Houston Style Magazine vol 28 No 37

Sept. 07, 2017 - Sept. 13, 2017

Houston Style Magazine Houston’s Premiere Weekly Publication

Volume 28 | Number 37

Complimentary

Jesse Jackson Harvey, Noah and The Floods

Donald Trump

Trump’s ‘fire & fury’ Rhetoric Met With Defiance by Kim Jong Un

The Storm We’ll Never Forget Words By Jo-Carolyn Goode, Photo Courtesy of CNN

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HoustonISD Harvey Relief Kick Off

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Reflections From Hurricane Harvey

Tilman Fertitta

Purchasing the Houston Rockets for a record $2.2 Billion

J.J. Watt’s Relief Fund

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Volume 28 | Number 37 | Sept. 07, 2017 - Sept. 13, 2017

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Houston Curfew

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

Jesus Contreras

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 Harvey, Noah and The Floods

By Jesse Jackson, National Writer

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t is too soon to know the extent of the damage done by Hurricane Harvey.

Estimates are that over a million people have been displaced. As I write this, 49 are feared dead -- a number that will continue to climb. The governor of Texas estimated that his state will need “far in excess” of $125 billion in federal funding to help rebuild. Harvey broke the U.S. record for rainfall from a single storm. Houston, the fourth largest city in America, was hit with 50 inches of rain.

ark -- sophisticated infrastructure -- to insure that man and selected animals and birds could survive. There was no nonsense about each being on his or her own. Strong swimmers went down with the weak. Rich mansions on the hill were flooded with the poor huts in the valley. It took infrastructure, planning and preparedness to survive the flood.

Oddly, in this country, it is those on the right -- often those who most loudly profess their religious beliefs -- who choose to ignore this counsel. For years, Republicans have denied even the existence of catastrophic climate change. Donald Trump dismissed it as a “Chinese hoax.” As head of Exxon, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson knew better: Exxon scientists documented global warming over 40 years ago, but the company suppressed that information.

Leading Republican billionaires the Koch bothers -- whose fortune is tied to fossil fuels -- enforce the Republican ignorance about global warming.

But Texas is not alone. Hong Kong just got his with the third typhoon in three weeks. South Asia suffered historic rainfall and flooding in August. Twelve hundred were killed in India and Bangladesh. Mumbai, India’s financial capital, saw its streets turn to rivers. Sierra Leone saw 500 die and thousands displaced from record mudslides in Freetown. In Nigeria, floods displaced 100,000. In Pakistan, Karachi was flooded.

It will get worse. The glaciers are melting. The warmer waters are rising. Warmer waters feed stronger storms. Add to that a lack of basic infrastructure and widespread overbuilding in flood plains and the result is repeated disasters.

More recently, some Republicans have admitted that the world is warming, but they deny that humans have anything to do with it. Having accepted that it is happening, they argue that it is too expensive to try to stop by turning to renewable energy. They also resist investing in the infrastructure or doing the planning needed to strengthen protections

In Genesis, the Bible teaches that God came to Noah and warned him about the coming floods. He told Noah to build an

against the effects of global warming. And, of course, Texas legislators led by Sen. Ted Cruz opposed federal aid to recover from massive disaster -- when Sandy hit New Jersey. Now that Harvey has hit Texas, they suddenly realize the importance of federal assistance.

Across the country, people of conscience are rushing to aid the victims of Harvey.

A flotilla of volunteer boats helped rescue people. Churches and humanitarians have offered aid, clothes, baby food, medicines.

Doctors have rushed to provide care.

Americans are at their best in responding generously in times of crisis.

Yet, while Trump has offered to contribute a million dollars for humanitarian relief after Harvey, it is probably too much to expect that the Trump administration will learn anything from this disaster. Trump won’t reverse course and push to strengthen, not gut, the Paris global warming agreement.

Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry will continue to push for more use of oil and coal.

EPA administrator Scott Pruitt will continue to roll back environmental regulation and weaken efforts to stop building on flood plains. Trump’s budgets will continue to ignore the need for real investment in rebuilding our infrastructure, making our systems more resilient, strengthening our-

selves against the coming storms. Instead we will end up paying far more in lives, in destruction and in money to recover after one disaster after another.

Surely, the next generation of leaders will shed the old ideological idiocies. They will learn the lesson taught by Noah. Perhaps they will demand that this country lead a global effort to address global warming and launch a national effort to rebuild our country.

What Harvey and Katrina and Sandy and floods and mudslides across the world suggest, however, is that we don’t have the time to wait for a new generation of leaders possessed of common sense. In Genesis, Noah had less than a year to build the ark -- and less than seven days to gather his family and various species of animals and birds and plants into the ark before the great flood. Noah put aside his normal routine and acted immediately and with urgency. We would be well advised to heed that lesson.

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 Trump’s ‘fire and fury’ Rhetoric Met With Defiance by Kim Jong Un

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By Stephen Collinson, CNN/StyleMagazine.Com

hile triggering global geopolitical shockwaves, North Korea’s nuclear test also represents a flagrant personal challenge to President Donald Trump and his strategy of escalating the showdown with Pyongyang with explosive rhetoric.

condemnations and military maneuvers and exercises, Kim has upped the ante in its showdown with Trump. In this, the Trump administration is not alone -- nothing the previous three US administrations did to halt North Korea’s nuclear program worked either -- with the isolated state on an arc to building a deliverable nuclear device.

With his previous threat to rain “fire and fury” on North Korea and warning that Personal element the US military is “locked and loaded” to respond to Kim Jong Un’s provocations, Those who support Trump’s bombastic Trump set up a test of wills with his un- rhetoric say that since sanctions and prespredictable adversary. sure and diplomacy have in the past failed to slow North Korea’s nuclear and missile Now, with his nation’s most powerful program, the President’s more approach nuclear detonation Sunday and a string of is worth a try. missile launches, including one over Japan, Kim has effectively called the President’s But Trump has injected a particularly bluff, escalating a dangerous foreign policy personal note into his confrontation with crisis.

Kim, putting his own personal authority and credibility on the line in a way that Trump’s options to prevent North Korea worries some national security experts. twinning a nuclear device with an intercontinental ballistic missile that could reach Former CIA and National Security Agenthe US are narrowing, and with each North cy director Michael Hayden told CNN’s Korean move, the time available to act is Dana Bash on “State of the Union” Sunday running out. Every time that the Trump that he believed that Trump’s national seadministration has hiked pressure and rhet- curity team had framed a coherent policy oric against Pyongyang, through sanctions, on North Korea, especially in its effort to

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Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un impress upon the Chinese the urgent need it to go,” Hayden said. “The other one is to use more of its influence to change North this. We just got into a duel with the North Korea’s behavior.

Korean chairman, with Kim Jong Un. If we had a choice of weapons, I think it was a But he said that the approach had bad choice to get into a hyperbole contest sometimes been “inartfully executed” and with that kind of guy.” warned that the President should avoid being drawn in to a mano-a-mano showdown “Mr. President, this is not a manhood with Kim in the wake of the nuclear test. issue, this is a national security issue. Don’t let your pride get ahead of wise policy “I fear two things. The stray electron, here,” he added. the tweet that just goes out a 5 a.m. and unintentionally creates effects that make Read the full story online at www.cnn. this go to a place where we don’t want com.

LOCAL & STATE BRIEFS

Alert Houston

Houston Health Department Urges Precautions to Citizens Affected By Harvey [StyleMagazine.Com Newswire]

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he Houston Health Department urges people take health precautions when dealing with impacts of Hurricane Harvey. People 7 years of age and older with puncture wounds or cuts that were exposed to Harvey floodwaters may be at risk for contracting tetanus. They will need a tetanus shot if they have not had one in the past 10 years. They will need to consult their primary care physician or medical home. Use an N-95 rated dust mask if heavy concentrations of mold are already growing in your home. First, wash surfaces with soap and warm clean water to remove dirt and debris. Next, sanitize surfaces with household bleach.

Clean it with a solution of 1 cup household liquid bleach per 5 gallons of water.

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Governor Abbott

FEMA Grants Request For Community Disaster Loans For Texas Cities [StyleMagazine.Com Newswire]

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he Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today granted Governor Abbott’s request for Community Disaster Loan assistance for Texas localities impacted by Hurricane Harvey. Texas cities currently recovering from the storm can now receive funding to help maintain their operating budgets and continue their full operations while also focusing on rebuilding their communities. The Governor thanked FEMA for their quick response in helping these cities. “The quick and focused work of our federal partners in response to Hurricane Harvey has been essential to the recovery effort in Texas,” said Governor Abbott.

“These loans are critical to providing cities with the resources and flexibility to recover while still providing important services to the Texans in their communities.

Chamillionaire

Charmillionaire Starts Foundation, to Aid Harvey Relief Efforts [News Fix Houston]

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ouston rapper Chamillionaire dropped two major announcements Tuesday morning as he continues to help Texas get back on its feet following the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. The artist has started a non-profit organization benefiting relief efforts and has formed a partnership with one of the most charitable names in Houston, Mattress Mack. After several days of relief work including driving water and supplies to some of our hardest hit areas like Beaumont, Orange and Port Arthur and seeing not only the devastation but in many cases, the complete lack of basic needs, Cham felt the call to do more. This was the inspiration behind the Robin’s Heart Foundation, Chamillionaire’s newly formed charity, for monetary donations.

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Harris County / Credit ABC13

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Mayor Turner Partially Lifts Curfew [StyleMagazine.Com]

President Donald J. Trump Amends Texas Disaster Declaration [StyleMagazine.Com Newswire]

resident Donald J. Trump made additional disaster assistance available to the State of Texas by authorizing an increase in the level of Federal funding for debris removal and emergency protective measures as a result of Hurricane Harvey.

Under the President’s major disaster declaration issued for the State of Texas on August 25, 2017, Federal funding was made available for Public Assistance, Hazard Mitigation, and Other Needs Assistance at 75 percent Federal cost sharing of total eligible costs. President Trump increased cost sharing to 90 percent Federal funding for debris removal, including direct Federal assistance, and a 100 percent Federal funding for emergency protective measures

Harris County Warned of Flood Risks 20 Years Ago [ABC13.com]

ayor Sylvester Turner has partially lifted the Citywide curfew that was initially implemented on August 30 to promote public safety within disaster-striken areas. September 5, 2017, Mayor Turner has lifted the curfew for the City of Houston, with the exception of portions of west Houston currently impacted by flooding. The area still under curfew from midnight to 5:00 A.M. is West of Gessner, East of TX Hwy-6, South of I-10/ Katy Freeway, and North of Briar Forest Drive. This area remains under curfew until further notice. The curfew does not apply to: any portion of the City of Bunker Hill Village, those engaged in emergency response, as authorized by designated City officials, late shift workers, emergency volunteers traveling through the area, people seeking medical attention or shelter, etc

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President Donald Trump

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Houston Curfew

report released two decades ago on the Harris County reservoir system predicted with alarming accuracy the catastrophic flooding that would besiege the Houston area if changes weren’t made in the face of rapid development. The report released in 1996 by engineers with the Harris County Flood Control District said the Addicks and Barker reservoirs were adequate when built in the 1940s. But it noted that as entire neighborhoods sprouted over the years around the reservoirs in western Harris County, as many as 25,000 homes and businesses at the time were exposed to the kind of flooding Harvey has now brought.

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Texas Represenative Jarvis Johnson

Jamie Foxx (Photo Via Etonline.com)

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Texas Rep. Jarvis Johnson Purchases Donations for Hurricane Harvey [StyleMagazine.Com Newswire]

ctress, singer (former member of one of the most successful girl groups in the country- Destiny’s Child ) and Houston native- Kelly Rowland and her team, reached out directly to Texas State Representative Jarvis Johnson to donate money (an undisclosed amount) to purchase items needed by her fellow Houstonians who are in need of supplies, clothing, etc. to prepare for back- to-school, as the districts start classes in the coming weeks. Representative Johnson purchased back to school supplies, as well as picked up donations from the Sam’s Club at 5310 South Rice Avenue (on behalf of the Houston #RAK day organization) along with a member of Rowland’s team- Yoshika Berroud and members of his staff, on behalf of Ms. Rowland and her generous donation.

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Jamie Foxx Announces Sept. 12 Telethon for Hurricane Harvey [Good Black News/etonline.com]

ccording to Entertainment Tonight, Texas native Jamie Foxx announced on Instagram that there will be a telethon on Sept. 12 to raise money for those in need from the devastation of Hurricane Harvey. “Just wanted to let everyone in Texas know, we got you,” Foxx says, adding that he’s donated $25,000 to GlobalGiving, a non-profit organization that provides a global crowdfunding platform for grassroots charitable projects. “From a fellow Texan, my heart goes out. My prayers go out. September 12 we have a telethon that we’re doing.

We’ll give you more details, so we can raise as much money as we can for everybody down there.” Top talents Blake Shelton and Reese Witherspoon will reportedly also be part of the upcoming televised money-raising effort.

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Houston Furniture Bank Prepares for Post-Harvey Furniture Needs [StyleMagazine.com Newswire]

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s hundreds of thousands in the Greater Houston region prepare to begin the arduous work of recovering and rebuilding their lives after the devastation left by Hurricane Harvey, the Houston Furniture Bank is preparing to answer the call of an estimated 25,000 to 100,000 impacted families. That means many will need the most basic of furniture to start rebuilding. And the Houston Furniture Bank is here to help. During this time of recovery for our families, friends, and neighbors, Houston Furniture Bank is answering the critical need for the most basic of home furnishings to make their empty houses homes again.

Houston Rockets Selling for Huge Price [CNN/StyleMagazine.Com Newswire]

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he Houston Rockets are being sold for a ton of money. Tilman Fertitta agreed to buy the team for a reported $2.2 billion from current owner Leslie Alexander, according to the Houston Chronicle. If it goes through it would be the most expensive sports franchise sale, behind the sale of Los Angeles Clippers in 2014 to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer for $2 billion, according to Bleacher Report. The sale must still be approved by the NBA’s Board of Governors. Details haven’t been released, but the team confirmed the sale in a press release. Fertitta owns Golden Nugget Casinos and Hotels as well as Landry’s restaurant group, which includes Chart House, Morton’s and Claim Jumper. He’s a native of Galveston, Texas and life-long resident of the Houston area.

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JJ Watt

Houston Teams and Athletes Step Up for Hurricane Relief [CNN/StyleMagazine.Com Newswire]

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ouston Rockets owner Leslie Alexander says he’ll up his donation to those affected by Hurricane Harvey to $10 million. Several sports teams and athletes have been pitching in to help after Hurricane Harvey. The owners of the NFL’s Texans, MLB’s Astros and NBA’s Rockets have pledged millions of dollars toward relief efforts. Texans defensive end JJ Watt started raising money for victims and beat his original goal of $200,000 in two hours.

It now tops $20 million. Astros owner Jim Crane, the rest of the team’s ownership group and its foundation will donate $4 million to relief efforts. Texans owner Robert McNair is giving $1 million to the United Way’s fund for Hurricane Harvey relief.

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Tilman J. Fertitta

Bryant Myers

Celebrities Give to Houston Small Businesses in Harvey Relief Effort [StyleMagazine.com Newswire]

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n response to the Hurricane Harvey tragedy, the Texas Black Expo, a nonprofit organization, has partnered with Emmy Award-winning producer, entrepreneur and Houston native Rushion McDonald (“Steve Harvey,” “Family Feud,” “The Jamie Foxx Show”) to raise emergency micro-funding for small businesses affected by the storm. A second group of recipients will receive checks for $1,000 each during a check presentation ceremony to help them keep open the doors to their businesses. The goal of the Hurricane Harvey Small Business Relief Fund is to award $100,000 in micro-grants to small businesses.

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LOCAL

A Houston Paramedic Who Saved Lives During Harvey Now Faces Potential Deportation With DACA Ruling

By Brandon Caldwell, Feature Writer, dayandadream.com

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ife for Houston-area paramedic Jesus Contreras has not been the same since Hurricane Harvey. Contreras worked six consecutive days, rescuing people from floodwaters and taking some individuals to local area hospitals. Contreras’ job through the hectic days that followed the storm’s initial landfall on August 24 made it impossible for him to consider his own well-being throughout.

President would be ending DACA within the next six months, calling for Congress to come up with a replacement before he begins phasing out protections.

“Hearing that my future in the United States is being threatened and possibly taken away was disheartening, it was disappointing,” the 23-year-old said. “It was like getting an extra kick to the face when you’re already down.”

“It was emotional because you’re seeing people go through some of the hardest moments of your life,” Contreras said. “It shook up our entire community.”

Nearly 790,000 young undocumented immigrants received work permits and protection from deportation under DACA, according to the latest figures from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). For many immigrants under DACA protection, the news combined with Harvey came as a double whammy. Some are trying to rebuild after the hurricane. Now they may not even be allowed to rebuild in the first place. In Contreras case, had DACA been rescinded during the six days he spent rescuing people via his ambulance, he would have been pulled away and unable to help those in need.

Contreras helped people who needed insulin for diabetes treatment, dialysis for failing kidneys or any other life-saving medical machines. For a while, Harvey was the only storm he had to worry about. That is until last Thursday, when President Donald Trump mulled over ending Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA. The program, which was enacted during the Obama administration, protects undocumented immigrants who, like Contreras, were brought to the US as children from deportation, while also granting them permits to legally work. On Tuesday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that the

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“To think that could’ve happened potentially at a time like this when people need us is terrible,” Contreras said.

Contreras arrived to America at the age of 6. His mother was fleeing the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. Citing drug crime and rising violence, Contreras’ mother chose to flee to the United State in order to provide for a better life for herself and her son.

In Houston, those who fall under the DREAM Act and DACA have been on the ground, helping, volunteering and coordinating shelters for relief. Without

their assistance and aid, Houston may still be struggling to recover from the historic flooding left by Harvey.

“I’m a man of faith and I have faith and hope that things will work out for us and we can rest easy,” Contreras said. “I want people who are against us to know that we are proud Americans, we have a lot of pride in this country, and that we’re going to stay here to fight and to help each other.”

Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Statement on Trump Administration’s Decision to End the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Program StyleMagazine.Com Newswire

he following statement is issued on behalf of the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in response to the Trump administration’s decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program: “Today, the Trump administration has told 800,000 aspiring Americans that they are no longer welcome in the country they call home. The decision to end DACA is not just one that is completely devoid of compassion – it is a decision that will send shockwaves through the regional and national economy. DACA recipients are an integral part of the United States, they are American in every way.

They play a pivotal role in the American economy and are a group with educational attainment, employment, purchasing power, and home ownership

rates well above the national average.

Moreover, 72% of the top 25 Fortune 500 companies – which account for more than $2.8 trillion in annual revenue – currently employ DACA recipients. Removing this economic engine from the American workforce will have catastrophic implications for the national economy.

The Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce condemns the Trump administration’s decision in the strongest possible terms and urge Congress to act now and protect these “dreamers” and the national economy.

Our organization will do everything possible to fight this misguided decision in every hall of power, level of government, and decision-making table until a positive resolution is achieved,” said Dr. Laura Murillo, President & CEO of the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Dr. Laura Murillo, President & CEO of the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

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FEATURE HBRW: Serving Up Black Businesses as the Main Dish

The Storm We’ll Never Forget

By Jo-Carolyn Goode, Managing Editor

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ive storms etched in Texans’ memory top the list as being among those as the most costly and deadly. On September 7-9, 1900, Galveston, TX was hit by the country’s deadliest storm in history wiping out two-thirds of the island’s population at the time, an estimated 6,000to-8,000 people. A record 10 inches of rain fell causing $30 million dollars in damages. Winds reached 125mph making a storm surge of 15 feet for the Great Galveston Hurricane prompting a project to elevate the city and build a 17-foot seawall that now protects Galveston.

Breaking records with the largest evacuation in history is Hurricane Carla that struck land on September 11, 1961. The Texas coastline was hit with hurricane force winds up to 175 mph resulting in a 22-foot storm surge. An estimated 43 people died. That number could have been higher if it was not for the orchestration of the largest evacuation for a particular area at the time. Rainfall totals were between 11-19 inches in different parts of the state causing damage to 1.7 million acres for a total destruction cost for Texas of $408 million.

Although September is the most popular month for hurricanes, August would be imprinted in the minds of Texans in 1970 when Hurricane Celia made landfall on August 3rd. Corpus Christi, TX would take the brunt of the storm damage with 8,000 homes and 90% of the buildings in the city being demolished or totally destroyed. About nine tornadoes were formed by the hurricane that produced a storm surge of 9 feet. Fifteen deaths were recorded and damages totaled $500 million dollars due to wind damage that reached a maximum speed of 180mph.

Hurricane Katrina was the storm that made Houstonians “woke” so much so that before Hurricane Rita struck Texas some months later, millions left their homes making it the largest evacuation on record for U.S. history. Over 100 people would die on the roadways due to dehydration. With maximum winds of 175mph, Hurricane Rita dev88

Also shining through was the strength of Housastated Florida, Louisiana, and Texas. Fifty-nine people would die in Texas due to the storm that ton’s leadership. Houston has one heck of a mayor had damages costing $10 billion. in Sylvester Turner. His team with HPD Chief Art Acevado and Judge Ed Emmett kept Houstonians And then there was Hurricane Harvey. Making safe. Past history told him that a mass evacuation landfall in Houston during the wee hours of Au- of millions of people from the fourth largest city gust 26th, Houstonians thought we were prepared would have been catastrophic. So he ordered a for the wind and the rain. However, Harvey was shelter in place and stood by his decision, no a different kind of hurricane that we weren’t use matter how he was challenged. He ordered a to having. Usually, hurricanes did their damage curfew when citizens had to evacuate to protect and moved on. Harvey had an extended stay visit their homes from looters. He made sure to stretch in Houston drowning the city with more than 50 Houston’s limited resources as far and wide as he inches of rain for three days straight. Once the could to reach not some, but all. He did what he rain did stop, life was still on lockdown. People thought was best and unapologetic for it because were either trapped in their houses surrounded the buck in Houston starts and stops with him. He by water, stranded in other buildings in the city proved that he does not waver under pressure but surrounded by water, or on the rooftop of their is cool, collective and a man of action. He stood vehicle or home surround by water. Streets be- for Houston and that is #HoustonStrong. came lakes and highways became rivers. The only means of transportation was by boat or helicopter.

It is still too soon to say how much damage An estimated 30,000 people would be evacuated Hurricane Harvey caused. It will be a number for or rescued to some 200 shelters within the city the record books. Texas Governor Greg Abbott and thousands more would stay in hotels, with estimates that Harvey’s damage in Texas will be at family, or transported to other parts of the state. least $180 billion dollars. Rain totals have already In the midst of tragedy, there is always a silver made history. It has been more than a week after lining and so it was for Houston. Gone were the storm and there are still parts of Houston that political parties, race debates, and negativity, as are under water. Tons of people are still displaced Houstonians and the world gave Houston a huge and don’t know where they will start to rebuild hug and helping hand. People banded together to their lives. Houston has moved from rescue to help their neighbor. Although our usual heroes recovery and that recovery is going to take weeksof the Houston Police Department, Houston Fire to-months.

Department, and first responders were there but so was the man down the street who just so hapHurricane Harvey changed Houston. It made pened to have a boat. And the lady who knew her us know what is truly important and valuable. neighbor was too old to fend for herself in such Material things can be replaced but not people. a situation so she made sure she was rescued. So Rebuild your house, buy a new vehicle, replace were the people that formed a human change to rescue another soul sinking fast in his vehicle. the things you think you need and be sure to hold And then there were those strangers from other extra tight to the people you love and care for the states near and far who drove to Texas with their people you pass for one day they might be your boats because their heart told them they just had to unknown hero. Harvey is definitely the hurricane help. The human spirit prevailed over everything we’ll never forget. and it was beautiful to watch the outpour of pure Source: Texas Hurricane History – weather.gov love for your fellow man.

Sept. 07 - Sept. 13, 2017 www.stylemagazine.com

COMMENTARY

Hurricane Harvey: The Storm That Changed Me

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’ve been at my current job for twelve years and I’ve experienced several weather events. Hurricanes, freezes, wildfires, you name it; I’ve been in it. When these type of events happen most people are preparing their home for the disaster and making sure that their family will be safe if or when trouble strikes. I, on the other hand, am always hard at work prepping to make sure an entire city is safe and stays functioning. I don’t run from storms. I face them head on. My job requires me to be on call during times inclement weather strikes so I’ve never actually been at home for a hurricane.

This has never bothered me since I’ve always known my family was safe. I don’t have a wife and children so no worries there.

My only concerns have always been that my grandparents, mother, and sisters were safe with family, knowing that gave me a sense of peace. However, that peace was shaken with Hurricane Harvey. I felt anxiety, disturbed and troubled. This was very different for me. It was the first time I felt fearful for the ones I loved. I felt uneasy about their safety.

My girlfriend and dog wanted to stay at my house while I was at work so that they could be close to me. I loved the idea of it but in my mind, I didn’t know how bad the storm would get. And if it did get bad, I

By Demez White, Feature Writer Houston. Nor could he get to his house to get his passport. I was stranded with these men for three days. Over the course of those three days, we bonded in our shared worries, fears, and survival. We shared cans of beans we got from a corner store. We pooled together chips and bowls of noodles.

We took showers with t-shirts because there was no place to get towels. We slept on cots I had to put those thoughts and feelings and pillows that could hardly be classified as aside because I had work to do. As Hurri- pillows. We awoke every morning looking cane Harvey made landfall, my emotions for a way out, worried about the people we were heightened. I watched as the rain fell loved. and heard the winds roar.

As the seconds turned to minutes and the I continued to watch as the streets sur- minutes to hours during my entrapment, rounding my office began to fill with water. my mind constantly went to thoughts of Then it happened. In twelve years, this had my family. I knew they were ok but I didn’t never occurred. I was flooded in at work. know about her, my girl. And then the quesEvery single route out of my office was tions came back. Was she afraid? Was she flooded and I have never felt so helpless in eating enough? Was she stressed worrying my life. I drove to every road and every side about me? I wondered at what point would road. I even walked to the back of the yard one of us try to take a truck through high and looked to see if I could walk through water to get to the other. the marsh to get out. And I wasn’t alone.

Hurricane Harvey did not discriminate, One of my co-workers had children that not by age, race, wealth or sex. If you were he needed to get back to because his wife directly affected, you felt the brunt indirectwas stuck out of town. Another co-worker ly. My co-workers and I made it through, had parents that were stuck in their home like the rest of you. I eventually was able to and couldn’t get out. Then yet another guy wrap my arms around my girl, comforting lost his mother and needed to fly back for both her and me. My co-worker’s family the funeral but had no way to get out of were rescued and evacuated to his relief. wouldn’t be able to get to them if they got flooded in. So I told her to go stay with family so she wouldn’t be alone. The problem is the entire time the rain started to fall and fall and fall all I could think was, “Is she okay?”

“I hope she doesn’t try and leave where she is or drive in this weather.” The questions and doubts became endless.

COMMENTARY

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ugust 27, 2017, was one of those nights that I didn’t sleep. The threat of Hurricane Harvey looming and the fact that no one could reach my dad kept me up. I stayed up all night watching the news (KTRK Ch.13) and checking for updates on the water levels of the Hunting Bayou. Houston is bayou city and the majority of my family lives by Hunting Bayou.

Running less than a block from my family’s homes also known as the Compound since within the area my father, mother, two sisters, brother-in-law, aunt, cousin and some renters all live. I even used to live in one of the houses there as well.

Our family was no stranger to hurricanes.

I can recall when Hurricane Allison hit. I was going through a divorce and living in my father’s house with my three children.

During the night, my sister Patricia and I would walk down the driveway to the end of the street to check the bayou. In over forty-five years, their homes had never flooded. Soon, the water level crept up the street into the yards and up to the door. My father opened a side door and water gushed in. We scrambled to pick up valuables off the floor. By daylight, there were over 3 feet of water inside the house. My father cut the power off when the water got close to the wall sockets. My 10-year-old Jasmine stayed up through the night using the light of candles to help me put boxes of photos

My other co-worker was eventually able to get home to see that his children were safe and sound. The last guy made it out and I’m not sure if he made it to his mother’s funeral but I did say a prayer for him. Although the city shut down and was at a stand still, life went on. As we all pick up the pieces and put our lives back together, one thing is sure.

Hurricane Harvey will be one storm that will always be in my memory for how it changed me and made me re-evaluate life itself.

Hurricane Harvey Hits Houston By Vicky Pink, Photographer

and videos on top of bunk beds. I carried my 6-year-old Amir and 4-year-old Kailah on my shoulders to a neighbor’s home that had not flooded. The water stayed for days and we lost almost everything. sis Trying to get assistance was a nightmare and here it was again with Hurricane Harvey.

ney failure. His wife is a two-time breast ca, ncer survivor. At 3 am, she said water was coming into their home. Everyone feared the worst when no one could reach my father.

My brother tried to make it there, but the roads and freeways were impassable. There was high water everywhere. I pleaded with my sister Pat to please go through the water I spent the night before calling my sisters and check on our dad. She agreed to go. to let them know how much the water level The water was filled with debris. She even in the bayou was rising. I told them not to go to sleep. Knowing that all them were safe saw a snake! By the time rescuers were able was a comfort to me but my dad was still to get to my mother, my sister made the missing in our eyes. After 2 am, our 83-year decision not to go. They wanted to carry old dad’s phone started going straight to her threw water on a gurney because their voicemail. Thoughts of Hurricane Allison vehicles could not make it to her. My sister crept into my mind when Hurricane Harvey asked many questions about what would be made landfall. I panicked at the thought of best for her and decided to stay put since the my mother being in a flooded house. And I water had not made it in the house. When my almost did. The water had risen all around sister went to check on our dad, she said she my family’s Compound. It was now at banged and banged on the door. Finally, he the door of my family members’ homes. I answered her. She said, “Dad, come open the reached out to friends and elected officials to door!” He replied, “I can’t. There is water rescue them. I told them how the rescue was all around me.” She responded, “You have so urgent due to my mother’s immobility to come to the door. Now get up and open and colon cancer. As I pleaded and prayed the door!” As he got up from his bed, he for her to be taken out of harm’s way, I knew waded through four feet of water. He saw that the decision would ultimately be up to an amplifier and touched it to move it out my sister. I was told that she was on a list. of his way. He said, “I could feel the current drawing from my hands to the sockets, so Besides my mother, I was still concern I quickly dropped the amplifier.” Once he about my sister’s husband condition, Delas. reached the front door, he told my sister that He was recently in the hospital with a leg he had worked through the night trying to injury. There, he found out that he had kid- put things up. He was simply exhausted and

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Henry Heileman fell asleep. The thought of going through this all over again was overwhelming.

I am relieved to say that all of my family members survived Harvey. They are now seeking assistance and doing the hard work of getting their lives back together. My father is self-employed and the loss of his business that is adjacent to his home was catastrophic. My loss of storage items and income pale to what they went through. We are a strong resilient family in our own little community. Our roots are from Louisiana, but we are #HoustonStrong As they say, what doesn’t kill you, makes you grow stronger. My heart goes out to everyone who experienced loss from this historic hurricane.

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LOCAL

Exclusive Furniture Hits The Ground In The Wake Of Harvey

By Lisa Valadez, Associate Publisher

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or many Houstonians, Hurricane Harvey meant two things: before the storm and after the storm. After a few hours of wondering when the storm would actually hit, the city became battered with heavy rains for six consecutive days, resulting in historic flooding that the city had never experienced before. By the time the rain had stopped, the city of Houston along with Beaumont and Port Arthur had sustained more than 50 inches of rain or about four-feet, breaking the national record.

In the aftermath of the storm, Houstonians big and small began helping out their communities in an effort to rebuild our city.

One of those Houstonians was Sam Zavary, owner of Exclusive Furniture. With multiple stores stretched across the Greater Houston Area, Zavary spent the days during and after the storm helping out with donations and driving his truck to hard hit areas. Houston Style Magazine spoke exclusively to Zavary about the efforts of his team, securing donations and assisting the community in any way possible.

HSM: First and foremost is your family and home, is everything okay?

Sam Zavary, Exclusive Furniture: We’re great, everything is pretty good. One of my stores did flood.

Which store location is that?

The clearance center in Humble. The back half of it flooded Do you have access to it yet?

Yeah, yeah we cleaned everything up, threw away the trash and we opened back up for business … this past Friday.

Great! So I know you’ve guys have been giving out supplies and so forth at the other stores. Can you speak on that?

So, it all started on Tuesday. When we started on Tuesday we basically said we were going in the morning. I was almost flooded in myself until Monday, my house was almost flooded. I had about four feet of water on the Northwest side of Houston where I live. So finally Tuesday I decided, ‘Man I gotta get out!’ So I had a guy pick me up from a boat outside to take me to an area that was a little more dry. From there my brother picked me up and we drove to the Southwest side of Houston. From there, we went to the SAMs and Wal-Mart off of Highway 59 and West Airport and bought up everything.

We bought 500 packs of diapers, 20 cases of water and other items. By that time I had done a Facebook post and someone responded saying, ‘I have about 100 cases of water.’

We went and bought about 1,000 towels, about 2,000 socks and I don’t remember the exact number but we bought a ton of items.

We bought a whole bunch of dog food and we figured we were going to drop it off at various locations such as churches and more. Some of the locations such as small

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churches weren’t set up yet for donations so then we decided to head over to Lakewood Church. Now, Lakewood, they took some of the stuff from us but they said, ‘Hey listen, we see you have a 28-foot truck, can you take some of these items off of us?’ So we grabbed clothes, comforters and bed sheets and other items because they were taking in so many donations. About 12 to 15 drop offs per minute.

Oh wow.

So we loaded up everything and took it to George R. Brown. By the time we got to George R. Brown, they even said they don’t want anything. Now, we have a whole truck full of stuff from Wal-Mart and SAMs, a truck full of stuff from Lakewood and then Lakewood called me back asking us to pick up more stuff. So now we have two trucks full of items. I get a phone call from Pasadena on Tuesday, the first day people could actually get out of their homes and we donated to small churches. By that time, I heard that BBVA Compass Bank Stadium was open for donations so we went and dropped off the diapers and other items.

By then it was 10 p.m. and the curfew had just started to go into effect at midnight, so we rushed home. The next day, we started all over again making donations at small churches and small shelters. If you go on the Exclusive Furniture Facebook page, you can see all of this.

So we did all of that on Wednesday. We did 7 or 8 drops on Thursday. By Friday we said, ‘Oh wait, our store is now open -- why don’t we do this at the store?’ Because people were calling us up going to the store thinking the store was open to collect donations!

We decided to go on the 45 South side of Houston where our store is over there. So on Friday night we set up from 10 to 1. Let me put it this way. We got there around 8 to set up everything. We were supposed to get a truck from Florida on Saturday that never came. So instead, we bought $11,000 worth of items from SAMS, Wal-Mart and Family Dollar. All of our own money, not anyone else’s money and on that Saturday we were dropping items off from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. because people would not stop coming. And they were so disappointed when we didn’t have stuff.

Was there anyone who came from out of town?

Yes! There were two girls who somehow drove from San Antonio that saw our efforts on Facebook and dropped off 32 cases of water and 18 to 20 packs of diapers. The truck from Florida didn’t show up until 6:30 p.m. on Saturday. We knew those guys were tired, the sun was tiring us out. So we basically said that we would get back going tomorrow. By then this thing has caught on fire. We have people who keep sending us stuff. I get to the store around 9:30 a.m.

Sunday and there’s already 100 people in line. By the time we set up at 11 o’clock, there’s about 400 people in line.

Sept. 07 - Sept. 13, 2017 www.stylemagazine.com

Oh my goodness.

We thought about cutting off the line but instead we opted to head back to Wal-Mart and SAMS to pick up more items. Then we had a guy who came by and handed out 3,000 bottles of water, he and his family.

They unloaded every single case themselves. It gave me a different sense because he wanted to show his daughter how it is. It was really admirable how it is. That day we started around 11. By 2:30 we ran out of every single thing and we ended up serving on 473 people on Saturday and 562 on Sunday. Come Monday, we were tired, you know? We wanted to do business. So on Sunday, while I was doing all of this, a woman called me from Arkansas wanted to send donations and I sent her to St. Charles Church on the Northside. Real nice girl, her name is Tiffany Morales. They dropped all the stuff at the church even though they wanted to go to the Humble location but had a blow-out. I had a friend call me who said he had an 18-wheeler worth of donations and I told him to go to St. Francis church to unload. By the time it was all said and done on Monday, we had unloaded everything at St. Francis and the other locations.

I’m one of those guys where if you call me, I’ll feel bad if we can’t get the items out to them. So we went and bought even more

stuff. So yesterday, Alief Taylor calls me and tells me we need to go to Wharton to drop off clothes. We bought $2,000 worth of stuff before and they ended up sending us money because they continued to see what was going on. People donated this money and we had to put it to use. The principal at Alief Taylor … they have done a lot. They built up a truck load of stuff, a surplus of clothes and stuff. Three of my guys went to Wharton with the supplies we bought and dropped it all off. So we’ve spent so much time running and dropping off items. So, what we’re trying to do is on September 16 is collect about 1,000 twin mattress that we can donate to families who were affected by floods.

Amazing.

A lot of people were in need, you know?

But also a lot of people were being taken advantage of. So we’re going to probably do it at the West Oaks location on Highway 6. Because there are a lot of people who probably can’t afford putting things back together in the wake of the flood. 80% of everything we’ve done? It’s located on our Facebook page. Social media definitely helped us aiding so many people during this and we can’t begin to thank everyone for reaching out.

2017

HOUSTON ISD SCHOOLS HOUSTON, TX

HoustonISD Harvey Relief Kick Off

Photography by William Ealy and Houston ISD Staff uperintendent Richard Carranza was front and center with numerous members of HISD to received donations of uniforms and more for students and families to get them ready to head back to school. Teachers could be seen sorting and distributing donations to those affected. Those not at the kick off were onsite at various school campuses getting them in shape by gutting out walls and getting rid of debris so students and staff would be safe.

Donation distributions of water and uniforms also occurred at various schools’ campuses throughout the district. HoustonISD showed how they care for their community and the students they serve.

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Sept. 07 - Sept. 13, 2017 www.stylemagazine.com