Houston Style Magazine Vol 33 No 01

agazine

December 30, 2021 - January 05, 2022

Houston’s Premiere Weekly Publication, Since 1989

Volume 33 | Number 01

Complimentary

Jesse Jackson

Here's How Young People Can Save America

CELEBRATE THE NEW YEAR WITH A PLAN BEFORE YOU DRINK Written By Jo-Carolyn Goode

Desmond Tutu

Anti-apartheid Leader And Voice Of Justice, Dead at 90

Photos Harris County Website

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Worthing Marching Band Awarded $60K In Scholarships

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Sugar Land School of Rock Keeping Blue Alive!

Sharon Bowen

First Black Woman Chair Of NYSE Board

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Publisher Francis Page, Jr. fpagejr@stylemagazine.com Associate Publisher Lisa Valadez lisa@stylemagazine.com Managing Editor Jo-Carolyn Goode editorial@stylemagazine.com Social Media Editor/Videographer Reginald Dominique reggiedominique@me.com Sports Editor Brian Barefield

brian_barefield@yahoo.com Food Writer Alex Jack

alexandriajack1991@gmail.com NATIONAL WRITERS

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

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Vicky Pink vhpink@gmail.com William Ealy Williamealy1906@gmail.com Mike Munoz artrepreneur91@gmail.com

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from President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden. www.BuildBackBetter.com David Leinemann | White House

December 30, 2021 - January 05, 2022

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COMMENTARY

HERE'S HOW YOUNG PEOPLE CAN SAVE AMERICA

By Jesse Jackson, National Political Writer

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new year is a time for reflection on the past and hope for the future. My new year's wish this year is that across the country, every high school give each graduating student a diploma and a voter registration card, and every center of education and training - whether community college or four-year university, technical training or business school - insure that every entering student is registered to vote.

The energy, the urgency, the imagination of the young offer this country the best hope for salvation. The young generation is the most diverse and the least racist of Americans. By a stunning seven to one, Gallup found 18- to 29-year-olds supported the racial protests triggered by the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. Young people mobilized the largest interracial demonstrations in history in response.

They care about inequality: 70% of voters under 45 would raise taxes on the wealthy. They care about equal justice: 81% support giving permanent legal status to the Dreamers; 83% support gay marriage. They are fearful about their own futures. A global survey of 10,000 young people between 16 and 25 found that about 60% were "very" or "extremely" worried about climate change.

And nearly two-thirds felt their government was failing them on climate change.

Many of the young are alienated by today's Republican Party and its race-bait politics, but they are frustrated with both parties. As Harvard professor Thomas Patterson reported, exit polls show that voters under 30 have backed the Democratic Party presidential nominee by more than 3 to 2 over the past five elections.

Joe Biden's victory over Donald Trump was propelled by young voters. Exit

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polls show that voters under 45 gave Biden a 57% to 43% split in the two-party vote, while Trump won older voters by about 52-48. But young voters are increasingly turned off by a politics that doesn't work for them, frustrated by the gridlock in Washington, by the corruption and cynicism of our two major parties.

Republicans have responded to this reality not by reaching out - as many young Republicans urge them to do -- but by trying to suppress the vote of young people. They work particularly hard to keep students from registering at their universities (making it far less likely that they vote anywhere). They oppose automatic voter registration and sameday registration, confident that the young and people of color will be less likely to jump the hurdles needed to register and vote.

Voting by the young should not be a partisan issue. The 26th Amendment to the Constitution, which lowered the voting age to 18, was passed with bipartisan support in 1971 when Richard Nixon was president. It was ratified by the states faster than any other amendment in history. Part of that was that 18-year-olds were eligible for the draft, and if they were old enough to fight, surely they should be old enough to vote. Part of it was the legacy of the civil rights movement, with the NAACP, and union and young civil rights activists pushing to expand the right to vote.

Today Republicans are doubling down on their efforts to constrict the vote in states across the country. My wish will be fulfilled only if young people mobilize and defend their right to vote - and if they mobilize and vote in large numbers this fall.

This young generation faces dire challenges. Catastrophic climate change.

Global pandemics. Savage inequality. Entrenched racial discrimination. Pervasive corruption. Bitter partisan division. A coun-

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President Joe Biden answers questions after delivering closing remarks to the virtual Summit for Democracy. (Evan Vucci/AP Photos) try that is fighting endless wars abroad even as it declines at home. Growing anger at a failed establishment, shaking even the foundations of democracy.

These challenges will only be met by new generations bringing new energy, new ideas, new idealism, and new movements to break through our partisan gridlock.

The challenges are great, yet we know that when young America acts collectively on a moral issue, we always win.

Young America walked the halls of Congress to abolish slavery -- and won.

Young America rose against apartheid.

Chaney, Goodman, Schwerner and Medgar Evers were martyred, touching the conscience of the nation. John Lewis and Hosea Williams, as students, walked across the Edmund Pettus Bridge and stood tall.

Students rose to end the war in

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Vietnam.

Now, in this dark time, the former Confederate states have once again led a reaction, seeking to discredit elections, voting against free public education, against relief from student debt, against action on climate change. Young America must rise again, or live with regret. If they come alive, they can write their own history, save democracy, and keep hope alive. jjackson@rainbowpush.org.

Follow him on Twitter @RevJJackson

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INTERNATIONAL: DESMOND TUTU, ANTI-APARTHEID LEADER AND VOICE OF JUSTICE, DEAD AT 90

By Todd Leopold, Larry Madowo and Jessie Yeung, www.CNN.com

Archbishop Desmond Tutu, (Getty Images)

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rchbishop Desmond Tutu, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Anglican cleric whose good humor, inspiring message and conscientious work for civil and human rights made him a revered leader during the struggle to end apartheid in his native South Africa, has died. He was 90.

In a statement confirming his death on Sunday, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed his condolences to Tutu's family and friends, calling him "a patriot without equal."

"A man of extraordinary intellect, integrity and invincibility against the forces of apartheid, he was also tender and vulnerable in his compassion for those who had suffered oppression,

injustice and violence under apartheid, and oppressed and downtrodden people around the world," Ramaphosa said.

Tutu had been in ill health for years. In 2013, he underwent tests for a persistent infection, and he was admitted to hospital several times in following years.

For six decades, Tutu -- known affectionately as "the Arch" -- was one of the primary voices in exhorting the South African government to end apartheid, the country's official policy of racial segregation. After apartheid ended in the early '90s and the long-imprisoned Nelson Mandela became president of the country, Tutu was named chair of South Africa's

Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

The Nelson Mandela foundation called Tutu's loss "immeasurable."

"He was larger than life, and for so many in South Africa and around the world his life has been a blessing," the foundation said in a statement. "His contributions to struggles against injustice, locally and globally, are matched only by the depth of his thinking about the making of liberatory futures for human societies."

Tutu's civil and human rights work led to prominent honors from around the world. Former US President Barack Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009.

Obama called Tutu a "mentor, a friend, and a moral compass" in a statement after his death.

"Archbishop Tutu was grounded in the struggle for liberation and justice in his own country, but also concerned with injustice everywhere. He never lost his impish sense of humor and willingness to find humanity in his adversaries," said Obama.

For more information:

www.CNN.com

NATIONAL: OMICRON SURGE IS 'UNLIKE ANYTHING WE'VE EVER SEEN,' EXPERT SAYS

By Aya Elamroussi, www.CNN.com

Note: Data reported on December 28, 2021 Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Graphic: Curt Merrill, CNN

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n unprecedented spike in Covid-19 cases fueled by the fast-moving Omicron variant is crushing hospitals across the United States, with doctors describing packed emergency rooms as health experts implore New Year's Eve revelers to keep parties small and outdoors to help avert an even worse surge.

"It's unlike anything we've ever seen, even at the peak of the prior surges of Covid," Dr. James Phillips, who works in Washington, DC, said Wednesday, when the nation hit a new pandemic high of 300,886 average new daily cases over the prior week, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

"What we're experiencing right now is an absolute overwhelming of the emergency departments" in Washington, Phillips, chief of disaster medicine at George Washington University Hospital, told CNN's Jim Acos-

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ta.

It's a scene playing out across the country as record case counts are reported from New Jersey and New York to Chicago, where hospital bed capacity also is a concern. In Arizona and New Mexico, federal medical personnel have deployed to provide Covid-19 surge support. And in Georgia, six major health systems with recent 100% to 200% jumps in Covid-19 hospitalizations -- with most patients unvaccinated -- joined to publicly urge people to seek coronavirus testing elsewhere so their emergency rooms can focus on those with critical needs.

Level of community spread across US These categories, issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, are based on county-level data on the number of new cases per 100,000 people and the test positivity rate during the past seven days.

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In Louisiana, Covid-19 hospitalizations have tripled in the past two weeks as a new record for cases was set, according to the state. Symptomatic patients have been showing up at Baton Rouge's Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center to get tested, said the chief medical officer, Dr. Catherine O'Neal.

"We're seeing an increase in admissions that is startling," she told CNN on Wednesday.

Many patients O'Neal sees are unvaccinated, she said. They often have more severe illness with pneumonia and need to be intubated or need high-flow oxygen. Others who haven't had a booster or are only partially vaccinated are suffering with a kind of flulike illness and are "fragile," she said.

"They're older, they have heart failure, they have COPD, and they can't handle Covid, even when they're vaccinated," O'Neal said. "Luckily, most of

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those people are turning around after a couple days and going home, which is a good thing."

Hospitalizations are also peaking in Maryland, where 2,046 people were fighting Covid-19 in a hospital as of Tuesday. The state reported 10,873 new Covid-19 cases Wednesday, the highest number yet of new cases in a 24-hour period, according to state data.

Nationwide, nearly 78% of ICU beds are in use, with 22% of those occupied by Covid-19 patients, according to data from the US Health and Human Services Department. And pediatric hospital admissions for Covid-19 are only 2.2% lower than their peak in early September, continuing a rapid increase since mid-December.

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We’re supporting small businesses to help hope thrive Small businesses make neighborhoods. At Wells Fargo, we’re championing these mainstays of the community and helping beautify local business districts this holiday season. With our Open For Business Fund, we’re helping businesses invest in resources and build equity, to propel them to a brighter and more secure future.

In cities across America, Wells Fargo's Open for Business Fund is providing nonprofits with roughly $420MM to support small businesses.

Learn more at wellsfargo.com/impact ©2021 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved.

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December 30, 2021 - January 05, 2022

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POLITICAL: KLANNY NANNY MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE CALLS KWANZAA A ‘FAKE RELIGION CREATED BY A PSYCHOPATH’ Written By Zack Linly - www.NewsOne.com

A view of the MoveOn Mobile Billboard and Protest at Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s Bakersfield office demanding the removal of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene from House Committee on Education and Labor on February 4, 2021, in Bakersfield, California (Source: Tommaso Boddi / Getty)

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bad.

t this point, calling Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene a racist is like saying the sky turns less blue when the weather is

In this episode of Water Is Wet News, the same congresswoman who filmed herself ranting about an “Islamic invasion” of the U.S. government because Muslims were being elected to office, referred to Muslim members of Congress as the “Jihad Squad,” claimed Congress members weren’t official unless they were sworn in on the Bible, referred to Black people as “slaves” to the Democratic party, compared Black Lives matter to the KKK and claimed white Jan. 6 Capitol riot suspects were being discriminated in jail “because of the color of their skin”—also has a weird issue with the celebration of Kwanzaa.

On Sunday, after Christmas ended and Black Americans across the nation began to celebrate the weeklong holiday festivities in

which we exchange gifts, eat traditional meals, light candles to honor the ancestors and, well, generally mind our own Black business, Greene was continuing the Anglo-Saxon tradition of shouting down any cultural practice that doesn’t have the white supremacist stamp of approval.

“Stop. It’s a fake religion created by a psychopath,” Greene tweeted. “You aren’t bringing in new voters, you are turning them away. People are tired of pandering and BS.” So basically, a group of fellow Republicans—who are likely just as white nationalism prone as Republicans tend to be but aren’t basically Rush Limbaugh in a skirt like Greene is—offered a modest holiday greeting for those celebrating Kwanza and that was just too much for the QMoron and her aggressive white fragility to bear. So Greene called Kwanzaa a “fake religion” despite the fact that it’s literally not a religious holiday, and called its founder a “psychopath,” which is like the mayonnaise jar

calling the snowflake “white.” (Am I the only one who thinks the “pot meet kettle” thing is kinda racist?)

As Business Insider pointed out, Kwanzaa was founded in 1966 by Maulana Karenga, who, in 1970, was convicted along with three other members of the US Organization, a Black liberation group, of brutally assaulting female members of the group in an attempt to force them to confess to conspiring against him.

Now, Karenga denied the accusations even after his conviction, but we can concede that he likely wasn’t a person to tout as some kind of great man or leader. Still, we essentially celebrate the massacre of indigenous people and theft of their lands on Thanksgiving, we celebrate a date when Black people were still enslaved and would be for more than a century and call it Independence Day and we celebrate Presidents’ Day and our Founding Fathers

like most of them weren’t either slavers, rapists, unabashed white supremacists or all of the above—I think we can handle celebrating Kwanzaa despite the sins of its creator.

Also, Greene is literally going to bat for white nationalists who are accused of storming the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to overthrow the government all because their rust-flavored cult leader got voted out of office—who the hell cares what she thinks about Karenga?

All Greene’s tweet proves is that she won’t even take a holiday from being an unapologetic bigot.

Also, grass is green.

Read the full story online:

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NATIONAL: SHARON BOWEN NAMED FIRST BLACK WOMAN CHAIR OF NYSE BOARD

By Ny Magee - www. TheGrio.com

Sharon Bowen has made history as the newly named board chair of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). (Drew Angerer / Getty Images)

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ormer Bowen, a finance and securities lawyer, is the first Black woman to be appointed to the position. She has been a member of the board of directors of Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (ICE), NYSE’s parent company, since December 2017.

ICE announced earlier this month that it named Bowen as the next chair of the New York Stock Exchange. Her appointment follows senior leadership changes across the company under CEO Jeff Sprecher.

“When a handful of colleagues and I founded ICE over twenty years ago, our simple idea was to make trading more automated and transparent, and that purpose anchored our original leaders as we grew exponentially, and

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their duties grew along with the firm,” Sprecher, who founded and chairs Intercontinental Exchange, said in a Dec. 6 letter. “Now with a market capitalization of over $70 billion, and a substantially transformed company from our origins, it’s more important than ever to challenge our leaders to take on new tasks and acquire new skills as we serve a new and ever-evolving marketplace.”

The leadership changes for 2022 also include Lynn Martin, current president of ICE Fixed Income and Data Services, who will replace Stacey Cunningham as the next president of the NYSE. Cunningham, who was the first woman in that role, is moving on to a position on the NYSE board of directors.

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Additionally, Mark Wassersug, COO for ICE, “will transition to a new role as the company’s chief information officer … working closely with Mayur Kapani, ICE’s chief technology officer,” Sprecher said, as reported by Financial Technologies Forum. “As Mark moves into this position, Stuart Williams will succeed him as chief operating officer of ICE, reporting to ICE President Ben Jackson. Stuart, who is currently president of ICE Futures Europe, will remain in that post until a successor is identified and in place.”

Born in Chesapeake, Virginia, Bowen holds a Bachelor of Arts with distinction in economics from University of Virginia, a Juris Doctor from Northwestern University Pritzker

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School of Law, and a Master of Business Administration from Kellogg School of Management, at Northwestern University.

In April, Akamai Technologies, Inc. announced that Bowen would fill a newly-created vacancy on the Akamai Board of Directors.

“Akamai is pleased to welcome such a distinguished financial and legal expert to its board of directors,” Dr. Tom Leighton, Akamai chief executive officer and co-founder said at the time. “In an environment with evolving regulatory developments and market risks, we look forward to benefiting from Sharon’s vast experience and expertise.”

www.TheGrio.com

HEALTH: BCBS OF TEXAS AWARDS NEARLY $1.8 MILLION IN 2022 HEALTHY KIDS, HEALTHY FAMILIES GRANTS

By StyleMagazine.com

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lue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) today announced the awarding of nearly $1.8 million in Healthy Kids, Healthy Families® grants to 40 community-based organizations statewide with a focus on health and wellness and targeting socio-economic and social determinants of health impacts associated with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2022 HKHF grantees were selected following an extensive evaluation process. While the primary focus of the HKHF program remains predicated on four key pillars — disease prevention and management, nutrition, physical activity, and safe environments — the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic reinforces BCBSTX’s focus on health equity and its core purpose to stand with its members and the communities in sickness and health.

Accordingly, the 2022 HKHF grant cycle called for an emphasis on programs that create measurable results to address the current public health pandemic and social factors impacting health inequalities and social determinants of health such as lack of housing, food deserts, education and jobs and mental health.

“In partnership with, and through the funding provided

by HKHF grants, we are able to continue our focus on our four key pillars, while also addressing the effects of health and economic disparities in underserved communities that have been exacerbated by the ongoing pandemic,” said Sheena Payne, BCBSTX’s director of Community Affairs. “The 2022 HKHF grantees that were selected demonstrated inventiveness and focus in putting together impactful programs that target mental health, disease prevention and management and nutrition, among other health and socio-economic issues. We are confident their efforts will generate great results while helping vulnerable Texans.”

Towards that goal, the 2022 Healthy Kids, Healthy Families® grantees are:

Alliance for Children Association for the Advancement of Mexican Americans (AAMA) AZAR Foundation, Inc. Caring Foundation of Texas Children's Advocacy Center of Collin County Collaborative for Children Dallas County MHMR dba Metrocare Services El Centro de Corazon El Paso Children's Hospital Foundation Ellis County Coalition for Health Option Family Service Miranos Health Codee Houston Health Foundation It's Time Texas Jubilee Park & Community Center Jubilee Clinic Los Barrios Unidos Community Clinic Marathon Kids Memorial Hermann Foundation My Possibilities Nexus Recovery Northwest Assistance Ministries Promise House Inc Resource Center of Dallas Santa Maria Hostel Shannon Medical Center Shriners Hospital for Children — Texas Sistema Infantil Teleton USA (CRIT)

St. Peter PJ's Emergency Shelter SVDP Society of St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacy of North Texas INC Texas CASA Texas Tech Foundation Texas Women's Foundation The Rose Center for Breast Health Excellence The Salvation Army of North Texas United Way for Greater Austin University of Houston Foundation University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Urban Harvest UT Southwestern Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry Center for Depression Research and Clinical Care West Texas Counseling & Guidanc

A decade ago, the HKHF program was launched as a three-year initiative designed to improve the health and wellness of at least one million children through community investments.

The program was extended as BCBSTX’s ongoing commitment to the health and well-being of children and families in Texas.

The program has touched the lives of millions of Texas children and families through the more than $16 million in grants awarded

by BCBSTX to community organizations statewide.

For more information visit:

www.ActNowTX.com

The point of it all?

Helping each other.

Through it all.

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Enroll Now at ActNowTX.com A Division of Health Care Service Corporation, a Mutual Legal Reserve Company, an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association

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CELEBRATE THE NEW YEAR WITH A PLAN BEFORE YOU DRINK

By Jo-Carolyn Goode - www.StyleMagazine.com

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Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg (Photos: Houston Chronicle).

amien House never imagined his 2021 would end with him being alone. His entire family was wiped out in an instant in a fiery car crash when a drunken Daniel Canada carelessly got behind the wheel of a vehicle after drinking. He then smashed his vehicle into the back of House's wife sedan. Canada hit the car so hard that the entire front end of House's wife vehicle was crushed and burst into flames. House's wife and three sons were all killed.

Happening at the intersection of FM 2920 near Gosling, Canada was driving at a rate of 115 miles per hour when he hit House's wife, Porsha and their three sons, causing a seven car pileup. Porsha and her seven month year old son, Drake, died on the scene while the other two boys, ages two and five years old, Messiah and King, died at the hospital. Additionally, there were others who were injured. All this devastation and Canada walked away from the crash with minor scrapes and bruises.

“One selfish act by Daniel Canada, who was drinking and driving drunk, devastated the House family,” Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said at a press

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conference this week about the calamity that happened in March of this year.

“We are seeking maximum accountability in all four intoxication manslaughter cases,” Ogg said of the suspect who has also been charged with one count of intoxication assault. Canada faces five years to life in prison on each count, and the judge can sentence them consecutively, according to Vehicular Crimes Division Chief Sean Teare. Canada is currently in jail with bond set at $1.1 million.

Alcohol and the holidays can go hand-in-hand for some people. And when the two mix people must choose to drink responsible to save their own life and the life of others. Smart drinkers must know their alcohol consumption limit and not over drink and anyone who serves alcohol must be responsible and not overserve. In any case, DA Ogg and other entitles are encouraging those who partake in drinking during the holidays to make a plan about how to get home before taking the first drink.

A statement on the DA's office Twitter account stated, "Friends don't let friends drink and drive. If you

December 30, 2021 - January 05, 2022

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are hosting a party, plan on having ride share information available for your guests. Book a ride for them if they are unable to. You could just be saving a life." Followed by "In the age of ride shares, there is NO excuse for driving under the influence of alcohol. Make a plan BEFORE you plan to go out and celebrate."

City leaders have come to know the key to help stop drunk driving is tracing the steps of the suspect back to where they first started drinking. The Harris County District Attorney's Office has partnered with the Texas Alcoholic and Beverage Commission (TRACE) to support their TRACE initiative. TRACE stands for Target Responsibility for Alcohol-Connected Emergencies. It is an initiative where TABC peace officers assist law enforcement agencies in tracing the source of someone's alcohol consumption when they are connected to incidents where someone is seriously hurt. Incidents maybe anything like the DWI crash mentioned in this article or aggravated assaults and sexual assaults involving overserved customers at TABC-licensed locations. The initiative is a major statewide effort to prevent impaired

“We’re partnering with MADD to prevent drunken driving and provide support to victims of alcohol-related crashes. Especially during the holidays, we want to remind and warn the public to have a plan to get home safely,” she said.

Ideas of a plan before one starts to drink includes having a designated driver or utilizing a ride share service or any other avenue to get home that does not involved the drunk person getting behind the wheel of a vehicle.

In this year alone, Ogg's office has accepted 15,000 DWI charges and 54 intoxication manslaughter charges. This number may become even higher since a number of wrecks have accused drivers that have not yet been identified or charged. The DA's office also has accepted 170 intoxication assault charges. Sean Teare, head of DA's Vehicular Crimes Division, added that law enforcement sadly might see 1,700 more crimes before 2022.

The DA's office is coming hard for drunk drivers because people are losing their lives for crimes that are not accidents but are preventable tragedies. The office showed their financial support of the initiative by presenting a check for $108, 349 to MADD to assist with the Crashed Car Photo (Photos: Houston Chronicle). funding of victim services. The money for the donation was lawfully seized from criminals. driving and promote legal, safe, and responsible alcohol "You have to live with that pain. How am I going Nine months in the shadow of this nightmare service. to move forward?" House asks at the opening of the video. that stole his family, House just wants justice. DA Ogg The legal intoxication limit set by the Texas The way he has chosen to live with the pain is by seeks to give him just that.

Department of Transportation is 0.08%. Canada's alcohol fighting for this kind of tragedy to never happen again. He level was 0.15%. has joined DA Ogg in partnership with the Harris County House along with the families of the other constables and Madd Mothers Against Drunk Drivers victims of the Canada's crash are featured in a TABC (MADD) to encourage residents to celebrate responsibly promotional video for the TRACE campaign entitled this holiday season. DA Ogg made the announcement "Living With the Pain: How Impaired Driving Changes this week at a press conference with the backdrop of the Families Forever." crushed vehicle where House's family lost their lives.

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Harris County is ground zero for

DWI DEATHS. We want you to get home and be able to celebrate with your loved ones this season.

Don’t become a statistic.

DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE.

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December 30, 2021 - January 05, 2022

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LOCAL: ALL 9 SENIORS OF WORTHING HIGH SCHOOL'S MARCHING BAND AWARDED $50K SCHOLARSHIPS FROM HBCU LANGSTON UNIVERSITY By www.StyleMagazine.com

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"I'm the first person in my family to go to college," trombone player Nicholas Lockett stated. (Photo Credit: FG Trade)

eniors at the Worthing High School received a surprise last month during an invitation-only trip to Oklahoma's Langston University.

Worthing High School's 60-member band "Marching Pride of Sunnyside" had the pleasure of visiting the HBCU to practice with the university's marching band, perform beside them during a football game and audition for the band tryouts.

The trip's perks increased when all nine seniors of Sunnyside's band received $50,000 scholarships to attend and play for Langston University's marching band.

"I'm the first person in my family to go to college," trombone player Nicholas Lockett said. "I think the world of it; it's just awesome."

This past November 60 members of the Worthing High School Marching Band and their dancers traveled to Langston University, a historically Black college located in Oklahoma.

There, the students were able to tour the campus, practice with the Langston University band, meet its director and perform

during the football game with the HBCU band. Unbeknownst to some of the band members, they were going to receive more than just an experience.

During the trip for the university's band tryouts, all nine senior members of the Worthing High band received $50,000 scholarships to attend and play for Langston University, a complete surprise to the students and Worthing band director Kuan Mitchell.

“The best moment of the trip was seeing the excitement of my seniors once they received their scholarships…I couldn’t have written the script any better,” Mitchell said.

Worthing Principal Everett Hare also joined in for the trip, calling the moment a “major achievement.”

“I’ve never seen it where all of them earned scholarships. Other schools also took part, so it was competitive,” said Principal Hare.

The principal went on to add that the experience was life-changing for all of the band members, underclassmen

included. Not only did they have the opportunity to get the full HBCU experience and bear witness to the perks that could come with being successful in their craft, they were also able to speak to Worthing alumni who are now students at Langston.

“Some of the students had never visited a college campus,” Hare said.

The Worthing band will go on to represent the city of Houston in the 2022 National 4th of July celebrations in Washington, D.C. Congratulations to the Worthing High School Marching Band's class of 2022!

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LOCAL: FORT BEND COUNTY JUDGE GEORGE ANNOUNCES SHANEKA SMITH WILL SERVE AS NEW CHIEF OF STAFF By www.StyleMagazine.com

Judge George, Staff and Shaneka Smith

F

ort Bend County Judge KP George announced today that Shaneka Smith will serve as his new Chief of Staff. Smith, a member of the Judge’s team since 2019, most recently served as the Administrative and External Affairs Manager, overseeing the day-to-day

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management of the Judge’s office.

As Chief of Staff, Smith will serve as the senior member of Judge George’s team and top advisor, granting her the opportunity to work more intensely with the entire team to streamline procedures and enhance collaboration and communication between my office, county leadership, and our community “Shaneka’s leadership has been key to our team’s accomplishments since almost the very beginning of my administration,” said Judge George. “She’s no stranger to county government, she has been involved in nearly every issue we have tackled. Whether it’s operations, strategy, policy, or crisis management, Shaneka is a person who brings people together, solves problems, and dedicates herself to the work to make Fort Bend County a better place for everyone.”

“I am honored to have earned the trust of Judge George to fill this position in his administration,” said Smith. “We have an exceptionally talented and experienced team in the County Judge’s Office, all,

December 30, 2021 - January 05, 2022

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who are dedicated to this office and the people of Fort Bend County. There is a lot of work to do, and I can’t wait to continue to move Fort Bend forward and work together to make our county more efficient, effective, and engaging for all.”

Smith will be an effective and significant resource to the many administrative functions, including working with county departments, being the point of contact for local, state, and federal matters, and working with the Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, to ensure Fort Bend County is prepared for any disaster.

Smith’s appointment to Chief of Staff is effective immediately.

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LOCAL: FADVOCATES PUSH TO PARDON 110 BLACK SOLDIERS GUILTY IN 1917 HOUSTON RIOTS

By ShaCamree Gowdy

A

group of attorneys and advocates have pledged to seek clemency for 110 Black soldiers who were convicted in a mutiny and riots at a military camp in Houston in 1917.

The South Texas College of Law Houston and the NAACP’s local branch have signed an agreement to continue fighting for clemency for the soldiers of the all-Black Third Battalion of the U.S. Army’s 24th Infantry Regiment, the Houston Chronicle reported.

They plan to ask the Secretary of the Army to posthumously grant honorable discharges and urge the Army Board for Correction of Military Records to recommend pardons to President Joe Biden.

The soldiers were either executed or given long prison sentences.

“We are on a quest to obtain justice for the 24th Infantry Regiment … that organized group of men who died with shameful reputations at the hands of those who had the power of the government, the courts and the power of the media,” said Bishop James Dixon, board president of the NAACP Houston Branch.

On Aug. 23, 1917, four months after the U.S. had entered World War I, the regiment mutinied in Houston. It resulted in the largest murder trial in U.S. history in which

110 out of 118 soldiers were found guilty.

Nineteen were hanged.

Law enforcement immediately recorded the events as a deadly and premeditated assault by Black Army soldiers on a white population. Historians and advocates now recognize the riot as part of the regiment’s response to what it believed was a white mob heading for them.

“For the Camp Logan soldiers who were convicted in the absence of due process, and particularly for those who then were executed as the result of those wrongful convictions, the denial of justice can never fully be undone,” said Michael F. Barry, the law school’s president and dean.

The all-Black regiment had been dispatched to Houston to guard Camp Logan, which was under construction for the training of white soldiers who would be sent to France during World War I. In Houston, a city governed by Jim Crow laws at the time, tensions boiled over.

The riot was fueled by a confrontation between white Houston police officers and a Black woman whom they accused of hiding a wanted man. A soldier from the 3rd Battalion came to her defense and the officers beat him. The beaten soldier was released from custody, but rumors swirled that he had been killed. Some soldiers urged the unit to

march on the police station, and others heard of an angry, white mob heading for the camp.

During the riot, 19 people died, including four Black soldiers and 15 white civilians, according to Prairie View A&M University. Five local police officers died.

While advocates note many of the Black soldiers disobeyed orders and left camp fully armed, they add there was a lack of due process, a rushed court-martial process

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4/11/19 11:38 AM

LOCAL: CITY OF HOUSTON AWARDS $9.5 MILLION IN GRANTS TO ARTS AND CULTURE NONPROFITS

By StyleMagazine.com

City of Houston Latino Film Festival

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he City of Houston Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (MOCA), in partnership with the Houston Arts Alliance (HAA), is awarding $9,998,343.77 in grants to 87 individuals and 151 arts and culture nonprofit organizations.

The funding is part of a strategic and compassionate response to the impact of the pandemic on the City’s arts and culture and will sponsor projects offering public exhibitions, presentations, and performances in 2022. The City, in partnership with HAA, is leveraging 2021 grant funding by supporting new grantees and 2020 grantees.

“Houston is an international arts and culture city, and our continuous investment in the arts builds a strong foundation for the future,” said Mayor Sylvester

Turner. “The awards will strengthen Houston’s creative economy, which includes artisans, artists, musicians, creative workers, festivals, and organizations that reflect the diversity and inclusivity of our City.”

The funds were awarded via the Support for Organizations, Festival and Support for Artists and Creative Individuals grant programs, which supports individuals, nonprofit organizations and fiscally sponsored projects with annual arts and cultural programming that is available to Houston residents and visitors. These competitive grant programs are managed and administered annually by the HAA and are funded by a portion of the city’s Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT). More information about HOT funding is available here.

The competitive grants programs include

an annual improvement process that begins in January of each year. All aspects of the competitions are updated based on community input and the City’s goals. During the summer, the staff of HAA launches each competition through social media and newsletter publicity, and then conducts several public workshops about the process of creating a competitive application. Competitions are open to the public for two or more months, during which the HAA staff takes meetings and phone calls upon request and answers email questions from potential applicants.

All applications received by the published deadline are reviewed through a two-step process. First, applications are reviewed by HAA staff for objective eligibility criteria. For example, the applicant must be based in the City of Houston and must offer publicly accessible programs during the time the grant will be active. Second, all eligible applications are read and scored by panelists, who are experts in the arts and community vetted through the HAA Grants Committee of the Board of Director.

Each year, HAA assembles between 50 and 120 panelists, depending on the number of applications that must be read and scored. Panelists include artists, arts managers, community leaders with engagement or passion for the arts, arts audience members, and other members of the arts community. Panelists, like grantees, cannot be employees or board members of HAA, nor their family.

Panelists must remove themselves from scoring if they have a financial or other meaningful conflict of interest with any application. The competition process is reviewed in full by the Grants Committee of the Board of HAA,

voted on and then advanced to the Board of HAA for its review and vote. Once Board review is complete, the results are sent to the Mayor's Office of Cultural Affairs as a packet of recommended grantees for the City’s approval.

Due to the pandemic, in partnership with Houston Arts Alliance, the City responded to calls from the arts community for a compassionate, strategic response to the impact of the pandemic on our lives and our work. Specifically, the City’s Hotel Occupancy Tax revenue, which funds City arts grants, was depressed by 50% in both 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. To provide critical, continued support to artists and nonprofits negatively impacted by the pandemic, HAA extended 2020 contacts into 2021, using 2021 HOT income to ensure 2020 grantees were able to complete their important arts programs for Houstonians and visitors. With City support, HAA also provided maximum flexibility to all grantees to adjust their grant-funded programming in scale, scope, type, or format. Grantees were encouraged to re-envision their grant-funded work to meet limitations suddenly created by the pandemic’s impact on personal health, community connection, the economy, and their artistic vision.

For more information visit:

www.HoustonTX.gov

SPORTS: TEXANS USE STRONG PERFORMANCE FROM DAVIS MILLS AND REX BURKHEAD TO SHOCK THE CHARGERSH

By Brian Barefield, Sports Editor, www.StyleMagazine.com

Rex Buckhead, Houston Texans

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exans use strong performances from Davis Mills and Rex Burkhead to shock the Chargers Christmas came a day late for the Houston Texans, but the gift they received was cherished as much as opening it on December 25. The Texans used a strong performance from rookie quarterback Davis Mills and veteran running back Rex Burkhead to defeat the Los Angeles Chargers 41-29 at NRG Stadium.

"It was fun," said Mills. "I feel like it was a great team win.

We were kind of firing on all three cylinders – offense, defense, and special teams. We had a lot of guys who just recently got signed or

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just had the opportunity to get their name called and come in, step up and play well. A lot of guys did that. The team showed a lot of fight."

Mills, who was drafted in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans, was very efficient on the day, throwing for 254 yards and two touchdown passes. His poise in the pocket and decision-making impressed head coach David Culley as the Texans won consecutive games for the first time since late November 2021.

"Our quarterback was able to execute what we asked him to do, and that's what his job is to do," said coach Culley after the game. "Protect the ball and get us in the end zone, and our offense

December 30, 2021 - January 05, 2022

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did a good job of that today."

The Texans' offense clicked so well against the Chargers because they found something they had been missing during the season—a running game. Rex Burkhead was able to find some space to operate on Sunday as he finished the game with a career-high 149 yards rushing and two touchdowns.

"You know, it's all great," Burkhead said about reaching his career-high in rushing yards. "But I'm more happy we got the victory. That's two in a row for us. And we're just trying to get better as a team, better as a unit each and every week. We've got two more opportunities for us left in this season. And it was awesome to see everybody contribute."

Houston took advantage of a depleted Los Angeles team who, like the Texans, had a significant number of starters and reserves out on defense due to COVID-19 related symptoms that placed them in the NFL's Health and Safety Protocol.

The Texans will now head to the West Coast to take on another California team in the San Francisco 49ers, who are also in playoff contention. Could Houston upset another team that controls their own destiny and get their third consecutive victory? If they can get another performance from Mills and Burkhead, they could be celebrating another "Victory Monday."

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HEALTH: HOUSTON TO OPEN COVID-19 TESTING SITE TO MEET RISING DEMAND By www.StyleMagazine.com

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contagious than previous strains and causing more breakthrough infections, testing is an important tool to slow the spread," said David Persse, chief medical officer for the city of Houston, in a statement.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend an individual get tested after having close contact with someone with confirmed COVID-19. Persse also recommended people get tested if they recently participated in a gathering with people who do not live in their homes.

Appointments are required for the new site and can be made on Curative's website or by calling 888-702-9042.

There is no cost to get tested or vaccinated at city sites, and individuals do not need to show proof of residency, citizenship or insurance to get tested. Additional info on the city's testing sites can be found here.

The site will be closed Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.

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t’s The city of Houston is partnering with the health care startup company Curative to launch a new COVID-19 drive-thru testing site.

The site is set to open 9 a.m. Dec. 29 at Delmar Stadium, 2020 Mangum Road, Houston. It will operate daily from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. with an initial capacity of approximately 1,000 daily tests, according to a Dec. 28 press release from the Houston Health Department.

Houston's new testing site is opening as a rising demand for tests in the city has led to longer wait times, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said in a statement.

“As omicron cases surge in Houston and across the country, I applaud people for getting tested before traveling, gathering with loved ones or returning to work," Turner said. "Testing and vaccination will help slow the virus spread and save lives.”

The number of COVID-19 cases confirmed per day in the Texas Medical Center and the number of new COVID-19 patients admitted to TMC hospitals per day are both on the rise, with more than 5,000 people testing positive for the virus Dec. 26.

“With omicron being much more

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December 30, 2021 - January 05, 2022

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CULINARY: NEW YEAR EATING TRADITIONS

By Alex Jack - Food Writer, www.StyleMagazine.com

Mixed Greens and Turkey Necks (Money), Black Eyed Peas (Fortune & Prosperity) and Sweet & Spicy Curry Ribs (Prosperity)

C

an you believe it is already 2022? It came so quickly! However, no matter how quick it comes, one thing remains the same, New year's dinner traditions that my family and so many others still live by. My Mom took over the tradition from my grandmother, Daphine Brown after she passed away in 1989. Despite never meeting her, she still lives on in the New Year's traditions. Those that have been reading with me for a while now know I love food history. Today I will be exploring a few New Year's food traditions that we love on our table.

Let's start with Black eye peas because even if you don't like them, my family will not let you leave our house without at least a spoon. Black-eye peas are a symbol of good fortune and luck.

According to history, eating black-eyed peas with rice is African in origin. In my recipe, I love to add smoked turkey necks, sausage and if I'm feeling fancy, I'll do both.

Since we are on the subject of meat, let us discuss, PORK.

As a former FFA pig farmer, I am a pork advocate, and as we know pigs "root forward" meaning that eating pork will push you forward to luck and prosperity. My mom is known for her chitterlings and people come from all over the city to try them. Most of us are very familiar with how we as people started eating the chitterlings. For many of us, it's a reminder of even when we were given the scraps, we "root forward" and make the best of it. For those that don't like chitterlings, you are just fine eating ribs, loin, ham, or sausage. As for me, I will be having my "chitlins" with catsup and hot sauce.

Greens are another staple on the New Year's Day table.

Greens are green like MONEY! We all are looking for a prosperous bank account in the new year. You don't have to just have collard greens, but mustard, turnip, kale, or even chard will do. My mom makes a mean traditionally cooked mustard green with salt jowl, garlic, onions, and spices. I have recently found a love for sautéed collard greens. No matter

how you cook them, just make sure you get your bite of money greens!

Black-eyed peas with rice (fertility and wealth) are not complete without cornbread. Cornbread represents gold. My dad makes the best jiffy cornbread. In our house, we grew up on cornbread and milk. So, on new year's my siblings and I might be found with a bowl of golden cornbread and milk. I also like a savory cornbread cooked in a cast-iron skillet with corn and butter. The cast-iron skillet gives those amazingly crispy edges. No matter how you have it, cornbread represents spending money in the New Year, and we need plenty of that.

Lastly, as New Year's Day comes to a close, we always end it with perfectly fried fish. Fish is another thing that you must have because it is filled with abundance! Fish like salmon or cod are good but Catfish is the fish of choice. As a matter of fact, we go to DeRidder, LA to Sunrise Catfish Farm for fresh fish! Each bite of good fish you have is a bite closer to reaching your goals!

As we prepare for an amazing 2022, how we nourish our body is important. Since the beginning of time, we have used symbolism to boost our mindsets and put ourselves in the right direction.

As we take each bite with gratitude, we make way for a successful year with lots of prosperity, good fortune, love, and good health.

Thank you so much for riding with me this year! 2022 will be bigger and better. Sending love to my readers and KEEP EATING LOCAL HOUSTON in 2022!

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CULTURE: HOUSTON BLUES SOCIETY KEEPING THE BLUES ALIVE!

By Kathleen Coleman - Art and Entertainment Editor, www.StyleMagazine.com

C

The Cris Crochemore Band, Johnny Riley, and our youth showcase band Sugar Shock (from the Sugarland School of Rock.

an yThe definitions of the word society have many facets such as the aggregate of people living together in an ordered community, culture the community of people living in a particular country or region and having shared customs, laws, and organizations, an organization or club formed for a specific purpose or activity. The situation of being in the company of other people.

Synonyms related to the meaning of society are culture, community, fellowship, and companionship. The Houston Blues Society for 27 years has promoted our African American culture through music to complete American culture. A group of people that encourage blues music to live on nationally and pay tribute to living legends of the Blues. Blues music has a history of slavery in the cotton fields with self-expression in music. The feeling of home with every drum beat and guitar solo. Houston Blues Society is culture and fellowship through a shared history.

My father, Dr. John B. Coleman, gave me a front-row seat at JB’s Entertainment Center to hear great musicians BB King,

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Bobby Blue Bland, Johnny Taylor, Trudy Lynn Johnny Guitar Watson, Bobby Womack, and the dynamic blues comedian and singer Millie Jackson About ten years ago my friend singer Gloria Edwards introduced me to the Houston Blues Society and invited me to be a judge for the Houston Blues Challenge and introduced as the daughter of the owner of KCOH radio and JB’s Entertainment Center. I was home hearing the sounds of deep-rooted feelings. My brother Garnet Coleman owned a bar adjacent to JB’s, and my Uncle Clarence Coleman was the manager at JB’s Entertainment Center. Music was flowing.

The purpose of the organization is to provide for the study, research, and preservation of the blues culture and music unique to Houston, Texas, and the Texas Gulf Coast and for the continued development of the blues tradition in Houston, Texas, and increased public awareness of the existence and value of that tradition. As an Affiliate of The Blues Foundation (www.blues.org), HBS supports its Blues initiative in the Schools (BITS). By bringing the blues genre into the classroom, students learn these traditional subjects while

December 30, 2021 - January 05, 2022

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breaking down racial barriers and opening a dialogue about cultural diversity. This program contributes to preserving the Blues heritage and expanding its awareness by taking Blues music into the school systems, thereby providing a direct line to keep this great American genre relevant and thriving.

The Houston Blues Society’s annual Christmas party was at the historic Rockefellers on Sunday, December 19, 2021. It was a party with a purpose to showcase the youth band and bands chosen to attend the Memphis Blues Challenge in January. The Cris Crochemore Band, Johnny Riley, and our youth showcase band Sugar Shock (from the Sugarland School of Rock) will travel and represent Houston at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN, from January 19 thru January 22, 2022. The Sugar Shock performed the tune “I Believe” by Keesha Pratt Band, winner of the 2018 Blues Challenge. Keesha Pratt, Jewel (Teasing) Brown, Pee Wee Stephens, and Leonard Lowdown Brown.

One of the most significant aspects of the Houston Blues Society is direct funding to musicians through a fund me cash app and awarding senior musicians cash donation awards each year.

Singer Jewel Brown, former lead singer with Louis Armstrong.

In addition, an accomplished singer in her right. Jewel Brown had hardships from Hurricane Harvey, the 2020 Freeze and could not perform because of the Pandemic. Jewel Brown stated this assistance from the Houston Blues Society was welcomed and needed. These musicians in need of funding are on the Houston Blues Society’s website Join the Houston Blues Society to keep the blues alive.

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AUTO: 2021: THE REVOLUTIONARY YEAR IN PICKUP TRUCKS

By Peter Valdes-Dapena, www.CNN.com

T

he great American pickup truck has been basically one thing for quite awhile now: a big -- and always getting bigger -- gasor diesel-powered lane-hogging beast with a big open bed. Trucks like the Ford F-150 and GMC Sierra have gotten more comfortable with added luxury options like heated seats, foldout work desks and high-end stereos, but the basic formula has held steady.

There was a time when pickups came in a wide variety of shapes and sizes from Chevrolet El Camino muscle trucks to cute little Volkswagen pickups and even flat-faced "cab forward" trucks. Over time,

though, full-size and somewhat smaller midsize trucks of traditional size and shape have taken over. In the past year, though, some of that old breadth and creativity is returning as more Americans ditch cars for trucks.

About a decade ago, cars -- meaning not trucks or SUVs -- made up more than half of all vehicles sold in America, according to data from Cox Automotive, a company that owns various automotive websites and auto dealer services firms. Now only about 20% of Americans buy traditional passenger cars.

Pickups, on the other hand, have gone from less than 14% of the US market to now having

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just as much market share as cars. The remaining 60% of the market is mostly SUVs and some vans.

With more and more Americans buying trucks, companies like Ford, Stellantis and even Hyundai started looking for yet unexplored niches in the search for customers who never knew they wanted a truck.

Even for mid-size trucks, like the Toyota Tacoma and Ford Ranger, competition has been getting tougher. This year, Nissan came out with a (finally after more than a decade) redesigned Frontier. It's much more handsome, with a completely new body, new interior, and enough mechanical improvements to make a viable competitor to the well-aged Tacoma, the undisputed king of this category. Not surprisingly, sales of the new Frontier are up briskly, according to Cox Automotive.

Trucks got much smaller Going even smaller, Ford came out with the Maverick. At a glance it looks like just a small pickup, but under its conservative exterior, it breaks all the rules. Sharing much of its engineering with the Ford Escape and Bronco Sport SUVs -- although it looks nothing like either one -- the Ford Maverick can be purchased with all-wheel-

drive but the base model is front-wheeldrive. That's almost unheard of for a pickup.

Normally, base model pickups are rear-wheel-drive, putting the powered wheels underneath the cargo bed for the best traction when carrying heavy loads. The Maverick's $20,000 base model, less than half the price of the average new vehicle, is a hybrid as well. Hybrid trucks are not new.

Ford sells a hybrid version of the F-150 but, with the Maverick, Ford made the hybrid the default entry-level version, making hybridization the norm.

But for all its hidden oddities, the Maverick still looks, basically, like a pickup.

It has a squared-off front end and a simple grid-like grille. Its cargo bed and the cab, the part where people sit, don't quite meet at right angle like they do in most trucks, but that fact is partly hidden by black plastic.

Ford designers clearly went out of their way to make the Maverick look like a traditional pickup.

For more information visit:

www.CNN.com

December 30, 2021 - January 05, 2022

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2021

SEE MORE + PHOTOS AND EVENTS

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H Bisong Art Gallery: 2021 Trapez Art Exhibition H 2021 Trapez Art Exhibition featuring artist Wayne Bell and HBCU scholarship fundraiser. In attendance Claude & DeAnna Green - Nydan Group, Ige Johnson - Remax Owner, Mr & Mrs. Sean Roberts - Roberts Markland LLP, Carla Bisong - Bisong Art Gallery, Edward Pollard - Council Member, District J, Stephanie Lyons and Wynter Paterson - MC, TV Personality Own Nwtwork just to name a few. Photo credit Dorian Mair and Taylor Hayden.

2021

SEE MORE + PHOTOS AND EVENTS

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H Annual Holiday Toys For Kids H

Congresswomen Sheila Jackson Lee was the Honorary Host of the “Toys for Kids” ensuring that underprivileged children of Houston have a reason to celebrate the Holidays with JOY! This year we provided over 5,000 Toys * 100 Bicycles * 150 Brand New Laptops * 2,000 Lunches to our Houston Families! Photos courtesy of Sheila Jackson Lee Social Media.

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