WINNERS Joe Biden vows to do right by the Black community after his historic victory with Kamala Harris
NEWS
ENTERTAINMENT
NEPHEW TOMMY
STACEY ABRAMS
Black women helped alter the course of the 2020 election.
Volume 90, issue 3 November 12, 2020
Houston comic hosts ‘Ready to Love’ featuring local singles.
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DN Message
FIT & FINE Peter Burnett Age: 39 Occupation: Educator Education: Baylor University/ University of Phoenix Major: Marketing and Management/ Business Administration Motto: “Do all the good you can, in all the ways that you can, just as long as you can.”
“ I love seeing people striving to better themselves in any area.”
Supporters celebrate the victory of President- elect Democrat Joe Biden. -AP Photo/Brynn Anderson
Message from the Managing Editor The President of the United States is country back on track. Now, don’t get me delusional. wrong, I completely agree with those demandI know, I really should be objective, but as I ing that we hold Joe Biden and Kamala Harris watch him continue to shout “I won!” like an accountable. We would be remiss if we didn’t. old man in a nursing home mad over his missWe do not need to disappear only to emerge ing jello, I can’t help but think that something in 2024. is seriously wrong with this man. And what’s I feel confident that there are people who will even more sad are the formerly sane members hold the Biden camp accountable. And I actually of the Republican party co-signing this madfeel that a Biden/Harris administration will make ReShonda ness, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, sure our issues are addressed. And if not, I have Tate-Billingsley who this week said they are “Moving forward to no doubt that Black America will be there to call a smooth transition into a second Trump term.” Just wow. them out every step of the way. Characters and morals matter
@peterburnett1 Read more on Friday about Peter Burnett at defendernetwork.com If you are Fit & Fine: Direct Message our Instagram page @DefenderNetwork
Like many of you, I have spent the last week watching Joe Biden deliver speeches. And no matter what side of the aisle you stand on, you have to agree, it feels good to have someone we can be proud of back in the Oval Office. I look forward to not worrying about what crazy, embarrassing, hurtful thing the Commander-in-Chief did today. I also watched the celebrations all over the country. I know 70 million people voted for Trump (that’s a tragic indictment in and of itself), but watching the celebrations really hammered home the fact that it’s a sad day when people celebrate like that because someone lost their job. Too bad that message will never resonate with 45. Watching history
I was riveted to the TV waiting on the networks to call the presidency. It was an agonizing wait, but I can’t even begin to tell you how happy I was for Joe Biden to win (and yes, Mr. Trump, he DID win). But I was especially happy to watch history made with my Soror, the amazing Kamala Harris. Together, I think the two of them are poised to get this
COVID-19 is a killer, stay home
I talked to a woman this week who had to say goodbye to her mother via Facetime. Think about that. She couldn’t be there as her mother took her last breath….because her teenage son wanted to go party…caught the coronavirus and he had nothing more than a fever. His grandmother, however, caught it and died within five days. Imagine the guilt he’ll carry forever. Over a party. Imagine not being there as your loved one takes their last breath. COVID-19 is real, y’all. I know we all have cabin fever. We’re ready to get back to brunching and hanging with family and friends. But just because we’re tired of the coronavirus, does not mean it’s tired of us. These numbers are out of control. And until a vaccine is readily available, we all need to do our part. Stay home as much as possible and mask up whenever you head out. IN THIS WEEK’S DEFENDER
• How Black women did the dang thang and changed the course of the election. • Houstonian Nephew Tommy talks about his popular reality show, “Ready to Love.” • Sports reporters Terrance Harris and Jodie B. Jiles have some awesome profiles worth checking out.
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DN News Publicist Misty Starks’ company, 3B Resource Group Public Relations was recently named to Forbes list of America’s Best PR Agencies for 2021.
Tiffany L. Williams, CEO of Twice Media Productions, was named National Supplier of the Year by the National Minority Supplier Development Council.
Rodney Ellis introduces 30% MWBE County contract policy Defender News Service
At a time when women and people of color are among those hardest hit by the ongoing economic recession, Harris County is pushing forward on economic equity and opportunity. In response to a 2020 disparity study that shows less than 10% of Harris County contracts are awarded to minority- and woman-owned businesses, Commissioners Court approved a policy that sets annual aspirational goals for awarding at least 30% of county contracts and associated subcontracts to MWBE businesses. The Minority- and Woman-Owned Business Enterprise Program Policy calls for providing MWBE firms information and technical assistance related to county contracting practices and procedures, bid specifications and other support to assist those firms to succeed and successfully compete for county contracts. The policy also permits the county to set narrowly tailored goals on specific contracts that are geared toward the specifics of the project. It requires that compliance with the program
Murders skyrocket in Houston Defender News Service
Houston is on pace to record more murders than any year in more than a decade, with an alarming increase over last year. Mu rders i n Houston for 2 02 0 to d ate, MURDERS IN HOUSTON have hit 339. In 2019, there were 335 mu rd e r s . 2020 T he pre v iou s h ig h w a s 351 in 2007. Mayor RAPE Sylvester Turner said he believes the stress and anxiety of COVID-19 are ROBBERIES likely contributors to other violent crimes too, such as assault.
44%
be closely monitored. “This year has revealed to many of us that inequality is rampant in many of our policies, programs and institutions,” said Commissioner Rodney Ellis, who in 2018 initiated the disparity study that shows 9.1% of county contracts were awarded to MWBE
firms. “Harris County had to face the fact that disparities do exist in our procurement practices after the completion of our disparity study this year.” The policy will be part of a broader program administered by the Office of Economic Equity and Opportunity.
20% 5%
NAACP outraged after Pearland HS students walk halls in confederate flag attire Defender News Service
The Brazoria County NAACP Branch is calling for change after Pearland High School students walked the halls wearing confederate flag attire. “We are calling for an apology from the school district and the parents,” a spokesperson for the NAACP said. The NAACP claims that multiple students at Pearland High School showed up to campus wearing all-black attire, with their faces painted white while wearing “Confederate attire”. “The Confederacy was a group of domestic terrorists that want to destroy America, period,” said Eugene Howard, Brazoria County NAACP president. “They fought to own people that look like me.” Howard and several concerned parents spoke after photos were circulated showing one boy with a confederate shirt and one with a confederate hat.
The NAACP says that the behavior is unacceptable and a clear violation of the school’s dress code. The school district says they disciplined the
students because of the dress code violation. “Per the Pearland ISD dress code, apparel or accessories which include cultural divisiveness and racial intolerance may not be worn,”
said Kim Hocott, executive director of communication for Pearland ISD. “Appropriate disciplinary action has taken place in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct.”
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DN News
Quawan “Bobby” Charles -Charles family GoFundMe
Teen found dead, family demands justice Defender News Service
A demonstrator holds a sign in front of the U.S. Supreme Court as arguments are heard about the Affordable Care Act. AP/Alex Brandon
‘Obamacare’ at stake as Supreme Court weighs future Associated Press
When the Supreme Court weighs the fate of “Obamacare,” arguments will revolve around arcane points of law like severability — whether the justices can surgically snip out part of the law and leave the rest. But what’s at stake has real-world consequences for just about every American, as well as the health care industry, a major source of jobs and tax revenues. Whether the Affordable Care Act stays, goes or is significantly changed will affect the way life is lived in the U.S. The argument against the law from the Trump administration and conservative states is that the 10-yearold statute was rendered unconstitutional in its entirety when Congress dialed down to zero a penalty on those remaining uninsured. The court has shifted solidly to the political right under President Donald Trump. Here’s a look at some of what’s at stake if the opponents of the law prevail: COVID-19 A NEW PRE-EXISTING CONDITION
Before the ACA, insurers could turn a person down for an individual policy, or charge them more, based on their medical history. COVID-19 would become America’s newest pre-existing condition, for more than 10 million people who have tested positive so far. COVERAGE FOR MORE THAN 20 MILLION
The ACA’s two main programs for covering uninsured people would be wiped out if the law is overturned, leav-
ing more than 20 million people uninsured unless a divided Congress can put a new safety net in place. PREVENTION
Most American women now pay nothing out of their own pockets for birth control. Many other services, from colonoscopies to flu shots, are also free. If people again face copays for routine preventive care, that may discourage some to go for tests shown to detect diseases like cancer at early stages when they are easier to treat. RETURN OF A MEDICARE GAP
“Obamacare” took the first major steps to close Medicare’s unpopular “doughnut hole,” a coverage gap that used to leave older Americans on the hook for hundreds of dollars in prescriptions drug costs. Congress later accelerated the timetable. LONGER RUNWAY SHORTENED
Allowing young adults to stay on a parent’s plan until they turned 26 will be eliminated. TAX CUT FOR THE WEALTHY
“Obamacare” raised taxes on upper income individuals to help finance its coverage expansion. If the entire law is repealed, that would deliver a tax cut to well-to-do people, many of whom have escaped the economic shock of the COVID-19 pandemic because stock market investors have continued to do well.
The family of a 15-year-old boy found dead in Louisiana is in search of answers related to the cause of the beloved teen’s death. The family says they were told Quawan Charles drowned but they’re endeavoring to get an independent autopsy. According to the boy’s family, Charles was reported missing on Friday, Oct. 30 in Baldwin, La after he left his home without permission accompanied by two individuals, a 17-year-old friend and the friend’s mother. Charles was then found dead Nov. 3 in a rural area off Ed Broussard Road near Loreauville. “They still have not shown us where Quawan was or what creek he was found at. We can’t even go and put up a cross where he was found at. They’re being very discreet,” Celina Charles, the spokesperson for the family says. Charles says one reason she and other family members don’t believe Quawan drowned is a graphic photo of Quawan’s body circulating on social media. The image shows the mutilated face of a Black boy who has several open skin wounds and disfigurement so severe that several teeth are visible. “His face is disfigured. So there’s some explaining that needs to be done there. His face is disfigured,” Charles said. “We have no answers, but we’re going to get them,” said Attorney Ron Haley, who is representing the family.
VOLUME 90 - NUMBER 3 - NOVEMBER 12, 2020 Publisher | CEO Sonceria Messiah-Jiles
Managing Editor ReShonda Tate Billingsley
Ad/Client Relations Selma Dodson Tyler
Associate Editor Aswad Walker
Strategic Alllance Clyde Jiles
Sports Terrance Harris Jodie B. Jiles
Creative Director Michael Grant
Photographers Ray Carrington III Jimmie Aggison
The Defender newspaper is published by the Houston Defender Newspaper Inc. and audited by Alliance for Audited Media (AAM). Only digital subscriptions are available at: www.defendernetwork.com/subscribe No paper subscriptions available. All materials covered by 2020 copyright. No materials herein may be reproduced without the written permission of the Publisher. 713-663-6996 | P.O. Box 8005, Houston, Tx 77288
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Addressing the need for healthcare & healthy food Here in Houston, people of color are being disproportionately impacted by this health and humanitarian crisis, requiring improved access to healthcare services and food assistance. At Bank of America, our commitment is unwavering. Building on work we’ve had underway for many years, we’re investing $1 billion over the next four years to advance racial equality and economic opportunity, and the well-being of our neighbors — including right here in Houston. We’re partnering with local healthcare systems and nonprofits that are increasing medical testing and treatment capacity and are providing enhanced access to nutritious food. Together, my teammates and I are working for healthy, sustainable change here in Houston. We’re committed to doing more, and doing more now.
Hong Ogle Houston Market President
Healthier together Here in Houston, we’re working with local organizations that are providing vital access to healthcare and nutritious food. They include: Spring Branch Community Health Center San José Clinic El Centro de Corazón Healthcare for the Homeless – Houston
To learn more, please visit bankofamerica.com/community Bank of America, N.A. Member FDIC. Equal Credit Opportunity Lender. © 2020 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved.
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DN News
2021 TEXAS LEGISLATION
Bills focus on abortion, police, redistricting Texas Tribune
The 87th Texas Legislature won’t gavel in until January, but state lawmakers have begun to file legislation for what’s expected to be a particularly tough 140day stretch at the Capitol next year. More than 450 bills had already been filed in the House and Senate. Thousands of bills are expected to be filed throughout the legislative session, though only a fraction of them will make it through both chambers and end up on Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk. State leaders have already said they expect the upcoming session to be the toughest state lawmakers have seen in years. The state is forecasting billions of dollars in shortfalls to the state budget, which the coronavirus pandemic has fueled. On top of that, lawmakers are set to undergo the once-in-a-decade process of redrawing the state’s political maps. House Redistricting Committee Chair Phil King, a Weatherford Republican, filed legislation related to the composition of House districts and State Board of Education districts with House Bill 63 and 64, respectively. Filing a bill early typically results in a low number. But the lowest numbers are reserved for the highest priority bills set by the House speaker and lieutenant
governor — and sometimes, those pieces of legislation won’t be filed until session is well underway. A list of notable bills filed from the day, which will be updated regularly: House Bill 54 by state Rep. James Talarico, D-Round Rock, would prohibit law enforcement departments from working with reality television shows. The bill comes after a grand jury in September indicted Williamson County Sheriff Robert Chody on a felony evidence tampering charge in the case of Javier Ambler, a Black man who died in 2019 after being stunned with a Taser multiple times by deputies. The incident was caught on camera for an episode of the since-canceled police reality show “Live PD,” that never aired. House Bill 69 by state Rep. Steve Toth, R-The Woodlands, would ban abortions at or after the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Current state law prohibits abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy. If passed, the bill would go into effect Sept. 1, 2021. House Bill 88 by state Rep. Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston, known as the George Floyd Act, is named after George Floyd, a Black man killed over the summer in Minneapolis police custody, and would make a number of policing and criminal justice reforms.
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Paper copies of legislation are shown on May 21, 2019, the day before they were scheduled to be considered. -Juan Figueroa/Texas Tribune
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DN InFocus SOCIAL Joe Biden: Stumbles, tragedies, delayed triumph Associated Press
Days before he left the White House in 2017, President Barack Obama surprised Joe Biden with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, declaring his septuagenarian, whitehaired lieutenant “the best vice president America’s ever had,” a “lion of American history.” The tribute marked the presumed end of a long public life that put Biden in the orbit of the Oval Office for 45 years — yet, through a combination of family and personal tragedy, his own political missteps and sheer bad timing, had never allowed him to sit behind the Resolute Desk himself. It turns out the pinnacle would not elude Biden after all. His moment just hadn’t yet arrived. Joseph Robinette Biden Jr., 77, was elected Nov. 6th as the 46th president of the United States, defeating President Donald Trump in an election that played out against the backdrop of a pandemic, its economic fallout and a national reckoning on racism. He becomes the oldest president-elect and brings with him a history-making vice president-elect in Kamala Harris, the first Black woman and person of South Asian descent to win the nation’s second-highest office. There are no sure paths to a post held by only 44 men in more than two centuries, but Biden’s is among the most unlikely — even for a man who had aspired to the job for more than three decades, twice running unsuccessfully as a sitting senator and passing on a third bid to try to succeed
Vice President-elect Kamala Harris holds hands with President-elect Joe Biden. -AP Photo/ Andrew Harnik
Obama four years ago. “A lot of people dismissed it,” said Karen Finney, a top aide to nominee Hillary Clinton in 2016. “But when I saw his opening speech, talking about the fight for the soul of the country, I said, ‘He gets it.’ That’s what a president does. A president looks around the country and understands what’s happening.” His victory, though, did not come with the usual trappings. He did not bring along a clear Democratic Senate
majority, and several Democratic House candidates lost, raising the prospect of a closely divided government likely to test his promise of bipartisanship. State legislatures also did not flip even as Biden was winning the popular vote by about five percentage points. In his victory address Saturday in his adopted hometown of Wilmington, Delaware, Biden acknowledge the tensions that surely will linger. But he urged Americans to “see each other again, listen to each other again” and “let this grim era of demonization in America begin to end here and now.” Biden first joined a Democratic primary race shaped by nearly two dozen rivals -- most considerably younger -already deep into an ideological fight over issues from universal health care to taxation of billionaires. Biden took an open lane, settling where he spent his 36 years in the Senate: a mainstream liberal with an establishment, deal-making core. But his visceral, emotional appeal transcended party identity. When the nominating process started, Biden lost badly in both Iowa and New Hampshire, inviting talk about how he might make a graceful exit from the race. He found emphatic redemption, powered by Black voters so vital to any Democratic candidate, by winning the South Carolina primary and resetting the race in his favor. That victory sent a message to Democratic voters in key states that Biden could build a winning coalition.
AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM MEDICARE
“WE SAVED ON PRESCRIPTION COSTS. IT PAYS TO COMPARE PLANS.”
MEDICARE PLANS CHANGE EVERY YEAR. Use Medicare.gov to find plans and to more easily compare: • Part D prescription plans for cost, coverage, and convenience. • Medicare Advantage Plans for extra benefits, changes in network providers, co-pays, and more. New this year, historically low plan premiums and hundreds of plans offering insulin for $35/month. Find plans at Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE. TTY 1-877-486-2048.
PAID FOR BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
PROTECT YOURSELF & OTHERS. GET YOUR FLU SHOT NOW. People with Medicare are at greater risk for serious complications from flu. A flu shot is your best protection from getting and spreading this virus, and it’s covered by Medicare at no cost to you.
LIMITED RESOURCES? You may qualify for Extra Help to pay prescription drug costs. Go to ssa.gov/benefits/medicare/ prescriptionhelp/ to find out more.
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DN InFocus FOCUS SOCIAL N
ow that Joe Biden has secured his position as President-Elect, many in the Black community want to make sure that his agenda for African American communities remains forefront. The “Lift Every Voice” plan highlights Biden’s policies and proposals that would address racial disparities within the economy, education, health care, criminal justice, voting rights and environmental justice. “Today, there are Americans all across this country, especially Black Americans, who are exhausted and hurting. Who are disappointed by a system that never seems to deliver for your communities. Who are sick and tired of a cycle where, in good times, Black communities lag behind, in bad times they get hit first and hardest, and in recovery, they take the longest to bounce back,” Biden said when announcing the plan. “We’re in the midst of four simultaneous crises—a pandemic that has claimed more than 200,000 lives, a disproportionate number of whom were Black; an economic crash that has hit Black workers and Black business owners especially hard; a long overdue reckoning on racial justice; and a climate crisis that is already hurting Black and Brown communities the most,” he added. “It is our job to do everything in our power to rip out systemic racism across our society, root and branch.” Highlights of the plan:
People celebrate the victory of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. Biden defeated President Donald Trump to become the 46th president of the United States on Saturday, positioning himself to lead a nation gripped by the historic pandemic and a confluence of economic and social turmoil. AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu
PRESIDENT ELECT JOE BIDEN
BLACK AMERICA PLAN “LIFT EVERY VOICE” By ReShonda Tate Billingsley
The fact that we have caught up with white voters, white women in particular, who have historically reaped all the benefits of voting and even any slight level of political engagement, who can’t get pollsters and parties to stop targeting them, to me says that we are extraordinary. The fact that we have matched and topped white voter participation and done that while going through voter suppression in new and old forms every year, we are extraordinary. That’s what I know.” LaTosha Brown, co-founder of the voter mobilization organization Black Voters Matter.
• A proposal for a $900 million, eight-year grant program to fight gun violence in cities across the U.S. • Instructing his Justice Department, as well as civil rights offices in other federal agencies, to crack down on hate crimes. • Advancing the economic mobility of African Americans and closing the racial wealth and income gaps, by investing in African American businesses and entrepreneurs; ensuring equal access to credit; improving and expanding the Small Business Administration programs that most effectively support African American-owned businesses. Increasing opportunities for African American-owned businesses to obtain or participate in federal contracts. Making sure economic relief because of COVID-19 reaches the African American businesses that need it most. • Expanding African American homeownership and access to affordable, safe housing by helping families buy their first homes and build wealth by creating a new refundable, advanceable tax credit of up to $15,000. Also, tackling racial bias that leads to homes in communities of
There is injustice in America. There is discrimination. There is a legacy of racism and inequality that lives still in our institutions, our laws, and in too many people’s hearts that makes it harder for Black people to succeed. These are facts in the United States of America in 2020, and we must all do more to move our nation closer to the ideals inlaid at our founding—that all women and men are created equal.”
President-Elect Joe Biden
color being assessed by appraisers below their fair value. • Protecting homeowners and renters from abusive lenders and landlords through a new Homeowner and Renter Bill of Rights. This new Bill of Rights will prevent mortgage brokers from leading borrowers into loans that cost more than appropriate, prevent mortgage servicers from advancing a foreclosure when the homeowner is in the process of receiving a loan modification, give homeowners a private right of action to seek financial redress from mortgage lenders and servicers that violate these protections, and give borrowers the right to a timely notification on the status of their loan modifications and to be able to appeal modification denials. • Tackling of student debt and loans, including forgiving student loan debt for families making less than $125,000 for all public universities, and private historically Black colleges and universities and minority-serving institutions. Including in the COVID-19 response an immediate cancellation of a minimum of $10,000 of federal student loan debt.
• Investing $1 billion per year in juvenile justice reform. Ensuring political appointees, including the president’s Cabinet, look like the country they serve and ensuring that our federal workforce is representative of the demographics of our country. • Making far-reaching investments in ending health disparities by race. • Making the right to vote and the right to equal protection real for African Americans. • Addressing environmental justice. • Giving local elected officials the tools and resources they need to combat gentrification. Biden will implement the Obama-Biden Administration’s Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Rule requiring communities receiving certain federal funding to proactively examine housing patterns and identify and address policies that have a discriminatory effect. The Trump Administration suspended this rule in 2018. • Promoting more equitable wealth building and a more secure retirement. The typical white family holds approximately 10 times the wealth as the typical African American family—a disparity that dramatically increased over the past half century. Today, the typical wealth of a white family is $171,000, compared to just $17,600 for the typical African American family. This inequity means that many African American families have insufficient wealth to enjoy a secure retirement. Biden will: equalize the tax benefits of defined contribution plans; equalize benefits across the income scale, so that low- and middle-income workers will also get a tax break when they put money away for retirement; and remove penalties for caregivers who want to save for retirement. • Investing in communities that need it most. To tackle persistent poverty in all communities, in both urban and rural America, Biden supports applying Congressman James Clyburn’s 10-20-30 formula to all federal programs, targeting funds to census tracts with persistent poverty. • Investing in historically marginalized communities and bringing everyone to the table for transportation planning. • Reducing disparities in funding for HBCUs and MSIs. • Bringing broadband to every American household, which will close the digital divide. Strengthening public and private sector unions and helping all workers bargain successfully for what they deserve by fighting for equal pay and ensuring federally funded projects protect workers; and encouraging diverse hiring and promotion practices. • Improving teacher diversity. Read the plan in its entirety at: https://joebiden.com/ blackamerica/
Black leaders vow to hold Biden accountable
African American voters went to the polls or cast their ballots by mail in record numbers.
Defender News Service
Patrisse Cullors, one of the leaders of the Black Lives Matter movement, has sent a letter to President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, congratulating them on their win. Cullors also requested a meeting with the pair to “discuss the expectations that we have for your administration and the commitments that must be made to Black people.” Noting that Black people had played a vital role in delivering the election outcome, she called on Biden and Harris to make a “wellthought out, community-driven, fully resourced agenda that addresses the particular challenges faced by Black people” a top priority. “Congratulations on your election to the Presidency and Vice-Presidency of the United States,” Cullors wrote in the letter,
BIDEN/HARRIS BLACK VOTERS
Overall
Atlanta
The African American community stood up again for me. You’ve always had my back, and I’ll have yours.”
87%
52%
President-Elect Joseph R. Biden
Detroit
79%
Philadelphia Milwaukee
which was provided to Newsweek. “Like so many, we are relieved that the Trump era in government is coming to a close.” Cullors said Black Lives Matter wants to be “actively engaged” in the Biden-Harris transition team’s planning and policy work. “Without the resounding support of Black people, we would be saddled with a very different electoral outcome,” Cullors wrote. “In short, Black people won this election.”
She added: “Alongside Black-led organizations around the nation, Black Lives Matter invested heavily in this election... We want something for our vote. We want to be heard and our agenda to be prioritized.” “Black people can neither afford to live through the vitriol of a Trump-like Presidency, nor through the indifference of a Democrat-controlled government that refuses to wrestle with its most egregious and damnable shame.”
42%
39%
*Denotes percentage of Blacks who voted for Biden/Harris
Cullors noted that both Biden and Harris discussed addressing systemic racism as central to their election campaigns and had expressed regrets about their records on issues impacting Black people.
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DN InFocus FOCUS SOCIAL
How Black women changed the election Defender News Service
One thing that many agree on from the 2020 presidential election, Black women continue to be the Democratic Party’s most powerful voting group, with 91% of them voting for Joe Biden. In addition to Senator Kamala Harris on the Democratic ticket as the VP candidate, and Symone Sanders servings as senior advisor to the Biden campaign, Black women have been on the front lines for months, working to ensure that all eligible voters have their voices heard at the polls. In Georgia, Stacey Abrams, who ran for governor of the state in 2018, has been on the ground to ensure that voter suppression does not dictate the outcome of this year’s election. Two years ago, she lost the gubernatorial race by less than 55,000 votes to Georgia’s now-governor Republican Brian Kemp amid reports of voter suppression. Between 2010 and 2018, it’s reported that Kemp, who served as Georgia’s secretary of state during that time, purged upwards of 1.4 million voters from the rolls, with many voter registrations being cancelled because a person did not vote in the previous election. Additionally, in 2018, 53,000 people had their registrations moved to “pending” because of the state’s “exact match” law, which requires handwritten voter registrations to be identical to an individual’s personal documents. Of those 53,000, more than 80% of those registrations belonged to Black voters. Instead of nursing her wounds, Abrams went to work, starting a voting rights organization called Fair Fight, which continued and expanded the work of the New Georgia Project she started at the end of 2013 that
focused exclusively on increasing voter registration. This time, with Fair Fight, Abrams and her team focused on increasing voter participation, as well as education about elections and voter rights. As a result of these efforts, more than 800,000 new people have registered to vote in Georgia since 2018, with Abrams saying 45% of these new voters are under the age of 30 and 49% are people of color. LaTosha Brown, co-founder of the Black Voters Matter Fund, which works to increase voter registration and turnout and expand voting rights policies, used an election loss to fuel her desire to create change. In 1998, Brown ran for State Board of Education in Alabama against incumbent Democrat Willie Paul. Brown lost by a little over 200 votes. Minutes after the election was certified, she said she received a call from the state’s Democratic Party letting her know that 800 ballots had been found in a safe by the county sheriff. Brown says she was told that it was too late for the ballots to be counted. To fix the issue, she says she was told that she could seek legal action, but as a grassroots candidate, Brown says she didn’t have the money to do so. Today, Brown’s Black Voters Matter Fund does work in Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Alabama and Mississippi to ensure that Black communities are not only registered to vote but also understand the power of their vote. BVM also does work to advocate for the expansion of voting rights policies that include early voting, resistance to voter ID laws and a strengthening of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams. -Earl Gibson III | Getty Images
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DN Feature PANDEMIC
Women more likely to face housing insecurity NNPA
The pandemic-led recession is disproportionately hurting women in the workforce and is more likely to threaten their housing security. A new Zillow analysis finds women are more likely than men to be unemployed, renters and caregivers during the coronavirus pandemic, thereby increasing their risk of becoming severely cost-burdened by housing. The pandemic has been a startling setback for women who had been narrowing the gender gap in recent years. At the beginning of the year, more women than ever before were in the workforce, incomes were rising along with the home values of women-headed households. The COVID19 pandemic has not only interrupted this period of growth, but may have pushed women backward in housing and employment by impacting their participation in the workforce and their potential earnings well into the future.
Among the findings • Unemployment claims for women were up 1,368% this year over last year at the height of the COVID19 recession. Last month, women represented 80% of those who dropped out of the labor force. • Women are more likely to be renters, the group hit hardest by this recession. Nearly half (45%) of female renter households spend more than 30% of their income on housing. • With schools going virtual and childcare centers closed, working mothers were three times more likely than working fathers to cite childcare as the main reason they were out of work • Four times as many women as men left the workforce in September alone. That adds up to nearly 865,000 women or 80% of all workers who dropped out of the labor force last month. C
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Partners in Primary Care is Medicare Advantage friendly! We accept Aetna, Cigna, Humana, Memorial Hermann, TexanPlus and WellCare of Texas Medicare Advantage plans. Visit us on Facebook for activities and events Partners in Primary Care does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability or sex. ATENCIÓN: Si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-877-320-2188 (TTY: 711). 注意：如果您使用繁體中文，您可以免費獲得語言 援助服務。請致 1-877-320-2188 (TTY: 711). GCHKS5DEN Getty Images
12 | November 12, 2020 |
DEFENDER NETWORK
DN Feature Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith to head Biden’s New Coronavirus Task Force
CORONAVIRUS
Things to know Defender News Service US surpasses 10 million confirmed coronavirus cases
The U.S. became the first nation in the world to reach 10 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 , according to Johns Hopkins University, as record spikes continue in states nationwide. It took 10 days to go from 9 million to 10 million, the shortest time yet between 1 million cases. The U.S. has recorded more than 100,000 new cases for five consecutive days, according to a Johns Hopkins tracker. Only one other country -- France -- has had one day over 100,000. Texas also became the first state to reach one million cases. The U.S. recorded 9 million cases on Oct. 30. What’s ahead for COVID-19 vaccines
The drug maker Pfizer has announced that an early analysis of its coronavirus vaccine trial suggested the vaccine was robustly effective in preventing COVID-19, a promising development as the world has waited anxiously for any positive news about
a pandemic that has killed more than 1.2 million people. Pfizer, which developed the vaccine with the German drug-maker BioNTech, released only sparse details from its clinical trial, based on the first formal review of the data by an outside panel of experts. Mayor offers help to musicians
Help is on the way for Houston musicians and music venues hit hard by the pandemic after City Council voted Wednesday to set up a $3 million relief fund. CARES Act dollars allocated to the city will fund the Musicians and Music Venues Economic Relief Program. Musicians will be eligible for up to $5,000. Music venues can get up to $50,000 or $100,000, depending on their budget size. Applicants will be scored based on need to ensure fairness, and money will be awarded until they run out. The nonprofit Mid-America Arts Alliance is running this relief program. They’re currently accepting applications through 5 p.m. on November 25 at www.houstoncaresaboutmusic.org.
A medical worker stands at a COVID-19 state drive-thru testing site at UTEP, Monday, Oct. 26,2020, in El Paso, Texas,. -Briana Sanchez//The El Paso Times via AP
November 12, 2020 |
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DEFENDER NETWORK
DN Events
JOIN VIRTUALLY By ASWAD WALKER Houston Virtual Job Fair, Nov. 15, 10am
Hosted by Coast-to-Coast Career Fair, the Houston Virtual Job Fair will connect you with top employers hiring for Sales, Customer Service, Retail, Financial Services, Management, I.T., Government positions and more! This hiring event is free to job seekers and is a great opportunity to connect with local, regional, and Fortune 500 Companies with immediate job openings. The event is open to executive level experienced professionals as well as entry level and recent college graduates. For more information, visit https://10times. com/houston-virtual-job-fair. Soulful Sunday Free Yoga Lessons, Nov. 15, 3pm – 4pm
YPR Houston presents Soulful Sunday with free yoga lessons taught by model, Hip Hop dancer and choreographer DNECHELLE. You are encouraged to bring your mat and your peace of mind as the lessons are delivered to your home via Google Hangouts. To register, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/houston-tx-soulful-sunday-virtual-tickets-114692995838.
Nelson Mandela Mandela | Resistance: Poems and Stories to Push Us to Our Tomorrow Nov. 19, 6:30pm – 7:30pm
The Holocaust Museum Houston (HMH) will present a free virtual spoken word event, Mandela | Resistance: Poems and Stories to Push Us to Our Tomorrow. Several creative young writers including the Houston 2020 Youth Poet Laureate Madison Petaway, will perform their own poetry in this live performance hosted by Outspoken Bean. Their poems will be inspired by Nelson Mandela’s struggle for freedom, the lessons of the Holocaust and the current racial justice movement in the US. Register for this free virtual event at https://hmh.org/SpokenWord.
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DNECHELLE, Soulful Sunday yoga instructor
14 | November 12, 2020 |
DEFENDER NETWORK
DN Sports Texans receiver Will Fuller’s 77yard touchdown reception against Jacksonville was the longest for a Texans player since 2011.
SportsBriefs CRENNEL HAS COVID-19 CONCERNS One of the most interesting things that came out of last week’s announcement that the Texans had another positive COVID-19 test among it’s players was just how acutely aware interim coach Romeo Crennel is of his susceptibility to the virus. Romeo “Well I know that I’m Crennel in the at-risk category,” Crennel said. “I’m one of the higher categories because of my race, my color, my obesity and all of that good stuff. But so far, knock on wood, I’ve been wearing my mask. I’ve been washing my hands. I’ve been trying to stay a distance away from the players and not up in their face and all of those kinds of things. So far, it’s been working well. “But who knows what’s going to happen down the road. I’m concerned, but not enough to make me change what I’m doing. I enjoy coaching. I love being around the players, and so I will do it. Then if I get COVID, then I’ll have to deal with COVID at that time.” PANTHERS HEADED TO LOUISVILLE The Prairie View men’s basketball team has been invited to play in the Louisville-hosted Wade Houston Tipoff Classic from Nov. 25-Dec. 4. The nine-team tournament consists of some of the best mid-major programs in the country and should be a big test for the defending SWAC champion Panthers. PV will play five games in the Classic, facing Southern Illinois, Louisville, Little Rock, UNC-Greensboro and Western Kentucky. ROCKETS STICKING WITH HARDEN, WESTBROOK For all of the rumors swirling around about the Rockets looking to trade either James Harden or Russell Westbrook or possibly James both, new general Harden manager Rafael Stone seemed to put that to rest last week. “I’m inheriting this team that I really, really know and like, led by James and Russ,” Stone said. “It’s really unique. Not that many people get this opportunity for the first time with these types of guys.”
Texas Southern graduate student and Houston native Niya Mitchell has been tabbed as a Preseason ALLSWAC basketball First Team member.
Silas’ story left Rockets brass
Convinced By Terrance Harris
When the Rockets brass asked for Stephen Silas’ sales pitch for the head coaching job last month it was more of a conversation than a pitch to convince. As the son of a former NBA head coach, Silas simply talked about starting out as a young, 27-yearold assistant under Paul Silas, then going on to work under offensive innovator Don Nelson, defensive guru Steve Clifford and most recently Rick Carlisle in Dallas, during his 20 years as an assistant coach. Silas also discussed the guards he has influenced like Steph Curry, Luka Doncic, Kimba Walker and Baron Davis. “It really was just telling the story of who I am,” Silas said to The Defender Network. “It resonated with the group and I’m so happy that it did. I’ve had a lot of experience in the NBA and coached with a lot of people and coached a lot of great players and I’m looking forward to doing that here.” New Rockets general manager Rafael Stone, who was in the room during that conversation, chimed in to discuss how he and others were so moved that day by what Silas had to say. Like a good coach, there wasn’t a situation or scenario that was thrown at Silas that the 47-year-old coach wasn’t ready for. That left Rockets owners Tilman Fertitta, Rockets CEO Tad Brown and Stone all convinced who the next head coach should be.
-AP Photo/Chuck Burton
“Stephen was the most prepared guy we talked to,” Stone said. “That’s not to be negative to anyone else because we talked to really smart, qualified guys. But Stephen’s level of preparedness, his ability to have thought through every single thing we threw at him and then just the unique mind. Some of his answers were really, really interesting, that are not necessarily intuitive, and made all of us sit back and think, `Ha, that’s a different way of doing it; let’s think about it. That could be really interesting.’ “That combination was really, really cool. At the end of the day he was very clearly the best fit for us. We are feeling incredibly lucky that we found him.” Silas seems uniquely prepared for this opportunity having spent his childhood watching the struggles his father had to become a head coach, and once he ascended to the role, how difficult it was to maintain it. Paul Silas gave his son his first NBA job as a scout not long after he graduated from Brown University, an Ivy League school. It wasn’t long before Silas was the youngest NBA assistant coach at 27. So imagine how proud he was last month to call his dad and tell him that a head coaching job finally happened for him. “He has been my rock in the basketball world for my whole career, so the gratification of that phone call was immense,” Silas said. “To be able to able to call my dad and say, `I got it. I’m finally a head coach’ after all of the things he went through trying to become a head coach. We’ve kind of gone along the same path.”
November 12, 2020 |
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DEFENDER NETWORK
DN Sports TOMPKINS QB JALEN MILROE
A NEXT LEVEL PASSER By Jodie B. Jiles
The ability of a quarterback to accurately pass the ball under pressure inside and outside of the pocket is a key attribute that separates QBs seeking to take their games to the next level. This season, the Greater Houston area has been blessed to witness a three-man competition for the crown of best quarterback in the city. Some would argue North Shore’s De’matrius Davis is the one after lifting the Mustangs to new heights with back-to-back state championships at the highest level of play in the state. Others are casting their ballots for Shadow Creek’s Kyron Drones whose NFL frame and big arm make him the one to watch. But if you strictly focus on the passing game, Katy Tompkins quarterback Jalen Milroe’s skills are next level. In Tompkins’ most recent 24-19 upset win over top ten nationally ranked Katy, Milroe kept Tompkins’ record perfect (6-0), throwing for 211 yards and three touchdowns. Before the victory, Katy had not lost to a district opponent in 75 straight games, the second longest streak in the state. When Tompkins head coach Todd McVey was asked what Milroe adds to the team on and off the field, coach McVey said, “He adds pizzazz. He is a charisma guy on the field and off the field, and is a great leader.” “As a senior this year he has really taken a role of leadership and I am so proud. His abilities take care of itself, but I am even more proud of his leadership right now and what he is doing with the offense.” The Defender spoke with Milroe after the Katy win to discuss the foundations of Tompkins’ passing game, his commitment to the University of Alabama and what a win against Katy can do for the team moving forward into the playoffs. Passing Game
“So, what I had to do to get it to where I am today came from preparation, practice and offseason work. It took all the guys from the wide receivers and running backs to get work done. Without our preparation none of this would be possible. We have been locked in the whole offseason, but we been getting extra work in Monday through Friday and it’s paying off. But the work does not stop at all. We have to continue to get better.”
Leadership
“As a quarterback you have to lead the team. They look for you during times of adversity, bad or good. I feel as though leadership from the quarterback is important to get the guys dialed in at anytime possible.”
Keys to Katy Victory
“The receiving core helped me out because they are so talented and the protection from the offensive line made my job much easier. So, I am just proud to be a part of this team.”
What’s Next?
“We are excited about the win, but now it is to the next game. It feels awesome to break the streak with Katy but we are now onto the next game.”
Alabama Commitment
“I was looking for a family style environment. Alabama had that. Being coached by the best of the best in Coach [Steve] Sarkisian and Coach [Nick] Saban. I love what they do and I feel like they are the best for me.”
Advice To Next QB Generation
“Keep working. There are no limitations to your work. Keep grinding because anything and everything is possible.”
ABOUT JALEN MILROE Height: 6’2 Weight: 195 lbs. IG: @jmilroe Commitment: University of Alabama NFL Players He Studies: Aaron Rodgers and Lamar Jackson Awards: 2018 District 19-6A Newcomer of The Year, 2019 District 19-6A MVP
16 | November 12, 2020 |
DEFENDER NETWORK
DN Entertainment
NEPHEW TOMMY HELPING HOUSTONIANS GET ‘READY FOR LOVE’
By ReShonda Tate Billingsley
Houstonian Thomas “Nephew Tommy” Miles has entertained millions with his comedic take on life and hilarious prank calls. With a career that encompasses radio, television, film and more, Thomas’ role as co-host of the nationally syndicated Steve Harvey Morning Show put him in front of a live radio audience of more than 8 million listeners daily. As Nephew Tommy he provided a key role in the morning show, perhaps best known for his prank calls, and lighting it up with his own cast of colorful characters. It’s why record-breaking Hollywood producer Will Packer thought he’d be the perfect host for the reality dating show, “Ready to Love.” And this season, the show features contestants from his hometown. “Ready to Love Last Resort” explores the real-life dating interactions of sexy, successful and grown Black men and women in their 30s and 40s who are each looking for lasting love and an authentic relationship. The contestants were all tested for COVID-19 and cleared to quarantine together at a luxury mountain resort where both the men and women decide who stays and who goes as the tables turn weekly in the search for true love. Here, Nephew Tommy talks about the new season, and his storied career. Defender: This is Season 3 of the popular series. How did you feel about having the contestants be from Houston? How will it be different? Nephew Tommy: I was excited at first that it was
going to be Houston. And then all of a sudden I got scared. Like, ‘Oh God, don’t embarrass me.’ But I think you’ll be proud of what you see this season. They did pretty good. Don’t get me wrong, we got a little bit of ratchetness here and there, but for the most part, I think you’re going to be proud of this call.
Defender: Previous seasons featured men and women from Atlanta. How did you get Will Packer to agree to move it to Houston? Nephew Tommy: There was talk about moving it
around and getting some different cities. And that’s when I threw Houston in the hat. I had no idea he’d go for it because places like Washington D.C., Los Angeles, New York were on the list. And I’m glad. The contestants represented our city well. We got some beautiful ladies that are entrepreneurs. We got some men that make you say ‘where did they get these bodies from because I need to go to their gym.’ Defender: What makes ‘Ready for Love’ different from other dating shows? Nephew Tommy: I think the twist of it all was the
age bracket. These are people that have been married before, divorced, got kids, people that are career driven, and they’ve kept their heads down and focused more on their jobs and everything. This is a little different from your normal dating show where everybody’s in their twenties with no baggage. These people have baggage. They got things that come along with that. And I thought that’s going to make a big difference. And I think it has to, because of the success of the show.
Education: Eisenhower High School, Texas A&M University Family: Married to Jacqueline Miles, two children Acting Experience: Worked in over a dozen stage plays and, studied with the Royal Shakespeare Company of London. Appeared in: “N-Secure;” “The Heart Specialist;” David Talbert’s “Baggage Claim;” “Think Like A Man;” Tyler Perry’s “Madea’s Halloween.” www.ThomasMiles.com
Defender: How did you get started in comedy? Nephew Tommy: I studied theater at Texas A
& M so I’m an actor by trade. But I had no idea I would be doing stand-up at all. One summer, one of my buddies suggested I try it. So I went to an amateur night in the late eighties on Crosstimbers and 45 at a Ramada Inn. I grabbed the microphone that night and I have not stopped. I’ve moved from learning how to do five minutes worth of material to now, my stage manager has to drag me off stage. I went from Showtime at the Apollo to opening up for Luther Vandross. Defender: What’s next for you? Nephew Tommy: I have a couple
of things brewing that could actually blow up right here in Houston. So keep your fingers crossed. I don’t want to put it out there. I just want to wait and let God give it all the way to me. 100%. But I got something. So be ready now, but in the meantime, check out the latest thing I did, because we’ve been on this pandemic and not able to really go anywhere. I did a little piece called ‘An America without Black people.’ And you’ve got to check that out on my website, Thomasmiles.com.
“Ready for Love” Fridays on OWN 8pm CST