Houston Style Magazine vol 30 No 19

May 9 – May 15, 2019

Houston’s Premiere Weekly Publication

Volume 30 | Number 19

Complimentary

Jesse Jackson

Trump’s Insatiable Appetite for Regime Change

Pam Grier

Talks About Her New Movie and Sitcom

Finding the Perfect Gift for Mom

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H-E-B 2019 Excellence in Education Winners

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NATIONAL WRITERS

Jesse Jackson jjackson@rainbowpush.org Roland Martin www.rolandmartin.com Judge Greg Mathis www.askjudgemathis.com

Eric S. Green Making Style Simple

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May 2 – May 8, 2019

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COMMENTARY

Trump’s Insatiable Appetite for

By Jesse Jackson, National Political Writer Regime Change again, adding directly to the dire suffering of the Venezuelan people. They’ve encouraged the military to revolt. And when the failure of Guaido’s latest coup attempt embarrassed them last week, they’ve threatened direct military intervention.

“All options are on the table,” Donald Trump repeats. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that Trump has a “full range of options” when it comes to next moves against the Venezuelan government, claiming that Trump doesn’t need congressional authorization to act.

John Bolton announced that the “Monroe Doctrine is alive and well. It’s our hemisphere.” He noted that he wasn’t prepared to apply Teddy Roosevelt’s corollary that asserted the U.S. power to intervene unilaterally anywhere in the hemisphere “yet.”

White House National Security Adviser John Bolton

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ush is coming to shove in Venezuela. Trump has decided that the government of Nicola Maduro must go. Senior officials -- led by John Bolton, Trump’s super-hawk national security adviser, and Elliott Abrams, stained by his cover-up and lies about death squads in El Salvador and contras in Nicaragua in the 1980s -- boast publicly about their plots for regime change. They have recognized an obscure right-wing Venezuelan politician -- Juan Guaido -- as head of state.

They’ve tightened sanctions again and

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POLITICAL

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President Donald Trump

resident Donald Trump’s businesses reported losses of $1.17 billion from 1985 to 1994, The New York Times reported Tuesday, citing information from tax documents from those years.

It appears Trump lost more money than nearly any other individual US taxpayer year after year, the Times reports, according to the 10 years of tax information the newspaper acquired.

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May 9 – May 15, 2019

In fact, military intervention in Venezuela would be blatantly illegal under both international law and the U.S. Constitution. The Constitution gives Congress the right to declare war, something that the right-wing justices who claim to be guided by the text somehow ignore.

The entire system of international law constructed in the wake of World War II by the United States is based upon non-intervention and state sovereignty.

Even the so-called right to protect -the right to intervene to avoid a human rights catastrophe -- requires approval by the Security Council. Unilateral action violates the law.

The Trump administration’s insatiable

appetite for regime change is more than a crime, it is a blunder. For decades, the U.S. claimed to be the “indispensable nation” because we would enforce a “rules-based” world order fairly. Now Trump and his band of armchair warriors are turning the U.S into a lawless rogue nation, following in the errant footsteps of their predecessors. Recent forays into regime change -- in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Honduras, Syria -- have all ended in disaster, ruinous not only for the people of the country but also for U.S. lives and treasure as well.

Venezuela poses no threat to the U.S. It is a bitterly divided country, politically, racially and economically. The U.S. was party to a failed coup attempt against Hugo Chavez in 2002. Maduro’s misrule, the falling price of oil, U.S. sanctions have all combined to crater the Venezuelan economy, spreading misery with millions deciding to leave. Bolton recklessly boasts about U.S. plans to help rebuild the economy once Maduro is gone -- “planning for what we call the day after.” No doubt, Trump will want the U.S. or U.S. companies to “take the oil,” as he claims we should have done in Iraq. This folly is likely to put us in the middle of a civil war that will only add to the humanitarian disaster in Venezuela. Surely, we should have learned from Libya that a bad state is not nearly as bad as a failed state.

Instead of Teddy Roosevelt and the days of gunboat diplomacy, the U.S. should be following the prudent advice

of Franklin Roosevelt’s Good Neighbor Policy. FDR outlined principles for good hemispheric relations, including respect for the integrity of other states; self-restraint and acceptance of the equal rights of neighbors, non-intervention in the domestic affairs of neighbors, and settlement of disputes by negotiation, not force.

Venezuela is a sovereign nation and a neighbor. Maduro is supported by Russia, China and Cuba. So what? We don’t believe that Russia has the right to overthrow the governments of Ukraine or Georgia simply because we support their governments. We should be acting to alleviate the humanitarian crisis afflicting the Venezuelan people, not add to it. No matter how hateful we think Maduro is, it is up to the Venezuelan people to decide who will govern them.

The last thing we should do is attempt to dictate -- particularly through threat or use of force -- who will rule a land of nearly 30 million people.

Now is the time for Congress to act, to pass a resolution to prevent U.S. military action in Venezuela. If Trump and his bellicose henchmen have their way, we will surely regret it.

(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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New York Times: Tax Documents Show Trump Businesses Lost More Than $1 Billion in a Decade CNN/StyleMagazine.com Newswire

Trump ran for president branding himself as a self-made billionaire, touting his financial success, but he has been steadfast in his refusal to release his tax returns to the public, despite mounting pressure from Congress. On Monday, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin formally denied a request from the House Ways and Means Committee for Trump’s last six years of tax returns, a period not covered by the documents reported by The Times on Tuesday.

In 1990 and 1991, Trump’s core business losses were more than $250 million each year -- more than double those of the closest taxpayers in those years, the Times reports.

Trump lost so much money that he avoided paying income taxes for eight of the 10 years, according to the newspaper.

The Times previously reported that Trump helped “his parents dodge taxes” in the 1990s, including “instances of outright fraud,” and that he and his siblings helped his parents hide millions of dollars in gifts in a “sham corporation.”

Trump, starting at the age of 3, received at least $413 million in today’s dollars from his father’s real estate empire, the Times previously reported.

The Times did not obtain Trump’s tax returns, but someone who had legal access to the returns gave the newspaper information about their contents. The Times then matched the information to figures in the public database of IRS information on top earners, where identifying details are removed. The Times used other public documents to confirm significant findings, and used confidential Trump family tax and financial records the newspaper had previously acquired.

Trump on Wednesday morning defended his actions, tweeting that developers during

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that time “were entitled to massive write offs and depreciation which would, if one was actively building, show losses and tax losses in almost all cases.” He also said it was advantageous to “show losses for tax purposes” in order to renegotiate with banks and called the Times’ report a “highly inaccurate Fake News hit job,” though he didn’t specifically cite anything incorrect about the story.

Several weeks ago, a senior White House official told the Times, “The President got massive depreciation and tax shelter because of large-scale construction and subsidized developments. That is why the President has always scoffed at the tax system and said you need to change the tax laws. You can make a large income and not have to pay large amount of taxes.”

On Saturday, Charles J. Harder, a lawyer for the President, told the Times that the tax information the newspaper acquired was “demonstrably false” and that the Times’ statements “about the President’s tax returns and business from 30 years ago are highly inaccurate.” He didn’t cite any specific errors, according to the newspaper.

On Tuesday, Harder told the Times, “IRS transcripts, particularly before the days of electronic filing, are notoriously inaccurate” and “would not be able to provide a reasonable picture of any taxpayer’s return.”

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May 9 – May 15, 2019

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LOCAL & STATE BRIEFS

Houston Rapper Trae Tha Truth Helps with Rescues Around the City

ABC13.com ouston rapper Trae Tha Truth and his team, the Relief Gang, are out in the streets of Houston searching for people in need of rescue. Trae told ABC13 he was working to help people stranded in high-water locations. He and DJ Mr. Rogers are on all their social media platforms encouraging people to “TURN AROUND, DON’T DROWN” and they will come to get you in a big truck if needed. The Relief Gang is currently headed to Woodbridge Forrest Middle School in Porter to pick up kids and take them to their parents who cannot get to them because of flooding. If you need help, Trae has set up a hotline at 713-212-5937

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Campaign Launched to Ensure Census Counts All Latino Children

Ora2ngeLeader.com he leading nonpartisan educational group advocating for Latino participation in politics launched a national campaign to make sure all Latino children are counted in the upcoming 2020 census. Lizette Escobedo, director of the national census program for the NALEO Education Fund, says an undercount of young children means less federal funding for low-income schools, food programs and even money to fix potholes. Texas has long been a state where hard-to-reach communities go uncounted, and Escobedo says in the last census, two Texas counties made the top 10 for undercounting Latino children. Escobedo adds that talk of building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, mass deportations, and the move to include a U.S. citizenship question on the 2020 census is not likely to make counting a community generally distrustful of government any easier.

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May 9 – May 15, 2019

Maleah Davis

Stepfather of Missing Houston Girl, 4, ‘Person of Interest’ in Her Disappearance

FoxNews.com s desperate searchers combed the landscape Tuesday in a wooded area of a Northeast Houston neighborhood where a man told investigators his 4-year-old stepdaughter was abducted last Friday by three men in a pickup truck, police revealed he’s now a “person of interest” in her disappearance. The Houston Police Department told Fox 26 that Darion Vence is now a “person of interest,” after claiming that Maleah Davis was kidnapped by the men after he was beaten unconscious but, eventually, he and his 2-year-old son were allowed to go free. Initially, police said he told detectives that he walked to the hospital after being in and out of consciousness for almost 24 hours before reporting her missing. But then, officials from the Sugar Land Police Department told Fox 26 Tuesday afternoon that Vence said he was dropped off, making his story inconsistent.

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Texas Leads Country in Uninsured Children

KFoxTV.com national study is out and says Texas has the highest number and percentage of kids without insurance in the country, and Hispanic communities like the Borderland could be more at risk.

The study was released by the State Health Access Data Assistance Center and it says there are more than 833,000 children without coverage in the Lone Star State.

That takes the national lead over Florida, which has about 320,000 uninsured children. The study shows 10.7 percent of Texas children did not have insurance in 2017, which more than doubles the national rate of 5 percent. Even further, the study shows the number of uninsured children is growing. The study shows 9.8 percent of Texas children were uninsured in 2016, and the national rate was 4.7 percent. That increase is new for this year, because it comes after nearly 10 years of improvement.

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Tuskegee Fighter Pilots Visit Houston to Remember the Historic Flight Squadron

HoustonPublicMedia.org wo World War II heroes are visiting Houston on Monday evening.

Retired Lieutenant Colonels Harry T. Stewart Jr. and Alexander Jefferson flew numerous combat missions in Europe as part of the Tuskegee Airmen’s 332ndFighter Group, and will appear during a presentation of a documentary about their lives as fighter pilots in the historic squadron. The documentary is the first installment of a series titled “Our story: Our voices” and will be premiered at Space Center Houston at 6 p.m. The series was funded by the Ford Motor Company Fund and Pamela Alexander, the Director of Community Development with the fund, said they chose Houston because of its historic role in flight and space exploration. The Tuskegee Airmen were the first African-American flying unit in the U.S. military. They got their name because they trained at the Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama.

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Kodak Black

Kodak Black Spends $12,500 On Notebooks For a Texas School District

AllHipHop.com odak Black has been dealing with a high volume of negative press in 2019. He faced backlash for his comments about Lauren London, got arrested at the Canada-US border, and still has a rape trial pending. The “Zeze” hitmaker is now seeing his name in a positive headline. According to TMZ, Kodak is helping 14-year-old Paige Cook purchase school supplies for students in the Cleburne Independent School District. The rapper’s lawyer, Bradford Cohen, informed the outlet that his client spent $12,500 on notebooks for the Texas pupils. It’s not clear when Kodak’s altruistic effort took place. Cook’s “kindness project” to collect pencils for teachers and students began last fall. That pencil drive reportedly ended in January. Her mother told TMZ that Paige was looking to collect notebooks and 60,000 pencils this year.

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Sandra Bland Recorded Her Own Arrest in 2015

CNN/StyleMagazine.com ewly published video shows the controversial 2015 traffic stop arrest of Sandra Bland from her vantage point, and her family’s attorney questions why the footage didn’t emerge before now. The 39-second video, which Bland recorded on her cell phone, was published Monday by Dallas TV station WFAA in partnership with nonprofit news organization The Investigative Network.

Like a previously released police dashboard camera video, this one shows Texas state trooper Brian Encinia pointing what appears to be his Taser at Bland and yelling “I will light you up!” while she sits inside her car. But this one shows what the encounter -- which happened after she was pulled over for failing to use her turn signal -- looked like from inside the vehicle. Three days after her arrest, she was found hanging in her Waller County jail cell -- a death that authorities ruled a suicide.

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Texas Wants More Armed School Personnel After Mass Shooting

NBCDFW.com early a year after a mass shooting at a Texas high 3school in which eight students and two substitute teachers were killed, lawmakers in the gun-friendly state are close to passing measures that they say would harden campuses by adding more armed school personnel, beefing up security plans and boosting student mental health resources.

As for restricting gun sales or access to weapons, there’s likely no chance of that happening in a state where the Republican leadership has long pledged to protect gun rights. Texas allows the licensed carry of handguns and the unlicensed open carry of long guns, such as assault-style rifles.

Texas isn’t alone in its push to arm more educators. Florida lawmakers approved increasing the number of armed teachers in response to the February 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school in Parkland that killed 17.

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STATE

H-E-B Names Winners in 2019 Excellence in Education Awards StyleMagazine.com Newswire

away more than $10 million in cash and grants to Texas teachers and schools since 2002.

Daniel Pink delivered the keynote address to a ballroom packed with hundreds of educators, elected officials, community leaders and H-E-B employees. Pink is the author of several provocative, bestselling books about business, work and behavior that have won multiple awards and have sold more than three million copies worldwide.

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n Sunday, May 5, H-E-B announced statewide winners for the 18th annual H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards during an awards ceremony at the Fairmont Hotel in Austin. During the ceremony, H-E-B Chairman and CEO Charles Butt handed out $430,000 in cash awards and grants, and congratulated eight educators, two school districts, one early childhood agency and a public school board for being among the best in Texas. The program has given

The following winners were selected from a pool of 58 finalists by judges who include former winners, school administrators, and university and community leaders.

The 2019 H-E-B Excellence in Education Award Winners Are: The Rising Star Category recognizes teachers with less than 10 years of experience. Winners received a $5,000 check for themselves and a $5,000 grant for their school.

Rising Star Elementary: Vanessa Grun-

er, JC Kelly Elementary, Hildalgo ISD Rising Star Secondary: Tasha K. Jones, Tuloso Midway High School, Tuloso Midway ISD Leadership The Leadership Category honors teachers with 10 to 20 years in the classroom. Winners received a $10,000 check for themselves and a $10,000 grant for their school.

Leadership Elementary: Celena Miller, Cesar Chavez Elementary, Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD Leadership Secondary: Dr. Nghia Le, Booker T. Washington High School and The High School for Engineering Professions, Houston ISD

Lifetime Achievement Elementary: Andrea Greimel, Carvajal Early Childhood Education Center, San Antonio ISD Lifetime Achievement Secondary: Jodi Ramos, Coke Stevenson Middle School, Northside ISD School Principal Winning principals received $10,000 in cash for themselves and a $25,000 grant for each of their schools.

Principal Elementary: Irma Davis, Dishman Elementary School, Harlingen CISD Principal Secondary: Laura Gomez, South Houston Intermediate, Pasadena ISD Early Childhood

Lifetime Achievement The Lifetime Achievement Category salutes teachers with more than 20 years of experience. Winners received $25,000 in cash for themselves and a $25,000 grant for their school.

The winning early childhood facility received a $25,000 cash prize.

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May 9 – May 15, 2019

7

BUSINESS AND NATIONAL BRIEFS

Tyra.jpg

Tyra Banks Is Back And On the Cover of ‘Sports Illustrated’

CNN/StyleMagazine.com Newswire yra Banks just made the ultimate comeback. “Sports Illustrated Swimsuit” revealed that Banks was their cover girl Wednesday morning with the media mogul wearing an itty-bitty yellow string bikini. It’s hard to believe that Banks is 45. It’s only fitting that Banks land the cover once again as she was the first black woman to ever be on the cover of the magazine solo in 1997. Even Banks can’t believe where the time has gone, telling ABC’s “GMA,” “My first [cover] was 23 years ago, how crazy is that?!”

This is Banks’ third time on the cover.

“Since Tyra’s first cover in 1996, she’s transformed herself into nothing less than a mogul, a cultural force and a supernova of inspiration and empowerment,” “Sports Illustrated Swimsuit” Editor MJ Day said in a statement. “She’s kind of the Swimsuit Issue ethos come to life, everything we know this franchise can be.”

Black-Owned Food Manufacturer Expands to 3,000 Kroger Stores

BlackAmericaWeb.com eilly’s Foods, a York-based company have announced that they will expand the distribution nationwide of 6 SKUs of their all-natural and easy-to-prepare Rice Mixes. The expansion is to include Kroger Nationwide and other Kroger’s banners like Fry’s, Food4Less, Ralphs, QVC and more. Kroger is the second largest general retailer in the United States with over 3,000 locations nationwide. Included in the expansion are Neilly’s Zesty Rice and Red Beans Mix, Jerk Rice and Black Beans Mix, Cajun Gumbo Rice Mix, Coconut Rice Mix, Jambalaya Rice Mix and Brown Rice Jambalaya Rice Mix. The national retailer already carries Neilly’s Line of Healthy and Multicultural Rice Mixes in about 600 locations. Neilly’s food was created out of the founder’s passion to bring authentic multicultural, healthy, and convenient meal solutions to consumers across the United States.

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Marc Morial

Nigel-Shelby.

National Urban League Highlights Voting Rights in ‘State of Black America’ Report

ABCNews.com bstacles to voting access and rights at levels not seen sin34ce the civil rights-era are key sources of inequality and threaten democracy, according to the “State of Black America” report released Monday by the National Urban League.

African Americans’ voting rights have been under assault over the past 10 years, he said and pointed to voting obstacles on the state and national levels and particularly highlighted the role of Russian online influence in inflaming divisions in social media. Late last year, two reports on Russia’s widespread online influence campaign detailed how purported Russian trolls used social media to target with laser-like precision the African-American vote ahead of the 2016 presidential election, and then continued to sow social and political discord in the U.S. in the months after President Donald Trump was elected.

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May 9 – May 15, 2019

Black Youth Suicides: The Focus Of A New CBC Task Force

BET.com mid troubling research about the rising numbers of Black youth suicides, lawmakers and experts came together on Capitol Hill to discuss the problem and chart solutions. The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) launched a new emergency task force that will focus on the growing problem of Black youth suicide, and what many professionals say is a lack of mental health care and resources. The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Pediatrics published a 2018 study which found that for the first time, the rate of suicides for Black children between ages 5 and 12 has now exceeded that of white children.

More than a third of elementary schoolaged suicides involved Black children, the report showed.

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Byron Allen

Byron Allen Becomes First African American to be Part of a $10 Billion Media Acquisition

BlackBusiness.com isney has finalized its deal to sell 21 Fox regional sports networks to Sinclair Broadcast Group in a transaction valued at $10.6 billion.

Byron Allen, the entrepreneur behind Entertainment Studios and the owner of the Weather Channel, has teamed with Sinclair as an equity and content partner in the newly formed Diamond Holding Group. Last year, Disney and 21st Century Fox entered into a consent decree with the U.S. Dept of Justice that allowed Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox to proceed while requiring the subsequent sale of the regional sports networks. Byron Allen is not new to these types of media deals. He is the founder and CEO of Entertainment Studios, one of the largest independent media companies whose portfolio includes nine television networks serving nearly 150 million subscribers.

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Walmart Is Raising the Minimum Age to Buy Tobacco to 21

CNN/StyleMagazine.com almart, the world’s largest retailer, will increase the minimum age to buy tobacco products, marking a big moment in the fight against teen nicotine addiction. The company announced Wednesday it will stop selling tobacco or e-cigarettes products to anyone under the age of 21 in the United States.

The changes will take effect July 1 at all American Walmart and Sam’s Club locations. The company will stop selling sweet-flavored e-cigarettes, which have become popular among teenagers. The policy shift comes after Walmart received a letter from the US Food and Drug Administration for not fully prohibiting kids under 18 from buying tobacco products at its stores. The FDA conducted roughly 13,000 compliance checks since 2010 and said Walmart passed only 93% of them. In March, the FDA warned several retailer.

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George Lopez

Robert Menendez

NBCNews.com s “Avengers: Endgame” breaks global box of343fice records, a new independent film aims to make its mark with audiences as the first Latino superhero picture with an all-Hispanic cast. Opening in 650 theaters across the country on Friday, “El Chicano” tells the story of twin brothers from East Los Angeles who choose different life paths and end up on opposite sides of the law. “El Chicano” was directed by Ben Hernandez Bray and stars Raúl Castillo, George Lopez, Kate del Castillo and a host of other Latino performers. Aimee Garcia, known for the Netflix series “Lucifer,” told NBC News that it was an honor to be part of a cast that is nearly entirely Latino. “It has been 22 years since a major release of a film with an all-Latino cast; there was “Selena,” and before that it was back in the 1980s.

TheHill.com bipartisan group of lawmakers on Tuesday reintroduced legislation to establish a national Latino museum in Washington, D.C., after a previous effort stalled in a previous legislative session. Sens. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) as well as Reps. José Serrano (D-N.Y.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) and Will Hurd (R-Texas) reintroduced a bill that would establish a Smithsonian museum on the National Mall dedicated to Latino Americans and their history. The National Museum of the American Latino Act would renew previous efforts to secure a location close to the Smithsonian’s other museums, such as the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the National Museum of the American Indian.

A Superhero Movie with An AllLatino Cast, ‘El Chicano’ Aims to Make Its Mark

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Lawmakers Renew Push to Create American Latino Smithsonian Museum

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COMMENTARY

White Privilege and the Law: Will the Scales Ever Balance for People of Color?

By Nicole Lynne Gray, Style Feature Writer

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o be clear: white privilege is severe and pervasive. In almost every facet of American society, there is an invisible infrastructure, which supports the majority. No beef; just facts. White privilege and the law, particularly, was all the buzz on social media last week as news broke that two white men, in separate instances, pled guilty to crimes against teenage girls and will serve no jail-time.

Both cases had arguably heinous facts.

One involved a 33-year old Georgia man who met a 15-year old girl online in an anorexia support group, held her captive in a dog cage for a year, and allegedly

forced her to have sex with him. The other, a 26-year old New York bus driver who raped a 14-year-old girl he met on his bus route, after providing his victim and two of her friends with alcohol. Putting our nation’s underlying rape culture aside, no direct comparisons to similarly charged defendants of color were needed to fuel the influx of white privilege memes.

Since neither of the men were alleged to have any affluence, it is tough to argue that their white-ness had no impact on the leniency of their sentencing. But, as undeniable a role that white privilege plays in the law, from legislation and law enforcement to prosecution, sentencing, and incarceration, I caution that we do not paint the issues with too broad of a stroke that we miss real opportunities to help balance Lady Justice’s scales for people of color. In the courtroom, alone, we often see white privilege extended from the prosecution, the jury, and in the most egregious cases, as here, from the bench.

Daunting as that may be, we as ‘average’ citizens have opportunities at each of those levels to help lessen the negative that is naturally produced of white privilege, which is disparate, harsher treatment of people of color.

First, by in large our prosecutors are elected. Right or wrong, whether and how cases are prosecuted within any

given jurisdiction, is largely within in the discretion of the lead prosecutor.

The recent conviction of former Minneapolis Police Officer Mohamed Noor, a Somali-American, for third-degree murder and manslaughter for the fatal shooting of a native Australian woman living in the states provides a prime example of disparate treatment resultant from prosecutorial discretion. Noor’s case sparked white privilege memes and commentary, last week as well, as obvious distinctions were drawn between Noor’s conviction and the acquittal of Officer Jeronimo Yanez for the death of Philando Castile, a black man killed after a routine traffic stop in that same state just a year prior. My caution is most relevant here because although the victims of the two shootings had obvious ‘color’ differences, the defendants were both officers of color involved in police shootings, both who claimed they shot in fear of their lives. Neither defendant had the benefit of white privilege in seeking acquittal, so that cannot be the issue here. Instead, the main factor that produced the two outcomes was how the cases were prosecuted. In Noor’s case, the prosecutor charged the former officer with first degree intentional murder along with the two charges he was convicted of. In Yanez’s case, the prosecutor only charged manslaughter,

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a reckless homicide, and endangering safety by discharging a firearm in the shooting. So, from the charges brought, the two cases were ‘staged’ differently from the outset of the prosecution.

The Minnesota officer shootings also highlight an opportunity to tilt the scales—within the jury pool. I did not follow the cases closely but can surmise from their outcomes and my own legal experience that in Yanez’s case, the jury had sympathy for him and ultimately believed he feared for his life when he shot and killed Philando Castile, thus finding the homicide justified. Contrarily, the jury could not empathize with Noor and found his fear unfounded. It cannot be concluded with certainty that the victim’s color played a part in these two very different determinations. But, the possibility is hard to ignore especially given facts that Noor allegedly shot once at what he described as a threat approaching his partner’s side of the vehicle in an alley they had been called to for a possible disturbance while Yanez shot Castile seven times, during a routine traffic stop, as he and his girlfriend assured the officer that he was not reaching for the weapon he was licensed to carry.

Read the full story online at stylemagazine.com.

May 9 – May 15, 2019

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FEATURE

Finding the Perfect Gift for Mom

By Jo-Carolyn Goode, Managing Editor

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inding the perfect gift for the woman who has given you everything is daunting. You spend too much money and she’ll say you shouldn’t have.

You spend too little and you think you have cheapened what she means to you.

The experience is enough to make you go crazy but don’t. Houston Style Magazine has taken the guesswork out of gift giving by going straight to the source, mothers.

We survey several mothers with children of various ages to see just what would be perfect. Knowing their likes and dislikes is extremely important.

We’ll start with their dislikes to quickly eliminate them from the list of possible gifts. Most mothers polled disliked gifts that made them work, i.e. cleaning and cooking gifts. Contrary to what you think moms don’t like cleaning even though you see them do it all the time.

There is a reason they want the house to stay clean and that’s so they don’t have to clean it anymore. Yes, feeding the family does bring a lot of mothers joy but that doesn’t mean she wants you to

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May 9 – May 15, 2019

give her pots as a gift.

One mom said one of the worst gifts she ever got for Mother’s Day was a vacuum cleaner. Although I am not a mom myself, I can see why this gift would be bad. Mother’s Day is a day when you want to spoil mom and give her the day off. A vacuum cleaner says to stay on the clock. This is more of a gift for the household as it is something useful for the entire family versus something that is specifically for mom and to show your appreciation of her. My advice is to stay away from any cleaning and/ or cooking type gifts. The exception would be if you really know nothing else would make her happier than receiving this type of gift. If you do choose to go this route at least try to make the gift personable by getting it monogrammed or in her favorite color to make it not so blah. Do something that shows you were thinking of her when you bought it.

For the best gifts, our mothers stayed around a central theme, which was time alone to relax. Moms love their children

but everyone needs a break including moms. Being a mother is a 24 hour/ 7days a week job and they rarely get alone time. I mean kids will literally go with them to the bathroom if they don’t lock the door. A day when she can go to the bathroom by herself, make food just for her, and experience complete silence would be like a dream. How they wanted to spend that time alone had a few variations. Highly popular on the list was spending the day at the spa couple with a night at a hotel. Alone and pampered who wouldn’t want that?

that tearjerker moment, write a message expressing your love for her and all that she does. You will find that she will cherish that card for life.

If money is an issue then let mom be alone in her house. One mom said her ideal gift would be to stay at home all day, curled up on the couch in a blanket, watching Lifetime. Make the day more special by preparing some snacks and meals for her.

And for those of you who are like me who have mothers that have passed on you may choose to love on those who have been like mothers standing in the gap she can no longer physically fill. A gift of gratitude from you to her would mean the world.

Don’t underestimate how amazing a card is. It has to be the right card though.

The card must be both beautiful and have a strong message that describes her or your relationship with her. For

Happy Mother’s Day to all the Mamas, Mommies, MeMaws, Mother Dears, and whatever else you call mom.

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You can never go wrong with jewelry.

Shiny and sparkly gifts always get high points. After all, diamonds are a girl’s best friend.

Whatever you decide to get your mom for Mother’s Day I am certain that she will love it because that is what moms do. They love us no matter what.

ENTERTAINMENT The Force of Nature That is Pam Grier

By Allison Kugel, Special to Style

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istry between you too when you are working together?

f you were to ask any director who’s worked with the legendary Pam Grier they would likely tell you that having Pam on their set is a game changer. She knows what she wants and what she brings to the table. Just stand back and watch the force that is Pam.

Pam Grier: He can sing, he can dance… he’s got a bag of tricks! He and his wife Rachelle had me over to their home the first week, for dinner.

Ed did a lot of the cooking, and he is exceptional. They are just two peas in a pod. The nicest people; they finish each other’s sentences. He is so informative.

You want to sit at his feet like he is Yoda.

Ed is sustainable, he’s a mad scientist, and he can teach you. We were talking about farming and growing and dirt and moisture and oxidization and nutrients in the soil to create a great bed for plants. We really enjoy that aspect of our relationship.

Throughout our conversation she made it clear that clinging to her perfectly proportioned black Barbie superhero past doesn’t interest her. It’s a lovely time capsule that will be well documented in biopic about her life based on her autobiography Foxy (Grand Central Publishing) that is currently in pre-production.

These days Pam is focused on roles that represent mature, well rounded women living their authentic lives and not hiding behind a veneer of glam.

Even stripped down to the studs, Pam Grier still exudes sensuality that leads men of all ages to her like the Pied Piper. In her first network sitcom role in Bless This Mess (ABC, 9:30/8:30c), Grier plays Constance, the local fixit-all and know-it-all in small town Nebraska. She is the brilliant and funny foil to Dax Shepard and Lake Bell’s transplanted Manhattanite characters, Mike and Rio. We witness Shepard and Bell’s characters stumble and bumble through middle-American culture and country life through the eyes of Grier’s amusement, as Ed Begley Jr.’s character, Rudy, tirelessly pursues her.

Grier will also appear on the big screen alongside Diane Keaton and Rhea Perlman in Poms (out May 10th), a comedy about a group of women in a retirement community who reclaim their vigor and spice through starting a cheerleading squad.

Allison Kugel: Let’s talk about your new show, Bless This Mess. Is this your first time doing a network sitcom?

Pam Grier: Let’s see… yes, I do believe so. There was one with Michael J. Fox that was short lived, but I think this was the first one where it allows me to work with creatives like [the show’s creator] Elizabeth Meriwether and [actress and co-creator] Lake Bell. I said to them, “Out here as country women, we take our Spanx off.” I took my Spanx off and I did some chores before I came in to see them [for the role]. I was a little dusty and I smelled of barn and John Deere fuel. I smelled the part, so that helped (laughs).

Allison Kugel: People don’t know that about you. You’re a country western girl. That’s how you live when you’re not working.

Pam Grier: My upbringing had been military, rural and urban. It was the best of all worlds. I’ve learned from each

Pam Grier Photo: BLESS THIS MESS - ABC/John Fleenor © 2018-2019 Twentieth Century Fox Film

aspect of my culture and I see the world through women who were offered the opportunity to be equals. My grandfather was the first feminist in my life. He was from Wyoming. He was my mom’s dad, and his mom had a sugar beet farm.

She was a single mom and they had a hotel for African- Americans, Native Americans and other people of color to stay in. He was accustomed to seeing independent women learn how to do things. He taught all his granddaughters how to be self-sufficient.

Allison Kugel: What are some of the most notable things your grandfather taught you?

Pam Grier: He taught all of us to hunt, fish, shoot, drive the tractor, bring the boat in, change tires and spark plugs… you name it. That way you could always survive, without waiting for someone to take care of you. Since I’ve been in film, since the seventies, this is something that’s prepared me.

When you’re working in film, and then you’re not working and you are home, how can you maximize taking care of your home and taking care of yourself, your family, your animals? I’ve had that and I bring that energy and information to my character, Constance, on this show. And my character wears a lot of hats.

Allison Kugel: You’re not known for comedy. Did they think you could be funny?

Pam Grier: Yes, but Lake was talking about how she was afraid of cows. I said, “Cows won’t hurt you, but if you come

at a cow with a knife and a fork, you might have a problem (laughs). I would tell stories about things I would do if there’s a mountain lion outside attacking my chicken coop and stuff like that. I would tell people not to go for long country walks in the night if there is no light. This is Jurassic Park for real. But what they really wanted to know about was the concept of inclusion, which is what this show is really about. My character is a sheriff, she owns the vehicle lumber yard, the hardware store; she’s the theatre director, she sings, she knows everyone’s business, she’s the referee.

Sometimes she has to pull people out of a ditch with her truck.

Allison Kugel:: How do you feel Bless This Mess handles inclusion, as far as steering clear of urban stereotypes of middle America?

Pam Grier: I mentioned to Lake [Bell], when they didn’t have a script and they had no idea what they might do or write. I said to her, “There is one thing I must implore you, and that is not to make fun of the heartland.” People go to the heartland to find their hearts.

I believe that the farmer is the hero or heroine of the day. They should be in every magazine, all the time. I’m a member of the Farmland Trust, and we try to keep people aware that farming should be organic, across the board. In Canada they know how to successfully do that. Here in the U.S., they have kept the subsidies and the information for the farmers away from them.

Allison Kugel: Your career has done a 180. You’re playing this quirky country role in Bless This Mess, and this month you are also in the film Poms with Diane Keaton and Rhea Perlman where you are poking fun at getting older. As someone who was an icon of sex appeal and glamour, how did that play a role, not just in your earlier career, but in your life? And how are you now processing going through the different stages of life?

Pam Grier: I’ve always controlled my image for political, religious and spiritual purposes, and I’ve embraced aging. When I met Robert De Niro with his first wife, Diahnne Abbott, he was gaining weight in order to play Jake LaMotta in Raging Bull. We were in his kitchen talking and I said to him, “I would like to gain weight for my roles.” Because as a woman, society responds differently to your weight and to your appearance, and your sex appeal. I guess in certain cultures if you are not a standard size 4 or 6 you’re not considered attractive. There are psychological aspects towards that. The younger, slimmer and more youthful looking you are, the better for child bearing and maybe you’re thought to be more sexual or whatever. I love the fact that people do respond differently when I am a size twelve than when I am a size four; completely different dynamic and really interesting to me.

Allison Kugel: People perceive that the more attractive you are considered by society, the easier that opportunities and good things will come your way. Why would you want to forfeit that?

Pam Grier: When I did the play Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune and I gained weight to play that role.

Read the full story online at stylemagazine.com.

Allison Kugel: Ed Begley Jr. plays your love interest. How’s the chem-

www.stylemagazine.com

May 9 – May 15, 2019

11

EAT WITH STYLE

A Lemony Summer Treat and A Home-Cooked Cobbler

By Family Features 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1 egg 2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon lemon extract 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt Glaze: 2 cups powdered sugar 2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice Heat oven to 350 F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.

L

emon is one of many popular tastes of summer. Enjoy a citrus burst with every bite of these Glazed Lemon Cookies.

In large bowl, mix butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and mix well. Add lemon zest, lemon juice and lemon extract; beat until combined.

Find more recipes at Culinary.net.

In medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt. Slowly beat dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Beat until combined.

Glazed Lemon Cookies Recipe courtesy of Milk Means More 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

Spoon out dough and roll into balls.

Place on parchment paper 1 inch apart and lightly press with fingers to slightly flatten dough.

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May 9 – May 15, 2019

Bake 15 minutes, or until edges start to brown.

Transfer cookies to wire rack to completely cool.

To make glaze: Whisk powdered sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice until smooth.

Dip top sides of cookies into glaze for full coverage.

During the season for outdoor parties, reunions, picnics and delicious desserts, try bringing a new dish to the table with a recipe like this Apple-Cranberry Cobbler.

Find more recipes at Culinary.net.

Apple-Cranberry Cobbler Recipe courtesy of Wilton Nonstick cooking spray 5 apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch thick slices 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries 2 teaspoons lemon juice 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 cup granulated sugar 2 tablespoons cornstarch

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1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 container (10.2 ounces) refrigerated home-style biscuits, quartered 2 tablespoons butter, melted 2 tablespoons sparkling sugar Heat oven to 375 °F. Prepare pie pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In large bowl, mix apple slices, cranberries, lemon juice and vanilla extract.

In small bowl, whisk sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon. Stir into fruit mixture.

Spoon mixture into prepared pan.

Cover with foil. Bake on cookie sheet 40-45 minutes. Remove from oven.

Toss biscuits in melted butter. Distribute cut biscuits over fruit.

Sprinkle biscuits with sparkling sugar.

Return to oven and bake 18-20 minutes.

Remove from oven.

Let cool 15 minutes before serving.

BEAUTY– NATIONAL

For the First Time, Miss USA, Miss America and Miss Teen USA Are All Black Women CNN/StyleMagazine.com Newswire

Cheslie Kryst (left), Nia Franklin (center) and Kaliegh Garris (right)

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or the first time, America’s top beauty pageants -- Miss USA, Miss Teen USA and Miss America -- have crowned black women as their winners at the same time.

Here’s what you should know about these three women:

while you give the men substantive feedback on their legal arguments.”

Miss America says music helped her find herself

Miss USA works on behalf of prisoners

And that’s a big deal if you know pageant history.

Receiving three degrees from two universities, Kryst is a 28-year-old attorney with a mission to help reform America’s justice system.

Since then, she’s built a blog for women’s workwear fashion and volunteered for Dress for Success.

Franklin remembers what music did for her. Now she tries to inspire children in the same way.

Miss Teen USA defies pageant beauty norms

An opera singer, Franklin discovered her identity through music, she explained during the Miss America competition in September.

Beauty pageants early in their histories, some dating back to the 1920s, barred women of color from participating. Even after organizations began changing their rules to accept women of all races, there was still a lingering frustration and opposition to join.

Only in the last 50 years have black women become more prevalent in these competitions. Vanessa Williams was the first black Miss America in 1983, and Carole Anne-Marie Gist, the first black Miss USA contestant, was crowned in 1990. The following year Janel Bishop became the first black Miss Teen USA. So when Cheslie Kryst was named 2019’s Miss USA on Thursday, she became part of a historic trio, along with 2019 Miss Teen USA Kaliegh Garris and 2019 Miss America Nia Franklin.

Hailing from North Carolina, Kryst practices civil litigation for a law firm and has a passion for helping prisoners who may have been sentenced unjustly get reduced punishments -- free of charge.

Kryst, who is licensed to practice in two states, earned both her law degree and MBA from Wake Forest University and completed her undergraduate work at the University of South Carolina.

In a video played during this week’s competition, Kryst told a story about how a judge at a legal competition suggested she wear a skirt instead of pants because judges prefer skirts.

“Glass ceilings can be broken wearing either a skirt or pants,” she said. “Don’t tell females to wear different clothes

When Garris took the Miss Teen USA stage Sunday, she did it with confidence as she wore her natural hair.

“I know what I look like with straight hair, with extensions, and with my curly hair, and I feel more confident and comfortable with my natural hair,” the 18-year-old from Connecticut told Refinery29.

When she began competing in pageants, Garris said she had to fight against beauty standards suggesting that straight hair was better than her natural curls.

There were people who told her how they thought she should style her hair, she said. But she ignored their criticism, and went on to win the title of Miss Connecticut Teen USA with her natural hair and then Miss Teen USA.

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“I grew up at a predominately Caucasian school, and there was only 5% minority, and I felt out of place so much because of the color of my skin,” the 23-year-old North Carolina native said.

“But growing up, I found my love of arts, and through music that helped me to feel positive about myself and about who I was.”

Representing New York, Franklin showed her passion for music when she sang “Quando m’en vo’” from Puccini’s “La Bohème.” Wowing the judges, she was crowned the 2019 Miss America.

This past year, she has been an advocate for the arts. She works with Sing for Hope, a nonprofit focused on helping people, including children and artists, through the power of music.

May 9 – May 15, 2019

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FASHION

Eric Green Brings Color & Style With Style Made Simple

By Cecilia Smith, Style Feature Writer

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great opportunity for me to help a larger population understand how to live a more stylish life.

ith a career that’s spanned across the globe - and included partnerships with fashion powerhouses like Armani, Burberry, Cole Haan, Gap, J. Crew, Neiman Marcus, North Face and more - former Charming Charlie Vice President and Executive Creative Director, Eric Samuel Green, has earned a stellar reputation for being a visionary within the industry. And he’s not done yet.

Style Mag: This is just the first in what you hope will be a series that includes style, traveling, etc. Can you share a few tips essential tips from “Style Made Simple?”

Green: Here are two from the book. 1) Choose your impact color. Color has so much emotion around it, so when you think about what you want your home to be, think about do you want it to be cooling, joyful, romantic, etc. Color is one of the easiest ways to deliver what the intent of that emotion. Color is confident. You can infuse an impact color for example, to set the mood.

After spending over two decades (including five years at Charming Charlie) helping bring the visions of others to life, at the top of the year Green turned his sights to an entirely new venture: creative and interior design. Known for decoding style, he’s now sharing a few things he’s learned along the way courtesy of his new book, “Style Made Simple: The 10 Tips to Decorating With Style” where he demystifies the world of decor for those easily overwhelmed by styling and design. This admittedly includes myself, who sat in awe as Green broke down concepts like aesthetic, decluttering and more during a recent sit-down with Houston Style Magazine.

2)Collect something you love and put it on display. Your home is one of the biggest billboards for who you are as a person. It’s one of the most intimate views of who you are, what you love and what experiences you’ve had. Some of the things that inspire you can be used to display throughout your home, on a shelf, on a wall, etc. The idea of having something that brings you joy. There are so many things that you can collect and I give a few examples in the book.

With an obvious joy for his craft, Green shared a few tips from Decorating With Style as he gave us a glimpse into his well styled world. Read below for more from the Style Connoisseur himself:

Style Mag: What would you consider an easy decor fix for those with limited time or skill?

Houston Style: For those that may be unfamiliar with how you got your started, what brought you into the industry?

Green: I would say decorative pillows. They’re some of the easiest things that have the biggest impact very quickly, and they’re also an item that can be updated easily. If you have the discretionary income, you can always do seasonal updates. There are so many affordable resources, including having them delivered right to you, that are quick ways to change your space, and it grounds and anchors the room.

Eric S. Green: The interesting thing is I was into magazines. While most kids were playing sports I was collecting catalogues and newspapers. I was just really obsessed with visuals. From the age of five to 13/14 I would read and look at visuals inside of them. What I realized later in life was that I was educating my eye. My family actually owned a grocery store, so I spent a lot of time merchandising, helping customers around the store, enticing them to buy more. I learned to be responsive to client needs early on.

Style Mag: Style seems to be in your blood! How did you transition from fashion being a hobby to a career?

Green: I decided to go to school for marketing, so that I could pull fashion and art together with experience and my understanding of how retail works. My first job was in visual merchandising, just doing things like lighting a mannequin, learning to attract and convert customers through silent techniques, studying signage, etc. Over the course of my career I’ve done in-store visual merchandising to corporate merchandising to creative direction.

To this day I reference things back to that grocery store: How you engage people, restocking, etc. All of those

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May 9 – May 15, 2019

Style Mag: What’s something that people don’t know about you?

skills are really transferrable, so I made a conscious decision early on to learn all aspects of the industry and not just focus on a specific market or women’s apparel. Once you understand what a brand is about, you are able to carry a lot of those tools and tips over in a really fascinating way.

you leave that industry, you can’t be successful until you’re ready to learn.

Anytime I’ve stopped being curious about the business or opportunities anymore, I knew it was time to move on.

Style Mag: What advice would you give to those looking to follow a similar path?

Green: After 20 years of trying to solve things for consumers and other people, what I realized is it doesn’t have to be as difficult as people make it. I know style and I know it’s less about aesthetic - some of these tips are transferable regardless of what your personal style is. I felt like writing a book was a

Green: The idea of being humble, being hungry; which is always really to learn and take feedback. You also want to stay inspired and be curious. Once

Style Mag: What finally made you take the leap and become an author?

www.stylemagazine.com

Green: I don’t think most know that I’ve been a vegetarian for over 17 years and a yogi for 15 years. In the last year I’ve started each day using mindfulness cards because it really sets the tone for my day. The mindfulness cards have a positive affirmation about joy, curiosity, positivity, etc. Then there’s an explanation of what this thought provoking thing is and I try to focus on that thought throughout the day. It’s something that’s very helpful and when I have friends that are going through things I’ll share a card with them. It makes you pause, reflect and apply.

Ready, set, style! Learn more about Eric Green at www.EricSamuelGreen. com and be sure to read his latest, “Style Made Simple: The 10 Tips to Decorating With Style.” Follow him @1EricGreen!

HEALTH

Improving the Lives of Mothers Through Health and Wellness

By Jo-Carolyn Goode, Managing Editor

being a hobby to a career. White quickly earned his personal training certification and started the wheels in motion for his business, iImprove Fitness, in 2016.

LoRon White

F

alling is a part of life. Staying down is not. Before 2013, LoRon White was always in the game despite his small stature. He had big dreams of playing basketball professionally. However, an injury of a ruptured tendon in his leg would stifle those dreams. That could have taken him out but White turned tragedy into triumph. After his surgery to repair his leg, White began intense therapy and started working on his physique. It was a transformation that he was proud of and his friends took notice too. So much so that they began seeking his help for their own transformations. While helping his friends White found a new love for health and wellness. Working out had gone from

Everyone wants to look good and love the reflection they see in the mirror.

Initially, that was White’s motivation for working out too. In order to see the desired results, one needs more of a foundation than that. They need to be dedicated and determined. Coming to that realization takes some self-evaluation. Before beginning any healthy lifestyle change White suggest taking time to really think about the changes that are forthcoming. Changes need to be made slowly as drastic changes can cause a relapse. Once a client is ready he does everything he humanly possible to help clients’ reach their fitness goals.

Most trainers only contact their clients on workout days but under White’s wing clients will hear from him on non-workout days to ensure the plan he laid out is being followed. He likes to show clients that he really cares about their wellbeing and it is more than just money to him.

He has a real passion.

His passion sometimes has him get too involved in the personal lives of clients.

However, it works to the clients’ benefit.

The craziness of life can be a distraction

and affect one’s workout and the desired results. White becomes like a counselor to help clients cope and keep their focus.

Throughout his time as a trainer, he has had highs and lows. One of his greatest rewards was helping a local mother of four. She had two older children and twin nine-month-old boys. In other words, she had no time for herself.

With the help of White, she found the time. Workouts would be really early in the morning or really late at night.

In the end, the woman lost over 100 lbs the natural way in less than one year.

Now White hopes to give more mothers similar results. During the month of May White is gifting all mothers with complimentary consultations.

“Mothers and women, in general, are very special when it comes to iImprove because that’s the backbone of my company,” said White. “A lot of my success stories come from the women and the mothers that are trying to lose weight and bounce back from having a baby.”

Optimal weight loss takes more than just working out but changes to the diet are needed as well. Although White does not do meal planning, he does offer nutritional guidance. And for clients wanting specifics about nutrition he has

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a nutritionist as a partner to help with that aspect. Diet and exercise go hand in hand. “If your diet is not where it needs to be no amount of work can change that,” said White. He highly suggests monitoring the food one puts in their body and to read all labels.

After reading this article one may see the benefits of having a personal trainer.

Here is one more. A personal trainer can give one the educational piece that they are missing from their workout.

“The way you breathe, the way you contract your muscle and doing the exercise properly affect your results,” said White. Time and time again White says he sees how people workout but don’t get their results they are after because they are doing exercises improperly and all that goes with it. “The education behind the trainer gives you the know how on not only on how to do the exercise correctly but the results as well.”

All that working out can leave one very sore. White says to recover just rebuild your muscle with lots of rest, water, protein, and amino acids.

For more information about working out the right way contact LoRon White at loron@iimprove.net or IG @ loron_iimprove or FB at iImprove.

May 9 – May 15, 2019

15

BOOK

“The Code of the Righteous Warrior” by Rev. Dr. Alyn E. Waller © 2019, Atria $27.00 / $36.00 Canada 290 pages

By Terri Schlichenmeyer, Style Book Reviewer

hold. But it’s a new world now with new expectations, and in “The Code of the Righteous Warrior” by Rev. Dr. Alyn E. Waller, you’ll know how to get through it.

Even when he was a small boy, Alyn Waller “really, really” loved to fight but, alas, he was the smallest boy in his class and was bullied. That changed when he was in fifth grade and his cousin came to live with Waller’s family. Lonnie taught Waller how to fight.

That was largely forgotten by the time Waller got to college; alcohol and parties were more important and he lost his way until an older man in his church trained Waller and some of his friends in the martial arts. Waller took his training further himself, and earned “advanced ranking” in four additional disciplines, including one that teaches “leadership, spiritual development, fiscal responsibility, a positive mental attitude” and more.

T

hese days, you just don’t know what to expect.

Things used to be laid out nice and easy: a real man took care of business, he settled disagreements with his fists, and he was head of his house-

A Righteous Warrior, as Waller calls a man who wants to live life with a “Christian Warrior’s code,” has three choices when “he is under any type of attack”: he can run, which is a valid option. He can fight, as Jesus did in the temple. Or he can “take one for the team,” knowing that “everything will be okay in the end – and if it ain’t okay, it

ain’t the end.”

There are ten principles of a Righteous Warrior.

Keep life simple and ask yourself what’s essential and what’s merely interesting. Know the difference between true and True. “[D]evelop a mindset that prepares you to play whatever cards life deals” and be judicious with your assets.

“Expect the unexpected.” Fight for your family, no matter what it looks like.

When things get bad, “keep your head in the game…” Remember that a “righteous man learns… earns… and then he returns to others” and finally, don’t quit, but know when it’s time to stop.

Considering that this book was written by a minister, it’s quite a surprise: “The Code of the Righteous Warrior” doesn’t completely advocate nonviolence.

And yet, that may be why it works.

Author Rev. Dr. Alyn E. Waller offers advice for today’s Christian man, but in a way that reaches back centuries, as though he’s mixed the Bible with Zen teachings and inserted his own experiences to make things even more relatable. It has the feel of lightheartedness, rather than lecture, but readers will surely know that Waller is serious in his advice.

at the Academy Awards. Fantastic Four came up empty on all fronts.

Missed Opportunity Rockets lose crucial Game 5 to the Warriors to fall 3-2 in the series

By Brian Barefield, Style Sports Editor amous actor Michael B. Jordan (Black Panther, Creed) not to be confused with the famous basketball legend Michael J. Jordan, turned down a role in a movie I am sure he thinks about and regrets to this day. World renowned music producer, Dr. Dre wanted very badly for M.B. Jordan to play his character in Straight Outta Compton, the NWA biopic, but B. Jordan declined. He took a role as the Human Torch in the Fantastic Four movie instead. To make a long story short.

Straight Outta Compton made $160 million dollars at the box office while being nominated for numerous awards including, Best Writing, Original Screenplay

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May 9 – May 15, 2019

The Houston Rockets must feel like Jordan as they missed a huge opportunity to win game 5 and take a 3-2 advantage. They lost in Oracle Arena, 104-99 as they head back home to try and tie the series at three games apiece.

Houston had their chance to steal game 5 after Warriors superstar Kevin Durant went down with what the team is calling a right strained calf in the third quarter with 2:11 seconds left. After making a routine mid-range jumper, Durant took one step up the court, grabbed his right leg and continued to limp until Golden State was able to foul and get Durant off the court and he did not return for the rest of the game.

“Well are all obviously disappointed for him. We’re excited about the win but concerned for Kevin and disappointed for him,” Steve Kerr said after the game when asked about the Durant injury.

“He’s been on this incredible playoff run. I’m proud of our guys for pulling the game out. We’ll see how Kevin’s doing tomorrow.”

It may seem strange to find victory in tragedy, but that’s just what Golden State did after Durant’s injury. The team seemed to take on the “Win for Kevin” attitude as Steph Curry resumed his leadership role and lead the Warriors

to victory. He had been struggling the whole game and didn’t get his first basket until late in the second quarter and finished the first half with only five points. Yet it was his late game heroics that helped Golden State hold off the Rockets. Curry put in 12 points in the fourth quarter and finished the game with 25 points.

“Right before KD got hurt, I missed a layup right at the rim, a wide-open three in transition. That was, like, the lowest point of the game for me in terms of just searching, but when he went out, I got the ball in my hands, initiate the offense, shots went in. Again, it’s all about not losing confidence in yourself, just find a way to find any type of life on the offensive end,” said Curry. \

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He’s also thorough, touching on issues that may be touchy for some, including the ever-controversial topic of “submissive” women. On that, Waller has surprising words.

Although this book is meant mostly for African American men, it’s worthwhile for any man, and for mothers and wives of those men, too. Start “The Code of the Righteous Warrior,” and you can expect good things.

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Once they review the film on tomorrow, Houston will see that they left a lot out on the court in Oakland. They will also see a bad habit they can’t seem to break in Oakland and that is allowing the Warriors to get off to fast starts in the first quarter. Golden State went on a 19-3 run lead by Klay Thompson’s 12 points and Draymond Green’s eight assists. The Warriors took a commanding 31-17 lead into the second quarter and build the lead to 20 before the Rockets would work their way back into the game by the third. Houston would finally get the lead in the third quarter after Durant went out but failed to seal the deal.

Houston will need more from starters Clint Capela and Chris Paul in game 6 as the two combined for 17 points on 6-for-24 shooting from the field. James Harden led all scorers with 31 points, but it will be his lack of shooting in the fourth quarter that will be talked about over the next 48 hours. Harden hit one shot in the final quarter with 18.6 seconds left.

“Tough one. Tough one. But we’re normally capable of being better. Another opportunity on Friday. It is what it is,” said Harden after the game.

Let’s hope that they don’t let another opportunity slip through their fingers.

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17

2019

18TH COMCAST CARES DAY 2019 BARC ANIMAL SHELTER

18TH COMCAST CARES DAY 2019 Photography by Amir Pink

F

rom using technology to create positive change, such as teaching digital literacy skills, to mentoring youth, to stocking food banks, to beautifying parks, Comcast NBCUniversal employees volunteer during Comcast Cares Day and throughout the year to make a lasting impact. To date, more than 1 million Comcast Cares Day volunteers have contributed over 6 million service hours to improve local communities at more than 10,000 projects. This year, the Company expects more than 100,000 volunteers from Comcast, NBCUniversal, and for the first time Sky, to participate in projects across the country and around the world. On the 18th annual Comcast Cares Day employees joined Mayor Sylvester Turner to support the mission of BARC by landscaping flower beds, power wash, repainting doors and do general cleanup on the grounds. This helped BARC carry out their mission to promote and protect public health and animal care.

2019

JJ WATT 2019 CHARITY CLASSIC MINUTE MAID

JJ WATT 2019 CHARITY CLASSIC Photography by Amir Pink

J

J Watt Foundation hosted the 6th annual charity softball game. The game that was started in 2013 has Watt’s Houston Texans teammates play against each other to raise money for his foundation. This year $1,000,000 was raised for the foundation for its mission. Some players seen on the diamond were Deshaun Watson, Dylan Cole, Keke Coutee, Will Fuller V, D’Onta Foreman, Justin Reid, Jordan Akins, Ka’imi Fairbairn, Joel Heath, and Joe Webb III.

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2019

6TH ANNUAL UNICEF GALA HOUSTON THE POST OAK UPTOWN IN HOUSTON

6TH ANNUAL UNICEF GALA HOUSTON Photography by Bob Levey, Getty Images / UNICEF USA

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NICEF USA hosted the sixth annual UNICEF Gala Houston. The event, emce by Great Day Houston host Deborah Duncan, celebrated UNICEF’s lifesaving work and honored Susan and Dan Boggio and Sue Smith and Lester Smith, posthumously, were honored. Guests enjoyed remarks from Mayor Sylvester Turner and UNICEF USA CEO and President Caryl M. Stern. Actor Téa Leoni sent a gift presentation to the Boggios to celebrate their commitment to UNICEF USA’s work over the years. The gala featured a performance by The Garden State Guys. UNICEF NextGen hosted a silent disco after party.

More than 390 guests attended the gala raising more than $1,000,000 – a record breaking amount. Gala Chairs included Cheryl Byington, Mary Ann McKeithan, Beth Wolff and Hallie Vanderhider, who also served as the Lead Benefactor of the event. Honorary Chairs included Shelly and Brian Hendry, Leela and Nat Krishnamurthy, Limor and Stuart Smith, Margaret Alkek Williams and Randa and Charles Williams. Anika Jackson and Catherine Clarke Murphy served as the NextGen Chairs.

2019

HHD’S I AM LIFE LAUNCH

HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT

H

Photography by Amir Pink

ouston Health Department (HHD) launched a comprehensive strategy and a unified advertising, social marketing and digital branded campaign called I am Life.

It is the city’s first-ever health campaign directly reaching out to African-American and Hispanic members of The LGBTQ community. With funding provided by CDC’s Project Pride Initiative, the goal of the I am Life™ campaign is to support HHD in reducing the number of HIV cases and increasing viral suppression among African-American and Hispanic MSM, and transgender people of color. The I am Life™ campaign involves people from Houston’s LGBTQ community telling their stories to strongly encourage their peers to be responsible and be safe by taking Pre-Exposure prophylaxis (or PrEP) daily, and if they have already acquired HIV, to “Get in Treatment and Stay in Treatment” to “Become Undetectable” to live healthy and longer lives. The I am Life™ campaign will reach out to African-American and Hispanic MSM and transgender people of color with messages about PrEP as an HIV prevention option and Treatment as Prevention for people living with HIV. Some in attendance at the launch were Mayor Sylvester Turner, Stephen L. Williams, Marlene McNeese, Melvin Young Lewis, Harper Watters, Harrison Guy, Jovaun Hicks, Argentina James, Solly Diaz, and Nettie Johnson.

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