Houston Defender: November 10, 2022

Astros win for Dusty Baker What’s next after team snags World Series win?

FEATURE

OBITS

WYNTON MARSALIS

MATTELIA BENNETT GRAYS

The esteemed jazz musician brings his time and talent to Houston students.

Volume 92, Issue 1 November 10, 2022

Beloved Houston past national president of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. dies at 91.

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DN To the POINT

Voting at the Metropolitan Multi-Services Center near downtown Houston.

Message from the Managing Editor to our morning commutes doesn’t mean I try real hard not to be a jaded conthe pandemic is over. As new Omicron spiracy theorist, but I can’t help but give sub-variants continue to swirl around a serious side-eye when there are voting the country alongside typically seasonal machine issues, but mostly in predomiillnesses, like the flu, the Centers for Disnately Black areas. That’s exactly what hapease Control and Prevention is urging pened this past Election Day. In Fort Bend Americans to take precautions ahead of and Harris Counties, voters who were at this holiday season. Getting vaccinated the polls when they opened, found themand boosted remains one of the best ways selves being told to wait or turned away to protect yourself against COVID-19 because the machines were down. Harris and serious illness. However, the uptake County Elections Administrator Clifford for the new COVID-19 booster is still ReShonda Tate Tatum said some of it has to do with the really low. As of now, boosters are still manner in which the machines were set up, some of it has free, so if you haven’t already, run to your local clinic to do with the printers not doing what they were supposed to get one, now is the time. And oh, yeah, GO ‘STROS! to do, and some of it was the clerks assigned to work at that location who decided not to work that day. Because Freedom of speech, freedom of consequences Tatum is Black, I like to lean on the side of these all being I’ve been loosely watching the case of Kyrie Irving and an unfortunate series of events. But I have questions. Why the ensuing fallout after the Brooklyn Nets guard tweeted does this type of thing mostly happen in communities of a link to a film containing antisemitic material. Nike has color? Who’s deciding which machines go where? Was the suspended its relationship with the NBA player, canceled plan always to make this hard so it could go to the Texas its plans to release his next signature shoe, the Brooklyn Supreme Court, which is GOP-led even though they should Nets suspended him and banned him without pay for at really be non-partisan? Like I said, I’m not a conspiracy least five games. It’s a sad result from someone who says theorist, but these are things that make you go hmmmmm. he was just voicing his opinion.

Whether anything was malicious or not, the bottom line I hear the debate coming to the defense of Irving (who is participating in democracy shouldn’t be this hard. has since apologized), but I think folks have to understand that you’re free to say whatever you want in this country, but Knock, knock, it’s COVID. even forgiven sins have consequences. You can’t badmouth I was so proud watching the tens of thousands of people your boss, then act confused when they fire you. who turned out to celebrate the Astros win. But I’m gonna be honest, I was looking at that crowd and I couldn’t help ON THE WEB but wonder, ‘Do these folks know COVID is still here?’ • Check out Associate Editor Aswad Walker’s Op-Ed: Don’t get me wrong, I’m a firm believer that life has to Election 2022: We Not Only Failed History, We Failed return to normal, and they were outside. But it’s somethe Future. thing about seeing those kind of crowds that still gives • What’s on your bucket list? See what our readers had me the heebie jeebies. to say.

I’ll admit, I’m a little extreme, but this is your friendly • Sports Reporter Jodie Jiles has all the high school reminder that just because we’re now (grudgingly) back highlights.

Texas, we have a problem

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DN News

Texas Election 2022 Wins, losses and what’s next for the Black community

By ReShonda Tate

The Texas midterm election has come and gone and while many Democrats are disappointed that the state is pretty much remaining status quo, many vow that the fight to turn Texas blue will continue. Here are some takeaways for the Nov. 8 election and a look at what’s next.

Harris County ballot fight: The Texas Supreme Court has set the stage for a legal fight over whether to count ballots Harris County voters cast during an extended hour of voting ordered by a lower court, which had ordered several polling places stay open until 8pm because they were delayed in opening.

The state’s highest civil court blocked that ruling and ordered Harris County to separate ballots cast by voters who were not in line by 7 p.m., the normal cutoff for voting in Texas. The Supreme Court’s order followed a request by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to reverse the lower court’s order.

It’s unclear how many votes were cast during the extra hour of voting, but Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee raised the prospect that the state would ask for those votes to be thrown out.

Abbott wins, Beto loses – again: Republican Gov. Greg Abbott was reelected, in what was the most competitive race of his political career. Abbott, who will now serve a third term, beat former Congressman Beto O’Rourke, arguably the most well-known Democrat in Texas. Abbott’s victory is not a surprise — poll after poll showed the Republican leading O’Rourke by about one to eleven points.

He also had the advantage of having more money than O’Rourke. The last Democrat to win a Texas gubernatorial race was Ann Richards in 1990. Still, O’Rourke made a significant push in the election cycle, campaigning hard on gun control and reproductive health.

But Abbott focused most of his campaign on the state’s economy. He blamed President Joe Biden for high inflation in the U.S. This is the third major loss for O’Rourke in nearly six years — in 2016 he lost against Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, for a U.S. Senate seat. In 2018 he unsuccessfully ran for president.

The Beto Effect: Beto O’Rourke might have lost statewide - his third loss in four years - but there is no denying the impact of his campaign in Harris County, where he garnered 53.94% of the vote to Abbott’s 44.57%. “While the margins for O’Rourke may not have been the same as 2018, they were significant enough to make a difference.

His coattails were not as long as they were in 2018, but they were enough to assist in the county election, particularly when you look at how some of those folks won by as little as

Evening voters queue up in a long line before polls close Tuesday at the Metropolitan Multi-Service Center in Houston.

Texas Tribune

U.S. CONGRESSIONAL BLACK WINNERS

Lina Hidalgo

Greg Abbott

Beto O’Rourke

U.S. REP, DIST. 18 Sheila Jackson Lee (D) Carmen Maria Montiel (R)

70.7% 26.3 %

U.S. REP, DIST. 9 Al Green (D) Jimmy I Leon (R)

78.27 21.73%

U.S. REP, DIST. 38 Wesley Hunt (R) 63.07% Duncan F. Klussmann (D) 35.40%

For a complete list, visit www.harrisvotes.com/ Election-Results/Election-Day

Teneshia Hudspeth

Adrian Garcia

three percent,” said Texas Southern University Political scientist Michael Adams.

Harris County: In a race that has been neck and neck for months, Judge Lina Hidalgo, the Democratic incumbent, narrowly defeated her Republican challenger, Alexandra del Moral Mealer. Hidalgo won by 15,957 votes, 50.74% – 49.25%. Hidalgo issued a raw challenge to her rivals in both parties. “To the naysayers, to the naysayers who think I’ll be intimidated by conspiracy theories or by bullying or by political prosecutions – bring it on!” Hidalgo, considered a rising star among Texas Democrats, had a vigorous challenger for her seat overseeing the state’s most populous urban county.

She faced a steep fundraising disadvantage, attacks tying her to the county’s high number of homicides and a midterm environment generally unfavorable to Democrats to beat Mealer, a West Point graduate and ex-Army captain, to lead the county for another four

Lesley Briones

years.

Hidalgo will have a greater Democratic majority on the county’s governing board.

Lesley Briones beat out incumbent County Commisser Jack Cagle, essentially flipping the seat from Republican to Democratic.

Cagle and fellow Republican Tom Ramsey boycotted court meetings from mid-September through the end of October in order to prevent the Democratic majority from passing their preferred budget and tax rates that could support it. Democrats now hold a 4-1 advantage moving forward. Cagle lost to Briones, former civil court judge in a Harris County Precinct 4 that was dramatically redrawn, shifting from the county’s northern tier to its western edge and incorporating more non-Anglo voters. The tally was 51.6% for Briones and 48.4% for Cagle. Garcia defeated former Republican Commissioner Jack Morman in Harris County Precinct 2, which had been redrawn to more heavily

favor Garcia. The split was 52.6% for Garcia to 47.4% for Morman.

Democrat incumbent Teneshia Hudspeth was victorious in her re-election bid against Republican challenger Stan Stanart. Both Hudspeth and Stanart have held the county clerk’s position before – Stanart for eight years before Hudspeth bested him in the 2020 election. Hudspeth, who was favored to win, had worked in the office for the last 15 years, before deciding to campaign for the role herself.

What’s next: For many African Americans in Harris and Fort Bend counties, it’s an issue of getting answers to why voting machine issues always seem to happen in communities of color and preparing for the next election. “The time is now to start organizing,” Adams said.

HOW EARLY VOTING IMPACTED THE ELECTION.

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DN News CITY PROGRAM HELPS HOMELESS Defender News Service

Homeowner Mary Banks (giving the thumbs up) is surrounded by city, community and Rebuilding Together Houston representatives. Photo by Aswad Walker.

Organizations confront 3rd Ward housing crisis

By Aswad Walker

The historic Third Ward may have more families at risk of losing their homes than any other neighborhood in Houston. Low-income seniors in the area are struggling to repair their aging residences in an effort to preserve their homes for future generations.

Rebuilding Together Houston (RTH) and Hewlett-Packard (HP) are launching RTH’s Community Revitalization program to bring hope to families across Third Ward, a landmark African American community since the 1870s.

“We are excited to bring our mission -- Repairing Homes, Revitalizing Communities, and Rebuilding Lives -- to Third Ward,” said Rebuilding Together Houston CEO Christine Holland. “These families have a deep connection and great love for their community, but they need our help to sustain the American dream of home ownership.”

RTH has serviced over 14,000 homes, and Mary Bank’s home was their first in Third Ward.

“I had to put money on the side to try to get it fixed, but I know I couldn’t afford it,” said Banks, widow of the honorary mayor of Third Ward, Ed Banks. “But when they came over to the Third Ward Multi-Service Center and left some flyers over there, I found the paperwork, filled it out and didn’t think it was going to go through. But when they went through, I’m jumping for joy, because they did a lot. And I appreciate what they did for me because if it hadn’t been for them, this wouldn’t have happened.”

The work was facilitated by volunteers from HP. “Rebuilding Together Houston was an organization we heard about, I’d say six-plus months ago,” said Jason Ozenne, community outreach chair of HP’s Black Employee Impact Network. “They’d been trying to get into Third Ward and I’m also a resident of Third Ward. I thought it’d be really great to try and partner with them on this.”

Ozenne said Banks’ home was hopefully the first of many that will receive the services of RTH and HP volunteers.

“There’s been a lot of talk about gentrification

“There’s been a lot of talk about gentrification and what I see is that no one can stop it. However, RTH can give homeowners and families like Ms. Banks a choice.”

Christine Holland, Rebuilding Together Houston CEO

and what I see is that no one can stop it. However, RTH can give homeowners and families like Ms. Banks a choice,” Holland said. “If your roof is leaking on your bed, you might be very tempted to sell your home even though you really want to live your life out there. And by us putting a new roof on, and doing the stabilization of the structure, and we still have safety upgrades to do inside, it really isn’t a choice that Ms. Banks has to make. She wants to live here the rest of her life, and it’s important for her to pass her home on to the next generation of her family. Then we do our little part in enabling this, and the volunteers are certainly a very important part of this,” said Holland.

RTH brought in contractors to make licensed repairs, such as roof restoration, stabilizing the structure and plumbing. The project will also include health and safety modifications to prevent fire and falls, and improve air quality and temperature control.

As part of the Third Ward Showcase, HP volunteers made exterior repairs and donated HP products to the Banks home. Third Ward nonprofits Change Happens, Northern Third Ward Implementation Project and City Councilwoman Carolyn Evans-Shabazz’s office served as community partners.

During his annual State of the City address Wednesday afternoon, Mayor Sylvester Turner announced a new program to aid efforts to house individuals experiencing homelessness on Houston’s streets.

The city is partnering with Bread of Life to launch – Dinner to Home – a food program designed to help individuals experiencing homelessness embark on the path to being housed. The pilot program will offer dinner service at a safe, clean, and appropriate location.

The program is designed to attract individuals who may not normally engage with the homeless housing system by providing food that people want to eat in a respectful, dignified atmosphere with tables, chairs, trash receptacles, restrooms, and cover (during inclement weather). Above all, an array of services, including housing assessments, will be reoccurring.

“Food alone does not solve homelessness. However, when used with services and housing, food can be an important tool to help train professionals forge vital relationships needed to navigate vulnerable Houstonians into housing with wrap-around services,” said Mayor Turner.

“Houston is on the right path, but we must all do more. The Dinner to Home program pairs perfectly with all the comprehensive, holistic initiatives the city is currently working on to help our brothers and sister experiencing homelessness, including the largest homeless housing initiative in our city’s history, the opening of the first Housing Navigation Center in the entire state, and endeavors with the private sector to secure more supportive housing units.”

Mayor Turner speaks at the State of the City.

The program will provide dinner four nights a week, for three months, with an option to extend for up to 10 months. The program will be operated and managed by Bread of Life, a local not-for-profit with a track record of successfully working with vulnerable Houstonians.

“Preventing an increase in street homelessness is tough, and reducing homelessness is even harder. However, Houston is showing the world that collaboration, housing resources, and the right tools can be done! The Dinner to Home program will supplement and boost the extraordinary work outreach teams are already doing to reach out to, connect, and house Houstonians experiencing homelessness,” said Pastor Rudy Rasmus, founder of Bread of Life.

Over the past two years, Houston’s regional, collaborative homeless housing program housed a record 10,900 individuals experiencing homelessness, leading to a 19% reduction in homelessness during the pandemic, including a nearly 10% reduction in street homelessness.

VOLUME 92, ISSUE 1 - NOVEMBER 10, 2022 Publisher | CEO Sonceria Messiah-Jiles

Education Reporter Laura Onyeneho

Strategic Alllance Clyde Jiles

Sports Terrance Harris Jodie B. Jiles

Creative Director Michael Grant

Photographers Jimmie Aggison

Managing Editor ReShonda Tate

Social Media Manager Tia Alphonse

Associate Editor Aswad Walker

Intern Alaina Bookman

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 2022 copyright. No materials herein may be reproduced without the written permission of the Publisher. 713-663-6996 | P.O. Box 8005, Houston, TX 77288

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DN NewsBriefs Supreme Court denies Guyger’s appeal in Botham Jean murder The Supreme Court has denied former Dallas police officer Amber Guyger’s appeal over her murder conviction in the shooting death of Botham Jean in 2018. Guyger’s attorneys had argued in a petition for writ of certiorari that Guyger’s “rights to due process were violated” over a lower court’s interpretation of Guyger’s self-defense and mistake-of-fact claims in the shooting.

Guyger, 34, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the shooting death of Jean at his apartment in September 2018. Guyger said she entered Jean’s apartment, thinking it was her own, before shooting him. Guyger lived on the floor below Jean at the South Side Flats apartments. In March, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals refused to hear Guyger’s petition to review a lower court’s decision to uphold her conviction and sentence. While the nine-member court has the finale appellate jurisdiction in Texas criminal cases, Guyger appealed to the Supreme Court, asking the justices to have a lower court review her case again. $500,000 bond set for stepfather of abused twins The stepfather of twin teens who endured horrific abuse has been returned to Houston

from Louisiana. Jova Terrell, 27, is charged with continuous assault of a family member.

He made his first court appearance recently where the judge set his bond at $500,000.

The twins’ mother, 40-year-old Zaikiya Duncan, remains jailed on bonds that total $4.5 million. During her hearing last week, it came out Duncan may have deleted video evidence regarding the case. Officials also learned she might be pregnant. The couple was arrested in October in Baton Rouge.

Detectives said Duncan and her husband held their twins captive, tortured them and forced them to live in horrible conditions.

The twins escaped, alerting authorities and setting off a search for Duncan and Terrell and ultimately leading police to Louisiana.

Teen sex trafficking victim could face 20 years after escape An 18-year-old sex trafficking victim who killed a man that she says raped her has escaped from a women’s center where she was serving her probation sentence. Pieper Lewis escaped the Fresh Start Women’s Center in Des Moines shortly after 6:15 a.m. on Nov. 4. The probation violation report said Lewis cut her GPS monitor off at some point after she was seen walking out of the facility. A warrant has been issued for her arrest.

The report has also asked that her deferred

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judgment be revoked and her original sentence imposed, which means Lewis could face up to 20 years in prison. Lewis was initially charged with first-degree murder after she stabbed and killed her 37-year-old accused rapist, Zachary Brooks. Lewis was 15 years old at the time of the June 2020 killing. Lewis was sentenced to five years of closely supervised probation and ordered to pay $150,000 restitution to Brooks’ family. If Lewis would have completed her five years of closely supervised probation her entire prison sentence would have been expunged.

Now Lewis must start from the beginning and is likely to see the jail time she was originally sentenced to before her escape.

Breast Cancer vaccine could be coming soon Researchers from the University of Washington have developed a groundbreaking experimental vaccine that could possibly be used to treat breast cancer disease in the near future. Researchers from the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle conducted a clinical trial with the newly developed vaccine. The study found that the medicine “safely gendered a strong immune response to a key tumor protein,” present in breast cancer cells, the report noted, according to Medical Press. According to the study,

Pieper Lewis gives her allocution during a sentencing hearing, Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022, in Des Moines, Iowa.

researchers believe that the vaccine showed a positive response because of how the substance was designed. The vaccine used in the experiment contained the DNA instructions responsible for the tumor protein. Once injected, the DNA begins to rapidly copy the protein encoded in the DNA’s instructions.

The proteins then travel to the immune system “a process more likely to generate a strong, cytotoxic immune response,” the outlet noted.

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DN InFocus Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker waves during a victory parade for the World Series baseball champions Monday, Nov. 7, 2022, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

WHAT’S ON DECK FOR 2023 It’s official. Dusty Baker has signed on to lead the Astros again in 2023. Owner Jim Crane worked out a contract extension for Baker, whose current deal with the club ended with the World Series title.

Astros must determine which of their free agents are a priority to retain. Set to hit the free agent market are Michael Brantley, Jason Castro, Aledmys Diaz, Yulie Gurriel, Rafael Montero and Christian Vazquez.

ASTROS WIN ONE FOR DUSTY BAKER

The Astros need to sign some U.S. born African American players to their roster. This was the first World Series since 1950, after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier, that the American League and National League champs met in the Fall Classic and neither side had a U.S. born Black player on its roster.

The odds makers have the Astros back in contention for the World Series title in 2023.

But for the second straight year, the Los Angeles Dodgers are the favorites to win it all next year (+500). The Astros are just behind them at +550.

JUST THE FACTS Dusty Baker becomes just the third African American manager to win a World Series title in MLB history, joining Cito Gaston (Blue Jays, 1992, 1993) and Dave Roberts (Dodgers 2020).

At 73, Baker becomes the oldest manager to win a World Series championship.

The foul ball had barely dropped into the hustling glove of Kyle Tucker and the celebration inside Minute Maid Park was rocking.

There were pockets of celebration everywhere after the Astros defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 4-1 to win their second World Series title, in the stands and on the baseball field. But the one that was most heartfelt was taking place in the Astros’ dugout with the players jumping all over their 73-year-old manager Dusty Baker.

“Dusty has been unbelievable since Day 1,” Astros third baseman Alex Bregman said. “He’s been an unbelievable manager, an unbelievable human being just on a personal level with every person in our clubhouse, he loves the game of baseball, he has dedicated his life to this game and he deserves it. He’s an unbelievable manager and unbelievable man.”

As much as this World Series win was about the club finally distancing itself from the 2017 sign-stealing scandal, this one was about

winning one for baseball lifer Dusty Baker. to always get his players to believe in him, too.

After 25 years of managing, Baker finally won Baker has won 2,093 games as a manager, his first world championship. led five different clubs to division titles and the But most impressive is the circumstance postseason and he is a three-time Manager of that has all but cemented Baker’s place in Coo- the Year. perstown. A few years ago, the man who had The only thing that had been missing was done nothing but win as a manager a World Series title, after falling seemed to have been basically put five outs shorts with the Giants in into forced retirement. Then, the 2002 and then last season with the Astros came calling in 2020 saying Astros, Baker finally has his ring. the franchise needing his dignity “I tried not to dwell on it, but and reputation to steady the ship I tried to have faith and perseverSEE PICS after the sign-stealing had rocked ance in knowing that with the right FROM THE the club and its reputation. team and the right personnel and PARADE ON “I’m tired of hearing it. ‘He right everything that this is going PAGE 14. doesn’t do this, he doesn’t do that.’ to happen,” Baker said of his purAll I heard about [was] what I can’t suit for a world championship. do,” said Baker, who first became a manager “Had this happened years ago, I might not with the San Francisco Giants in 1993. “But even be here. So maybe it wasn’t supposed to my mom and dad taught me perseverance. happen so that I could hopefully influence a And you gotta persevere, you gotta believe in few young men’s lives and their families and yourself.” a number of different people in the country There is no doubt Baker has always believed through showing what perseverance and charin himself. But the magic has been his ability acter can do for you in the long run.”

— Astros pitcher Lance McCullers Jr.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING “Dusty Baker has been such a great manager for so long. You just kind of just assume that he had won a World Series and led his team multiple times. But for this to be his first one is pretty special. It couldn’t happen to a better guy.

Excited for our Astros.”

— Texans coach Lovie Smith

“Today was a very historical day for the African American community.

I’ve already met with my president, my board chairman today, to look at giving Dusty an honorary doctor’s degree from TSU this December, in honor of what he’s accomplished for not just for the Astros, but for the whole athletic community.”

— Texas Southern Board of Regent Ron Price

HOUSTON CHAMPIONS 2022 ASTROS World Series 2020 DASH

NWSL Challenge Cup Champions

2018 DYNAMO

U.S. Open Cup

2017 ASTROS World Series

2007 DYNAMO

“He’s put a lot of blood, sweat and tears and the game almost killed him when he had a stroke in 2017. So just to see all of this come together – he’s worked so hard and if anybody earned it…it’s him.”

— Dusty Baker’s wife, Melissa

MLS Champions

2006 DYNAMO

MLS Champions

2003 AEROS

AHL Champions

2000 COMETS

WNBA Champions

1999 COMETS

WNBA Champions

1999 AEROS

WHAT’S NEXT AS THE GM MAKES HISTORY?

By Terrance Harris

“When he came here in 2020, we had the whole cheating scandal and we had COVID. He was a stabilizing force for us. I wish we could have done it a little bit sooner for him, but he truly deserved this.”

IHL Champions

1998 COMETS

WNBA Champions

1997 COMETS

I DON’T THINK ABOUT MY AGE, BUT I DO THINK ABOUT BEING THE THIRD BLACK MANAGER TO WIN A WORLD SERIES.” – DUSTY BAKER

WNBA Champions

1995 ROCKETS

NBA Champions

1994 ROCKETS

NBA Champions

1974 AEROS

WHA Champions

1961 OILERS

AFL Champions

1960 OILERS

AFL Champions

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DN Feature

Wynton Marsalis JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER ORCHESTRA PERFORM

Wynton Marsalis with Defender Associate Editor Aswad Walker.

Individual rights. But Photo by Though the threat of rain changed the equally important is Councilmember venue, weather could not stop the group at the responsibility to Tiffany Thomas.

Lincoln Center Orchestra (JLCO), led by others that’s reprenine-time Grammy-award-winning jazz sented by swinging.” legend Wynton Marsalis, from performing Marsalis says playing with a group in jazz before an eager and engaged crowd at the has the combination of that individual freeKinder High School for Performing and dom and group responsibility.

Visual Arts (HSPVA).

“You make up stuff. You’re free. But you The JLCO brought its “Spirit of Swing” have the responsibility to swing and find to the Bayou City and opened its three other people’s time and to create space for days of shows at HSPVA, performing and others and to nurture that space. It’s all teaching HSPVA students, students from fundamental human things that we teach,” two area elementary schools and seniors added Marsalis. from the Julia C. Hester House, all of whom Several attendees of the HSPVA perforexpressed open enjoyment of the mance/teach-in said they felt they performance. were not only in a concert, but a “I liked the solos a lot, and how class on history, civics and ethics. the musicians went over multiple “We try to bring a lot of inforstyles,” said HSPVA music freshmation in there because all of that man Amari Walker. “That helped I love is a part of the music. That’s the me learn more about what I’m being able significance of music as an art currently playing. I also thought form. It is the art of the invisible to share it was cool that the legendary and all things like thoughts, feelWynton Marsalis said the trum- the gifts of ings, aspirations, hopes, dreams pet, the instrument I play, was the this band and disappointments, all are in the most supreme of all instruments.” with our province of music. But it’s also a And with Marsalis, whose chronicle of your history, the great hometown musicians who’ve played. And it’s father was a lifelong educator, the teaching he and other JLCO mem- crowd” a look into the future because the bers shared with attendees was WYNTON type of collective creativity that’s just as much about life as it was MARSALIS in jazz means that you could about music. never do the same thing twice. It’s “I always try to teach concepts like a good conversation. And it’s and be very substantive in the concepts that important for us to use our education system I’m teaching,” said Marsalis. “We punctu- to teach our kids values that will reinforce ate it with the music. So, whenever we give the best and richest parts of what it takes to examples, we show them what the music be citizens in a democracy,” said Marsalis. is and juxtapose the two ideas of the freeDuring their three-day Houston residom that comes with improvisation and dency, JLCO members are scheduled to the importance of having that freedom; teach some master classes at HISD and

By Aswad Walker

CLASSIFIED BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT

Sicarria Goodman of Houston, Texas has announced the birth of her daughter, Xahra Aset Swan.

Xahra was born at 6:03 AM, June 1, 2016, at Magnolia Birth Center in Cypress, Texas. Xahra weighed 8 lbs. 3 ounces and was 20 inches long.

The maternal grandparents are Sidney Goodman of Richmond, Texas and Carleen Webb of Alexandria, Louisiana. The paternal grandparents are Donna Swan of Spring, Texas and Roosevelt Swan of Houston, Texas.

READ ENTIRE ARTICLE AT DEFENDERNETWORK.COM

Klein ISD schools, including Kashmere High School which was home to a Houston-area jazz great, the late “Professor” Conrad Johnson. They performed a concert for

the public at the Wortham Theater with an open Soundcheck/Q&A for students. And Marsalis is still teaching both about music and life.

Troy Montes Michie

Rock of Eye

September 23, 2022–January 29, 2023

Admission is always free.

CAMH.ORG | @camhouston

November 10, 2022 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

| 11

DN Obits Mattelia Bennett Grays

Former educator and AKA President dies

By ReShonda Tate

Mattelia Bennett Grays, a longtime Houston educator and administrator and the 18th international president of Alpha Kappa Sorority, Inc., died Nov. 2 at age 91.

She was a former teacher, principal and district superintendent with HISD. In 1968 she became the youngest person ever elected AKA president and led the sorority from 1970 to 1974. Her accomplishments included leading the sorority’s effort to purchase the birthplace of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and implementing leadership training and educational grants.

“The members of Alpha Kappa Alpha are grateful for her more than 70 years of consistent and active service in the sorority,” said AKA International President & CEO Danette Anthony Reed.

“We also are grateful for the passion and dedication she poured into her family, career and legacy.

She soared to great heights of service and sisterhood, and as we reflect on her life, we are genuinely inspired and aspire to follow her example of service to all mankind.”

She was born in Houston and graduated as salutatorian from Booker T. Washington High School MEMBER FDIC

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The members of Alpha Kappa Alpha are grateful for her more than 70 years of consistent and active service in the sorority.”

Danette Anthony Reed AKA International President & CEO

in 1948. She received a B.A. degree from Dillard University, an M.A. from the University of Michigan and doctorate in Educational Administration from Pacific University.

In addition to teaching in Houston public schools, she served as principal of Rogers Educational Enrichment Center and HISD District III superintendent.

Her funeral will take place, Mon., Nov. 14 at The Fountain of Praise, 13950 Hillcroft Ave, Houston, TX 77085.

12 | November 10, 2022 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Profile

Lanny Smith

HOUSTON NATIVE COLLABORATES WITH MARVEL

By Laura Onyeneho

The box office hit “Black Panther” is back with a second film installment, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” and Marvel has teamed up with Houston’s own Lanny Smith, a former NBA player and owner of the global sportswear brand Actively Black, for an exclusive merchandise collection.

On Nov. 3, the fashion forward athleisure brand released a unisex collection paying homage to the essence of Black empowerment and strength the film represents.

Smith said Wakanda wasn’t a location; it’s a “mindset, a lifestyle,” and that is what he hopes customers feel when they wear his merchandise.

Smith spoke to the Defender about his journey as a Houston native and athlete who is now working with one of the biggest names in entertainment.

Defender: You’re from Houston. How did your upbringing here align with your purpose today?

Lanny Smith: I was born in Houston and raised in Missouri City. I went to Hightower High School and basketball was a huge thing for me growing up. I stayed home and played college basketball at the University of Houston and had an incredible career there. Houston is what made me.

Defender: Sports has had a huge influence on your life. What drew you to basketball? And was playing in the big leagues the ultimate goal for you at the time?

Smith: My mother was a basketball player. Basketball is a family thing. It was a part of my household. I loved Michael Jordan and that’s who I wanted to be. I wore number 23 throughout my entire career. We have so much talent in Houston. So I was just playing against the best of the best in Houston which opened doors for me. I was in middle school playing for the Houston Hoops and we traveled across the country playing against the best players. Even around the city, if you could hoop, it gave you a pass no matter where you were from...Now, I get a chance to go back into the community and tell students that they could be way more than just athletes and entertainers. We can be doctors, lawyers and scientists and engineers like what we see in “Black Panther.”

Defender: In 2009, you signed with the Sacramento Kings and a month later endured a career-ending injury. How did you pick yourself back up emotionally?

Smith: It was a process. I went through depression and identity crisis. My whole life all I knew was basketball. I was trying to find what else I offer in this world. I was heavily prayerful in this process and hoping to see where he would lead me. I went to YouTube University, I taught myself how to use Photoshop and Illustrator to figure out how to design things...I tell kids that there is life outside of basketball. Everything could end tomorrow and it happened to me. Try to figure things out while you have certain social capital. You can get certain people to answer

your phone calls while you’re an athlete. When it’s over, those phone calls don’t get answered the same anymore.

Basketball, football, baseball, all of these sports are a young man’s game...

Defender: You describe yourself as a child of God, and often times faith is all you have in hard times. Where were you when you were coming up with the concept of Actively Black?

Smith: So that is a completely separate brand. I have Active Faith and I have Actively Black. When I started Active Faith, there were plenty of doubters, but for both brands they’re very purpose-driven.

I wante d to create something that was bigger than just hoodies or shirts, but something that positively impacts their lives. There are always going to be people who don’t understand the vision, but once you start building it, they will come around.

Defender: Now your brand is collaborating with Marvel ahead of the new “Black Panther” Sequel.

How did this happen?

Smith: I created the mockups of what the collaboration would look like over a year and a half ago. I wrote this down before I launched Actively Black...Fast forward five months ago. My friend reached out and said Daymond John [of “Shark Tank”] wanted to meet with me. He wanted some Actively Black gear and wanted to talk about a possible FUBU collab. It was crazy to me because FUBU was everything to me growing up. I walked into the meeting and Daymond John is wearing an Actively Black hoodie. He asked what else I was working on and I showed him my deck of a potential Black Panther and Actively Black collab. He picked up the phone, and called the head of licensing for Marvel and Disney. The rest was history...

SOCIAL MEDIA

Birthplace: Houston Website: https://activelyblack.com/ Instagram: @ACTIVELYBLACK Twitter: @ACTIVELYBLACK

Lanny Smith, Founder of Actively Black.

November 10, 2022 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

| 13

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Restrictions apply. Ends 11/20/22. Not available in all areas. New Xfinity Internet residential customers only. Offer requires enrollment in both automatic payments and paperless billing with stored bank account. Without enrollment, the monthly service charge automatically increases by $10 (or $5 if enrolling with credit or debit card information). The discount will appear on your bill within 45 days of enrolling in automatic payments and paperless billing. If either automatic payments or paperless billing are subsequently cancelled, the $10 monthly discount will be removed automatically. Limited to Gigabit Extra Internet with xFi Complete for 24 months. All other equipment, installation, taxes & fees extra, and subj. to change during and after promo. After 24 months, or if any service is cancelled or downgraded, regular charges apply to all services and devices. Service limited to a single outlet. May not be combined with other offers. Internet: Actual speeds vary and not guaranteed. For factors affecting speed visit www.xfinity.com/networkmanagement. Mobile: Xfinity Mobile requires residential post-pay Xfinity Internet. Line limitations may apply. Equip., intl. and roaming charges, taxes and fees, including reg. recovery fees, and other charges extra, and subj. to change. Pricing subject to change. In times of congestion, your data may be temporarily slower than other traffic. After 20 GB monthly data use, speeds reduced to a maximum of 1.5 Mbps download/750 Kbps upload. No rollover data. For Xfinity Mobile Broadband Disclosures visit: www.xfinity.com/mobile/policies/broadband-disclosures. Xfinity Mobile Discount: New Xfinity Mobile Unlimited customers only. Limited to 24 months. Must activate Xfinity Mobile Unlimited within 90 days of Internet order and maintain the line to receive discount. Discount effective within 30 days of Xfinity Mobile activation. To continue receiving the multi-product discount, you must keep Xfinity Mobile with Unlimited data and Superfast Xfinity Internet service or higher for 24 months. If you cancel Xfinity Mobile, switch to a By the Gig plan or cancel Xfinity Internet, or change your Xfinity Internet to a tier below Superfast, you will no longer receive this discount. Call for restrictions and complete details, or visit xfinity.com. NPA243235-0003

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14 | November 10, 2022 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Sports Yordan Alverez smashed a 450-feet three-run homer over the centerfield wall in Game 6 to give the Astros a commanding 3-1 lead to pave the way to their World Series-clinching 4-1 win.

Sports Briefs Brandin Cooks not pleased to still be a Texan The Texans and veteran receiver Brandin Cooks appear to be at an impasse that could result in his release and forfeiture of $18 million of Brandin guaranteed money Cooks still on his contract for the 2023 season. Apparently, Cooks is upset about last week’s trade deadline coming and going without him being moved to a more competitive team. Cooks didn’t attend practice last week and was not suited up for the Thursday Night Game.

Astros Rookie shortstop Jeremy Pena received the Willie Mays World Series MVP Award, becoming the first rookie position player to be bestowed with the honor.

CELEBRATING THE

ASTROS

Deion Sanders wants HBCU team to play FBS opponent in bowl

What Deion Sanders wants he seems to get. He is now proposing an HBCU all-star team play against an FBS program during the Deion Sanders postseason bowl season. This ask, however, may be difficult to deliver on anytime soon. “You can sell that,” SWAC commissioner Charles McClelland said. “The problem is the FCS does not qualify for FBS bowls. It would take NCAA legislative change for that to happen.

There are certain things you have to be in order to play in those bowl games, part of that is scholarships.”

Panthers HOF gets nine new members

Prairie View A&M has inducted nine new members into its Sports Hall of Fame. The 2022 class includes Cecil Shy (Men’s Track & Field, 1988-91), Lewis Edmondson (Men’s Track & Field, 19972002), Dr. Ronald Nelson, II (Men’s Dawn Track & Field, 1997Aycock 2000), Thaddeus Gamble (Men’s Track & Field, 19791983), Dr. Dawn Aycock (Volleyball, 1991-95), Monica Smith (Women’s Basketball 1984-88), Jerome Howard (Football 2011-14), Bobby Perry (Football 2001-02) and Quinton Spears (Football 2007-10).

Dusty Baker shows off the World Series trophy during the Parade, alongside Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner. Also pictured, Astros 3rd baseman Alex Bregman, owner Jim Crane, Harris County Constable Pct. 1 Alan Rosen, pitcher Justin Verlander and Kate Upton. Photos by Vicki Pink.

Everyone from city officials to local celebrities to fans turned out to celebrate the Astros historic win. Check out these photos and see more at www.defendernetwork.com

Two Houston Astros fans.

U.S. Representative Shelia Jackson Lee on a Parade float after the Houston Astros World Series win.

Houston rapper/activist Trae Tha Truth celebrates the Astros’ victory.

A group of Astros fans pose for a picture together at the Parade.

November 10, 2022 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

| 15

DN Sports YATES QB/DB

BRODERICK BROWN PLAYS AGAINST ALL ODDS

By Jodie B. Jiles

Despite having to operate under a different coaching scheme all four years and recovering from an ACL injury throughout his senior season, Yates quarterback and defensive back Broderick Brown has continued to create offense with his arm and legs, leading the Lions into the playoffs.

Brown has a natural baseball arm that can make most of the short and mid-range passes necessary to move an offense down the field. On defense he is a playmaker willing to sacrifice his body to make something happen for his team.

This was evident in the Scott Street Classic victory versus Worthing where Brown started the game by forcing a fumble that set up a score and ended the game with a touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Marquise Sattiewhite.

Yates head coach Rafael Thomas is impressed by Brown.

“He missed the first five games, but we were excited to get him back because he is a guy that opens up our offense. He is dynamic with his arm and we need his senior leadership.

“I couldn’t be more proud of this kid because of the adversity he has overcome,” Thomas said.

The Defender spoke with Brown about his game, keys to success battling injuries, advice to others and more.

ABOUT BRODERICK BROWN Twitter: @1BroderickBrown Current offers: The University of Maryland and Central Oklahoma University Player he studies: “Patrick Mahomes is my guy.”

Favorite artist: Lil Durk Hobby: Coaching the Southside Ravens Little League team Shout-outs: “My momma, my daddy, my pops and my Little League coach. Ya’ll got me here.”

Style of Play “I’m like Lamar Jackson but I have more [passing] accuracy.”

Passing Game “My passing game is really easy because most of my routes get the ball out faster. And my linemen help me out by being there and allowing me to stay in the pocket.”

Battling Injuries “It is a lot of encouragement from my family. My momma kept me going every day. Every day that I’d get up she would say, ‘Go to therapy, go to therapy, go to therapy.’ And then my coach and [team] pushed me to just keep going and don’t ever give up on yourself.”

4 years, 4 coaches “When you have to be in a different offense every year you just have to pay attention and listen….I had to get a feeling with every different coach. So, it is hard but it’s not because all you need to do is just listen and pay attention.”

College Preferences “I am looking for a school with a good finance department because I want to know how to manage my money.”

Advice to Others “Never give up on yourself.”

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DEFENDER NETWORK