Houston Style Magazine vol 29 No 14

Houston Style Magazine Mar. 29, 2018 - Apr. 04, 2018

Houston’s Premiere Weekly Publication

Volume 29 | Number 14

Complimentary

Jesse Jackson

The Poverty Crisis 50 Years After King Assassination

Linda Brown

Crystle Stewart: Homegrown Talent Stars in Tyler Perry’s ‘Acrimony’ Words By Jo-Carolyn Goode, Managing Editor

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5th Lyons Avenue Renaissance Festival

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8th Houston Black Leadership Forum

Civil Rights Icon Dies at Age 75

Census Citizen Question Why It Is a Big Deal in Texas

The Links’ Health Fair

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Volume 29 | Number 14 | Mar. 29. 2018 - Apr. 04. 2018

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Publisher Francis Page, Jr. Associate Publisher Lisa Valadez

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Managing Editor Jo-Carolyn Goode editorial@stylemagazine.com Social Media Editor/Videographer Reginald Dominique reggiedominique@me.com

NATIONAL WRITERS

Jesse Jackson jjackson@rainbowpush.org Roland Martin www.rolandmartin.com

Mike Rivers

Judge Greg Mathis www.askjudgemathis.com

PHOTOGRAPHERS VICKY PINK vhpink@gmail.com

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William Ealy Williamealy1906@gmail.com Semetra Samuel semetra@artistikrebelcreative.com Mike Munoz artrepreneur91@gmail.com Robert Franklin editorial@stylemagazine.com

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dba Houston Style Magazine & StyleMagazine.com Phone: (713) 748-6300 • Fax: (713) 748-6320 Mail: P.O. Box 14035, Houston, TX 77221-4035 ©2015 Houston Style Magazine, a Minority Print Media, L.L.C. Company. All Right Reserved. Reproduction in whole or within part without permission is prohibited. Houston Style Magazine has a 2007 audit by Circulation Verification Council (CVC). Houston Style Magazine is a member of the Texas Publishers Association (TPA), Texas Community Newspaper Association (TCNA), National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), Independent Free Paper of America (IFPA), Association of Free Community Papers (AFCP) and Members of Greater Houston Partnership(GHP).

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COMMENTARY The Poverty Crisis 50 Years After King Assassination

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By Jesse Jackson, National Writer

pril 4 will mark the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, shot down on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tenn. At the time we had come to Memphis to support striking sanitation workers seeking a living wage and a union. Dr. King was focused on organizing a Poor People’s Campaign, an effort to bring people together across lines of race, religion and region to call on the country to address the grinding poverty of the day.

Fifty years later, poverty remains unfinished business. In Memphis, according to the authoritative 2017 Memphis Poverty Fact Sheet compiled by Dr. Elena Delavega of the University of Memphis, nearly 27 percent of the population - more than one in four - is in poverty. A horrifying 45 percent of children live in poverty. They suffer from inadequate food, health care, insecure housing and impoverished schools.

Poverty has been going up among all races, except for people over 65, protected a bit by the earned benefits of Social Security and Medicare. Memphis is the poorest metropolitan area with a population over 1 million in the United States.

In the last years of his life, Dr. King turned his attention to the plague of war, poverty and continued racial injustice. He under-

stood that the war on poverty had been lost in the jungles of Vietnam. The Civil Rights Movement had successfully eliminated legal segregation and won the right to vote.

Now it was time to turn to this unfinished business.

We should not let the trauma of his death divorce us from the drama of his life, nor the riots that came in reaction erase the agenda that he put forth for action. At the center of that agenda was a call grounded in the economic bill of rights that Franklin Roosevelt put forth coming out of the Great Depression and World War II. Americans, he argued, had come to understand the need for the guarantee of basic opportunity: the right to a job at a living wage, the right to health care, to quality public education, to affordable housing, to a secure retirement.

Now 50 years later, we should revive Dr. King’s mission, not simply honor his memory. In the course of those years, African-Americans have experienced much progress and many reversals.

Over the last decades, blacks have suffered the ravages of mass incarceration and a racially biased criminal justice system. In 2008, African-Americans suffered the largest loss of personal wealth in the mortgage crisis and financial collapse.

Schools have been re-segregated as

neighborhoods have grown more separated by race and class. New voter repression schemes have spread across the country.

Gun violence wreaks the biggest toll among our poorest neighborhoods.Through his life, Dr. King remained committed to non-violence. He sought to build an inter-racial coalition, openly disagreeing with those who championed black separatism or flirted with violence.

He would have been overjoyed at the young men and women organizing the massive protests against gun violence, building a diverse movement, making the connection between the horror of school shootings in the suburbs and street shootings in our cities.

And he would have been thrilled to see his 9-year-old granddaughter, Yolanda Renee King, rouse the crowd on Saturday with her presence and her words: “My grandfather had a dream that his four little children would not be judged by the color of their skin, but the content of their character. I have a dream that enough is enough and this should be a gun-free world, period.”

Now as we mark the 50th anniversary of his death, let us resurrect the mission of his life. Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland set the tone, when he announced that the city would offer grants to the 14 living strikers from

that time, and establish a matching grant program to subsidize the retirement savings of active sanitation workers. He hopes to expand this to all city workers not covered by the public pension plan.

At the national level, we should act boldly.

Social Security and Medicare have reduced poverty among the elderly dramatically.

With a jobs-guarantee policy, Medicare for All program, a $15 minimum wage, debt-free college and affordable child care, we could slash poverty, open opportunity and lift hope across the country.

We have the resources; the only question is whether we have the will. That will take organizing, non-violence protests, voter registration and mobilization -- a modern-day poor people’s campaign.

“We will not be silenced,” said the young leaders at the March for Our Lives. That surely is a necessary first step.

You can write to the Rev. Jesse Jackson in care of this newspaper or by email at jjackson@rainbowpush.org. Follow him on Twitter @RevJJackson.

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POLITICAL

Why Putting a Citizenship Question On the Census Is a Big Deal

t sounds like a small change, in a survey many people forget about minutes after they take it. But the Trump administration’s plan to put a citizenship question back on the US census is a big deal. Even if talk about polls and statistics usually makes your eyes glaze over, here’s why you should pay attention: The census isn’t just an academic exercise.

It’s the basis for deciding the number of representatives each state gets in Congress and how billions of dollars in federal funds are distributed.

population to help enforce the Voting Rights Act. In a memo Monday, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, whose department runs the census, said he was granting the Justice Department’s request.

Supporters say this is a common-sense question that simply makes sense to ask.

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Monday’s announcement by the Commerce Departmentmarked the beginning of what’s likely to be a lengthy battle in the political arena and in court. California has already filed a legal challenge, and other states and civil rights groups have also threatened to sue.

Here’s a look at the issues at play -- and what’s at stake:

Why is this coming up now?

The Justice Department asked officials to add the citizenship question, saying it needed better data on the voting age

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By Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN/StyleMagazine.com Newswire

Critics argue that the Justice Department has other ways to get citizenship data without interfering with the census. They say the change is a political decision aimed at shifting the balance of power -- and that it’s no coincidence administration officials made the push to add a question that runs the risk of significantly undercounting immigrant, minority and low-income populations.

What exactly are critics concerned about?

Advocates fear that when undocumented immigrants or people in immigrant families receive the census form in the mail, the citizenship question will stop them from completing and returning it. Immigrant rights groups say this couldn’t come at a worse time, as many in immigrant communities are already losing trust in

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officials and afraid to answer their doors.

“In the past, the census would always make a big effort to tell people that they don’t share their information with other government agencies. I think that’s something people will not take too seriously this time,” said William Frey, a demographer and senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.

Demographers and other experts -- including several former directors of the census -- have warned that adding a citizenship question could result in reduced response rates and inaccurate answers.

In his memo outlining the decision, Ross said he’d weighed concerns about an undercount, but didn’t see enough evidence showing that the citizenship question would materially decrease response rates.

“I find that the need for accurate citizenship data and the limited burden that the reinstatement of the citizenship question would impose outweigh fears about a potentially lower response rate,” he wrote.

2010 US Census Form The decennial census is supposed to count everyone who lives in the United States, whether or not they are citizens.

That data is used to calculate all sorts of things, including the number of representatives each state gets in Congress, the number of votes each state gets in the Electoral College and the amount of federal funding local governments get for programs like Medicaid, Head Start and the National School Lunch Program.

Who is the census supposed to count?

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BUSINESS BRIEFS Walmart

Heineken

Amazon

Fiesta

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Walmart Will Stop Selling Cosmopolitan Heineken Pulls ‘Sometimes Lighter is Magazine in Checkout Lines Better’ Ad After Racism Claims [CNN/StyleMagazine.com Newswire] [CNN/StyleMagazine.com Newswire]

t just got a bit harder to find the latest issue of Cosmopolitan at Walmart. The retail company said that it’s removing the women’s magazine from checkout lines.

The National Center on Sexual Exploitation said Walmart made the decision following conversations with the anti-pornography organization. Cosmopolitan magazine, which is published by Hearst, is known for its sex tips and advice for young women. It covers “men and love, work and money, fashion and beauty, health, self-improvement and entertainment,” and reaches millions of readers each month, according to Hearst’s website.

eineken said Monday it has pulled an ad with the tagline “Sometimes lighter is better” after critics slammed it as racist. The ad features a bartender sliding a bottle of Heineken Light to a woman. The bottle travels past several black people before arriving at the paler skinned woman. The clip came under fire on social media. Hip-hop star Chance The Rapper called it “terribly racist” on Twitter on Sunday evening and other users agreed with him. Heineken responded late Monday by pulling the ad from TV and the Internet.

Why Amazon’s Deal for Low-Income Families Is Such a Big Deal [Low Income and Housing Network]

mazon is once again taking initiative in the healthcare industry.

In their latest efforts to alleviate healthcare costs, the online retail giant will now be selling Prime memberships at a discount to Medicaid recipients. Definitely a big deal for low-income families! Amazon’s Prime memberships originally valued at $12.99 monthly will be given to Medicaid recipients at $5.99 per month. Aside from that, it will also provide free fast shipping, access to music, movies, and other benefits. And it surely is accessible, especially to those who have limited access to go local grocery and pharmaceutical stores.

Fiesta Mart Acquired By One of Country’s Largest Hispanic Grocery Chains [Austin American-Statesman]

or the second time in three years, the Houston-based grocery chain Fiesta Mart has been sold. Fiesta has two stores in Austin, a small market compared to the 32 stores in the Houston area and several dozen in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. According to the Houston Chronicle, Bodega Latina Corp and its Mexican parent company Chedraui will acquire 63 Fiesta stores in Texas if the $300 million sale goes through, which is expected. The buyer already operated 59 El Super stores in the Southwest and is one of the largest Hispanic food retailers in the country. Fiesta was sold in 2004 and then again in 2015 Acon Investments, a Washington, D.C.-based private equity firm.

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LOCAL & STATE BRIEFS HPD

Lupus Test

Dr. Grenita Lathan

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Authorities Investigating the Fatal Police Shooting of a Houston Man [CNN/StyleMagazine.com Newswire]

uthorities in Houston are investigating an incident in which a man was fatally shot by a sheriff’s deputy last week at a busy intersection. Cell phone video obtained by CNN affiliate KPRC shows Danny Ray Thomas, with his pants around his ankles, approaching the Harris County Sheriff’s Office deputy, who is backing away with his gun pointed at Thomas’ chest. Moments later it shows Thomas lying prone in the street as the deputy attends to him. Thomas, 34, died last Thursday from a single gunshot wound.

An investigation is underway with the Houston Police Department and the district attorney’s office.

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Donald Trump

Trump Census Citizenship Question Could Cost Texas Billions of Dollars [Newsweek]

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exas could lose representation in Congress and billions of federal dollars because of a Trump administration decision to add a question about citizenship status to the U.S. census in 2020.

The change, instated by Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, would bring back a question last seen in the 1950s. Ross claims the citizenship question will be used to increase data and prevent voter discrimination. But detractors argue the shift is intended to scare immigrants and prevent them from participating, and it’s the voters in Texas who could be among the hardest hit. Once the new federal survey lands, Texas, a state that already exceeds the national average for low census response scores.

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Houston Research Team On Verge of Painless Lupus Testing [KPRC]

n estimated 1.5 million people in the U.S. have lupus. Determining if someone has the autoimmune disorder can be done with a blood test, and often a biopsy of the patient’s kidney is necessary, which is invasive and painful.

A University of Houston research team is on the cusp of replacing those tests with something much easier, a saliva test. UH graduate student, Sanam Soomro is working with Professor Chandra Mohan to determine if proteins in our saliva could reveal an illness like lupus. In a study funded by the National Institutes of Health, Mohan is looking to prove whether there are biomarkers in saliva that can diagnose lupus, or complications of the disease, and possibly eliminate other more invasive tests.

Twitter @HoustonStyle

Chief Academic Officer Grenita Lathan Named as Acting Superintendent [HoustonISD]

he Houston Independent School District Board of Education unanimously voted to name Chief Academic Officer Grenita Lathan as interim superintendent of the state’s largest school district. Lathan was tapped to serve as the interim leader of HISD while trustees search for a permanent replacement for outgoing Superintendent Richard Carranza, who is stepping down after nearly a year and a half with the district. Lathan will assume the role of acting superintendent immediately, and she will become interim superintendent on April 1. Superintendent Richard Carranza announced earlier this month that he would be stepping down this spring to become Chancellor of New York City schools.

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ICE Arrest

ICE Arrests 71 in North Texas During 3-Day Operation [NBC DFW]

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fficers with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) arrested 71 people in North Texas and 18 in Oklahoma during a three-day operation.

According to a release from ICE, one of the 89 arrested had 67 criminal convictions, and the rest had criminal history that included aggravated assault, aggravated assault of a public servant, alien smuggling, child abuse, dangerous drugs, discharge of a firearm, among others. Twenty three of those also re-entered the United States after being deported and, if convicted, they may face up to 20 years in federal prison depending on the criminality, according to ICE. During the operation that ended Thursday, people from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Colombia, and Vietnam were arrested.

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Bush Joins Hobby Airport with a Historic 4-Star Rating [Fly2Houston.com]

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he “stars” now are twice as bright in Houston with the announcement today that both George Bush Intercontinental Airport and William P. Hobby Airport have been awarded a 4-star ratings by Skytrax, recognized as a leading global air transport rating organization. The 2018 results, announced today in Stockholm, Sweden, make Houston only the third city in the world with two airports given a 4-star rating, and the only city in the Western Hemisphere with two 4-star rated airports. The only other cities in the world with two 4-star rated airports are Tokyo and Seoul. World Airport Rating is the international airport quality rating program operated by Skytrax. Ratings are determined through direct and professional analysis of industry quality standards.

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Texas School Suspensions

Victims of Austin Explosions

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Texas School Suspensions Disproportionately Affect Black Boys [CW39.com]

ew research suggests not all kids in Texas are suspended equally. Black boys, foster and special needs children in Pre-K through second grade are being suspended more than any other group of kids in the state, according to a new report released by non-profit Texans Care For Children. Advocates say suspending these kids doesn’t change behavior that comes from trauma, developmental delays and other reasons. CEO Stephanie Rubin of Texans Care For Children suspending these kids doesn’t change behavior that comes from trauma, developmental delays and other reasons. She also said suspension sends the message to kids that they don’t belong during a time where they’re trying to figure out how they fit in to school.

Donations Pour In for Victims of Austin Explosions [Fox 26 Houston]

undraisers on GoFundMe and YouCaring have been created to help the families of the victims of the Austin explosions. 39-year-old Anthony Stephan House and 17-year-old Draylen Mason were fatally injured by package bombs placed on the front porches of their homes.

Four other victims were also injured in a series of explosions that shook the Austin community. A package bomb exploded at an East Austin home on March 2, killing 39-year-old Anthony Stephan House. Then, on March 5, package bombs at two addresses in other parts of the city exploded, killing 17-year-old Draylen Mason, wounding his mother and injuring a 75 year-old Hispanic woman, identified on GoFundMe as Esperanza Hope Herrera.

NATIONAL BRIEFS Drinking Certificates Would Let Underaged Louisianans Buy Booze [Patch.com]

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f a bill in the Louisiana Legislature passes, life will get a lot easier for underage college students who risk arrest with fake IDs that get them into bars or have an older friend buy their drinks. Sen. Eric LaFleur, a Democrat from Ville Platte, says over-21 laws don’t work, they increase the chances of unsavory goings on at house parties and they tax the resources of police who have to round up all the underage drinkers. LaFleur’s bill, Senate Bill 429, would allow 19- and 20-year-olds to buy and consume alcohol if they get certificate from the state — a drinking license, in effect. Research on drinking-related fraternity parties and binge drinking among underage drinkers supports the creation of a legal path for young drinkers to do what they’ve been doing years, LaFleur maintains.

Viola Desmond $10 Bill

A Black Woman Is the New Face of the $10 Bill in Canada [StyleMagazine.com Newswire]

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ore than 70 years ago, Viola Desmond stood up for civil rights in Canada when she refused to leave a whites-only section of a theater.

Last week, she was honored as the first Black person and a non-royal woman to become the face of a dollar bill in Canada.

Civil rights pioneer Viola Desmond was the one chosen out of the 26,000 submissions that came in following Bank of Canada’s announcement that they will be featuring a Canadian woman on the country’s bill for the first time. Aside from being the first Black person to be featured on a regularly circulating Canadian bill, she is also the first non-royal, Canadian-born woman to do so. The $10 bill, which is also the first in the country to have a vertical orientation.

Byron Allen

Columbus Short

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Comedian Byron Allen Just Bought The Weather Channel for $300 Million!

[Black Business News Blog]

ost people know Byron Allen as a funny comedian, but he is also a successful entrepreneur and media mogul as the CEO/owner of Entertainment Studios, Inc., one of the largest independent producers and distributors of film and television. His Los Angeles-based company currently has 41 shows on the air, and owns eight 24-hour HD cable television networks reaching nearly 160 million aggregate subscribers nationwide. And now, his company is the proud new owner of the Weather Channel!

The Weather Channel is one of the largest cable television networks not owned by a major conglomerate, and ranks number one in weather news. In 2016, Allen also purchased TheGrio.com, a digital video-centric news community platform.

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Columbus Short Released From Prison After Serving 34 Days for Beating Wife [Black News]

olumbus Short, a former Scandal actor, has been released from jail after serving only 34 days of his oneyear sentence for beating his wife. The LA County Sheriff’s Department didn’t give a reason for the early release. Short, who was charged with physically abusing his wife Aida Abramyan, has pleaded no contest November last year. He was initially sentenced to 36 months probation. However, he was already on probation for a previous law violation wherein he was involved in a bar fight. He was sentenced to one-year in jail instead. Short began his sentence on February 13 but was released on March 19, much sooner than his original release.

There were no explanations from the LA County Sheriff’s Department regarding Short’s early release.

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NATIONAL Linda Brown, Woman at Center of Brown v. Board Case, Dies

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By Emanuella Grinberg, Sheena Jones and Amir Vera, CNN/StyleMagazine.com Newswire

inda Brown, who as a little girl was at the center of the Brown v. Board of Education case that ended segregation in American schools, has died, a funeral home spokesman said.

Brown, 75, died Sunday afternoon in Topeka, Kansas, the spokesman said.

Brown was 9 years old in 1951 when her father, Oliver Brown, tried to enroll her at Sumner Elementary School, then an allwhite school near her Topeka home. When the school blocked her enrollment her father sued the Topeka Board of Education.

Four similar cases were combined with Brown’s complaint and presented to the Supreme Court as Oliver L. Brown et al v. Board of Education of Topeka, Shawnee County, Kansas, et al.

While her name will forever be a part of American civil rights history, her contributions to the community after the case are part of her legacy, too, longtime friend Carolyn Campbell said.

Campbell attended St. Mark’s African Methodist Episcopal Church, where Brown played piano and taught children how to play. Before her death, the church dedicated the piano to her.

Campbell described her as a “very quiet person, but spiritual, patient and very kind.”

“Linda was a spiritual Christian woman that loved not only the Lord, but she loved her family and took on the responsibility of what Brown v. Board of Education meant to her. Her legacy will be that she shared all of her life with all of us,” Campbell said.

She was also instrumental in one of the church day care programs, Campbell said.

“She would read books to children, she was all about children and education.”

A ‘normal’ schoolchild who transformed the country The court ruled in May 1954 that “separate educational facilities are inherently unequal,” a violation of the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution, which states that no citizen can be denied equal protection under the law.

Thurgood Marshall, the NAACP’s special counsel and lead counsel for the plaintiffs, argued the case before the Supreme Court.

“Linda Brown is one of that special band of heroic young people who, along with

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Linda Brown her family, courageously fought to end the ultimate symbol of white supremacy -- racial segregation in public schools.

She stands as an example of how ordinary schoolchildren took center stage in transforming this country,” said Sherrilyn Ifill, president and director-counsel at NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund.

“It was not easy for her or her family, but her sacrifice broke barriers and changed the meaning of equality in this country.”

The ruling overturned Plessy v. Ferguson, which established the separate but equal doctrine that formed the legal basis for Jim Crow laws. The court directed schools to desegregate “with all deliberate speed,” but it failed to establish a firm timetable for doing so. The Supreme Court would outline the process of school desegregation in Brown II in 1955, but it would take years for schools across the nation to fully comply.

‘I began to cry because it was so cold’ Brown was born in 1943, according to the National Archives. When her father joined the lawsuit, neighborhoods in Topeka were partially integrated, Brown said in a 1985 interview for the documentary series “Eyes on the Prize: America’s Civil Rights Years.”

“I played with children that were Spanish-American. I played with children that were white, children that were Indian, and black children in my neighborhood,” she said.

High schools and junior high schools were integrated, too, she said. The only schools that were not were elementary schools, including hers, Monroe Elementary School, she said.

In 1954, there were four African-American schools and 18 white schools in Topeka.

Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer on Monday acknowledged Brown’s contribution to American history.

To reach the bus that carried her and her sisters 2 miles across town to the all-black school, she said she had to walk through railroad yards and across a busy avenue.

“Sixty-four years ago a young girl from Topeka brought a case that ended segregation in public schools in America. Linda Brown’s life reminds us that sometimes the most unlikely people can have an incredible impact and that by serving our community we can truly change the world.”

“I remember the walk as being very long at that time,” she said in 1985. “And then when wintertime came, it was a very cold walk. I remember that. I remember walking, tears freezing up on my face, because I began to cry because it was so cold, and many times I had to turn around and run

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back home.”In 1950 her father, a welder and an associate pastor, joined the Topeka NAACP’s legal challenge to a Kansas law that permitted racially segregated elementary schools in certain cities based on population. He attempted to enroll her in Sumner Elementary School in 1951.

“My father was like a lot of other black parents here in Topeka at that time. They were concerned not about the quality of education that their children were receiving, they were concerned about the amount -- or distance, that the child had to go to receive an education,” Brown said in the 1985 interview.

“He felt that it was wrong for black people to have to accept second-class citizenship, and that meant being segregated in their schools, when in fact, there were schools right in their neighborhoods that they could attend, and they had to go clear across town to attend an all-black school.

And this is one of the reasons that he became involved in this suit, because he felt that it was wrong for his child to have to go so far a distance to receive a quality education.”

Monroe and Sumner elementary schools became National Historic Landmarks on May 4, 1987, according to the National Park Service. President George H.W. Bush signed the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site Act of 1992 on October 26, 1992, which established Monroe as a national park.

LOCAL Houston Teens ‘Say Yes to the Prom’ with TLC’s Monte Durham

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By Jo-Carolyn Goode, Manging Editor

ne of the most important days of a high school teen’s life is prom, one of the many activities culminating their high school career. But for some Houston area teens, the approaching event was not looked upon favorably because funds once designated for prom had to be redirected to take care of home due to the destruction caused by Hurricane Harvey.

They needed a fairy godmother or maybe a fairy godfather. With the wave of the hand and the flick of a wrist, their wishes were granted and TLC’s Monte Durham appeared. Loaded down with dresses, shoes, and accessories, he had just one question to ask, “Are you saying yes to the prom dress?”

is less bling, more simple dresses, and coverage. Slim dresses, fit and flares - I mean you are always going to have a prom princess, right, that wants all the bling. But most of the girls are coming in wanting a quieter dress. Whether that be a high low, whether it be a fit and flare, or whether it be a ball gown or simple neck column dress, we are seeing girls saying no to bling,” said Monte.

Over 200 hundred teens could be heard saying ‘yes’ over and over again as their eyes filled with tears and their broad smiles never left their face. They had been given a special invitation to TLC’s Say Yes to the Prom initiative. Started seven years ago, Say Yes to the Prom removes the financial burden of prom for high-achieving and underserved high school students.

Monte’s advice when shopping for a prom dress is to concentrate on the fit of the dress. “The better the fit on you, the less alterations you have to go,” he said. “You really want to make sure that the dress is fitting on your shoulders, the bust area, and the waist.” Monte added that those who are 5’5” and under want to pay particular attention to borders on their dresses because Monte cautions that they may lose them when the dress is hemmed.

Thanks to partners Macy’s, Men’s Warehouse, Katy Perry, and Paul Mitchell students from C.E. King, Sam Houston, Wisdom, Wheatley, and Madison High Schools had their choice from over 2,500 Macy’s dresses, bags, and accessories to create their perfect prom look with style consultation by Monte and a host of AT&T volunteers. Five hundred of the dresses were from the Say Yes to the Dress prom line. Guys got treated to tuxedo rentals and accessories. Monte let us in on what was trending for prom this year and it seems that bling is out. “What we are seeing now

Although the girls don’t want bling on their dress, Monte said they ask for bling with their accessories. “They want the chandelier earrings, the necklace, the cuff, the headband or halos. So that’s where they are blinging it out,” commented Monte.

For the guys it is all about a slim look says Monte. “Navy blue is pulling ahead of gray in suiting and tuxedos look more like suits.” Guys are also ditching satin lapels. “Brown luggage colored shoes are coming into play. Socks are huge. Some men are shortening the pants so they can wear a sock. A silk flower is popular with the guys.” And the girls are telling their guy escorts that they better have on a bowtie that matches their dress. Eye-popping prom looks were not the only things teens

LIFESTYLE

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hen it’s someone you love; you’re a hypocrite: don’t worry, we all are. Have you ever been talking to someone and the conversation escalates to mutual friends? “Hey, you heard that Bob and Jill are getting a divorce, Bob cheated.” Immediately it’s, “Bob is an asshole and you should never cheat! What kind of man is he?”

carried away from the experience. TLC’s parent company Discovery wanted to give teens a gift that lasted beyond the glitz and glam of prom. Through another partnership with Will and Jada Smith Family Foundation’s Careers in Entertainment and Emma Bowen Foundation initiatives, teens were connected with mentors and given offers for scholarships, internships, mentorships, and networking opportunities.

Monte said giving back to these most deserving, intelligent, and talented students is not only important to him but everyone at Discovery. The smile on students’ faces is what keeps him coming back year after

year. “To see these students that had the adversity whether it be weather related, whether it be economically related, and they have stayed the course and are ready to graduate. It is amazing.

We are here to celebrate, embrace that, and encourage them to continue their education.”

Houston was the fourth stop on the sixcity tour for this year’s Say Yes to the Prom tour. By the end of the 2018 tour, nearly 1,000 students will have been impacted in New York, Miami, Tampa, Knoxville, Silver Spring, and, of course, Houston.

Same Energy

By Demez White, Feature Writer

his wife it’s over. You don’t get to have it both ways. You don’t get to take this, “I did everything I could” approach when you didn’t do the one thing that matters.

Which is to tell her it’s over before you start something new.

That person doesn’t want to hear that they’d been sleeping in separate rooms or that Bob tried his best to repair the fractured relationship before he pursued another woman. All they know is Bob cheated and that’s wrong. But what happens when Bob is their brother or their friend?

This isn’t just about infidelity. I see it with child support, splitting rent, staying with parents; the situations are endless.

A co-worker loses a family member and needs more time to grieve, you feel like they’re taking advantage. Your best friend loses their brother or spouse and you’re mad their job won’t give them more time off. Why don’t we keep the same energy?

Because we’re human.

When they never liked Bob’s wife in the first place and they know Bob tried to make it work. The energy is completely different even though Bob is still wrong. The point isn’t that Bob cheated; the point is that in both circumstances all he had to do was tell

When we know a person, we have seen the best in them, and feel like whatever wrongs they’re committing aren’t really who they are. We don’t give strangers or people we don’t like that same benefit of the doubt.

Demez White

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FEATURE HBRW: Serving Up Black Businesses as the Main Dish

Crystle Stewart: Homegrown Talent Stars in Tyler Perry’s ‘Acrimony’

By Jo-Carolyn Goode, Managing Editor

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hat would happen if …? How many times in a lifetimes does one pose this question to themselves? What if this path was taken? What if I had taken this or that opportunity? What if my path hadn’t crossed with that person?

What if I had given that person a chance?

Sometimes we are grateful that we moved quickly for the things we leaped on. But at other times we live in regret for things we let go because we ran out of patience. So many questions that go unanswered and hang on in our thoughts is enough to make a person go crazy if one lets it. Living in regret or being grateful is the basic premise behind the new Tyler Perry film ‘Acrimony. ‘ The film that opens nationwide this Friday, March 30th, stars Taraji P. Henson, an

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incredible actress that always gives stellar performances but nothing beats her playing a woman scorned. But Houston area residents will have another reason to flock to theaters to see this film…to see one of our very own on the big screen. Crystle Stewart Sebrechts stars opposite of Henson as the woman who has the life she wants.

In ‘Acrimony,’ Henson plays Melinda Gayle, a woman who bought into the entire romance fantasy by marrying her college sweetheart and expecting the happily ever after ending. Only the dream never really came to fruition, at least not while Melinda was wifey. For years, she played the devoted wife pouring everything she had into her husband Robert played by Lyriq Bent while holding down the house to help him succeed.

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After a while, that weighs heavily on a sistah, especially one that thought she was the one that was going to be taken care of and not the one doing the caretaking. Fed up Melinda tells her husband she is tired and sends him packing. Leaving the door wide open for Diana played by Stewart. Robert and Diana get engage and marry right when things start to fall together for Robert.

Now Diana is living the life that Melinda dreamed of having and she feels betrayed.

Melinda becomes enraged and well that is where the movie gets good. Before you think you know what happens, stop. Don’t think that. Perry says this movie takes a lot of twists and turns to the unexpected. Stewart describes her character as one who is kind, intelligent, and has a big heart to want the best for people. These characteristics

are what drew Robert to Diana. “She saw his ambition. She believed in him and she had the patience,” said Stewart but hinted that the way Diana is portrayed in the movie audiences may think the opposite of her.

Stewart makes her big screen debut in ‘Acrimony’ and admits that she was nervous at first on set. However, Henson and Bent were very helpful in making her feel at ease. Some of the best advice Henson gave Stewart was to take her time. “Because sometimes on set you have to cry right after doing a scene when you were completely happy, “ said Stewart. That transition can be difficult for a new actress. “So she (Henson) said just take your time. You take that moment to make it happen so I think that was really good advice,” commented Stewart.

Although this was Stewart’s first film role,

FEATURE HBRW: Serving Up Black Businesses as the Main Dish

it was not her first acting gig. Fans of Tyler Perry’s comedy-drama television series ‘For Better or Worse’ will remember Stewart as real estate agent Leslie Morris. That previous work with Perry helped Stewart work on this project since she knew the way the director worked, which is fast, extremely fast. ‘Acrimony’ was shot in only eight days. “We work hard and he works just as hard as us or harder,” said Stewart. “He definitely knows how to put a good product out there.”

excited Stewart said. “It takes a lot of hard work. I mean these girls, these contestants, work so hard in order for their dream to come true and you are holding it right in your hands for them. So I am so excited for every single one of our girls and what they are about to put forward.”

Contestants in the Miss Houston and Miss Houston Teen Pageant went through four weeks of training in workshops and other activities to be able to show the best version Putting together a quality product is some- of themselves on stage. thing Stewart has a lot of experience with herself. Besides seeing her exercise her acting Stewart said she really wanted to make it a chops, people can see her in pageant shoes great experience for all contestants by giving again. Many may have thought the Miss USA them tools so that the playing field was equal 2008 titleholder had hung her heels when her for all. That desire stems from her early days reign ended but she is a staple in the Miss USA in pageantry when she was at a loss as to system, especially right here in Houston with what do, whom to talk to, and where to go. the Miss Texas USA Pageant.

She wanted to eliminate all those burdens for contestants so they could just have fun, She recently accepted a position to be on the learn, and enjoy the experience. other side of the crown as a local recruiter for the Miss Houston Pageant. Her first pageant “I tell them regardless if they don’t win in the director’s chair is taking place during that physical crown that night they all should the opening weekend of her new film. “It is come out feeling like queens because of so different being on the opposite end,” an the training that they went through and all

the different activities that we did. I am sure that they learned so much from it and about themselves. And they can still take it throughout life and use it,” said Stewart.

it is a modern day finishing school for girls ages 5-21 offering programs and workshops with specialized courses in makeup, hair, interviewing and communication skills, etiquette, life skills, poise and posture, The Miss Houston and Miss Houston cooking, wardrobe styling, and more. Sign Teen Pageant will kick off Friday, March up for classes at MissAcademy.com.

30, 2018, with the preliminary competition starting at 8 pm.

“Because every woman should know how to do their makeup, pick out the right The following night, Saturday, March 31, wardrobe, eat correctly, speak correctly, and 2018, contestants will take to the stage again feel confident. You should know how to do for the final round of competition and the those things. Not saying you have to put on crowning of the new queens. All events are makeup everywhere you go or dress to the at the Hilton Post Oak Hotel. Tickets may be nine everywhere you go but when you have purchased online through the MissHouston- to do it you know how to,” said Stewart.

Pageant.com website. Future contestants for the 2019 Miss Houston and Miss Houston Not only is Stewart passing on these gems Teen Pageant can begin to sign up now to today’s girls but she gets to pass them on through the website as well. to her beautiful daughter as well. Stewart and her husband, model, and actor, Max SeAnd if that is not enough for Stewart’s brechts welcomed their first baby last year. already full plate she has one more thing she is running. It was her dream since she was Congratulations to Crystle Stewart and all 16 years old to open a finishing school for of her success. Stay in the loop of all that girls to teach them everyday life skills. Well, she has going on by connecting with her @ her dreams came true when she opened the MissHoustonPageant and @MissAcademy MISS Academy. According to the website, on Instagram.

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ENTERTAINMENT Exclusive Interview: Former Member of Mindless Behavior,

Mike River, Drops a Single and Visual Titled “Take Me Back”

By Keandra Scott, Feature Writer

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rom popular American Boy band, Mindless Behavior, to hitting the stage solo, Mike River has now released a hot new single and visual titled, “Take Me Back.” The young crooner has shared the stage with Problem, Bad Lucc, Rae Sremmurd, Dorothy Moore, BB King, and many other influential artists. When it comes to lyrics and delivery, River gives an abundance of realness and rhythmic persuasion. In conversation, River will remind you of that one cousin who is such a gentleman, ambitious and talented- He is most certainly sure of who he is. We got a chance to catch up with River to discuss his new single and much more in a late morning interview session.

Ke’Ke: Who do you admire in music entertainment?

Mike River: Stevie Wonder, Tupac, Michael Jackson, Kendrick Lamar and Andre 3000.

Ke’Ke: Tell us about “Take Me Back.”

Mike River: “Take Me Back” is about going back to the beginning of a relationship.

It could be a 6-8 month mark [for some] to where it was all cool. Before things started to become more real [challenging].

Ke’Ke: Will you be collaborating with anyone on your forthcoming project?

Mike River: Anything is possible.

Ke’Ke: How do you overcome the negative “he say, she say” dealing with Mindless Behavior’s former member Prodigy and so much more?

Mike River: It was hard at the beginning to be in the midst of the situation [I was al-

PHOTO BY BEN DOYLE

Ke’Ke: Who wrote your new single, “Take Me Back”?

Mike River: It was self-wrote with my

brother (who is also in music), vocal coach and Dustboy, Dana Vons, Jake and Papa.

I’m not signed to any label, I’m independent/unsigned so it felt good to just create and release music for the love of music. A lot of people don’t know this but I was born in Mississippi [not LA]. Before Mindless Behavior, I was already singing and dancing. My first group was called Remix.

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ways the one mingling]. The situation actually made us closer. We are all cool. Everybody’s doing their thing. We talk daily.

Ke’Ke: How does your sound differentiate from being in Mindless Behavior to being a solo artist?

Mike River: [More mature music] I want to create even more relatable music [with my own voice]. More meaningful lyrics.

We [as artists] have to speak the language.

I’m just trying to bless someone. You gotta wake up and be a blessing to somebody.

Ke’Ke: What would you take from being in Mindless Behavior into your solo career?

Mike River: Everything. From discipline to eating right and more. Everything you do has to be with consequences at the back of your mind.

Ke’Ke: Do you have any advice for upcoming artists?

Mike River: Really take the time to do it and learn it. Take the time to be respectful of the art form, no matter what it is. Do

your research on songwriters and what ever it is you desire to be professionally.

Ke’Ke: How did you end up on stage with B.B. King?

Mike River: I was born into music. I come from a musical family. My dad was a drummer for Lil’ Richard and the Grammy museum had just opened and there was an opportunity for me to perform [through connection]. It’s like doggy treats (signs of where you are suppose to be) for me.

[Wherever destiny was leading me, I am following].

The official music video and single to “Take Me Back” dropped on Tuesday, March 27, 2018, be sure to check it out and let us know what you think.

Fans can listen to “Take Me Back” via Spotify and iTunes.View the Official Music Video via YouTube-Mike River.

Follow Mike River on social media: Twitter: @MikerRiverMusic Instagram: @mikeriverofficial

HEALTH

What Really Happens When You Donate a Kidney?

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f someone you loved needed a kidney transplantation, would you donate one of your kidneys to them? How about a complete stranger, would you consider going under the knife to prolong a stranger’s life? Many of us say we’ll donate. But, is it a genuine sentiment or something we say to sound loving and heroic?

Approximately 123,000 Americans are on a waiting list to receive an organ transplant.

At least 101,000 of those people are waiting for a kidney transplant. That number may not sound unattainable. But, only 17,000 people actually receive kidney transplants per year, according to the National Kidney Foundation.

There are two types of kidney transplantations: those that come from living donors (usually a loved one) and those that come from non-living donors (usually a stranger).

A kidney transplantation from living donors lasts about five years longer than those from non-living donors, according to Barnes-Jewish Hospital.

The Procedure

The average kidney transplantation surgery lasts for about three hours.

“Shortly before going into surgery, medicine is given to the patients to help them relax. A general anesthetic is then given. The donor and recipient are in adjacent operating rooms. The transplant surgeon removes the kidney from the donor and prepares it for transplant into the recipient,” according to Barnes-Jewish Hospital.

By BlackDoctor.Org

“There, the surgeon connects the renal artery and vein of the new kidney to the recipient’s artery and vein. This creates blood flow through the kidney, which makes urine. The ureter, or tube coming down from the donor kidney, is sewn into the bladder.

Usually, the new kidney will start working right away. Sometimes, it takes several days for the donor kidney to “wake up.”

The Donor

“My uncle was going to have to go on dialysis. In 2003, I donated a kidney to him.

It’s been 13 years. I don’t feel any different. I don’t even think about it anymore,” said Steve Setchfield whose grandfather passed away from polycystic kidney disease (PKD).

“My uncle actually has three kidneys. He has the two that he was born with and then he has the one from me. Because they don’t typically take out the bad ones unless there’s probably a lot of bleeding or a lot of pain. for about three to seven days. The donor is They still work [at] a 5-15% capacity. The usually advised to refrain from heavy lifting new one that they put in, they put [it] on his for about six weeks. right side, right along his belt line in front of his right hip. It doesn’t go in the same The Guarantee place,” Setchfield said.

According to the National Kidney Foundation, the United Network for Organ SharAfter the Transplantation ing, UNOS, gives priority to living donors Setchfield says the donor and recipient, should they need an organ transplant after in his experience, traded places; He (the donating. donor) went in feeling pretty good. But, he came out feeling lousy because he’d just “They mentioned to me that if something had surgery. His uncle (the recipient) went were to happen to me, if I were to have a in feeling lousy because his kidneys were car accident, have kidney failure, get shot failing. But, he came out feeling great. Typ- or something like that where I need a transically, both patients remain in the hospital plant, I go to the top of the list. I guess we

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have priority if you’re a living donor,” said Setchfield.

More Info?

Don’t know anyone who needs a kidney, but would still like to donate? Plenty of donors give simply because they are compelled to help someone who is in need.

Visit Kidney.org for more information on becoming a living donor.

If you would like to register or learn more about becoming a deceased donor, visit DonateLife.net.

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AUTO

2018 Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn Setting the Bar for Premium Luxury

By Jo-Carolyn Goode, Managing Editor

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orses, cows, bulls, and hogs Cowboys, ranchers, singers, and clowns Music, shopping, eating, and big fun The rodeo is all said and done As the many trailers all leave town They’re hitched to the best rides around In trucks as wide and big as Texas They’re tough enough to keep the paces With many brands from which to choose For the next seven days, Ram 1500 is what I cruise If you love trucks, living in Texas is like a dream come true. What other state is there where manufacturers make a model of their truck just for a state? That’s the power of Texas. Being as specific to theme a truck after Texas is one thing but when adding the fact that the truck is best in class for its segment coupled with luxury. Well, my friend that is called an easy choice. Why else would you pick any other truck to buy? If that it is not convincing enough keep reading and I am sure to have you hooked by the end of this article.

The 2018 Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn Crew Cab 4x4 is unlike any truck I have seen. So much so that it left me speechless.

That’s hard to do considering the volume of auto reviews I write. I was at a lost for words because the truck is simply gorgeous especially in the two-tone bright white with brown undertone along the bottom of the truck. I know that is not the usual description associated with a truck but it is beautiful upon first glance and further exploration of it will make any buyer fall in love and say repeatedly, “Wow, wow, and wow!”

Looking at the Ram 1500 whose height is just over 77 inches, I have never felt so small. This truck is huge! Sitting on 20-inch aluminum polished wheels with brown inserts, the Ram 1500 is king in the light-duty pickup division. The ground clearance is nine inches. It does not take on a boxy shape but rather embraces its curves for better aerodynamics. The buckle inspired Ram

Longhorn branding is right there in your face letting all know it is not your average truck. Chrome detailing enhances the luxury look on the upscale grille with Ram badging, LED lights, mirrors, door handles, and everywhere. Side mirrors are a triple threat in that they are heated, power folding, and auto-dimming.

I had a slight panic attack thinking when looking at the size of the Ram 1500. “How am I going to get in this thing?” I thought.

Lucky for me (and short people), the Ram 1500 comes with wheel-to-wheel side steps and a grab bar to aid in accessing the vehicle’s cabin. The side step also extends just past the cabin to help with getting to the truck’s bed. In the 4x4, the bed length is six feet four inches with two sizable Ram lock boxes on the sides. Equipped with a sprayin bedliner, there is a switch to control the LED lights inside the bed.

Opening the door, I couldn’t believe I was viewing a truck. The two-tone color combination of Canyon Brown/Light Frost resembled that of well creamed cup of coffee. It made me feel all warm and fuzzy. I was relaxed and comfortable in the 8-way powered front seat that can be heated and ventilated. Backseat passengers also can experience the joy of heated seats. The steering wheel can be heated and houses buttons for media and cruise controls. In front of the driver is a well-stacked driver information digital cluster system that is full of facts from the basic of how much gas is in the tank to the vehicle’s performance level all on a seven inch full-color screen.

2018 Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn Crew Cab 4x4 Wi-Fi, Android Auto, Apple Car Play and turning a knob controls it. Yea, you read that more with improved graphics and resolu- right, a knob. But don’t worry it is rather tion. Standard and most necessary is the easy to maneuver. I actually really started to backup camera. I could not park without this like it as the week progressed. Even though thing. Not only did the backup camera give I was scared to drive such massively big me the best picture, the driver information truck I felt more and more at ease the more system shows visually how close I am to I drove it since the ride was so nice. I felt hitting something and beeps. The center of like a queen on her throne as I glided down the truck provides lots of storage in some the roads of the bayou city no matter how usually common wasted spaces. I really like many potholes I encountered. Handling the two-part center console with one smaller was amazing. Controls are abounded in the section for your phone and USB connections cabin to utilize the four modes to control air and a deeper section that is big enough to suspension, which can also be controlled store an average size laptop computer. Cup remotely before the engine start if equipped holders are everywhere. Plus, the big bonus with the keyless remote. and so needed wireless phone charger. Yes! With a 32-gallon fuel tank, the Ram 1500 Space is really the ruler of the cabin. I was Laramie Longhorn is very fuel efficient blown away especially about the amount having economy ratings of 15-mpg city and of legroom that was in the backseat. There 21-mpg highway to get 5.9 gallons per 100 are about 40 inches of legroom alone and miles. If I had to make any improvements, more space can be added when folding the it would be the addition of safety features backseats up for additional cargo. Secret like lane departure alert, collision alert, storage compartments can be found under and auto-braking. But it does have advance ParkSense front and rear airbags for safety. the backseats.

In the center is the over-the-top infotainment center. What really caught my attention was the artistry that detailed the silver enclosure around it. So beautiful!

Usually, that is not a place for taller Featuring UConnect 8.4, drivers can conindividuals. Although I didn’t have my trol navigation, a suite of apps, Bluetooth taller friends climb in the back to test it out technology, dual zone air control, 4G LTE, against their long limbs, I do believe they would be most comfortable. Ram does not shortchange backseat passengers either.

They have access to heated seats, household plug outlet, more than two-cup holders, air controls, and more.

All seating is wrapped in premium leather with exposed stitching and Longhorn branding. Front seat back pockets are upgraded from their normal slit to closures that resemble belt buckles. The power sunroof that lets light in is optional on the vehicle for an extra $1,100 bucks. All premium materials of wood, aluminum, and leather are very prominent throughout the cabin.

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Under the hood, the Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn is working with a 5.7 Liter V8 Hemi engine with 8—speed transmission.

Shifting gears in the Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn takes some getting used to as

All that I have said is grand but what about the real reason people buy trucks.

These guys are workhorses known for their tow ability. The Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn is not shabby in this area. It boasts a max towing of 10, 240 pounds with a maximum payload of 1,680 pounds. Wowsers!

So now that I have you drooling with desire to own one of the longest lasting pickup trucks price has to be on your mind.

This kind of luxury and style in a workhorse does not come cheap but it is not out of range either. The 2018 Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn Crew Cab 4x4 base price starts at $53,595. Add style that has a southwest Texas theme can be added to your truck with Longhorn packaging for $1,395.

Now you know why the Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn sets the bar for a premium luxury truck. Work, pleasure, and luxury meet to make a remarkable driving machine.

Visit Ramtrucks.com or your local dealer for more information.

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EAT WITH STYLE Hop Into Easter Dinner

By Family Features

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his Easter holiday, hop into a new tradition and swap your classic ham for savory lamb. Cooking lamb can be easier than many might think. Simply try baking a rack of lamb crusted with a quinoa-hazelnut combination and topped with a mint pesto. For a perfect, set-and-forget side, try slow cooker carrots, sprinkled with dill weed and lemon extract for a delightful spring dish.

Find more Easter recipes at McCormick. com and find McCormick Spice on Facebook and Pinterest.

Rack of Lamb with Quinoa-Hazelnut Crust and Mint Pesto Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 40 minutes Servings: 6

2 tablespoons red quinoa 2 tablespoons white quinoa 1/2 cup water 1/4 cup, plus 1 tablespoon, finely chopped toasted hazelnuts, divided 2 racks of lamb, about 1 pound each 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided 1 1/8 teaspoons McCormick Gourmet

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Sicilian Sea Salt, divided 1/4 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet Organic Black Pepper 2 teaspoons lemon juice 2 tablespoons McCormick Gourmet Organic Mint 1/8 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet Organic Garlic Powder 1 cup plain Greek yogurt Rinse quinoa; drain well. In small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring quinoa and water to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 13 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally. Spread cooked quinoa on baking sheet to cool. Stir in 1/4 cup hazelnuts. Set aside. Heat oven to 450 F. Brush racks of lamb lightly with 1 teaspoon oil. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sea salt and pepper. Coat lamb with quinoa mixture, pressing firmly to adhere. Place lamb on roasting rack in foil-lined, shallow roasting pan. Drizzle with 2 teaspoons oil.Roast 20-25 minutes, or until desired doneness.

To make Mint Pesto: In small bowl, mix remaining oil, remaining hazelnuts, lemon juice, mint, garlic powder and remaining sea salt until well blended. Stir 1 teaspoon pesto into yogurt.

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Rack of Lamb with Quinoa-Hazelnut Crust and Mint Pesto

BOOKS

“Marley Dias Gets It Done and So Can You!”

by Marley Dias, Introduction by Ava DuVernay

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don’t like that! How many times a day do you say those words? Surely, you’ve been saying them all your life, about food, time-outs, bedtime, homework, curfews, clothes, and a hundred other things.

So you don’t like that. Read “Marley Dias Gets It Done and So Can You!” by Marley Dias… and do something about it! It all started with a stack of pancakes.

Marley Dias and her mother were having breakfast one afternoon, when Marley’s Mom asked what one thing Marley would change in the coming new year. It happened after Marley just had finished “a ridiculously amazing book” that “opened a whole new world…” That, and a required-reading list that was badly lacking in diversity led her to say that she would change how “classic” books are viewed in schools.

To be exact, schools needed more Black Girl books on their shelves. “How can educators expect kids to love, instead of dread, reading,” she asks, “when they never see

By Terri Schlichenmeyer, Book Reviewer

themselves in the stories they’re forced to read?” And so, with the help of her parents, Marley created a hashtag (#1000blackgirlbooks) to match the idea she’d envisioned: to collect and donate to schools and libraries a thousand books featuring Black girls in the stories. Her parents started using the hashtag on their social media accounts and it spread.

And spread, and soon, Marley’s campaign really took off. By now, she’s collected well beyond her original goal of 1000 books, and she’s donated them all.

But there’s more to this book, as you’ll see by “the very last word: You!” Yes, you can make change, and the first step is “get woke.” Look around: what are the biggest issues facing your community and how can you be the activist that’s needed? Then, learn to listen and respect others’ thoughts.

“Start small,” says Marley, and “Pace yourself.” Tell people about what you hope to accomplish and find your tribe. Ask your parents, teachers, and other trusted adults for help and counsel, please.

Public Notices

If you are interested in this opportunity, please contact (chris.davison@digitaltheatre.com) by 13th April 2018.

Although the claim is that it’s really, really not a memoir, “Marley Dias Gets It Done and So Can You!” is a memoir. But that’s okay – its life-story theme doesn’t detract one bit from the bubbly can-do attitude that oozes from its pages.

As we’ve seen lately, kids can make change and author Marley Dias is a great activist ambassador for that. Readers will not only get advice on getting involved, they’ll also get chipper, gossipy information that make Dias approachable, like any normal teen. Parents should also note that Dias tackles the bad parts of life online, including trolls and haters, and she stresses to young readers that parental involvement is absolutely key. For the 11-to-14-year-old who frets about being too young to create change, this book may spark some action.

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For sure, it’ll open young eyes to old issues and for that, “Marley Dias Gets it Done” is a book you’ll both like.

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2085

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$2 5/23/18 11/19/18

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For detailed odds and game information, visit txlottery.org or call 800-375-6886. Must be 18 or older to purchase a ticket. The Texas Lottery supports Texas education and veterans. PLAY RESPONSIBLY. For help with a gambling problem, ncpgambling.org. © 2018 Texas Lottery Commission. All rights reserved.

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Digital Theatre is bidding on Project 18.01.06 Fine Arts Materials and Services for the Houston Independent School District. We are looking for possible M/WBE subcontractors to provide the following products and/or services: 1. Identification and curation of existing Performing Arts content related to ethnic minority groups, 2. Identification of, and introductions to, ethnic minority group partners active in the Performing Arts space, to create new content, 3. Introductions to local education agencies (schools and school Districts) in ethnic minority areas of Houston Metropolitan area.

And finally, educate yourself by reading. If you don’t know what to read, ask.

Librarians, says Marley, are “super-helpful partners.”

2018

SUNNYSIDE PARK HOUSTON, TX

13th Annual Health, Education, Science Fair and Carnival

Photography by Vicky Pink t was time to play ball at the 13th Annual Health, Education, Science Fair and Carnival presented by the Port City Chapter of The Links, Incorporated. This community wide fair and carnival had a science, health, education, and summer camp booths as well as free carnival activities such as rock climbing wall, face painting, pony rides and more! Each year the fair is held in conjunction with the Opening Day Ceremony for South Central Sportz Baseball now in its 17th season! Some in attendance were Mayor Sylvester Turner, State Rep. Borris Miles, State Rep. Shawn Thierry, Constable May Walker, Paula McCann Harris, Miss Houston Hannah Johannes, HCDE Trustee Erica Lee Carter, and Houston City Council members Dwight Boykins and Amanda Edwards.

2018

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5th Lyons Avenue Renaissance Festival Photography by Vicky Pink ifth Ward left Hurricane Harvey behind and celebrated recovery efforts with the Fifth Annual Lyons Avenue Renaissance Festival. Under the theme “Houston Strong & Nickle Proud,” nearly twenty “Harvey Heroes” from across the greater Houston area were honored. The free family-friendly event featured a parade, three stages of live music, a helicopter egg drop with 50K goodie-stuffed eggs, basketball tournament, and more. Some in attendance were FWCRC President and CEO Kathy Payton, State Rep. Harold Dutton, Houston City Councilwoman Amanda Edwards, and Houston City Councilman and Vice Mayor Pro-Tem Jerry Davis.

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3800-4000 BLOCKS OF LYONS AVENUE HOUSTON, TX

2018

CHRISTA ADAIR COUNTY PARK HOUSTON, TX

She’s Happy Hair Family Fun Day Photography by Vicky Pink ver 5,000 eggs disappeared in less than 20 minutes into an estimated 500 children’s baskets at She’s Happy Hair Family Fun Day at The Park. The event was put on to improve the community family base and provide kids and their families with a great outdoor activity for the Easter Holiday. Kids enjoyed face painting, balloons, moon walks, outdoor games, music, photo opportunities with the Easter Bunny and more. She’s Happy Hair CEO Warren Broadnax was in attendance.

2018

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UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON STUDENT CENTER HOUSTON, TX

8th Houston Black Leadership Forum Photography by Vicky Pink reater Houston Black Chamber and the National Black MBA Association hosted the 8th Annual Houston Black Leadership Forum. The annual event gives African American professionals the opportunity to discuss the issues affecting the community and develop solutions to the challenges. Under the theme “Moving the Needle for our Community through Black Excellence,” Terry Watson was the featured speaker. Some in attendance were Chairwoman of the Greater Houston Black Chamber of Commerce Courtney Johnson-Rose, president of the National Black MBA Association Houston Chapter Errol Allen II, Khambrel Marshall, Kim Roxie, Lalou Davies Yemitan, and Georgia Provost.

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