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Houston Soccer

Builds culture before World Cup debut NEWS

PROFILE

JOHN WHITMIRE

SAMANT THA TOWNSE END

The Houston mayor is under ffire from some Democratic leade ers for his support of a GOP fundraisser.

How the decorator iss turning her passion into profit.

Volume 95, issue 7 December 4, 2025

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DN To the POINT Houston native Kendrick Sampson plays the role of Quincy Jones in the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic, MICHAEL. Courtesy: Kendrick Sampson via/ Instagram

In a new four-part documentary titled “Sean Combs: The Reckoning,” produced by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and directed by Alexandria Stapleton, the film offers an in-depth look at the music icon and convicted offender.

Credit: Getty Images The Oscarwinning director executive-produced a project that explores the untold history of Black cowboys in the American Wild West.

Credit: Getty Images

Message from the Reporter Kendrick Sampson plays Quincy Jones in new film

Beyoncé tilted the country genre on its axis with the Cowboy Carter album. It helped open the doors for more dialogue about the history. Other artists, such as Shaboozey, Kane Brown, Jimmie Allen, and Amythyst Kiah, are carrying the mantle forward for a new generation. This will undoubtedly be a great lesson in AMERICAN history.

Just when you thought we’ve watched every film and documentary on the life and career of Michael Jackson, something else comes in the works. When the first trailer for Michael hit the internet, I stopped everything I was doing to watch it. As someone who grew up knowing the cultural weight of Michael Jackson, I never take a biopic about 50 Cent docu-series on Diddy Laura Onyeneho a legend lightly. But this trailer? It delivered.

I know you’re all seeing the pattern. I Seeing Jaafar Jackson step into his uncle’s shoes with that level have one more documentary series that you should add to of confidence felt like watching history fold back onto itself. your list. Say what you want about 50 Cent, but the man I also enjoyed seeing Kendrick Sampson appearing as understands how to command attention. He knows how to Quincy Jones. A Houston native stepping into the role of one build anticipation and how to turn controversy into converof the greatest producers of all time is a cultural moment we sation. 50 Cent has trolled and shamed rapper Sean ‘Diddy’ cannot gloss over. This is Sampson’s biggest role yet. His voice Combs on social media for years, and he decided to take anchors the trailer the same way Quincy anchored some of things up a notch with a Netflix docu-series about Diddy. the most defining albums in music history. The last time The documentary arrives at a moment when the public is I felt this kind of hype outside Beyoncé’s Renaissance film finally reckoning with celebrity culture in a real way. After was Black Panther. That same electric anticipation is back. I years of headlines, lawsuits, and allegations surrounding already know opening weekend on April 24, 2026, is going Diddy, the series traces his journey from music mogul to his to be epic, and I’m looking forward to it. eventual downfall following federal charges and a 50-month prison sentence. Director Alexandria Stapleton said this docJordan Peele debuts new series on Black Cowboys umentary reflects who we are as a society. We love building This is the year of the Cowboy. Oscar-winning director celebrities into untouchable icons and then acting shocked Jordan Peele dropped the documentary, High Horse: The when the truth breaks through the pedestal. No matter how Black Cowboy, on Nov. 20 on Peacock. The trailer opens with powerful or influential, no one deserves blind worship. the opening line, “If there were no Black cowboys, America Fame is not a shield. And we owe it to ourselves to stop would not exist.” That alone sets the tone for what Peele does treating entertainers like gods. Humans are fallible. Fans have best, which is telling truths this country has buried. to stop pretending they are not.

For years, Hollywood fed us images that erased Black people from the Western narrative. Meanwhile, the real story is On the Web unfolding in places like Houston, home to trail riders and • Houston doctors urge families to prepare for flu season. rodeo legends who keep that lineage alive. The documentary • Iconic Black artist still selling out tours. taps into that heritage and brings those voices to the forefront.

• Are young Black women losing faith in commitment?

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DN News Whitmire faces Democratic backlash

By ReShonda Tate

Houston Mayor John Whitmire, a Democrat for more than five decades, could lose the support of his own party later this month, as Harris County Democratic Party precinct chairs prepare to vote on a resolution admonishing the mayor for what they call “undermining the values and mission” of the party.

The resolution, which will be voted on Dec. 14, would bar Whitmire from receiving the local party’s endorsement in any future election. The measure stems largely from the mayor’s appearance at a fundraiser earlier this year for Republican U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw — a move that angered progressive Democrats and sparked months of internal debate.

“Working across the aisle — that’s not what happened here,” said Cameron “Coach Cam” Campbell, the precinct chair who authored the resolution. “This was him lending his social currency, his access, his privilege, to fundraise for a Republican.”

Campbell said he drafted the measure shortly after the fundraiser, arguing that Democrats cannot help bankroll GOP candidates. “Every penny raised to support a Republican is a penny used to defeat a

Houston Mayor John Whitmire, shown here at the late Sheila Jackson Lee’s Memorial Service, is facing possible Democratic Party reprimand over a GOP fundraiser for Rep. Dan Crenshaw. (Credit: Danielle Villasana/Getty)

Democrat,” he said. “It’s not ideological purity, it’s about what a good Democrat is.”

The Defender reached out to the mayor, who is not commenting on the matter. Supporters note the office is non-partisan.

The party’s 25-member Steering Committee advanced the resolution last week in a 17–7 vote, sending it to as many as 600 precinct chairs for final consideration. Ninety-nine precinct chairs have already signed onto it.

The move comes amid growing

frustration among some Democrats who see Whitmire as too cozy with Republican leaders. In a recent New York Times profile, Whitmire cast himself as a moderate, pragmatic mayor focused on governing rather than partisan fights, a contrast to big-city mayors who frequently clashed with President Donald Trump.

But critics say the mayor’s approach amounts to capitulation.

“I don’t think that his kind of bowing down to the GOP is necessary if you want

to get results,” said Anthony Rios, co-chair of the Houston Progressive Caucus. He pointed to New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s recent meeting with Trump. “He was able to go talk to Trump without conceding anything… What has Whitmire actually gotten for all of his kowtowing?”

Whitmire has relied on his long relationships with Republican state leaders to secure major funding for Houston, including more than $32 million from Gov. Greg Abbott for recovery from Hurricane Beryl and the 2024 derecho storm, along with $17 million for parks during the last legislative session.

The resolution does not mention the Houston Police Department’s recently acknowledged coordination with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in which officers called ICE during traffic stops to alert agents about active warrants. But Rios said the issue pushed many Democrats who were previously undecided into open opposition.

In September, precinct chairs rejected a separate rule that would have automatically blocked endorsements for any Democrat who fundraises for a Republican. Campbell said supporters of that measure plan to bring it back in the coming months.

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DN News

$18.5M renovation revives Emancipation Park

By Laura Onyeneho

Houston’s oldest public park, and one of the city’s most sacred landmarks of Black freedom, is entering a bold new chapter.

The Emancipation Park Conservancy (EPC) launched an $18.5 million renovation project to modernize the park’s Cultural Center and build a state-of-the-art outdoor performance stage. The goal is to reopen in time for the park’s 2026 Juneteenth celebration.

The Kinder Foundation, which is leading the investment, says the project reflects a commitment to Houston’s green spaces and a recognition of Emancipation Park’s deep cultural roots.

“This fits exactly with what our foundation does,” says Nancy Kinder, president and CEO of the Kinder Foundation. “Our parks and green space are one of our most important priorities. Discovery Green, Buffalo Bayou, Memorial Park, McGregor Park, and Emancipation Park are right there among them.”

A legacy rooted in freedom

Founded in 1872 by four formerly enslaved men, Richard Allen, Richard Brock, Jack Yates, and Elias Dibble, Emancipation Park was purchased for $800 as a dedicated place for Juneteenth celebrations. During segregation, it was the only public park in Houston open to Black residents, becoming a vital hub for music, worship, and civic life.

That is the legacy that Kinder Foundation Chairman Rich Kinder says has shaped the foundation’s decade-long involvement.

“We first got involved with Emancipation Park around 2012 when the facilities had really become worn down,” he says.

“When Ramon Manning (EPC board chair) came to us about building a permanent stage, we jumped on it. We’d seen firsthand how much the park needed it.”

The Kinder Foundation already sponsors Jazzy Sundays, a free concert series that draws thousands each spring.

“Every time there’s a show at Emancipation Park, they have to set up a temporary stage,” Kinder

The renovations are expected to be completed by June 2026, ahead of the park’s annual Juneteenth celebration. Courtesy of Emancipation Park Conservancy / Perkins & Will

says. “The sound quality isn’t as good, and there’s no backstage area. If you’re going to have concerts that draw thousands, the community deserves a real, stateof-the-art performance space.”

Manning says the project is about fulfilling a vision that’s been years in the making.

“Nothing we’re doing is new from a design perspective,” Manning says. “The late architect Phil Freelon’s master plan for the park always included an outdoor performance stage and an active cultural center that tells the story of African Americans’ contributions to this region. We’re simply continuing that original plan.”

Manning says the renovation will allow EPC to scale up authentic, collaborative programming with partners such as the Houston Grand Opera, Project Row Houses, HISD, and the Debbie Allen Dance Academy. Beyond expanding access to arts and culture, the upgrades will also help EPC pursue sustainability and self-sufficiency.

“You can build all these things, but they have to be maintained,” Manning says. “So we’re looking at this as an asset that can make a return by hosting concerts, renting facilities, and creating earned revenue opportunities. And with this investment from the Kinder Foundation, we’re even starting an endowment to fund maintenance and operations.”

When most people hear the name Emancipation Park, they think recreation. But this space is so much more than that because of what it represents.

This property wasn’t donated.

It was purchased by formerly enslaved African Americans who wanted to build a community right out of bondage.”

RAMON MANNING EPC BOARD CHAIR

Rich and Nancy Kinder hope the Emancipation Park revisions will be an asset to the community. Courtesy Kinder Foundation.

The project is also deeply personal for Manning. He grew up playing in Emancipation Park after church with his Aunt Ruby, and today he and his wife are proud Third Ward residents.

“When most people hear the name Emancipation Park, they think recreation,” Manning says.

“But this space is so much more than that because of what it represents. This property wasn’t donated. It was purchased by formerly enslaved African Americans who wanted to build a community right out of bondage.”

The Kinders emphasized that the Emancipation Park project reflects the power of public-private partnerships in sustaining Houston’s parks and cultural infrastructure. “Philanthropy can’t do it all,” says Rich Kinder. “Cities are in budget crunches, and parks

are often the first to get cut. That’s where philanthropy steps in, but

it only works when the city and community are equally invested.”

VOLUME 95, NUMBER 7 - DECEMBER 4, 2025 Publisher | CEO Sonceria Messiah-Jiles Strategic Alllance Clyde Jiles Managing Editor ReShonda Tate Content Manager Terrance Harris Community Reporter Aswad Walker

Culture/Lifestyle Reporter Laura Onyeneho Special Assignments Reporter Tannistha Sinha Sports Terrance Harris Jimmie Aggison Video Editor Bryan Erdy

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 2025 copyright. No materials herein may be reproduced without the written permission of the Publisher. 713-663-6996 | P.O. Box 8005, Houston, TX 77288

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DN Education Closing Houston classroom gaps graduation rate remains strong at 88%, few students transition successfully to college or career programs that yield living-wage jobs.

Only a fraction of graduates enroll in Texas postsecondary institutions within two years of high school and even fewer complete a degree or workforce credential within six years. Graduates who do finish a postsecondary program are three to five times more likely to earn a living wage than those without credentials, the report found.

The share of Houston graduates earning a living wage, defined as $42,158 a year for a single adult in Harris County, is still far below what is needed for broad-based prosperity. Using Texas Workforce Commission data, researchers tracked only those earning W-2 wages in-state.

By Tannistha Sinha

Houston’s future depends on its classrooms. That’s the central message of the new 2025 Houston Public Education Snapshot report, which analyzes the city’s 688,000 public school students.

Produced by Good Reason Houston, the annual “snapshot” compiles early education, K-12 and postsecondary data across the region to track progress toward placing 45,000 students on the path to economic mobility.

The findings offer both encouragement and alarm.

“We believe in Houston’s future, and that future is built on public education-our most powerful lever for a stronger, more just city,” said Cary Wright, CEO of Good Reason Houston.

A system under pressure Houston’s public school landscape is immense, with 901 campuses educating 688,000 students, comprising 61% Hispanic, 20% Black, 11% white and 5% Asian.

Yet, despite this diversity, outcomes remain deeply uneven.

The report underscores that systemic inequities start early.

Pre-K access, kindergarten readiness and early literacy rates vary sharply by neighborhood and income.

Good Reason Houston notes that pre-K enrollment, the “first entry point into public school,” remains lower than needed to ensure equitable early learning foundations.

By the numbers-PreK-3rd Grade: • Pre-K enrollment in Houston increased by 2%, from 39% in 2023 to 41% in 2024.

• Kindergarten readiness increased by 7% in 2024, from 52% in 2023.

• Meanwhile, reading and math levels in grades 1-3 decreased by 1% in 2024, lowering to 32%.

Per the report, kindergarten readiness has dropped significantly, in part due to fewer students being assessed in Houston ISD, down from 13,000 before 2023 to 3,500 in 2023 and 4,500 in 2024.

Early literacy and math skills remain key predictors of later success, but current scores show only modest progress. Students meeting grade-level expectations in reading and math still lag behind pre-pandemic baselines, signaling the lingering effects of learning loss and the need for

The 2025 Houston Public Education Snapshot provides a sobering look at student outcomes across early education, K-12 and postsecondary levels.

Credit: Getty Images

better-aligned supports in early grades.

By middle school, the disparities grow clearer.

By the numbers-Grade 4-8: • Reading and math in grades 4-8 increased by 1% from 2023 to 2024, reaching 33%.

• One bright spot lies in access to advanced coursework. 8th-grade Algebra I end-of-course (EOC) exam test-takers increased by 2% points, reaching 31%.

• EOC reading and math achievement reached 50% last year, increasing 3% from 2023.

• Post-secondary readiness increased by 11%, reaching 60% in 2024.

Good Reason Houston warns that the city must reorient accountability beyond high school graduation to focus on life outcomes, treating education as a continuum of care, which refers to the link between a student’s early childhood and high school experiences to postsecondary outcomes, including career advancement and wage attainment.

“These indicators are more than just data-they are a call to action. They challenge us to reimagine education as a continuum of care, one that provides integrated, coordinated, and comprehensive learning experiences,” the report states.

CLASSIFIED PUBLIC NOTICE Academy of Accelerated Learning, Inc. is soliciting Statements of Qualifications from firms providing Real Estate and Broker Services. A Request for Qualifications (RFQ) has been issued and is available to interested firms. Completed submissions are due December 9, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. For full RFQ details and contact information, please visit www.aalinc.org.

The postsecondary ascent The most sobering data points come after high school. While Houston’s four-year

By the numbers-High school: • High school graduation rate remained the same at 88% in 2023, with no changes since 2022.

• Postsecondary enrollment increased by 2% from 2020, reaching 49% in 2021.

• Postsecondary completion saw no changes from 2016 to 2017, remaining at 27%, while living wage attainment increased by 4% in this time period.

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DN InFocus

HOUSTON S SO O CCER Builds culture before W World rl Cup debut bu

At Midas Soccer Academy, Arashi has launched low-cost training programs, weekend clinics for kids who cannot afford club fees, and partnerships with schools that lack structured sports funding. He also works directly with parents, helping them navigate equipment needs, scholarship opportunities, and development pathways, so that money does not determine who gets a chance.

“We charge up to $70 a month for kids to play soccer at Midas. And that is only about 6% or 10% of what an average soccer academy charges,” he said. “An average soccer academy in the Houston area charges a minimum $250 a month for a kid to play soccer.”

Building legacy programs

Houston officials and local organizations have launched initiatives to ensure the World Cup leaves a lasting impact. Programs such as Impact Houston 26 are expanding youth access, improving fields, commissioning

public art, and creating community spaces that bring fans from all backgrounds together.

Entrepreneurs like Hector Avila, owner of Soccer Champs, a local youth sports program, told the Defender that the last time the U.S hosted the World Cup in 1994, it made an impact on him as he began his coaching career. Witnessing players who looked like him excel at the highest level inspired him to give back to the youth.

“People come in here every day who grew up with soccer in their blood,” Avila said.

“African fans. Caribbean fans. Latino fans.

They do not need the World Cup to love this sport. But the tournament is giving all of us a moment to celebrate.”

Avila believes that 2026 will be a major win for Black-owned and immigrant-owned businesses. Jerseys, scarves, flags, watch party merch, and youth gear are already in higher demand.

“It is going to be historic for the city,” he

said. “This is going to expand the grassroots efforts happening in the city.”

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Through clinics, mentorship programs, and partnerships A rising generation of with local schools, the BWPC Black women shaping is building pipelines that reach the game girls who may never have imagAmong the loudest and most ined a future in soccer. Dorcey influential voices emerging in said the excitement around Houston’s soccer scene are Black 2026 has already sparked a surge women players and advocates.

Imani Dorcey of interest.

The Black Women’s Player is the chairwoman of “Girls tell us they want to be Collective (BWPC), a national The Black Women’s the next Sophia Smith or Trinity organization led by professional Player Collective. Rodman,” she said. “Represenplayers, has been working in tation matters. But access matHouston to support girls, create program- ters even more. We are making sure they get ming, and reshape representation in the sport. both.”

Chairwoman Imani Dorcey views the Economists estimate that the 2026 World World Cup as an opportunity to elevate Cup could generate more than $30 billion Black girls, who are often underrepresented in gross output nationally and create over in mainstream soccer imagery.

185,000 jobs. Houston is expected to see sig“This moment is bigger than games,” nificant growth in hospitality, transportation, Dorcey said. “It is about belonging. It is about retail, and tourism, driven by millions of fans showing Black girls that they are not guests traveling to the host cities.

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LEARN ABOUT HOW THE COMMUNITY IS SHAPING THE NEXT GENERATION OF PLAYERS.

a global sensibility to the National research supports World Cup sport’s fan culture. Houshis concerns. Soccer may in Houston ton has become a natural be the world’s most acceshome for that energy. sible sport globally, but in June 11 - July 19, At the youth level, the the United States, the path 2026 excitement around 2026 to elite play often requires is pushing more parents to thousands in fees, travel, and seek out structured, accessiequipment. According to youth ble soccer programs. However, development experts, the root chalpay-to-play barriers still make the sport lenge is not talent. It is infrastructure. more difficult for many low-income families Internationally, soccer’s low cost and to access. Coaches and advocates in Houston simplicity made it easily adoptable and a say the World Cup could shift that path. source of national pride. In the US, howBayonle Arashi, founder of Midas Soccer ever, baseball, basketball, and American Academy, said he sees talent across Hous- football already had deep-rooted cultural ton’s Black neighborhoods, but the pathway and economic foundations by the time socto advanced competition remains uneven. cer became a globally organized sport.

“What we need is more opportunity,” Arashi Since the American Revolution, the U.S. said. “If the World Cup is coming to your has aimed to define itself through democratic city, you need to be thinking about the next and capitalistic ideals, which has influenced generation. You need to be building fields, the decline of soccer’s popularity as America lowering costs, and making sure kids from sought a national sport distinct from Great every background can participate.”

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Across the United States, the sport is the fourth most popular, trailing behind football, basketball, and baseball, but it’s slowly chipping away at the long-standing rankings.

Younger generations are driving that growth.

They have grown up with international stars a tap away on their phones and are bringing

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Soccer’s surge and the World Cup wave

Midas Football Academy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that focuses on combining soccer with transformative education, aiming to mentor children from underserved communities.

Credit: Midas Football Academy

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Houston is not waiting until 2026 to decide how it will participate in the World Cup. Across the city, creators, players, organizers, and fans are already shaping their own version of soccer culture. It’s powered by Black people who see the global game as a way to build community on their own terms.

With the world’s biggest sporting event landing in the Bayou City, Black Houstonians are treating this moment as an opportunity to define what soccer looks and feels like for them.

Dereje Mekonen is the manager of the Houston Ethiopian soccer team. The buildup to 2026 has energized communities that have always treated soccer as cultural currency.

He said Houston’s East African population views the World Cup as an opportunity to showcase the city’s connection to soccer, which has always been a part of their culture.

“We grew up with soccer as a way to stay connected to home, even when we are far away,” he said. “You do not watch alone. You bring your family. You bring your music. You support your country.”

He came to the U.S from Ethiopia in the late 90s. He wanted to find his community soccer team through the Ethiopian Sports Federation of North America and participate in tournaments in Houston. Over the years, he advanced in rank, from being a player to organizing matches, supporting youth tournaments, and exploring ways to collaborate with other African teams across the city.

Mekonen said the World Cup is an opportunity for African teams to regain visibility in a mainstream fan culture that has not always included them.

“African communities have been keeping soccer alive in Houston for a long time,” he said. “Now people are noticing.”

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WORLD CUP FACTS GLOBAL REACH Soccer is the world’s most popular sport, watched by billions globally.

U.S. HOSTING The last World Cup hosted in the U.S. was 31 years ago (1994).

HISTORIC ATTENDANCE The 1994 final drew nearly 80,000 spectators; 2026 is expected to surpass this record.

HOUSTON’S ROLE The city will host matches and fan experiences, including Sugar Land as a FIFA welcome center.

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DN Feature

Black Techies

Say 2025 politics impact job prospects

By Aswad Walker

The presence of Black professionals in tech has grown since 2005, but they remain significantly underrepresented in the industry. Experts blame this stagnation on limited access to computer science education and poor retention within tech companies.

And, according to many Black techies, the political climate of 2025 has only made things worse.

Impact of 2025 politics Idaho Edokpayi, a Denver-based Solution Architect, spoke cautiously about the current environment.

“I have to be careful what I say just because of the climate,” he said. “But it’s not been great.”

Others were more direct.

“The political climate, I haven’t seen a disruption like this,” said George Gourdine, a senior sales leader in cloud technology based in the D.C. area. “People say it’s AI, but I think it’s AI and politics. It feels like 2008, except we’re told it’s not a recession. Still, there are more people than jobs.”

That sense of scarcity is echoed by those doing the hiring.

Los Angeles IT director Tim Hamner said the crowded job market makes it difficult to find the right talent. “Amazon just laid off 30,000 people,” he said. “That’s 30,000 qualified folks out there. Competition is getting greater.”

Entrepreneur Glennda Bivens, a Houston transplant and owner of Engagement Angel LLC, experiences the struggle from both sides: seeking contracts for her firm while trying to hire new staff.

“It’s been hard finding opportunities that align with my skills,” she said. “A number of positions have been withdrawn because of funding constraints tied to policies and instability.”

She added that friends in and outside tech are also feeling the strain.

“I have close friends in the federal government who aren’t being paid,” said Bivens.

“We’re leaning on one another to cover bills, eat, and care for our emotional and spiritual wellness.”

Bivens believes this moment calls for deeper unity.

“There’s a divide being imposed on us,” she said. “We have to stay creative and connected, because we are not one another’s enemy.”

By the numbers Despite making up 11.6% of the total U.S. workforce, Black workers were only

Project 2025 had impacted Black life in a myriad of ways, including the professional career journeys of Blacks in technology fields. Credit: Unsplash/Ben Iwara.

gamers, and often early adopters who influence tech trends.

Idaho Edokpayi

George Gourdne

7.4% of the high-tech workforce in 2022, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. That share has remained virtually unchanged since 2005.

Black professionals hold just 5.7% of hightech management roles.

Our relationship with tech These numbers stand in stark contrast to Black Americans’ strong engagement with technology.

Gen Z, the most tech-savvy generation, comprises the youngest segment of today’s

Tim Hamner

Glennda Bivens

workforce. Meanwhile, Millennials, who represent 36–42% of U.S. workers, report overwhelmingly positive views of technology. According to Nielsen, 74% say new tech makes life easier, and over half say it keeps them closer to family and friends.

And while no single racial group dominates overall tech consumption, Black and Hispanic consumers are more likely to rely on smartphones for internet access and online shopping. Black Enterprise reports that Black people are among the most active smartphone owners, social media users, and

Growing desire to work in tech Interest in increasing Black participation in tech, both as employees and entrepreneurs, is stronger than ever.

This year’s AfroTech 2025 conference in Houston drew an expected 40,000 attendees from around the world, including more than 200 companies seeking talent, Black tech executives, national security leaders, and college students ready to launch their careers.

Moving forward To thrive amid uncertainty, Edokpayi says Black professionals must “play offense.”

“If your mindset is, ‘I just want to hold on to what I have,’ that makes it hard,” he said.

“You have to look for new opportunities, try to get ahead.”

He added, “I’m out here trying to create things—for me and for people like me.”

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DN Profile FAITH, FAMILY, & FESTIVE FLAIR

Samantha Townsend Turns passion into purpose

By ReShonda Tate

For most people, the holiday season is about joy, family, and celebration. For Samantha Townsend, it’s also about purpose.

As the owner of CC’s Pleasures & Creations, an upscale luxury holiday and specialty décor company, Townsend has made it her mission to transform ordinary spaces into extraordinary experiences. Whether she’s decking out a family home or designing an elaborate commercial display, her approach is guided by one unshakable principle: Faith.

“Before I do anything for a client, I pray about it first,” Townsend said. “I don’t want to do anything that God doesn’t want me to do.”

A longtime oncology nurse by profession, Townsend never planned to become a decorator. Her design journey started organically—friends and church members at Lily Grove Missionary Baptist Church admired her home décor and began asking her to help with weddings, holiday events, and church functions.

“I’ve always loved creating beautiful environments,” she said. “Whatever I see, I just believe in making it beautiful and memorable.”

That natural talent blossomed into CC’s Pleasures & Creations, which Townsend runs with her daughter, Carrington. The company now serves both residential and commercial clients, specializing in custom holiday installations—from lush Christmas trees to elegant garlands—using designer materials and concierge-level service. The company’s mission, Townsend said, is to “turn your interior and exterior visions into stunning realities.”

But for Townsend, the work goes far beyond décor.

“It’s not just about decorating,” she explained. “It’s about creating joy, peace, and memories that last. If I can’t bring joy, I don’t want to do it.”

That philosophy is reflected in every project she takes on. Before beginning any design, she spends time getting to know her clients personally, learning about their families, traditions, and even the moods they want their spaces to evoke.

“The goal is to make it personal,” she said.

“I want to make sure I incorporate every aspect of what they’re envisioning, values from the husband, the children, everyone in that home. When they walk in, I want them to feel like, ‘This is us.’”

Townsend takes her talents to the yearly Holiday Soul Nutcracker Market, which she

Samantha and her daughter, Carrington run CC’s Pleasures & Creations.

See more of Townsend’s work.

Samantha Townsend turned a love for decorating into a successful business. Courtesy: Samantha Townsend

co-founded with four other women, Shana Bailey-Scott, Dr. Michelle Moore, Elmer Rogers, and Carole Washington.

“Samantha is a phenomenal decorator.

She has a great eye for color and ways to combine colors that make a palette pop. I have worked with Samantha on several projects, and she always exceeds expectations,” said Washington.

Townsend’s work ethic—grounded in diligence, attention to detail, and

compassion—comes from her maternal grandmother, who worked in healthcare for over 40 years while raising a family and serving her church.

“She taught me the importance of effective communication, paying meticulous attention to detail, and consistent follow-through,” Townsend said. “Those are things I apply every single day, and they’ve made me successful in both nursing and business.”

That same commitment to excellence shows up in her installations. Townsend’s designs are known for their timeless elegance, durability, and the ability to bring smiles long after the lights have dimmed.

“Whatever I do, I don’t want them to have to do anything but open that box the next year, and it still looks beautiful,” she said. “I want it to make them smile just like it did the first time.”

Still, the business isn’t without challenges.

Townsend acknowledges that high-end décor and concierge services are luxuries, and finding the right clientele can be difficult.

“Home décor and holiday design are luxuries,” she said. “It’s about finding your niche—clients who really value this kind of service. That’s why prayer is extremely important. Once you do find them, you have to stay true to your purpose and never forget why you started.”

Townsend measures her success not by financial gain, but by the joy she brings others.

“The money will come,” she said. “It’s about passion and what you exude. My reward is seeing a client’s tears of joy—or that grouchy husband sitting and smiling in a room he didn’t even want decorated. That’s when I know I’ve done my job.”

From oncology wards to holiday wonderlands, Samantha Townsend has built a life centered on healing and beauty. Her story is one of faith, purpose, and the belief that joy—like good design—should be shared.

Visit her website at: www.ccspsandcreations.com

10 | December 4, 2025 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

DN Sports

SWAC Coaches Brace for players hitting transfer portal

By Terrance Harris

For most of the SWAC, this past weekend was the end of the 2025 football season.

This week, uncomfortable offseason conversations begin as many top-performing SWAC student-athletes start weighing their options to stay put or move on to bigger programs with more NIL dollars and exposure to offer. It’s the time of the year HBCU coaches brace for because of the college athletics landscape and the inevitability of some of their players jumping for greener pastures.

“A kid can wake up any minute or any hour of the day and say he wants to go in that portal when those opportunities come,” Jackson State coach T.C. Taylor said. “You just read and react from it, and you go out and try to get the best replacement, whether you go in the portal and get a young man out of there or you try to get a high school kid to replace those guys.”

It’s the offseason quandary SWAC and other HBCUs competing at the Football Championship Level (FCS) level have Offensive lineman William Boone (71) left Prairie View last offseason to join the University of North Carolina, where faced since the NCAA began allowing stu- he started the first three games of this season before leaving the team to pursue a medical redshirt. Credit: X dent-athletes with remaining eligibility to have unlimited opportunities to transfer If there is an aspect that some coaches are “When these kids ball out in these places without sitting out or losing any college eli- frustrated with, it is the actions of so-called … You go to these Power 5 schools who gibility. The opportunity for student-athletes street agents who solicit student-athletes to have unlimited dollars,” Joseph said. “The to capitalize on NIL deals and lucrative reve- work on their behalf, encouraging them to only ones who lose in this are the SWAC nue sharing at the Football Bowl Subdivision seek offers from larger schools. It’s for a fee, and MEAC because the kid gets money, the (FBS) level has only fueled the transfers. of course. school gets a good player, and who is left The dilemma comes down to basic math Sometimes it works out for student ath- without? We are. We lose in this situation.” for those student-athletes who are attracting letes who want a shot at playing for bigger Joseph has a solution for mitigating the interest from Power 4 and other FBS schools: schools, but then there are instances where loss of so many top talent players. He wants Remain at their HBCU school, where NIL players and their families are left scrambling the bigger programs to have to pay a buyout Edge rusher Stephon Wright (92) is money is scarce and revenue sharing is non- because they jumped into the transfer portal for FCS players, like what schools some- having success playing for UConn existent. The other option is to move on to with no assurances of a landing spot. times must pay when they lure coaches this season after transferring from an FBS program where thouTexas Southern coach Cris away who are under contract.

Texas Southern. Credit: UConn sands of dollars are being paid.

Dishman is frustrated by the realThis past offseason, approximately 33 Athletics For HBCU coaches, the ity that uncertified people are per- student-athletes from the SWAC transpoaching by larger schools has mitted to play such an influential ferred up to the FBS schools. TSU lost Stemeant uncertainty, as their rosrole in the transfer process. phon Wright to UConn, and Prairie View ters are constantly in flux when “It’s a shame that we are allow- had two players leave the program for the it comes to their most talented ing that, not as a university but as FBS, including offensive lineman William READ MORE players. the NCAA, allowing these street Boone, who transferred to North Carolina.

OF THE “You really don’t know. That’s agents, these poachers to poach It’s unclear what the impact will be after STORY. It’s just tough these why you have to keep recruiting, our kids. It’s crazy,” Dishman said. the NCAA’s recent decision to limit the recruiting fluently. You can’t just “You can’t have an 18 or 19-year- transfer portal window from two different days and times. You’ve look at one number and say I need this num- old kid talking about he has an agent. You’re times a year to a single,15-day period that just got to get the trust ber,” Bethune-Cookman coach Raymond only 18 years old. You don’t even have the will run from Jan. 2-16, 2026. of the guys and build it Woodie said to the Defender. “You’ve got to right to have an agent.”

“If they are going to take them, they the right way. But even have a list of guys that you go out and recruit.

It has made it a must for coaches to need to have a little buyout. I think that’s If things happen perfectly, then obviously start evaluating and predicting which of fair,” said Joseph, who lost four players to sometimes when you do those additional guys are a bonus, but you their players may hit the open market once FBS schools this past offseason. “If you look that, that still doesn’t just never know. the season is over. Grambling State coach at the whole situation like I’m going to look work. You have to always “So you just have to go and look at the Mickey Joseph said that the process began at it, … I know I say some things that peobe ahead of the game.” depth charts and fill in numbers where for him in Week 3 of the season because ple want to say. The school wins, the kid needed, almost like over-recruit because he started receiving calls about some wins, but we don’t win.”

RAYMOND WOODIE you just never know.”

BETHUNE-COOKMAN COACH of his players.

December 4, 2025 |

DEFENDER NETWORK

| 11

DN Sports

Tre Clewis

Powers Fulshear offense after switch

By Jimmie Aggison

When Harold “Tre” Clewis lined up on defense as a freshman, few could have predicted the quiet, speedy player would one day terrorize secondaries as Fulshear’s top wide receiver.

With a 10.8-second 100-meter dash, precise route running honed in the offseason and a relentless work ethic, Tre has transformed himself from a defensive contributor into the explosive playmaker his team now depends on.

Through the first nine games this season, the sophomore had already hauled in 40 receptions, for more than 824 yards and 11 touchdowns, numbers that suggest Fulshear’s offense has found its secret weapon.

The position switch wasn’t planned. It came unexpectedly during the offseason after Tre’s freshman year, setting him on a new path that would change his football career.

“During the offseason last year, I was going through drills and our wide receiver and defensive back coach pulled me aside and asked how I felt about playing receiver.

That was definitely an unexpected turn, but I’m glad it happened,” said Tre. While Tre’s speed was noticeable on defense, his commitment to mastering route running unlocked his full offensive potential. Determined to learn his new position, he devoted hours to refining his technique, footwork and catching the ball with confidence.

“Through focused drill work and attention to detail, Tre learned how to create separation with sharper cuts and better body control,” said James Banks, head trainer at Forward

I feel my attitude has helped me get through all the tough workouts and all the mental ups and downs to keep going.”

TRE CLEWIS

Performance Athletes. “Each session we focused on improving his stance and starts, to be more efficient coming off the ball, his releases to avoid defenders at the line of scrimmage and top of route mechanics to quickly get in and out of breaks to create separation.”

That focused training quickly translated to game-day precision. The same speed that once chased down ball carriers now helps Tre explode off the line and gain a step on defenders.

To further sharpen his athletic edge, Tre trained with coach Will Collins at Fast U, focusing on speed and agility.

“Tre demonstrated exceptional progress this season, improving his 100-meter time from 11.9 to 10.8 and his 200-meter time from 23.7 to 21.7,” said Collins. “These significant performance gains are the result of his disciplined offseason training, with a focus on refining his technique, strength development, flexibility and enhanced range of motion.”

Those improvements made an immediate impact on the field, turning Tre into a consistent deep threat.

“Tre’s ability to break the cushion on defenders and consistently serve as a deep threat has been evident in his explosive yardage relative to his number of receptions,” said Collins.

Behind Tre’s development is his father, Harold Clewis Jr., a former defensive back at Iowa State University, who has worked with his son on a weekly basis to prepare him for the transition.

“This summer the goal was to catch at least 150 balls every day to get him used to catching the ball and increase his ability to track the ball in the air,” said Clewis Jr. With his preparation complete and speed sharpened, Tre entered the season ready to redefine his role.

“That first time I lined up at the wide receiver position, it was different, but it felt good to put my training to work,” said Tre. Playing receiver brought new challenges, learning routes, reading coverages and timing his breaks with the quarterback, but it also unlocked new ways to impact the game.

“Tre is a phenomenal athlete,” said Fulshear’s wide receivers coach Sean Anderson.

“His speed is a weapon and we feel it gives us

an advantage by matching him up with linebackers and safeties.”

That speed has changed the complexion of Fulshear’s offense. His ability to stretch the field vertically opened up, which forced defenses to respect the deep ball.

“His speed stretches the field vertically, which opens up intermediate routes and the run game; his explosiveness turns any pass play into a potential home run,” said senior quarterback Shaan Patel. “Our first play against Fort Bend Austin was a deep ball to Tre for a 75-yard touchdown. Because he was able to get behind the secondary, it really helped to open up our offense on all levels and we ultimately put up 67 points.”

While stats tell part of the story, what makes Tre special goes beyond athletic numbers.

His attention to detail, mental toughness and steady mindset have fueled his rise.

“When I line up against the defense, my goal is to make sure I execute my blocks, then create enough separation to create a target for my quarterback,” said Tre. That focus helps him stay balanced, regardless of the game’s outcome.

“I believe whatever happens on the field stays on the field,” said Tre. “I don’t let that carry on to the next week at practice.”

Tre believes his biggest advantage doesn’t come from speed or strength, but from attitude.

ABOUT HAROLD “TRE” CLEWIS Class: 2028 IG: @treclewis Twitter: @tre_clewis3 Position: Wide receiver Height & weight: 5-feet-8, 160 pounds Favorite artist: Daniel Caesar Status: Uncommitted Favorite subjects: Math

“I feel my attitude has helped me get through all the tough workouts and all the mental ups and downs to keep going,” said Tre. “My work ethic both on and off the field takes a lot of time and effort, but I know it will pay off in life even when football is over.”

As Fulshear pushed toward district dominance and another playoff run, one thing became clear: Tre Clewis isn’t just another playmaker; he’s the product of preparation meeting talent.

“I’ve been telling him since he was little that you get out what you put in,” said Clewis Jr. “Things don’t just happen because you want them to. If you want to be successful at something, no matter what it is, you have to be willing to make the necessary sacrifice to achieve the success you’re looking for.”

12 | December 4, 2025 |

DEFENDER NETWORK