Services More than two years after a New York City police detective was caught on video choking a man to death, the United States Department of Justice said it plans to charge him. Washington-based federal prosecutors are reportedly planning to charge NYPD cop Daniel Pantaleo with civil rights violations in the 2014 death of Eric Garner on Staten Island. Garner, 43, died on a Staten Island street corner, where two police officers confronted him and accused him of selling untaxed cigarettes. Pantaleo was seen on a video using a chokehold, prohibited by the New York Police Department, to subdue him. Garner’s last words, “I can’t breathe,” became a rallying cry for protesters around the country. Attorney General Loretta Lynch approved the plan to indict. Local federal investigators who worked on the case are privately seething. They accused their Beltway colleagues of only trying to “make an example out of Pantaleo” at any cost, said one source familiar with the case. Patrick Lynch, president of the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, was furious, blasting the USDOJ for going on a “fishing

Eric Garner’s screams of “I can’t breathe” after Officer Daniel Pantaleo put him in a chokehold, became a rallying cry for protestors across the country.

expedition” after Pantaleo was cleared by an internal investigation as well as a grand jury. “Now, it appears that they are taking a third bite at the apple in an effort to reach a predetermined outcome,” Patrick Lynch said in a statement. Experts said that bitter infighting between prosecutors has made a potential trial a defense lawyer’s dream. The probe is now

firmly in the hands of the DOJ in Washington, D.C., which appears to have overruled recommendations from Brooklyn prosecutors and FBI investigators not to indict the NYPD cop, sources said. The New York-based feds determined they could not bring a criminal civil rights case against Officer Pantaleo for Garner’s death — leading the DOJ to take control of the case.

Education dept. aids low-achieving schools The U.S. Department of Education announced more than $427 million in School Improvement Grants (SIG) to help turn around America’s persistently lowestachieving schools in nearly every state and U.S. territory. Texas will receive more than $40.6 million. The department awards grants to states, which then award competitive subgrants to school districts that demonstrate the greatest need for the funds and the strongest commitment to substan-

tially raising student achievement in the lowest-performing schools. States are also given flexibility to develop their own state-determined intervention model that focuses on whole-school reform and is designed to improve student achievement. In schools that have received funds under this program, up to 80 percent of students are from low-income families. “When the president entered office he laid out an ambitious agenda to transform our lowest

performing schools as a means of improving outcomes for all students, but especially those who most need additional support,” said U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. “We are seeing the impact of SIG and other initiatives through historic increases in high school graduation rates and narrowed achievement gaps in public schools, which ultimately translate to better opportunities for all students to succeed.”

ROD PAIGE TAKES OVER AT JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY after being named interim president. Paige, a former U.S. secretary of education, graduated from JSU and is also a former JSU football coach. The 83-year-old had been mentioned by many JSU alums and supporters as a leading choice to replace Carolyn Meyers’ who resigned after the College Board hired a firm to examine JSU’s finances in the wake of dwindling cash reserves. Those reserves had decreased from $37 million to $4 million since 2012. Meyers had been the university’s president since January 2011…. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA made his first public comments about the FBI decision to disclose its new review into emails that could be relevant Hillary Clinton’s use of a private server while she was secretary of state. The president said he didn’t want to meddle in the process, but it was important to follow a practice of not allowing intimations or suggestions to pervade the public’s view of the case….A NEW NATIONAL POLL SHOWS BLACKS plan to vote for Hillary Clinton as their choice for President of the United States. Their choice is influenced by concerns about high quality, affordable education, income inequality, jobs, the economy, race relations and racial justice. Ninety-six percent of respondents of the poll conducted by the National Newspaper Association and Howard University, say they will cast ballots. Nearly all respondents in the survey said they voted in both the 2008 and 2012 elections.… RESIDENTS OF FLINT, MICHIGAN CAN SUE the government for negligence in the decisions that led to the contamination of the city’s water supply. The court ruled Flint residents had provided sufficient evidence for the claims laid out in their lawsuit against the state. The plaintiffs asserted that “if proven” to be true, their claims would show the actions of state officials were “so arbitrary in a constitutional sense, as to shock the conscience.”

VOLUME 86 • NUMBER 1 NOVEMBER 3, 2016

Publisher Sonceria Messiah-Jiles Ad/Client Relations Selma Dodson Tyler Digital Editor LaGloria Wheatfall Art Director Marshall A. Latimore Proofer Maia Shelby

Editors ReShonda Billingsley Marilyn Marshall Contributing Writers Aswad Walker Jasemine Knowles Amber Vernon Sports Editors Max Edison Darrell K. Ardison

The Defender newspaper is published by the Houston Defender Inc. Company (713-663-6996.. The Defender is audited by Certified Audited Circulation. (CAC). For subscription, send $60-1 year to: Defender, P.O. Box 8005, Houston TX 77288. Payment must accompany subscription request. All material covered by 2012 copyright. (No material herein may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher).

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NOVEMBER 3 | 2016 | DEFENDER

Farrakhan: ‘Vote with your dollars’ By JASEMINE KNOWLES Defender While the nation is focused on the election, Nation of Islam leader, Minister Louis Farrakhan is urging the Black community to yield its real power and vote with its dollars. Speaking in an address he delivered just days before the election, Farrakhan highlighted how Asian-American communities have successfully operated without engaging in “dirty” politics. He said Blacks could do it, too. “Yes, our vote is strong--but now we need to take control of where we live,” Farrakhan said. Farrakhan is not impressed with either presidential candidate because he believes there will be no justice for Blacks, regardless of where they place their vote. “Little to no justice has happened despite Blacks voting largely for the Democratic Party over the years while the Republican Party often ignores us and scapegoats the Black community,”

Minister Louis Farrakhan is urging Blacks to vote with their dollars.

Farrakhan said. “Not only do we have injustice, crooked politics, but there are Black politicians who would like to use their own people for selfish greed and will throw

them behind any crook with money.” Farrakhan said scholarly Blacks throughout our community show “all that we need, we already have. The only thing we don’t have that will make it

[Black community] come together, is unity.” Support, Farrakhan added, is the only thing that can lead to unity, and the rebuilding of our community. “Over 1.1. trillion dollars coming through our hands and when it comes in, it goes right back out because we do not support our own,” he said. “Now is the time to vote with your dollars.” Doing so is the only way to influence social, political and economic change. “We must recognize as a people that we are currently living under colonial status,” said Farrakhan. “What is a ‘colony?’ It’s a separate condition where there is one group of people with similar language, culture, history controlled from the outside,” he said. Farrakhan said if Blacks are in “pain” and tired of being held hostage, the time is now to make a difference. “If you’re going to vote on Nov. 8, vote only after you know what’s in your best interest,” he added. For more information or to view the full speech, visit noi.org.

DEFENDER | NOVEMBER 3 | 2016

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entertainment

Lee Daniels’ ‘Star’ shines brightly Defender News Service “Empire” creator Lee Daniels is back, with a gritty new girl-group series starring Queen Latifah. Daniels calls “Star,” which debuts next month on Fox, the complete antithesis of the Fox drama that made him a household name. “Empire” is the story about a family that’s seen the highs (and lows) of success – a family that’s worked to get to the top and is trying to stay there. “Star” is about what it takes to get there. In addition to Latifah, the series features three incredible young new talents—Jude Demorest, Brittany O’Grady and Ryan Destiny—who will do anything to make their dreams a reality. “These girls will do whatever it takes. They’ll murder. They’ll f— you. They’ll rob you. [The characters] Star and Simone are very, very poor. They come from the foster-care system, and we explore the atrocities that happen there,” Daniels said. Daniels promises to forge heights never before seen in television, and some of his favorite classics will serve as the inspiration for much of the storylines. Like “Empire,” “Star” will focus on music, something that can prove challenging.

Acclaimed filmmaker and show creator Lee Daniels reveals details behind his new show “Star,” scheduled to debut in December. Like its predecessor “Empire,” the show focuses on music and stars singer-turned-actor Queen Latifah (right).

“We have to make sure the stories are seamlessly married to the music and vice versa — that a show tune doesn’t come from out of nowhere,” he said. Daniels says he’s proud of introducing new, young talent, particularly Jude Demorest, the actress who plays the title character. An actor, who could sing as well, was a dream come true. “When Jude walked into my office, I knew that the universe was working for me. She was so eerily the character that I wrote. I told her to her face, ‘I don’t like you,’ because I didn’t want her to know how much I did like her. It took me forever to find Jamal and Hakeem. She came in right off the bat.” Another role he knew he wanted immediately, Carlotta, the role he wrote specifically for Queen Latifah. “That character had a hit in the ’90s but ended up in the streets. Carlotta has turned her life over to God, but she’s still a gangster,” he explained. “She walks on both sides of the curb — in very expensive wigs. She’s a true crossover, similar to what Diana Ross accomplished in the ’60s. Yet she remains a girl from the hood. And her voice — she sings gospel in our first number, but a new type of gospel. We’ll also hear her sing some R&B and do some classic and current rap.”

what’sup BILL COSBY’s defense team filed a new motion declaring that the actor is legally blind, an impairment that could hinder his defense at trial. Cosby is currently facing three felony charges of indecent assault in Pennsylvania stemming from an incident with Andrea Constand, an employee at Temple University. His lawyers have been working overtime to get the case dismissed for the 79-year-old entertainer, whose trial date is tentatively set for early June of next year....MARIAH CAREY wants her ex James Packer, to pay her $50 million for all the money she lost while dating him. Carey believes that Packer cost her tens of

millions of dollars over the course of their relationship. According to her, he got her to move from New York to LA so that he could be closer to his children. In moving, she says that she uprooted her entire life for him. She also claims that he made financial promises to her that she wants him to keep.…LADY GAGA said that the current political climate inspired her latest song, a tribute to TRAYVON MARTIN titled, “Angel Down,” a track off her latest album Joanne. She says that it was a response to “the epidemic of young AfricanAmericans being murdered in this country.”… KID CUDI is clapping back at DRAKE after the

rapper mocked his mental health issues in his latest song. In “Two Birds, One Stone,” Drake rapped, “You were the Man on the Moon, now you go through your phases/Life of the angry and famous.” Kid Cudi took to Twitter to drag Drake for the diss. He then addressed fans who had shown their support… Ex-gospel singer B. SLADE, formerly known as gospel singer Tonéx, has released a song slamming members of the Black church who shame him because he’s gay. The song, titled “Conversation,” addresses those who criticized his sexuality, more specifically his attire, during a recent performance in Oakland, California.

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NOVEMBER 3 | 2016 | DEFENDER

THINK BEFORE YOU CLICK:

Beware of computer viruses, malware By FDIC Malicious software —or “malware” for short—is a broad class of software built with malicious intent. “You may have heard of malware being referred to as a ‘computer bug’ or ‘virus’ because most malware is designed to spread like a contagious illness, infecting other computers it comes into contact with,” said Michael Benardo, manager of the FDIC’s Cyber Fraud and Financial Crimes Section. “And if you don’t protect your computer, it could become infected by malware that steals your personal financial information, spies on you by capturing your keystrokes, or even destroys data.” Law enforcement agencies and security experts have seen an increase in malware known as “ransomware,” which restricts someone’s access to a computer or a smartphone—literally holding the device hostage—until a ransom is paid. The most common way malware spreads is when someone clicks on an email attachment, anything from a document to a photo, video or audio file. Criminals also might try to get you to

How To Keep Malware Off Your Computer

Don’t immediately open email attachments or click on links in unsolicited or suspicious-looking emails. “Even if the attachment is from someone you know, consider if you really need to open the attachment, especially if the email looks suspicious,” said Benardo.

2. 3. 4.

Install good anti-virus software that periodically runs to search for and remove malware. Be diligent about using spam (junk mail) filters provided by your email provider.

download malware by including a link in the wording of an email or in a social media post that directs you somewhere else, often to an infected file or page on the Internet. The link might be part of a story that sounds very provocative, such as one

with a headline that says, “How to Get Rich” or “You Have to See This!” Malware also can spread across a network of linked computers, be downloaded from an infected website, or be passed around on a contaminated thumb drive or flash drive.

Don’t visit untrusted websites and don’t believe everything you read. If something sounds too good to be true, it’s probably fraudulent or harmful.

Be careful if anyone gives you a disk or thumb drive to insert in your computer. It could have hidden malware on it. Don’t access a disk or thumb drive without first scanning it with your security software. If you are still unsure, don’t take a chance.

DEFENDER | NOVEMBER 3 | 2016

r Economy | Jobs The economy is officially rebounding from the 2008-9 recession and employment rates continue to rise despite Black unemployment being double the rate of whites. Wages remain stagnant for large numbers of Americans, and the nation is faced with a widening gap between rich and poor. Blacks and Hispanics still typically earn far less than whites, in part because whites dominate higher-paying fields, such as technology, medicine and finance. The income gap has held fairly steady for the past 40 years. When it comes to wealth, whites have roughly 10 times the wealth of Blacks and Hispanics. Modest income gains, strikes by fast-food workers, the rapid growth of low-paying jobs all contribute to the shrinking middle class. These factors have combined to make the minimum wage a top economic issue for the 2016 campaign.

centerfold

By RESHONDA TATE BILLINGSLEY Defender

SCOTUS will have its hands full for the next few years, tackling issues of importance to African-Americans, particularly criminal justice, gun control, climate change and immigration. With more of our communities being affected by an influx of guns, ravaged by floods, and debates over just how much immigration affects our job market, the court can make some life-altering decisions. With the court balance 4-4 between liberals and conservatives in addition to three of the eight remaining justices over the age of 70, the next president could get to nominate more than one member of the Supreme Court. The local courts are also important considering the deaths of Black males across the county and the need for local judges to be sensitive to sentencing disparities along with fair and balance justice.

r Child Care | Pay Equity Many U.S. families spend more on childcare for two kids than on housing. And if you’re a woman, it’s likely you earn less than your male colleagues. If you’re a Black woman, you’re even more likely to be the head of household, and struggling with childcare and pay equity. If they aren’t getting paid enough to make ends meet, more families will seek out government aid programs or low-quality, unlicensed daycares for their children.

Three things to know before you go vote

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or many African-Americas, the stakes in this year’s election could not be higher. Both major party presidential candidates are considered flawed, prompting some Blacks to consider sitting this election out. But more than ever, Black votes matter and we simply can’t afford NOT to vote” because this election is extremely significant. Here are some of main issues of particular interest to African-Americans.

ON ELECTION DAY

BLACK

Why you should go to the polls

r Supreme Court | Local Courts

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Defender News Service

ow’s the time to make sure you’ve checked off everything you’ll need in order to vote.

Research the candidates: There are many issues and a lot of information out there. Do your homework and make an informed decision.

Find your polling place: It may sound obvious, but having a voting plan is one of the most important things you can do after registering. Plan ahead and make sure you vote on time.

r Education Education is a core issue not just for students and families, but for communities, the economy, and the nation as a global competitor. The country has some 50 million K-12 students. Black students are more likely to attend low-performing schools and the National Center for Education Statistics reports U.S. Education is still separate and unequal. As the percentage of white students shrinks and the percentage of students of color grow the U.S. is left with a system that does not serve them majority of children. Today, high school graduations are up sharply and dropout rates down, but students seeking higher education face rising college costs and many are saddled with debt.

Election Day: Voting takes time. Add a few extra minutes to your day and make sure you get to your assigned polling station before it closes.

LOCAL RESOURCES

Need a ride? Have an issue at the polls? Defender News Service

r Immigration The future of millions of people living in the U.S. illegally could well be shaped by the presidential election. The stakes are high, too, for those who employ them, help them fit into neighborhoods, or want them gone. Illegal immigration has been at nearly 40-year lows for several years. It even appears that Mexican migration trends have reversed, with more Mexicans leaving the U.S. than arriving. Billions of dollars have been spent in recent years to build fencing, improve border technology and expand the Border Patrol. Nonetheless, the Mexican border remains a focal point for those who argue that the U.S. is not secure.

Free rides to the polls: • Yellow Cab: Call 713-236-1111 • METRORail/METROLift: Voters should inform bus operators or fare inspectors they are going to or returning from the polls to receive the free rides.

To find your polling station: • To find out where your assigned polling station is located, log on to harrisvotes.org. • Report any problems to the County Clerk by calling (713) 755-6965.

Dos and don’ts at the polls:

r Gun Control

r Health Care The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has important implications for Blacks as they face longstanding and persistent disparities in health and health care. As of 2011, there are over seven million uninsured nonelderly Blacks. The ACA, or ObamaCare, gave coverage to the millions of people previously shut out. No one can be denied coverage anymore because of a pre-existing condition. But “Obamacare” remains divisive, and premiums for next year are rising sharply in many communities. Overall health care spending is trending higher again, and prices for prescription drugs - new and old are a major worry for African Americans.

Between the increase of mass shootings across the country, including one at a historically African-American church in Charleston, South Carolina and the influx of guns into the inner city, gun control has become a major issue. Congress has failed to act on any gun laws. On the local level, gun control will be front and center in key races like the Harris County District Attorney, who will be responsible for determining punishment for those who break gun laws. Since Texas is also an Open Carry state, it’s important to have elected officials who enforce gun control laws.

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• Political t-shirts are prohibited inside polling stations. • Selfies in the ballot box are prohibited. • Make a voice complaint at the precinct. • Double check your ballot for computer or human error.

On The Local Ballot

Look at some of the area’s prominent races on the next page. P12

DEFENDER | NOVEMBER 3 | 2016

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Local candidates vying for positions Defender News Service The Harris County ballot is the second longest ballot in the country, and this election season, voters will have a slate of African-American candidates to choose from, and some offices that greatly impact the Black community in particular. “Elections determine how our tax dollars are going to be spent, education, healthcare, peoples needs, etc,” said Dr. Gerald Horne with the University of Houston. “So it is those elections that will determine whether that money will be used as another giveaway to billionaires, or spent on military, or other projects. People need to pay attention to elections.” Two of the races garnering a lot of attention are Harris County District Attorney and Harris County Sherriff. The Harris County Jail houses nearly 10,000 inmates

Devon Anderson

Ann Harris Bennet

Kim Ogg

Mike Sullivan

at any given time. And that’s one of the problems residents want to see addressed. Tackling overcrowding is high on Ed Gonzalez’s list. The former Houston police officer and city council member is challenging incumbent Sheriff Ron Hickman in the race for

Sherriff. In the race for District Attorney, Defense attorney Kim Ogg (Democrat) is in a contentious race against incumbent Devon Anderson (Republican). Considering the number of African-Americans who go through the Harris County

court system, this is definitely a race to watch. In the Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector’s race, Ann Harris Bennett is hoping to be the first African-American woman to hold the position. She’s running against incumbent Mike Sullivan. Harris County Precinct 1 Constable Allen Rosen is facing Republican challenger, Joe Danna. Rosen, whose area covers a large part of the African American community is hoping to hold on to his office. It’s not just candidates, voters will decide on. Houston voters have to decide a major question on school funding: How to send more than $150 million in local property taxes back to the state. As written, Proposition One asks voters to allow HISD to send money to Austin, per state law, according to what’s called state recapture. That money, in turn, is supposed to be used to help school districts

that don’t rake in top dollars from property taxes, sort of like a Robin Hood tax that works to keep the educational playing field even. HISD is now considered a property tax rich District; so, it is required to pay $162 million in local property tax money next year to the recapture pot. A “yes” vote on HISD Proposition 1 means the district will basically write a check to the state. If voters say “no,” the Texas Education Commissioner will take valuable commercial property away from HISD. He’ll give it to another district, like Aldine or Alief. They get to tax it, probably at a higher rate. Those hoping for a ‘no’ vote, hope that it will force legislatures to pass a law on school funding. Perhaps the biggest news comes on the judicial front. An unprecedented number of African-American local judges are seeking positions.

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NOVEMBER 3 | 2016 | DEFENDER

opinion

‘March to the polls’ and vote

By MARIAN WRIGHT EDELMAN

hortly after Georgia Congressman John Lewis spoke movingly at the opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture in September, he was asked on a radio show if he thought this was the time to organize another march on Washington. Without missing a beat, he replied: “I think the best march that we can have right now in America is on Election Day, [where] all of us all over America – Black and white, Latino, Native American, young people – march to the polls. The vote is precious. It’s almost sacred. It is the most powerful nonviolent tool we have in a democratic society.” On March 7, 1965, when Lewis was 25 years old, he and Rev. Hosea Williams were leading 600 other people in a nonviolent march from Selma, Alabama to the state capitol in Montgomery to demand voting rights for Black Alabama citizens. They and others were brutally attacked by lawless Alabama state and local law enforcement officials at the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Lewis’s skull was fractured and dozens of marchers had to be treated at the hospital. The televised images of “Bloody Sunday” and the savage beatings shocked the nation. While the massive television coverage of this brutality was new for many white Americans, for African-Americans the attacks were just one more episode in a very long history of hostile Jim Crow resistance to their struggle to exercise their constitutional right to vote. It’s a history that 94-year-old distinguished Sixth Circuit Judge Damon Keith knows all too well. He wrote a scathing dissent after two judicial colleagues upheld legislation allowing the state of Ohio to roll back voting rights. Judge Keith, a former civil rights lawyer, immediately recognized the Ohio laws as yet another 21st-century tactic for disenfranchising Black and other non-white voters. In his dissent he wrote: “The utter brutality of white supremacy in its efforts to disenfranchise persons of color is the foundation for the tragedy that is the majority’s effort to roll back the progress of history. I will not forget. I cannot forget – indeed America cannot forget – the pain, suffering, and sorrow of those who died for equal protection and for this precious right to vote.” Some states are committed to doing the right thing: California, for ex-

ample, has passed legislation making it easier to register to vote and this year has recorded its highest number of registered voters ever. Ohio is one of a number of states on the wrong side of history today where the right to vote is under deliberate assault. In some states including Texas, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Michigan and Kansas, courts have ruled the latest attempts at disenfranchising voters unconstitutional. But we can never let our guard down when any state is being affirmed in its calculated attempts to shut out some voters and make it harder for citizens, especially people of color, to exercise their constitutional right to vote. The successful attack on non-white voters in Ohio is an attack on all of us and our democratic process. We must fight against every new effort to turn back the clock on racial and social justice and everyone who has the hardwon right to vote must never take it for granted and must always use it. Judge Keith and Congressman Lewis remind us how those who struggled and lived through the Civil Rights Movement know firsthand that the right to vote is something so many Black Americans fought and died for not very long ago. Many of those brave nonviolent warriors could not have imagined – as Robert Kennedy correctly predicted – that within a generation we would elect our first African-American president. One hundred years ago American women were still marching and fighting for equal voting rights not yet guaranteed by the Nineteenth Amendment. Around the world others are still struggling and sacrificing for a freedom too many Americans now take for granted or neglect DARYL CAGLE, CAGLECARTOONS.COM to use. Every Black American has a responsibility to our forebearers who could not vote and who struggled, even died, to attain it, to use it and make our votes count. About 20 years ago, I wrote a letter to my three sons urging them when they grew up to use their political power for others less fortunate and to always vote and hold those they vote for accountable to ensure a more just nation. In a democratic society, if we like or don’t like what our political leaders are doing and stand for, we must make that clear through our voices and our votes and our monitoring of their actions. Staying home and failing to vote is a knife in the heart of our democracy. Marian Wright Edelman is president of the Children’s Defense Fund.

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DEFENDER | NOVEMBER 3 | 2016

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Five misconceptions about HBCUs Defender News Service For decades, many have argued that we no longer need Historically Black Colleges and Universities. They’ve been called offensive to white students, or criticized for promoting racism, providing an inadequate education, or blasted for their lack of diversity. Howard University professor and historian, Edna Medford, wanted to clear up some of the most egregious misconceptions.

1. HBCUs are racist. Black people have long faced barriers to acquiring an education. Medford explained that HBCUs were therefore built to combat racist laws that disenfranchised Black students. “I think what we need to remember is that HBCUs were there for people of color when we were not wanted in predominantly white institutions. When we were denied access to those institutions, HBCUs were here for us,” Medford said.

2. HBCUs offer an inadequate education. For the first time in many of these students’ lives, they see a reflection of

themselves in textbooks that goes beyond just civil rights. To mistake a curriculum that focuses on Black history and culture as inadequate is a notion rooted in white supremacy. “It is so important to train young minds because if we don’t know who we are, how are we going to go out into the world and really make a difference. I think HBCUs do that better than any other place,” Medford said.

3. HBCUs don’t prepare their students for post-grad life. A 2015 Gallup-USA report found that Black HBCU graduates are more likely to say they felt prepared for life after college than Black graduates at nonHBCUs. The report also found that HBCU graduates are also most likely to have strong relationships, enjoy what they do each day for work, and they are more goal-oriented.

4. HBCUs aren’t diverse. In recent years, HBCUs have seen an increase of non-Black students. Students come from all over the world to attend some of these schools. While most HBCUs remain predominantly Black, some schools—such as Lincoln University of Missouri, West

Virginia State University and Bluefield State College—have a majority white population.

5. HBCUs are irrelevant. The more than 100 HBCUs are vital and still serving their purpose in creating a necessary and safe space in which Black intellectuals can talk freely about the issues they care about. Medford said that HBCUs help teach Black people who we are, especially in a world that constantly tells us otherwise.

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NOVEMBER 3 | 2016 | DEFENDER

ATTORNEY VICTORIA BROUSSARD

Houston lawyer pursues presidential pardon Defender News Service Texas attorney Victoria Broussard has a mission to seek out cases of obvious judicial injustice and champion the underdog who has been over-charged with a crime, over-sentenced, over-punished, and in dire need of an advocate. That commitment is why many were shocked that the University of Texas and Texas Southern University graduate would take on the case of Dr. Malachi York, who is imprisoned on money charges, and accused of child molestation. “Several of the RICO charges accused him of transporting minors across state lines with the intent to engage in sexual activity, to which he has steadfastly and vehemently maintained he is innocent of,” Broussard said. A victim of childhood sexual abuse, Broussard says many are stunned to find that she would represent someone accused of that crime. “I have serious doubts about the guilty verdict, which was actually a hung verdict before the judge informed the

dissenting juror, who believed Mr. York was being framed, that she could easily be replaced.” As the fight for York’s freedom intensifies, so do threats to Broussard’s well-being and livelihood. She is often trolled and threatened on the Internet. Yet, she remains steadfast in her legal belief that York’s sentence should be reduced—whether innocent or not of the crimes he was accused of—in light of the recent trends toward rational, corrective, and reformative sentencing advocated by the Obama Administration. Prior to his conviction, Broussard describes York as a pillar of society, consistently giving thousands of dollars to charity, feeding the homeless, and transforming downtrodden communities. Today, he is 71 years old and suffers from a life-threatening illness, for which she says prison officials neglect to provide him with any of the prescribed medications to lessen and prevent the attacks, leaving him frequently found by unsympathetic guards unconscious on his concrete cell floor. Broussard is in the midst of her for-

Victoria Broussard is hoping President Obama will pardon her client.

mal presentation to the White House Pardon Attorney’s office. “I get how unnerving my representation of Dr. York may be for many,” she says. “I took such a controversial case because I am an attorney who took an oath of office that I would discharge my duties

to my clients to the best of my ability, which means serving them with integrity and all the intestinal fortitude I possess.” She has created a petition on Change.org and hopes people will read the facts of the case and be inspired to sign in support of York’s freedom.

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DEFENDER | NOVEMBER 3 | 2016

sports

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Sam Houston Bearkats rank #1

Jeremiah Briscoe (above) triggers the explosive Bearkat offense; Sam Houston State head football coach, K.C. Keeler (inset); Darion Flowers is a defensive playmaker (below). PHOTOS BY DJ SHAFER

By Max Edison Defender

n case you haven’t been paying very much attention to the FCS (formerly known as Div. 1AA) national polls, there’s a local school atop the polls. The Sam Houston State Bearkats with a perfect record of 8-0, are the top team in the nation for the third week. Ranked #2 in the land all season, Sam Houston ascended into the top spot when North Dakota State, ranked #1 previously, was defeated. The Kats success this season should come as no surprise. Since 2011, Sam Houston’s 63-19 record is second only to North Dakota State’s 77-6 record among FCS schools. Sam’s record is 4th best among all D1 schools behind North Dakota State, Alabama and Clemson. Known for their explosive offense, Sam leads the entire FCS in scoring averaging 52.4 points per game and 592 yards of total offense per game. Jr. quarterback Jeremiah Briscoe (Houston Stratford) has thrown for over 400 yards 3 times this season. Despite the gaudy offensive numbers, Sam Houston head coach K.C. Keeler acknowledges that his team has been functioning well in every phase of the game. “We have the #1 offense in the country, we’re playing really well on special teams and we’re starting to make a really nice move with our defense,” Keeler said. “We have all three phases working.” “Our offensive guys will tell you, the best defense they see week in and week out is our defense,” Keeler continued. “I think we have a dominant defense. This might be the best team I’ve coached in terms of special teams.” The top catalyst for everything the Kats do is predicated on the extremely fast pace they operate offensively, which fuels their total team success. “We come out fast and we talk a lot about

coming out fast. It’s something that’s drilled into our guys from the very beginning,” Coach Keeler shared. “We’re going to come out and be very aggressive at a fast tempo (offensively). If we don’t make some plays offensively we do a pretty good job pinning them down (punt game) and getting field position and then we put more pressure on you (defensively).” All-American candidate QB Jeremiah Briscoe is the man behind this high-pressure offense. Briscoe explains the success he’s enjoyed in very simple terms “I just got to make the right decision and see where we can attack a defense,” Briscoe conceded. “We have four of the best backs in the country. It really makes my life easy with the skill players that we have and the offensive lineman that we have. We can really just take whatever the defense is going to give us. It doesn’t matter how, we’re going to beat you. We’ve shown that in different games this year where we’ve beaten teams doing different things offensively.” Coach Keeler and the Bearkats embrace the honor of being the #1 ranked team in the nation.

“We don’t duck the fact that our goal is to be the best team in the country. We happened to get ranked #1 right now. Our kids know we’re the #1 team in the country. We also know that’s not the final destination, to be #1 in October. We take it as a great honor and also a great responsibility.” Keeler believes the 2016 Kats are a special group of players. “They have a mindset in practice that is special,” Coach observed. “They hold each other accountable. They have a lot of intangibles we all want to have, leadership, chemistry, work ethic, all those things are there. They’ve done a great job taking ownership to be the best team in the country.” With their lofty ranking the Bearkats know they can expect every opponents best. “We got the guys tee shirts last week with the biggest bullseyes you could possibly fit on them,” Coach K said. “I think they do realize we’re going to get everybody’s best game. Recently at Nichols State the best selling point down there was “see history, see Nichols State for the first time beat the #1 team in the nation.” As the regular season winds down and the playoffs loom on the horizon, Keeler and staff are careful to regulate their time to avoid peaking too soon. “We do a lot of things to try and keep our guys fresh. We’ve taken 15 minutes off practice, so we’re on the field at 8 in the morning, we’re off at 10 now,” Keeler explained. “On Thursday we’re off at 9: 30. We do a good job of getting those guys in the ice tub. We are very in tune with their body and how things are going and I think we do a good job of making sure we don’t burn them out. It’s a long season and our goal is to play until sometime in January.” The first round of the NCAA FCS football playoffs begin November 26th. The championship game is January 9th in Frisco, Texas. The Bearkats plan to be there.

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sportsbriefs Altuve: Player of the Year

The post-season accolades are beginning to roll in for Astros second baseman Jose Altuve. He was recently named the Sporting News’ MLB Player of the Year, joining Jeff Bagwell (1994) as the only Astros players to win the honor. The 2016 season was the best of Altuve’s career. He won his second American League batting title in three years, hitting .338 with career highs in homers (24) and RBIs (96) to go along with 30 steals and a .928 OPS. He led the AL in hits for the third year in a row and was named to his fourth All-Star team. “It is great, especially when you get voted by the players,” Altuve said. “I really appreciate that from my teammates and players on other teams.”

SWAC announces ’16 HOF class

The Southwestern Athletic Conference recently announced its 9 member, 2016 Hall of Fame class. The class includes: Jocelyn Tatum-Adams (Prairie View A&M), Garland D. Boyette (Grambling State), Tommy L. Green (Southern), Eugene Sanders (Mississippi Valley State), Dante’ Wesley (Arkansas-Pine Bluff), Emanuel F. Barnes (Alcorn State), Jessie Conerly (Alcorn State), Tommy Funchess (Jackson State), and Sidney James (Auburn University at Montgomery). The newest members of the Hall of Fame were selected from a list of nominees who were submitted by his or her respective institution. The nominees were then elected for induction by the selection committee from members appointed by SWAC Presidents and Chancellors. The class will be enshrined on Dec. 1st at The Westin Galleria in Houston.

Week 10 HS Football Standouts

Houston Sterling freshman wide receiver/running back Frank Brown was outstanding in the Raiders’ 48-6 victory over Northside that secured a playoff berth in District 24-5A. The first two times Brown touched the ball he sprinted 59 and 72 yards for touchdowns from scrimmage. Later in the game Brown caught touchdown passes of 36 and 57 yards from quarterback Darius Weathers. Brown finished the game with 154 rushing yards on 11 carries. He also had four receptions for 123 yards … Willowridge quarterback Kealton Goffney accounted for 572 total yards and seven touchdowns in the Eagles’ 55-41 win over Galena Park. Goffney threw for 380 yards on 14-of-17 passing and three scores. For good measure Goffney added 192 rushing yards and four TDs. Goffney also plays defense and recorded an interception right before halftime as Willowridge remained in playoff contention in District 23-5A.

Going for the gusto

At least nine Houston area high school football teams will vie for perfection as the 2016 regular season comes to a close this weekend. All nine schools have 9-0 records and will seek to add one more victory before heading into the postseason. Those schools at the head of the class with this week’s opponents in parenthesis include The Woodlands (College Park), Cypress Ranch (Cypress Woods), Ridge Point (Hightower), Alief Taylor (George Ranch), Manvel (Galena Park), Foster (Lamar Consolidated), El Campo (Bay City), St. Pius (St. Thomas) and Hallettsville (Edna). Cypress Ranch will seek its 25th consecutive district win and the outright title in District 17-6A with a victory over Cy Woods (2-7, 2-6).

Pappillion an eye catcher for Heights volleyball Defender News Service

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Skylon Pappillion immediately passes the eye test. Whenever the Heights High School varsity volleyball team is on the court, the eyes of onlookers invariably are drawn to her. She’s tall, lean, athletic, graceful and possesses a remarkable all-around floor game. A senior that is equally adept at the net as she is on the back row, Pappillion came into the 2016 girls’ high school volleyball season with a modest list of expectations. “I wanted our team to make it as far as we can,” she said. “Individually, I wanted to get better, play hard and improve so hopefully I can get recruited and go to college.” Pappillion came about her athleticism honestly. She has two aunts that played in the WNBA women’s professional basketball league, but admits to being the first in her family that has pursued volleyball. “I kind of went off tradition with volleyball, but I do have a very athletic family,” Pappillion said. “My best friend in seventh grade played volleyball and I had never played before,” she said. “She encouraged me to play and after that I fell in love with it.” Primarily an outside hitter with her club team, Pappillion plays every position on the floor for her high school team. Heights (formerly Reagan High School) advanced to the finals of the HISD Tournament during the season’s early stages. With a five-set win over Chavez at Barnett Fieldhouse last week, the Lady Bulldogs forged a playoff play-in match against Carnegie, the same opponent they faced in the HISD Tournament championship match. The winner joins Bellaire, Westside and Lamar as District 18-6A postseason qualifiers. “This season has gone really well, a lot better than I expected. We’ve been improving as a team day-by-day,” Pappillion said. “I think it’s amazing how far we’ve come.” Pappillion is a four-year varsity letter winner that has earned all-district honors following each season. She admires members of the Penn State University women’s volleyball team because in her words “they are amazing.” Pappillion is also a pre-AP student in the classroom. This is the first full season Pappillion has played for head coach Chelsea

What three HISD football teams will go undefeated? Lewis. Yet Lewis has observed Pappillion throughout her high school career while serving in other capacities at the school. “Skylon is a phenomenal hitter. If she calls for the ball and you give it to her, it’s pretty much going down for a winner,” Lewis said. “She knows how to go across court, she knows how to go down the lines and she’s very explosive. “When she came in the gym as a freshman, me and the other coaches said whoa,” Lewis said. “She can jump, she can hit and over the years she’s just gotten bigger, stronger and better.” Despite missing a key player against Chavez, Lewis says her team has learned how to persevere through tough times. “When we play as a team we know how to fight through adversity,” she said. “My seniors stepped up in the last game when they needed to.”

Heights HS volleyball player Skylon Pappillion and coach Chelsea Lewis.

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DEFENDER | NOVEMBER 3 | 2016

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MD Anderson nurse receives oncology award Tonya Edwards, a clinical nurse in Palliative Care at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, is the recipient of the 2016 Brown Foundation Award for Excellence in Oncology Nursing. The award, founded by the Brown Foundation Inc. in 1982, is the institution’s highest nursing honor among the approximately 3,000 nurses at MD Anderson. Edwards received a cash prize of $15,000 from the Brown Foundation, represented by Nancy Abendshein, chairman of the board, as well as a crystal plaque and a commemorative pin at a ceremony led by Ronald DePinho, M.D., president of MD Anderson. The selection committee, coworkers and friends surprised her with the news and a bouquet of flowers. “I am completely overjoyed at this honor, which is totally unexpected,” said Edwards, who as a young girl lost both grandmothers to cancer and became interested in supporting cancer patients and making their lives better. “Nursing at MD Anderson allows me the opportunity to continue to seek higher knowledge. It enables me to broaden my scope of practice, striving for excellence with institutional support behind me.”

Tonya Edwards

Edwards has been a nurse for more than 21 years and has spent almost half that time at MD Anderson. While at MD Anderson, Edwards has made a significant impact on the Palliative Care unit. She singlehandedly implemented a core-team approach regarding opioid safety and educated the staff on patient safety while preventing opioid misuse and abuse. Her work has led to recognition worldwide throughout the palliative care community for taking a new approach to pain control and drug abuse. “It is a pleasure and an honor to be a nurse at MD Anderson and to help our patients feel better and lower their stress,” she said.

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NOVEMBER 3 | 2016 | DEFENDER

Happening in Houston

For event coverage email: events@defendermediagroup.com

topevents

THE LIGHTHOUSE CHURCH…hosted a two-day Destiny Empowerment Dr. Myron E. Cloyd, Colleen Banks, Angela Cox, David Sewell, Melisa Seminar designed to help new and aspiring entrepreneurs rediscover Sewell, Mitchell Darek, Sherman Lewis, Nicole Lewis, Bill Wong, Willie their passion, decode their destiny and position themselves for a more Miles, Simone Green, Melissa Fox, Harvey Clemons, Sonya Troullier, prosperous future. The first day of the seminar was about women inspiring Mary Prince and a host of others……..THE MU KAPPA OMEGA CHAPTER women. The speakers included CleRenda Mcgrady, Felecia Henderson, OF ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY, INC. in partnership with Fort Kelly P. Hodges, Velma Trayham, Dr. Alexcius Branch, Jalene Mack, Bend ISD hosted its Educational Enrichment Expo (E3) at Willowridge and Yvonne Guidry. The second day of the seminar was about business and High School. The college and career fair was held to expand college access empowerment. The speakers were Pastor Keion to students in the second largest school district, Henderson, Judge Glenda Hatchett, Holton the Greater Houston community. The expo also Buggs, Daniel Jean Louis, Alfred Edmonds, encouraged Historically Black Colleges to be More photos on defendernetwork.com considered as a potential option for high school Jr., Tony Gaskins, Jr., Nick Santonastasso, and Bun B, Rapper……..HOUSTON HABITAT FOR seniors. E3 offered hands-on S.T.E.A.M activities, HUMANITY…held its annual Building a Dream student and parent discussion workshops Breakfast at Junior League of Houston. The breakfast was held to highlight and student support exhibits. The workshops included everything from their home-buyers and reveal plans for the future. Guests heard a firsthand financial aid information to the HBCU experience. In attendance were account of hope and triumph of New Orleans’ post-Katrina through the lens chairman Ruthelen Robinson, co-chairman Mamie Williams, president of a longtime affordable housing advocate, Jim Pate. At the breakfast, there Madelyn Nunn, vice president Jessica Hill, Marcie Fields, Loucrea was also a silent auction that included wines from around the world and McKinzie, Tiffannie Jones, Jayse Thompson, Blake Simon Jackie Astros collectables. In attendance were Renee Logans, Byronne Hearn, Irabor and many more.

Defender TOP EVENTS

Nick Santonastasso, First Lady Felecia Henderson

Alfred Edmond Jr., Pastor Keion Henderson, Tony Gaskins

Timothy Henry, Neville Green

Colleen Banks, Angela Cox

Sherman Lewis, Nicole Lewis

Sonya Troullier, Mary Prince

Tiffannie Jones, Jayse Thompson, Lanai Whitaker

Marcie Fields, Loucrea McKinzie

Madelyn Nunn, Chauncy Glover, Ruthelen Robinson, Jessica Hill

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DEFENDER | NOVEMBER 3 | 2016

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