Houston Defender: November 29, 2012

HOLIDAYS

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NATIONAL PRESIDENT OBAMA

puts stamp on healthcare

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PERSONALIZE YOUR CHRISTMAS GIFTS THE EASY WAY P14

Houston’s Leading Black Information Source

Volume 82 | Number 6

NOVEMBER 29, 2012 |FREE

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An AIDS-free generation H Page 7

ENTERTAINMENT KIRK WHALUM will perform at TSU

P5 OPINION OPINION

World AIDS Day Dec. 1

BENJAMIN CHAVIS says Rice deserves support

P11 CHAG’S PLACE

Pastor Juanita Rasmus and Gina Gaston at UNCF gala

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Beyoncé

subject of film Beyoncé will be seen in a new film next year, but it’s nothing like the superstar’s previous roles. “This film was so personal to me, it had to have the right home,” she says.

What “home” is she referring to?

Why is she so excited about the “intimate” production? Why is the city of Houston being mentioned?

Vance Joseph assists Texans

The Houston Texans outstanding secondary is one reason why the team is among the NFL’s elite.

The secondary is coached by Vance Joseph, who has a knack for working with young players.

Read what Joseph has to say about his corners and safeties.

Learn his thoughts on “blank pages” and bad habits.

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DEFENDER | NOVEMBER 29 | 2012

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Homeless receiving housing Defender News Services

The Houston Housing Authority and City of Houston recently announced details of plans to add 1,000 units of permanent housing for homeless Houstonians within the next two years through $100 million in project-based vouchers funded

by HUD. The pledge includes plans to construct new apartments that will provide supportive services, as well as the intent to provide up to 200 vouchers to be used at new properties and/or up to 200 vouchers for existing properties that comply with program requirements and federal Housing Quality Standards.

“With the help of our community partners, we recently celebrated a huge milestone by housing 100 homeless veterans in 100 days,” said HHA President & CEO Tory Gunsolley.

“Another 100 veterans have been housed since that announcement. Cumulatively, we have placed more than 500 homeless veterans. We have also hired a full-time manager to oversee our homeless housing initiative. We are doing what we can to meet the need for affordable housing in Houston.”

The targeted population includes income eligible (less

than 30 percent of the area medium income) homeless veterans and homeless individuals or families and individuals with disabilities. There are currently 20,000 participants on the Housing Choice Voucher Program waiting list.

The new commitment will have the added benefit of creating approximately 1,000 jobs per year for the next three years.

Property owners and developers interested in receiving projectbased vouchers through both the

Housing Choice Voucher and the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing programs must submit their proposals to the Housing Authority by January 10, 2013 at 4 p.m.

More information is available at housingforhouston.com/ doing-business-with-hha/currentbidsrequest-for-proposalsrequestfor-quotes.aspx.

Updates and information for homeless providers, developers and potential participants will be listed on www.housingforhouston.

Otis King dead at age 77 Defender News Services

Noted attorney and law school educator Otis Harold King died Nov. 21 at the age of 77. King served as Houston’s first Black city attorney under former Mayor Fred Hofheinz and was a professor and dean at Texas Southern University’s Thurgood Marshall School of Law. Services will be held Saturday, Dec. 1 at Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church, 3015 N. MacGregor Way. The viewing is at 9 a.m. and the Omega Service of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity begins at 10 a.m.

The memorial service is at 11 a.m.

King was born in Texarkana and grew up in Fifth Ward.

He graduated from Wheatley High School in 1952 as salutatorian.

King enrolled in TSU and joined its legendary debate team. He was the debate partner of The late Otis King one of the university’s most famous alumni, Congresswoman Barbara Jordan.

He graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in biology. He returned to TSU after a two-year stint in the army and entered law school.

While in law school King was active in the Civil Rights Movement and helped form the Progressive Youth Association. In 1969 he was named a Ford Foundation Fellow at the Harvard University School of Law. He earned an LL.M. degree from Harvard in 1970.

King was a member of the Texas Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the National Bar Association and the NAACP. His hobbies including painting and sculpting and many of his paintings can be found in the homes of family and friends.

His survivors include two sons and four grandchildren.

localbriefs A RACIALLY-CHARGED NOTICE posted at a Southwest Houston complex will be investigated

by HUD. The notice asked residents to report Black adolescents “or any other suspicious people” on the property. Congressman Al Green sent a letter to HUD and the Department of Justice calling their attention to the message. “Regardless as to whether this was a prank or serious effort to circumvent constitutional rights, it is something that should not go unnoticed,” Green said. Activist Quanell X met with the apartment manager and said he didn’t believe the leasing office posted the notice……..WHEN WILL GOV. RICK PERRY set an election date to fill the seat held by

the late State Sen. Mario Gallegos? Former County Commissioner Sylvia Garcia, a candidate for the seat, is among those asking that question. Garcia said the constituents in Senate District 6 deserve a voice in the legislative session that starts in January. “The working families of our district, most of whom are Latino and African-American, deserve to have their voices heard in Austin without delay,” Garcia said. Other candidates include State Rep. Carol Alvarado…….. MICHAEL WILLIAMS, the new commissioner of the Texas Education Agency, wants to change the state’s testing system. “In a state that is 60 percent economically disadvantaged and 60 percent Black and brown,

we’ve got to be concerned about closing that racial achievement gap because indeed our demographics are changing,” Williams said. “I’m confident we can meet the growing challenge and better accountability should encourage improvement.” He said that the current categories of “exemplary,” “recognized,” “acceptable,” or “unacceptable” will be soon be outdated……..THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS is among 47 recipients of the first Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award from Insight Into Diversity magazine. Schools were selected based on initiatives to promote diversity.

Texas Tech University and the University of North Texas also made the list.

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U.S.briefs

Re-election puts stamp on Affordable Care Act

By CHRIS LEVISTER Special to NNPA from Black Voice News

With the re-election of President Barack Obama, the Affordable Care Act, passed in 2010, stands as a historic achievement, ending a decades-long quest by Democrats – and some Republicans – to guarantee healthcare to all Americans.

That outcome – which seemed almost unimaginable this spring when the Supreme Court considered whether the Affordable Care Act was constitutional – puts immediate pressure on many Republican state leaders who fought it. They must decide in days whether to implement it or have the federal government do it for them.

“It’s all over but the shouting,” said Families USA Executive Director Ron Pollack, a consumer advocate and leading champion of the law.

“What was very questionable at the start of the year has been settled. The Affordable Care Act will be a permanent fixture of the American healthcare system.”

The election results also present Obama with a new set of challenges as he tries to fulfill the promise of his signature legislative achievement, the

President Barack Obama greets doctors at the White House.

biggest expansion of the social safety net since Medicare and Medicaid were created in 1965.

Under the law, millions of Americans should be able to get health insurance for the first time starting in 2014. Millions more who don’t get coverage through work should be able to buy a health plan that meets new basic standards.

Although the act won’t be fully in place until 2014, billions of dollars have already been distributed and the wheels of reform have begun to turn.

Seniors with Medicare prescription drug coverage are getting cash rebates. Young adults have joined their parents’

insurance policies. Uninsured Americans with pre-existing conditions are getting health coverage through Affordable Care programs.

Despite the Affordable Care Act’s more certain future under an Obama second term, controversy over the law isn’t over.

The public is still largely split on its merits. Republican state lawmakers and governors won’t suddenly and universally back the law. Republicans in Congress still have say over funding for some of its programs.

But the health care industry is now free from a great deal of uncertainty. Or at least it’s free from this round of uncertainty.

Blacks languish below poverty line NNPA News Service

More than 11 million Blacks lived below the poverty line in 2011, including an estimated 5.2 million that languish in severe poverty, according to a recent report.

The yearly report by the Half in Ten campaign found that, even though Blacks comprise 13 percent of the total population in the Unit-

ed States, they accounted for 27.6 percent of Americans living below the poverty line, defined as $23,018 a year for a family of four.

Less than 1 in 10 of those living below the poverty line in 2011 were white.

The Half in Ten campaign works to shift public and political will to slash poverty in half by 2020. It is a collaborative effort by

the Center for American Progress Action Fund, the Coalition on Human Needs and the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.

Children are often the greatest victims of poverty.

More than 42 percent of Black children live in poverty compared with 15 percent for white children and 13.6 percent for Latino children.

CANDIDATES FOR JESSE JACKSON JR.’S vacated congressional seat are already lining up. Jackson, 47, resigned on Nov. 21, citing his ongoing treatment for bipolar disorder. He confirmed that he is the subject of a federal probe and is cooperating with investigators. Among those expressing interest in his seat are Chicago attorney Sam Adam Jr., who represented singer R. Kelly, and State Sen. Napoleon Harris, a former NFL linebacker. Jackson’s wife Sandy and his brother Jonathan have also been mentioned, but neither has commented on a possible run.……..

CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS Chairman Emanuel Cleaver said Jackson would be missed. “While I am deeply saddened at the news of my dear friend and colleague Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.’s resignation, I respect his decision to focus on his health and on his family which undoubtedly come first,” Cleaver said. He added that Jackson has been “an esteemed member of Congress” and will depart with a rich legacy……..THE NATIONAL BLACK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE is raising eyebrows after filing a friend-of-thecourt petition with the U.S. Supreme Court supporting an objection filed by Shelby County, Ala. The county is against a provision of the Voting Rights Act that requires jurisdictions with a proven history of discrimination in elections to get pre-clearance from the Justice Department before implementing changes in voting laws. The court is expected to issue a ruling next summer. Harry Alford, president and CEO of the chamber, said he filed the brief out of concern for Black lawmakers, many elected after passage of the Voting Rights Act. He asserted that the cumbersome preclearance process is a burden on Black elected officials……..INAUGURATION DAY – Jan. 20 – falls on a Sunday, so President Barack Obama will be sworn in privately at noon that day. The actual public ceremony takes place on Monday, Jan. 21, the same day as the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday.

VOLUME 82 • NUMBER 6 NOVEMBER 29, 2012

Publisher Sonceria Messiah-Jiles Advertising/Client Relations Selma Dodson Tyler Print Editor Marilyn Marshall Online Editor ReShonda Billingsley

Art Director Tony Fernandez-Davila People Editor Yvette Chargois Sports Editors Max Edison Darrell K. Ardison Contributing Writer Aswad Walker

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entertainment

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Beyoncé subject of documentary Defender News Services

Superstar Beyoncé will be the focus of an intimate feature-length HBO documentary film debuting in February. She will direct and serve as executive producer of the film.

“Everybody knows Beyoncé’s music, but few know Beyoncé the person,” said Michael Lombardo, president of HBO Programming. “Along with electrifying footage of Beyoncé onstage, this unique special looks beyond the glamour to reveal a vibrant, vulnerable, unforgettable woman.”

“HBO has a history of pushing every boundary with class and authenticity,” Beyoncé said. “Some of my favorite shows are on HBO, so I am excited that my film will be part of its bold programming. This film was so personal to me, it had to have the right home.”

The film is a multi-faceted portrait of the 16time Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, actress, entrepreneur, wife and mother.

It includes extensive first-person footage, some of it shot by Beyoncé on her laptop, in which she reflects on the realities of celebrity, the refuge she finds onstage and the joy of becoming a mother.

The film sheds light on her childhood in Houston, with home movies revealing the close bond she built with her family and charts the challenges Beyoncé felt when she decided to manage her career and build her own company, Parkwood Entertainment.

It also captures the intense physical and emotional demands she goes through in the studio, preparing for live performances, running a business and her family life, including her return to the spotlight after the birth of her daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, in January.

A documentary on Beyoncé debuts in February.

Whalum, Sample perform at TSU in December Defender News Services Jazz greats Kirk Whalum and Joe Sample will bring their musical talents to the Texas Southern University campus for two different performances.

On Friday, Dec. 7th, at 7 p.m. in Sawyer Auditorium, Grammywinning saxophonist Whalum will embark on his inaugural Christmas tour.

Whalum will share the stage with Kirk Whalum noted pianist Keiko Matsui and gospel artist Amber Bullock. His brother, vocalist Kevin Whalum, and keyboardist/vocalist John Stoddart will

Joe Sample

share the stage.

“The joy of the Christmas season is contagious and the one thing it must include is music,” Whalum

said. “Keiko Matsui, Amber Bullock and I will invite the presence of the Spirit in a fresh new way as we present the most creative, imaginative, meaningful and joyful Christmas celebration ever. Don’t miss it.”

Tickets are $20 for floor seating and $10 for balcony level. Students from TSU’s Fine Arts program will host the pre-show.

The Joe Sample Orchestra at Texas Southern will present a “Children of the Sun” concert on Sunday, Dec. 9 at 4 p.m. in the Sawyer Auditorium.

“Children of the Sun” is a suite for jazz orchestra composed by Sample. The concert is free to the public.

what’sup LENNY KRAVITZ will portray MARVIN GAYE in a new movie set to start filming next year. It will focus on Gaye’s life in Europe in the early 1980s when the soul singer was trying to curb his addictions and restart his career. Gaye, whose career spanned more than two decades, emerged as one of Motown’s biggest stars in 1960s. He was shot dead by his father in 1984. The film will mark Kravitz’s first leading role. He previously appeared in such films as “Precious” and “The Hunger Games” and can also be seen in “The Butler,” a new White House drama set for release next year…….. NIA LONG and TERRY CREWS are two of the stars of TYLER PERRY’S upcoming film “Single Mom’s Club.” The film tells the story of single mothers who are brought together by a crisis.

Perry will play one of the male leads and is writing, directing, and producing the movie ……..HALLE BERRY’S off-screen drama continues. A judge has set a hearing for Dec. 17 to consider whether a restraining order should be granted against Berry’s ex-boyfriend Gabriel Aubry, the father of Berry’s daughter, Nahla. Aubry and Berry’s current fiancé, actor Olivier Martinez, got into a fight Thanksgiving Day at Berry’s home. Aubry, who was arrested, has a Dec. 13 court date for a misdemeanor battery charge in the case. He said Martinez threatened to kill him during the confrontation........Legendary guitarist and singer BUDDY GUY will be honored by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Dec. 2. The 76-year-old musician is described as a “blues titan” who has been a “tremendous in-

fluence on virtually everyone who has picked up an electric guitar in the last half century.” The annual Kennedy Center Honors will be televised on Dec. 26 at 8 p.m. on CBS. Previous recipients include MORGAN FREEMAN, TINA TURNER, ARETHA FRANKLIN, BILL COSBY and B.B. KING……..CEELO GREEN said he was delighted to sing a duet with Kermit the Frog on a recent episode of NBC’s “The Voice.” The Muppets also join Green on his holiday album titled “CeeLo’s Magic Moment,” which was recently released…….. Puppeteer KEVIN CLASH can’t get any peace. A third man has now come forth claiming he and Clash engaged in sexual activity when he was a teenager. The accuser, now 29, alleges that he met Clash on a gay chat service 13 years ago. Clash denies the allegations.

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DEFENDER | NOVEMBER 29 | 2012 | defendernetwork.com

Toks Olagundoye

Actress thrilled with TV role

By KAM WILLIAMS Special to the Defender

Born in Lagos, Toks Olagundoye was reared in Nigeria, Switzerland and England. She moved to the United States to attend Smith College where she received a bachelor’s degree in fine arts.

After jumpstarting her career in New York, the stunning actress relocated to Los Angeles where within a short time she landed roles on such TV series as “NCIS,” “Prime Suspect,” “Switched at Birth,” “CSI: NY,” “Law & Order” and “Ugly Betty.”

She currently stars in ABC’s new comedy “The Neighbors” (which airs on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.), playing “Jackie JoynerKersee,” an alien from the planet Zabvron

who has taken on human form to live in a gated community in New Jersey.

Toks’ character is married to the community’s leader and serves as the Zabvronian equivalent of the first lady.

In addition to acting, Toks enjoys writing and producing films for the web. Here, she talks about her life, career and work on “The Neighbors.”

KW: What interested you in The Neighbors?

TO: Honestly, I

love being an actor and a job is a job, and I’m always happy to have a job. So, initially, I would say, employment. But I am also a sci-fi lover and have been itching to be on a sitcom forever. So, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to audition and I really went for it.

KW: Tell me a little about the show’s wacky premise?

TO: A community of aliens set up a colony of sorts on Earth in a New Jersey golfing community, taking on the guise of human form, and they do

their best to fit in and not attract attention. Of course, they fail spectacularly.

One of the alien couples in the community gets tired of waiting around to hear from their home planet and they vacate their house leaving it open for a nice, human Jersey family of five to purchase and move into.

Let the hysterical comedy of errors ensue.

KW: You play an alien queen who’s impersonating U.S.

Olympian Jackie Joyner-Kersee. Which is more challenging, playing an alien or impersonating Jackie?

TO: Well, neither, because neither is the case. Jackie is the wife of the Zabvrobian supreme commander, so she is more of a matriarch than a queen.

And the aliens are not impersonating the athletes they have named themselves after. They have taken on these names in the hope of becoming a part of the elite. In their minds, choosing the names of accomplished sports figures will help them fit in and excel. They

don’t realize it actually makes them all stick out like a box of sore thumbs.

KW: You’re halfNigerian and halfNorwegian? Which do you identify with more?

TO: I identify with them both very strongly. I identify myself as a Nigerian because that is where I was born and raised and where my family still lives. But I was raised by a very Norwegian mother and spent a ton of time there every year until I was about 14 and am closest to my Norwegian relatives. So, it is very difficult to choose.

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An AIDS-free generation

By RESHONDA TATE BILLINGSLEY Defender

Dec. 1 marks World AIDS Day, a day for people worldwide to unite in the fight against the disease, show their support for those living with it and remember those who died from it.

Since the discovery of the first AIDS strain some 30 years ago, efforts have been underway to find a way to combat the disease.

The leader of one international program said we might be actually approaching a time where we can be an AIDS-free generation.

Michel Sidibé, executive director of UNAIDS – the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS – looks forward to the day when no one will be born with the virus and as people get older, they will be at a far lower risk of becoming infected than they are today.

If they do acquire HIV, they Michel Sidibé is executive director of UNAIDS. will get treatment that keeps them healthy and prevents them from transmitting the virus to others.

“We mark the rapidly approaching reality of a world with zero new HIV infections, zero AIDS-related deaths, and zero discrimination due to stigma. In How is HIV passed from one person to short, an AIDS-free generation,” Sidibé said. another?

He believes there is good reason to be hopeful.

HIV transmission can occur when blood, More than eight million people worldwide now have semen, pre-seminal fluid, vaginal fluid, or access to HIV treatment – more than 50 percent of breast milk from an infected person enters the those who need it – and over the past decade, new body of an uninfected person. infections among young people have dropped by 20 How long does it take for HIV to cause AIDS? percent.

Scientists previously have estimated that Serious challenges remain, but the fight is forging about half the people with HIV will develop ahead on both the federal and state levels.

AIDS within 10 years after becoming infected.

Locally, Houston is part of the 12-Cities Project, a However, the length of time it takes for AIDS special prevention effort in the U.S. metropolitan areas symptoms to appear varies greatly from most affected by HIV. person to person.

Of the 56,000 new HIV infections in the United How can I tell if I’m infected with HIV? States each year, 1,200 are in Houston-Harris County.

The only way to know if you are infected is to

Frequently asked questions

Continued on Page 8

be tested. You cannot rely on symptoms to know whether or not you are infected. Many

people who are infected with HIV do not have any symptoms at all for many years.

Where can I get tested for HIV? Many places provide testing for HIV infection.

Common testing locations include local health departments, clinics, offices of private doctors, hospitals, and other sites set up specifically to provide HIV testing. For information visit www. hivtest.org or call (800) CDC-INFO (232-4636).

What if I test positive for HIV? The sooner you take steps to protect your health, the better. Early medical treatment and a healthy lifestyle can help you stay well.

Prompt medical care may delay the onset of AIDS and prevent some life-threatening conditions. For more information visit www. cdc.gov.

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AIDS...Continued from page 7 ....

An updated HIV prevention plan targets the five Houston communities hardest hit by the virus: Sunnyside/South Park, greater Fifth Ward, Acres Homes, Sharpstown/Southwest and Montrose.

Prevention plan

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently unveiled the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), and other agencies across the government have heeded the call and have been working to put us on the path to an AIDS-Free Generation by focusing on “combination prevention.”

That prevention involves condoms, counseling and testing, with special

Where to go for help AIDS Foundation Houston 3202 Weslayan 713-623-6796 www.aidshelp.org Legacy Community Health Services Montrose Campus, 1415 California 713-830-3000 www.legacycommunityhealth.org Legacy Community Health Services Lyons Campus, 5602 Lyons Avenue 713-671-3041 www.legacycommunityhealth.org Montrose Counseling Center 401 Branard Street, 2nd Floor 713-529-0037 www.montrosecounselingcenter.org Northside Health Center 8504 Schuller 713-696-5900 http://www.houstontx.gov/health/ HealthCenters/Northside.htm Sharpstown Health Services 6201 Bonhomme 713-780-5600 http://www.houstontx.gov/health/ HealthCenters/Sharpstown.html St. Hope Foundation Various locations 713.778.1300 www.offeringhope.org Sunnyside Health Center 4605 Wilmington 713-732-5000 www.houstontx.gov/health/HealthCenters/Sunnyside.htm

emphasis on three core interventions – treatment as prevention, voluntary medical male circumcision, and stopping the transmission of HIV from mothers to children.

PEPFAR has made considerable progress on implementing the three core interventions. It is reaching nearly 4.5 million people now, and is on track to meet President Barack Obama’s goal of treating 6 million people by the end of 2013.

“While new scientific breakthroughs are key to curbing the epidemic, we also must attend to the critical ‘on-the-ground’ details of their implementation,” said Dr. Ronald Valdiserri, director of the Office of HIV/AIDS and Infectious Disease Policy of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Better outreach is especially needed in the Black community. While Blacks represent approximately 14 percent of the U.S. population, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that they account for 44 percent of the nation’s new HIV infections.

Black women accounted for 30 percent of the estimated new HIV infections among all Blacks. Most Black women with HIV (85 percent) acquired it through heterosexual sex.

The estimated rate of new HIV infections for Black women was more than 15 times as high as the rate for white women, and more than three times as high as that of Latina women.

Still a stigma

Black men accounted for 70 percent of the estimated new HIV infections among all Blacks. The estimated rate of new HIV infection for Black men was more than six and a half times as high as that of white men, and two and a half times as high as that of Latino men or Black women.

Black men who have sex with men (MSM) represented an estimated 73 percent of new infections among all Black men, and 37 percent among all MSM. More new HIV infections occurred among young Black MSM (aged 13–29) than any other age and racial group of MSM. In addition, new HIV infections among young Black MSM increased by 48 percent from 2006–2009.

“There’s a lot of stigma around being gay and being able to talk about that, which is why you see a rise in your

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How Ryan White program helps In 1985, 13-year-old Ryan White was diagnosed with AIDS. The Indiana teen was a hemophiliac and contracted the disease through a blood transfusion.

Ryan and his mother, Jeanne White Ginder, courageously fought AIDSRyan White related discrimination and helped educate the nation about the disease.

Ryan died in 1990 at age 18, just months before Congress passed the AIDS bill that bears his name – the Ryan White CARE (Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency) Act. The legislation has been reauthorized four times and is now called the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program.

The program provides health care for people with HIV disease. It is intended to fill gaps in care faced by those with low incomes and little or no insurance.

Since 1992, the Ryan White Grant Administration has awarded and administered over $200 million in funding to scores of health and social service agencies in the Houston Eligible Metropolitan Area.

The majority of Ryan White funds support primary medical care and essential support services. A smaller portion funds technical assistance, clinical training, and research on innovative models of care.

The Ryan White legislation created a number of programs, called parts, to meet needs for different communities and populations affected by HIV/AIDS. For information about the program visit hab.hrsa.gov/abouthab/aboutprogram.html.

HIV/AIDS facts & figures • African Americans are the racial/ ethnic group most affected by HIV. • Socioeconomic issues such as limited access to high-quality health care, housing and HIV prevention education increase the risk for HIV infection.

• 4,242 Texans were diagnosed with HIV in 2010: 42 percent were Black, 31 percent were Hispanic and 25 percent were Anglo.

female population as well,” said Januari Leo, public affairs field specialist with Legacy Community Health Services in Houston.

“So you have these men who have sex with women at the same time and are not telling them.”

The CDC estimates that one in every five people with HIV nationwide are unaware of their infection.

On average, it takes a decade for untreated HIV to progress to AIDS. Roughly one-third of Texans get late diagnoses, meaning they learn they have HIV, then AIDS in the

• At some point in their lifetimes, an estimated 1 in 16 Black men and 1 in 32 Black women will be diagnosed with HIV infection.

• In 2009, African Americans comprised 14 percent of the U.S. population but accounted for 44 percent of all new HIV infections.

• In 2009, the number of adults and adolescents living with an AIDS diagnosis was highest in the South.

same year.

“There are some studies that suggest that a lot of the transmission of HIV occurs from those people who are undiagnosed. They are more likely to be infectious if they’re not on medications and they’re less likely to protect partners because they assume they’re not infected,” said Jeff Hitt, the state health department’s manager for HIV/STD prevention.

Leo says they will use Worlds AIDS Day to further educate the community, which is crucial to helping lead toward an AIDS-free generation.

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Wilmington Ten

Deadline looms for pardons T:4.79”

LEGAL NOTICE

By Cash Michaels Special to NNPA from the Wilmington Journal

Supporters of the Wilmington Ten’s pardons of innocence are increasing their efforts to build more public support for the cause before North Carolina Gov. Beverly Perdue leaves office on Dec. 31.

Sources say there is opposition to the proposed pardons, primarily from former law enforcement and state officials who still believe – despite no evidence proving that the Wilmington Ten had anything to do with the 1971 firebombing of a white-owned grocery store, or sniper shots at responding firemen – that they are guilty.

The legal petition to pardon all of the ten – nine African-American males and one white female – of false conspiracy charges they were convicted of in 1972, has been pending in Perdue’s Executive Clemency office since last May. Perdue, a Democrat, is expected to make her decision in December before she steps down.

Churches, fraternities, sororities, community and civic organizations in North Carolina and beyond are being asked to support the cause by sending letters to Perdue, or signing the online petition.

Thousands of signatures in hard copy and online petitions have been collected, but organizers with the Wilmington Ten Pardons of Innocence Project, an outreach effort the National

Game #

Game Name / Odds

$

Official Close of Game

End Validations Date

1416

Double Wild Cherries Overall Odds are 1 in 4.45

$1

1/30/13

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Nine men and one woman comprised the Wilmington Ten (shown above in a file photo), who were convicted in 1971 in Wilmington, N.C. of arson and conspiracy and served time in jail. In May 2012 Benjamin Chavis (seated, far left) and six surviving members of the group petitioned the North Carolina governor for a pardon.

These Texas Lottery Commission Scratch-Off games will be closing soon:

For detailed odds and game information, visit txlottery.org or call 1-800-37LOTTO. Must be 18 or older to purchase a ticket.

The Texas Lottery supports Texas Education. © 2012 Texas Lottery Commission. All rights reserved.

Newspaper Publishers Association adopted in 2011, say1that still many TX6358_HNDF_EOG_AFAM_1129.indd Interested in doing business with the State of Texas? more are needed by Dec 1.

Printed At 11-20-2012 2:02 PM from EJACOBSON-MacPro

by Eddie Jacobson / Tommy Salazar Saved The next two weeks areatcritical, they say, toward garnering more petition Job info Approvals Fonts & Images signatures and letters of support in order Job # Creative Dir None Fonts TX6358 to document widespread Clientsentiment Art Director None Helvetica (Black), Helvetica Neue (Medium, TEXAS LOTTERY None across the state and nation that the falseEOG Headline/Tag Copywriter Bold, 77 Bold Condensed, 57 Condensed), DECEMBER Trim was wrong, Account Mgr ALVARO CIFUENTES (Regular) 4.79” x 3.25” prosecution 40 years ago A FREE EVENT Times FORUM FOR Bleed Proofreader None None and the state needs to Live correct it. None Images Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUB) Notes Attorneys for the Color Wilmington Setup BW None HOUSTON DEFENDER Ten pardons effort metVendor/Pub with Perdue’s DUE: 11/21 andInks Media Type NEWSPAPER PUB: 11/29 clemency staff severalDieweeks ago, Black Cut None Small Businesses! presenting their case, based on the 1980 U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals Monday December 3, 2012 from 9:30am to 3:00pm ruling which overturned all 10 of the 206 E. 9th Street • Austin, TX 78701 (No registration required) convictions.

Tel 512.479.6200 Fax 512.479.6024 However, the state of North William P. Hobby Jr. Building Carolina has refused to grant pardons 333 Guadalupe St., Austin,Texas78701 of innocence to the Wilmington Ten, thus maintaining their false felony convictions.

In the six months since the pardons effort campaign publicly kicked off, support has come from various North Free Workshops: Carolina elected officials.

To sign the Change.Org online petition asking Gov. Beverly Perdue to grant pardons of innocence for the Wilmington Ten, visit www.change. org/petitions/nc-governor-bev-perduepardon-the-wilmington-ten.

Free parking provided until full on the top floor only of Garage N located at Those who would like to write a San Antonio St. between 3rd and 4th St.- one block West of the Hobby letter to Perdue before Dec. 1, asking Building her to grant pardons of innocence to the Sponsored by: The Texas Department of Insurance Wilmington Ten, should send them to: Hon. Beverly Eaves Perdue, Governor For information Contact: of North Carolina, 20301 Mail Service Linda at 512-305-8573 or Email: Linda.hart@tdi.state.tx.us Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-0301.

Prepared by LatinWorks Marketing, Inc. 2009. All rights reserved.

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NOVEMBER 29 | 2012 | DEFENDER

opinion Obama right to

11

stand by Rice

By BENJAMIN F. CHAVIS, JR. NNPA Columnist

Taylor Jones, Politicalcartoons.com

All U.S. United Nations ambassadors sit in a perpetual hot seat.

That comes with the assignment and to be periodically involved in public controversies is not out of the ordinary.

Yet with the growing unprincipled and ultra-partisan attacks on the integrity, intelligence and competence of U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice, those who believe in freedom, justice, and equality cannot sit back and be silent in the face of these putrid political and undeserved personal attacks on the good character and reputation of Ambassador Rice.

Even though Rice has been one of the most effective and articulate U.S. ambassadors to the United Nations in recent memory, Republican Senators John McCain of Arizona and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina are leading the misguided campaign against her in the wake of the controversies surrounding the attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya on Sept. 11.

We all mourn the loss of U.S. Ambassador to Libya J. Christopher Stevens and the other three Americans killed in Benghazi. Those responsible for the killings should be brought to justice.

But instead of demanding that an emphasis be put on finding and apprehending those responsible for the violence, Republicans have a contrived fixation on besmirching the leadership and character of Rice.

The question is why? What are the Republicans really trying to achieve by continuing their political campaign to tarnish the good name of Rice?

Both McCain and Graham have announced their opposition to the possibility of President Barack Obama nominating Rice to serve as the next U.S. secretary of state.

Graham stated: “I don’t trust her. I think

she was a political choice, telling a political narrative, and either she didn’t know the truth about Benghazi—so she shouldn’t have been on T.V. – or she was spinning it. I don’t think that’s a good resume to be secretary of state.”

McCain claimed: “My judgment at this time is that four Americans were killed, and the information that our U.N. ambassador conveyed was clearly false…There was overwhelming evidence that it was completely false. And she should have known what the situation and circumstances were and not tell the world on all Sunday morning talk shows.”

The fact is, however, on those Sunday morning talk shows after the tragedy in Benghazi, Rice reported exactly and accurately the information that she had

been given by U.S. intelligence officials at the early stages of the investigative analysis.

This information was well known by McCain and Graham, yet they have persisted in attempting to undermine both President Obama and Ambassador Rice.

It is as if McCain, Graham, Romney and many other Republicans are still sore losers because of the outcome of the 2012 national elections.

Obama said: “But when they go after the U.N. ambassador, apparently because they think she’s an easy target, then they’ve got a problem with me…

If Senator McCain and Senator Graham and others want to go after somebody, they should go after me – and I’m happy to have that discussion with them.”

Ambassador Rice also made it clear, and said: “When discussing the attack against our facilities in Benghazi, I relied solely and squarely on the information provided to me by the intelligence community…I made clear that the information was preliminary, and that our investigations would give us the definitive answers.”

Obama should continue to stand up for Rice with strong fervor and renewed determination not to be sidetracked from pushing his national and international agenda forward.

As the president contemplates his new cabinet, certainly Rice should be considered for further duty. In fact, the recent controversies have only resulted in making Rice a stronger diplomat and public servant loyal and committed to the president’s leadership and direction.

During the next four years, it is obvious that the forces of backwardness and regression will have to be challenged vigorously. We support President Barack Obama and we stand with Ambassador Rice today and into the future.

Now is the time for strong leadership domestically and internationally. American politics needs more balance from the opposition party, but it clear that the Republicans have yet to repent.

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12

DEFENDER | NOVEMBER 29 | 2012

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sports

Texans secondary playing together

By MAX EDISON Defender

As the Houston Texans continue on the magical journey that is the 2012 season, there are many things to admire.

The poetic running style of Arian Foster, the boundless stamina of Andre Johnson, and the relentless aggression of J.J. Watt and Antonio Smith have propelled the Texans to the top spot in the AFC. That being said, the secondary, which two short years ago was the most maligned in the league, has emerged as one of the best units in the NFL. Cornerbacks Johnathan Joseph and Kareem Jackson and safeties Danieal Manning and Glover Quin are the starters. Quintin Demps and Brice McCain hit the field as part of the nickel and dime packages.

As a unit they have been consistent all season, defending the pass and making tackles to support the run defense.

A significant turning point in the Texan franchise was when defensive mastermind Wade Phillips was hired as coordinator in 2011. The turning point in the secondary was Phillips bringing with him talented secondary coach Vance Joseph.

Although many give credit to the 3-4 defensive scheme that Phillips employs, Joseph believes success in the secondary comes from talented players.

“You understand quickly that players come first and the scheme second,” Joseph said. “So you do what players do well. It’s a fundamental game. That’s never going to change. Tackling, footwork, eye placement, that’s always going to be the game.

“It’s a game of errors; the team who makes the least mistakes wins the game,” Joseph said.

“So for me, it’s a fundamental game. It’s always players first and scheme second. Scheme helps you win, but the player fundamentals keep you winning.”

The addition of Manning and Jonathan Joseph last season added a sorely needed veteran presence to the secondary, but Vance Joseph has never shied away from molding young talent.

“They’re young, that helps, because most of them are blank pages so they don’t have a lot of bad habits,” coach Joseph said. “They’re aggressive and they want to win. When they’re young and want to win, that means they will work at it. Having veterans helps, but if you’re young and aggressive, you can play in this league and win in this league.”

In his fourth season, safety Glover Quin is enjoying the good times, but he’s played through

the bad times. He outlines the reasons for the unit’s success.

“Work, focus, good coaching, a great scheme, growth and maturity have all been contributing factors,” Quin said.

“Hard work has been the key. Every day we show up we go to work. It doesn’t matter if it’s the practice field or the meeting room we put in the work. A lot of times when you put that work in Wednesday through Saturday, you get a good result on Sunday. Our goal is to play well each and every

Safety Glover Quin

Safety Quintin Demps

game and be the best secondary in the game.”

Quin also noted the impact that Vance Joseph, Manning and Johnathan Joseph have made.

“Vance is a great coach and Manning and J. Joe coming in as veterans gave us so much flexibility as a group. We’re all interchangeable,” Quin said.

“Manning and I can both cover, tackle and come up and play the run game. Kareem and J. Joe both can cover. We’ve been fortunate to stay pretty healthy. You give yourself an opportunity to play well when you trust your teammates, you trust the system. We have a motto: “We play together, we stay together, all game.”

In his third year as a Texan, safety Quintin Demps is another member of the secondary who has seen the bad times and is happy to playing during the good times.

“I think Vance and his coaching style has been a major factor in our success,” Demps said. “As a group everybody is hungry and nobody is selfish. We don’t have any divas.

We work really hard in practice and everybody knows that if you don’t you’ll stand out on film like a sore thumb.”

As a non-starter, Demps is a key member of the secondary unit that comes in on third down and obvious passing situations. It’s a pressure situation that he relishes.

“Third down is the most important down on defense,” Demps said. “I take pride, knowing my job and being disciplined enough to come in at that critical time and make a contribution. Brice McCain and I come in and we’re like the energy package.

“We want to make sure the defense gets a stop, forces the opposing offense to punt and gives our offense with their weapons a chance to make something happen. It doesn’t matter whether you start or not. We play by our motto.”

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NOVEMBER 29 | 2012 |DEFENDER

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h.s.zone

sportsbriefs

Running back Adam Taylor

Return bodes well For Katy

By DARRELL K. ARDISON Defender

The Katy Tigers had more than their share of question marks coming into the 2012 high school football season.

Gone were 33 lettermen and seven starters on each side of the ball from a 2011 squad that won its first 12 games of the season before succumbing to La Porte 9-7 in the third round of the playoffs.

Among that group were 13 first-team all-district performers, including quarterback and District 19-5A MVP Brooks Haack and receiver Jordan Thompson, the district’s special teams player of the year.

Another major question was how running back Adam Taylor would return following a torn ACL injury that forced him to miss nearly all of the 2011 season. Taylor ran for more than 1,500 yards as a sophomore. Freshman Rodney Anderson filled in for Taylor last year and ran for 1,167 yards.

Just like last season, Katy has won its first 12 games of the season and face La Porte again in the Region III-5A Division II semifinals. Only this time Taylor and Anderson will be a formidable 1-2 rushing attack and La Porte may be without top rusher Keith Whitely, who missed the last two games due to injury.

Katy has been the No. 1-ranked Class 5A school in Texas for most of the season and is among the top five in every national prep poll. Katy and La Porte will meet Dec. 1 in the first game of a playoff triple-

header at Reliant Stadium. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m.

“My teammates and I are just playing inspired and trying to prove to everybody that we’re still on top,” Taylor said. “We play hard every game and keep striving forward.”

While the Katy juggernaut hasn’t missed a beat thus far in 2012, Taylor feels he didn’t hit his stride until after midseason.

13

“It wasn’t until game six or seven that I began to feel back to myself,” Taylor said. “During the season I pulled a hamstring and I was still fighting through that the first couple of games. People didn’t know about the injury and that’s why I wasn’t playing so great.

“But now, I’m doing everything that I’ve done in the past and my blockers are doing a great job in front of me,” Taylor said.

In Katy’s 49-0 area round playoff win over Langham Creek last week, Taylor carried the ball five consecutive times during the Tigers’ opening drive and the senior scored on a three-yard touchdown run to give Katy the lead for good at 7-0.

Taylor finished with 190 yards on 25 carries and scored three touchdowns. Anderson added 104 rushing yards and had touchdowns running and receiving.

A week earlier in a 77-7 bidistrict rout of Westbury, Taylor rushed for 225 yards on 15 carries and scored four TDs. “Adam is not just a good running back, he’s a good leader,” said Katy head coach Gary Joseph. “He’s definitely one the kids look to when things aren’t going our way. His leadership is really what sets him apart from some of the other great backs we’ve had.”

Katy is trying to win the school’s seventh state football championship.

“You must have great leaders on the team if you’re going to make it to the top,” Taylor said.

Katy running back Adam Taylor bounced back after an injury.

Dambrino wins award Houston Independent School District AD Marmion Dambrino has been selected as the Region V 2012 Athletic Director of the Year by the Texas High School Athletic Directors Association.

Dambrino was selected by the THSADA membership which represents 56 school districts. She will attend the THSADA convention in San Angelo next March to represent Region V. “To be selected from a group of peers who are truly talented, exemplary and committed to their school districts, student athletes and coaches is truly an honor,” Dambrino said. “I am humbled to have the opportunity to represent our region in the upcoming THSADA convention.” Dambrino, a graduate of Southern Mississippi and Prairie View A&M University, was promoted to athletic director in 2010 and has worked with HISD for 27 years serving as dean of students, associate principal and teacher at the middle and high school levels. She has also coached basketball, volleyball, track and boys and girls swimming.

Two bite the dust Both North Forest and Summer Creek won the first 11 games of the 2012 high school football season. Getting number 12 proved to be their undoing. North Forest pulled to within one point of Rosenberg Terry (26-25) with 63 seconds remaining in regulation and faced a big decision. Having missed two extra-point kicks earlier in the game, Bulldogs’ head coach Plez Atkins decided to go for two points and the victory. A desperation pass fell incomplete at the goal line and Terry escaped with the narrow victory. “I’d do it again,” Atkins said.

Georgetown eliminated Summer Creek 38-21.

McNeil to be inducted Houston native Lori McNeil has been tabbed to be inducted into the Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame on Dec. 1. McNeil was a consistent top 10-ranked pro tennis standout who pulled off major Grand Slam upsets over Steffi Graf and Chris Evert and won 10 Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) singles titles and 32 doubles championships over an 18-year period. She paired with Jorge Lozano in 1988 to win the French Open mixed doubles championship. Also being inducted with McNeil are Chadwick Brown, Tim Brown, Charles Haley, Bobby E. Moten Sr., Gene Upshaw (all for football contributions), Tommie Smith, Jim Hines and Horatio Porter (all for track and field contributions).

Condolences to the McHales Thoughts and prayers go out to Rockets head coach Kevin McHale and his family at the passing of his 23-year-old daughter Alexandra “Sasha” McHale, who died of lupus complications. McHale has been on personal leave from the Rockets since Nov. 10. There is no timetable for his return. The team has been led by interim coach Kelvin Sampson. Team owner Leslie Alexander issued the following statement: “I extend my deepest condolences to Kevin and Lynn for the loss of their beautiful daughter, Sasha, on Saturday afternoon. Kevin and Lynn are loving and dedicated parents who will need our continued support throughout this very difficult time. Our entire organization is mourning the McHale family’s loss and we ask that you keep them in your thoughts and prayers.”

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14 DEFENDER | NOVEMBER 29 | 2012 | defendernetwork.com

Holidays 101

Personalize your Christmas gifts Family Features

If you find holiday shopping more stressful than fun, you might be tempted to put it off or just grab something generic and slap on a bow. That can lead to some unfortunate gift choices and a lot less merriment for everyone.

There are savvy, low-fuss ways to personalize the perfect gift for everyone on your list. Consider these tips from lifestyle and do-it-yourself (DIY) expert Brooke Peterson: Make it a group thing. The secret to making recipients feel like their gift has been thoughtfully selected just for them is to group smaller items together. Is there a wine lover on your list? Select an attractive bottle of wine, several classic or artistic wine glasses, a book on wine pairings, and tie it all together in a wine bucket. Are you shopping for a tech lover?

Pair smartphone-ready gloves with iTunes gift cards.

It’s all in the presentation. Add a personal touch to holiday gifts by wrapping them in a way that says you care.

Consider using a decorated tree ornament instead of a bow, or top off a gift box with homemade or pre-packaged cookies or candy.

What’s in a name? Nothing is quite as personal as a monogrammed gift, but who has time to order a name or initials

during all that holiday shopping? Avoid lengthy wait times by creating your own monograms DIY style. Stop by your local craft store for some iron-on lettering, apply your gift recipient’s initials or name to a cozy throw blanket, hand towels or even a reusable bag and you have a thoughtful gift in minutes.

Pamper me. Delight the overworked friend, co-worker, loved one or spouse with a luxurious and inexpensive DIY spa basket. Assemble candles, bath salts, soft towels and relaxing music in a modern or classic basket and top it off with cozy slippers to give the gift of relaxation in no time.

The gift of choice. According to a recent survey on holiday cheer, 51 percent of American consumers cite gift cards as the number one last-minute gift, but you can easily make it more personal. For instance, consider pairing a gift card to your recipient’s favorite restaurant with a bottle of champagne or wine and a homemade coupon to babysit the kids for the ultimate date night gift.

Before checking your list, give careful consideration to where you shop. Minimize stress by selecting one or two stores that provide a broad assortment of quality gifts.

Major retailers such as Sam’s Club also offer a wide selection of convenient gifts under one roof, from baskets and break-apart gift packs to designer jewelry and quality electronics to wow that special someone.

Travel tips for hassle-free holidays Are you traveling this holiday season? You can make your journey more enjoyable by following these tips from the Weather Channel: • It is easier to get travel and accommodation reservations if you book early. With some airlines and hotels, early booking may even qualify you for a discount.

• Plan to arrive at the airport or station at least two hours early.

The holiday season means everyone is traveling, which means traffic jams and long lines; giving yourself this margin will pay off in reduced stress, and may mean the difference between a missed flight and one caught in plenty of time.

• Travel light. Taking public transportation or trying to hail a cab when lugging around heavy suitcases is difficult during the best of times. Holiday crowds increase the difficulty.

• Carry essentials, including an ample

supply of any medications you use, in your hand luggage. You never know when your luggage will be delayed or otherwise separated from you.

• Check your departure time with airlines or other services before heading out. Departures and arrivals are often delayed during the holiday season. If you are being met at the airport or train station, remind those meeting you to confirm arrival times. Travel is frequently

delayed during the holidays.

• Do not carry wrapped gifts in carry-on luggage, as gifts may need to be inspected at security check points and in some instances they will be unwrapped.

Either check gifts or leave them unwrapped and accessible.

• Put address tags both on the outside and the inside of all baggage; external tags could get torn off during baggage handling.

• If carrying with oversized items such as golf clubs, skis, or snowboards, check with the airline ahead of time regarding their requirements. Make sure that they are securely padded and packed before you get to the airport.

• Don’t drive to the airport; roads are usually congested during the holidays. Ideally, have a friend or relative drop you off; otherwise, take public transport, a shuttle, or a taxi.

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NOVEMBER 29 | 2012 | DEFENDER

For Event Coverage...visit

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chag’splace

Terry Williams, vice chair Elizabeth Campbell, Gloria REVEILLON GALA…..The leadership council Coleman, Michael Alvarez, Rosalyn Boyd, Annette members of UNCF and honorary chairs Anita and Bracey, Gayla and Dr. Donald Gardner, Gina Gaston, Gerald Smith and Y. Ping Sun and David Leebron Robis Nickson, Angela Jones, Cheryl Ramagos, Doug along with gala chair Merele Yarborough recently Trimmer, Dorinda and Eric Adams, hosted the 2012 UNCF Reveillon Paige Cawthon, Bryce Kennard Gala. Adia Spiller, a graduate Join Yvette Chargois and Ed Smith, to name a few. of Clark Atlanta University, Events of the Week Pastor Juanita Rasmus, St. John’s presented the John and Drucie More photos on defendernetwork.com Downtown, delivered the invocation Chase Young Builders Award to See Events on KTRK Ch.13’s Crossroads and Khambrel Marshall and Rachel Michael Feinberg, co-founder of with Melanie Lawson Sunday Morning @ 11 a.m.

McNeill, KPRC Local 2, served as KIPP Academy. Ayo Omopariola, emcees for the program. Kudos to UNCF scholar and dental student at Juana Collins, UNCF area development director. It the University of Houston, presented the Excellence in was reported that the gala raised nearly $500,000. A Education Award to the legacy of Dr. John B. Coleman, fabulous event!.....PROFILES OF PROMINENCE….. whose son, State Rep. Garnet Coleman, accepted The National Women of Achievement, Inc. Galena on behalf of his father. The audience of over 500 was entertained by the Temptations Review featuring Dennis Park Houston Metroplex Chapter recently hosted their Edwards, celebrity disc jockey Zelma Lee aka “DJ annual Profile of Prominence “Shining Stars” Luncheon Supastar” and a performance by the Houston Children’s honoring pastors and ministers. The honorees from area Chorus. Some of the guests included the leadership chair churches included Pastor Wanda J. Bess, Blueridge

Honorary Chairs David and Y. Ping Sun Leebron and Anita and Gerald Smith

Robis Nickson, Angela Jones, Rosalyn Boyd, Cheryl Ramagos and Doug Trimmer

UNCF Exec. Dir. Juana Collins and Gala Chair Merele Yarborough

Honoree Michael Feinberg and Adia Spiller

Achiever Jean Fowler

NWOA-Galena Park Houston Metroplex Chapter 2012 Honorees

15

UMC; Minister Rhett Caviel, McGee Chapel BC; Pastor Larry L. Grant, Briarchase MBC; Elder Lance Guess, Island of Hope COGIC; Minister Telia Jenkins, Blessed One Ministries; Minister Leonard Keys, Little Union MBC and Rev. Charles Washington, Antioch MBC. The proceeds for the luncheon provide scholarships to several deserving college-bound students. We salute chapter president Jean Fowler and chapter members Beatrice Mayes, Shirley Bell, Tina Rhodes, Galette Mason, Shirley Cockrell, Willa Morgan, Cheryl Beausoleil, Barbara Davis, Edith Jones and Pamela Barrett for a successful event. Continued success!.......

CONDOLENCES…..Our prayers are with the families of Dr. Otis King and Mr. Travis Moore who recently celebrated their homegoing. Think of it this way, they’re now your guardian angels, appointed by God to look after all of you. He saw the road was getting rough, so He gently closed their loving eyes and whispered, “Peace Be Thine.” God bless!.....From Chag’s Place to your place, have a blessed week!

Pastor Juanita Rasmus and Gina Gaston

Ayo Omoparoila, Gloria Coleman and State Rep. Garnet Coleman

NWOA.-Galena Park Houston Metroplex Chapter Members

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16 DEFENDER | NOVEMBER 29 | 2012 | defendernetwork.com