Houston Style Magazine vol 31 No. 2

January 9 – January 15, 2020

Houston’s Premiere Weekly Publication

Volume 30 | Number 2

Complimentary

Jesse Jackson

Trump Committed to War Without End?

Teaching “Those Kids” Identifying Kids in a Deficit Mindset Culture

One-on-One With

Queen of the South Star Hemky Madera Words by Lisa Valadez and Photography Courtesy of Hemky Madera

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Roxie’s Like a Boss

N E W S | C O M M E N TA R I E S | S P O R T S | H E A LT H | E N T E R TA I N M E N T Support Black Owned Businesses

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January 9 – January 15, 2020

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06 Publisher Francis Page, Jr. Associate Publisher Lisa Valadez Managing Editor Jo-Carolyn Goode editorial@stylemagazine.com

First Latina Director In the National Film Registry

Social Media Editor/Videographer Reginald Dominique reggiedominique@me.com

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Sports Editor Brian Barefield

NATIONAL WRITERS

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

PHOTOGRAPHERS VICKY PINK vhpink@gmail.com William Ealy Williamealy1906@gmail.com

Tips for a Stress-Free Tax Season

Semetra Samuel semetra@artistikrebelcreative.com

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Mike Munoz artrepreneur91@gmail.com Robert Franklin editorial@stylemagazine.com

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

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January 9 – January 15, 2020

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COMMENTARY

Trump Committed to War Without End?

By Jesse Jackson, National Political Writer U.S. presidents now claim the right -- and have the capability -- of targeting and assassinating anyone in any place, foreigner or citizen, if they decide -- on the basis of secret and often scanty intelligence -- that person may be considering an attack on U.S. allies or soldiers or representatives sometime in the future.

They call this potential threat evidence of an “imminent attack” to pay mock respect to the international law that they are trampling.

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t has come to this. An impeached president -- still pending trial in the Senate -- orders the assassination of one of Iran’s leading generals across the world where he is meeting with the leader of Iraq, a supposed ally. He does so without consultation, much less approval, of the Congress. Besieged at home, he lashes out abroad.

This president ran on the promise that he would end the “endless wars “in the Middle East. Earlier, he ordered and then wisely called off bombing strikes on Iran, saying that he did not want a war. Now he claims that he has acted to stop a war, not start one. He is either deliberately misleading the American people or he is deluding himself. Assassination of a foreign official is not the road to peace; violence almost inevitably begets violence. He has acted on what his own officials call “razor thin” evidence, shocking his own military advisers.

POLITICAL

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im Kardashian West will likely check “Black or African American” on the US 2020 Census form when marking the race of her children.

In several interviews with various media outlets, the famous media personality and businesswoman, who lives in the San Fernando Valley near Calabasas, has said she’s very conscious of race when it comes to her and rapper Kanye West’s four children.

Kardashian, who is half-White and half-Armenian, has said she identifies the race of her children as “Black” and says the advocacy she has recently been involved in: addressing racial inequities in the criminal justice system—is partly inspired by the race of her children.

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General Qassim Suleimani is portrayed as a terrorist with American blood on his hands. But he was not a stateless terrorist. He was a high official in a foreign government with which we are not at war. Assassinating him is an act of war. Ironically, Iran and the Shiite militias in Iraq that Soliemani guided were leading -- if unacknowledged -allies in the fight against ISIS, who were largely Sunnis. Similarly, those who attacked the U.S. on 9/11 were Sunnis, almost all from Saudi Arabia, funded largely by Saudi money. The Taliban in Afghanistan are Sunni. The attack on Yemen is led by Saudi Arabia, which is Sunni. Iran fought against ISIS in Iraq and Syria. Yet, somehow, it has become Trump’s leading target.

The road to this escalating conflict can be traced back to Trump’s perverse hatred of all things achieved by Barack Obama. One of his first acts was to pull the U.S. out of the Iran nuclear pact, over the objections of our allies and his own military advisers. He ramped up sanctions on Iran, seeking to force

them to surrender to a “better deal.”

The result has been escalating tensions and violence, as Iran has demonstrated -- in attacks on Saudi oil facilities and on tankers in the Persian Gulf -- that it has the capacity to strike back. Now, after the assassination, the entire region girds itself for the retaliation that has already been promised.

This is utter folly. Under George Bush, the U.S. destabilized this region with its invasion of Iraq. That calamity has fostered escalating violence across the region. President Obama added to the mess seeking regime change in Syria and in Libya, spreading the chaos.

Trump was right when he said it was time for the U.S. to get out of the Middle East. We have no stake in the spreading conflict between Sunni and Shiites. We have no desire to send the hundreds of thousands of troops needed to win a war or enforce a peace. All we are doing is squandering American lives and resources in an armed presence that simply adds to the violence without leading to a resolution.

Why has Trump abandoned his campaign promise? Why did he abandon his wise decision not to strike Iran earlier?

The only thing that has changed is that he has been impeached. Is he ramping up violence abroad to distract from the overwhelming evidence of his offenses?

Is he using the U.S. military as a political campaign prop?

The next move is now in Iran’s hands.

If the regime reacts predictably by striking back, Trump’s assassination will lead to escalating violence. Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, and soon all are left without sight and without teeth.

Iran could -- if its leaders can rise above their grief and their anger -- use this moment to take an initiative for peace, calling on our allies to join in convening a negotiation, opening a path that leads to less violence and greater exchange.

Trump may not wish to respond, but surely our allies in Europe would jump at the chance.

Clearly Congress must assert its constitutional war powers and limit the license of this or any president to wage war -- or to assassinate foreign leaders -- on a whim. It must insist on public hearings that review the basis for the assassination. We need major hearings on what we are doing in the Middle East and how we begin to get the troops home. The Congress needs to pass a renewed war powers resolution instructing the president to bring the troops home, not send ever more of them to the region. If the Congress cannot curb a rogue president, then this Republic is in deep trouble. And the American people and its soldiers are headed deeper into wars without victory and without end.

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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African-American or Other? Selecting Your Race and Ethnicity on the US 2020 Census Form

By Aldon Thomas Stiles | California Black Media/BlackVoiceNews.com On this year’s census form, Kardashian’s other option for checking the race box to identify her children would be to select “Other.” That’s if she chooses to count them as bi-racial or mixed race.

Race and ethnicity have often been – and continue to be – controversial and misunderstood census categories. Experts suggest that some people might be confused about the difference between the two.

On the 2020 census forms, there will be six ways people can identify their race: American Indian or Alaska Native; Asian; Black or African American; White; Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander; and Other.

Options will also be available for respondents to include an ethnic identification, too. For instance, a Trinidadian-American of African descent may select “Black or African American” under the racial category and write in “Trinidadian” under the ethnic category.

According to the Census Bureau, “Overlap of race and Hispanic ethnicity is the main comparability issue.” For example, the U.S. Census Bureau includes Black Hispanics in both the number of Blacks and in the number of Hispanics.

Dr. Walter Hawkins, former California State University San Bernardino Director of Research and Policy Analysis, helped

January 9 – January 15, 2020

clear some of that confusion by detailing the numerous ways people can self-identify on US 2020 Census forms, mentioning the “100 percent count.”

“Under the Census Bureau, in order to get the 100 percent count, they have to use what’s called the ‘Hispanic exclusive method’ because a person who is Hispanic can be any race. So, if you do not take that into consideration, you end up with over 100 percent,” said Hawkins.

Hawkins stated that this distinction affects the overall count for African Americans in California.

“The Black alone ‘non-Hispanic’ population in California is about 2.2 million compared to about 2.7 million if all racial and ethnic combinations are included,” Hawkins said.

Hawkins noted that much of the complication with racial self-identification originated from an old census rule called “head of household.”

“If you marked ‘Black,’ your whole house was Black. And if you marked ‘White,’ your whole house was White,” Hawkins said.

Data collected during national censuses, which the federal government conducts every 10 years, directly impacts not only the availability but also the quality of services in communities, according to Dr. Anthony

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Asadullah Samad, Executive Director of the Mervyn Dymally African American Political and Economic Institute (MDAAPEI) at California State University Dominguez Hills.

Inaccurate census counts can lead to billions of dollars lost in government funding for states and local communities. That loss of cash can be critical for already under-served neighborhoods that rely on federal and state tax dollars for social programs, healthcare, infrastructure, schools and other local public services. Census counts also determine the number of representatives a state is allotted in the US Congress.

“Cultural identity is important to every community. First, in understanding presence. Second, in understanding population growth,” Samad said. “Every ethnicity faces this challenge in the upcoming census, including Latinos and Asian Pacific Islanders, because demographic descriptions speak to a particular community’s service needs.”

According to Samad, African Americans have been at a disadvantage in this regard.

“For the last three censuses, there have been African-American undercounts,” Samad said. “The only ethnicity with larger undercounts have been Native Americans, largely due to their populations being on sovereign lands that limit census-taker access.”

EDUCATION

Teaching “Those Kids” – 3 Easy Signs to Identify “Those Kids” in a Deficit Mindset Culture

By Dr. Kimberly McLeod, Education Writer kind of imaginable way and the data reflects that frustration. When you see a child and you are only able to see the negative attributes about them, or you are unable to see them beyond typical stereotypes or biases. You or someone you know is teaching or leading with a deficit mindset. “Those kids” are the single most targeted group of students in a deficit mindset culture. So, who are “those kids” and who are the teachers and principals leading them?

3 Easy Signs to Identify “Those Kids” in a Deficit Mindset Culture.

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ho are “those kids”? They are the love interest of a deficit mindset culture. They are the kids that never seem to “fit in”.

They are group of kids that schools get frustrated with the most in every

Sign Number 1: Walk through your in-school suspension room (ISS), and review your out of school suspension data. I guarantee you that you will see patterns and trends. When you walk through your ISS room on different days, different months and different times and see the same demographics.

You’ve just found “those kids”. Now that you know who they are build a culture that includes them and not excludes them.

Sign Number 2: Walk through your special education classrooms, especially classrooms that are for children that

have a label of emotionally disturbed (ED). What do you see? You don’t have to tell me, I already know. If your school reflects current research, you saw more African-American boys than any other demographic subset. African-American boys are a particular favorite of a deficit mindset culture. Knowledge is power, now that you have the knowledge, liberate them. There is a national epidemic of the over-identification of African-American boys as emotionally disturbed. Guess what, not all of them are ED, they just need a better school cultural fit. So build it. You’re the teacher/leader right?

Sign Number 3: Now that you are beginning to understand and recognize who “Those kids” are, take a stroll through your advanced placement and gifted and talented classrooms. What do you see? Spoiler alert, according to research you are probably seeing, “our kids”. “Our kids” are the protected, celebrated and most successful students on a campus, they fit in. “Our kids” are the accepted and valued group of kids and people talk about them with joy and pride. “Those kids” are probably absent from gifted and talented and advanced

placement rooms or are present in low numbers. You can create a culture in which, “those kids” become “our kids”, if you choose to.

“Those kids” are the detached ones that are separated from the “our kids” language. They are the outliers of traditional, mainstream America. “Those kids” are the kids that schools are having the most difficulty reaching and are significantly impacting accountability scores. They are stereotyped as coming from a culture that traditional systems don’t understand. We can reach them.

You can teach them. Find them and make them “your” kid and not “that” kid.

Dr. Kimberly McLeod is a 25-year education professional and an expert consultant in the field of cultural responsiveness. To get more solutions on reaching and teaching “those kids” with “that (deficit) mindset” visit www.

CreativeEnergy.co. Connect with Dr. McLeod on Twitter @mcleodkr, FB/drkmcleod, Linkedin/KimberlyMcLeod or email DrKMcLeod@gmail.com. Share this story online at www.stylemagazine. com.

Don’t just dream it...

DRIVE IT! JANUARY 22-26 Tickets available at HoustonAutoShow.com www.stylemagazine.com

January 9 – January 15, 2020

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BRIEFS

Ken Jones

Houston Ranks 32 in 100 Best Cities in the World

Federal Judge Dismisses Claim Against Harris County DA in Wrongful Conviction Case TexasMonitor.org

mart, skilled and soulful, Houston is the American city of the future.”

That is the description of Houston

by Resonance Consultancy, a strategic business marketing, development and research company, which recently released its 2020 World’s Best Cities Ranking. Houston is ranked number 32 out of 100 cities around the world and is the highest ranking Texas city on the list. The World’s Best Cities Ranking is based on original methodology and is considered to be the most comprehensive ranking system that exists because it uses the opinions of the people whose views matter most: visitors, investors, talent and residents. The program was developed to measure the relative quality of place, reputation and competitive identity for the world’s principal cities with metropolitan populations of one million or more.

ederal Judge Lee Rosenthal dismissed a claim against Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg brought by a former death row inmate who was wrongfully convicted.

The judge said in a Dec. 20 opinion that Alfred Dewayne Brown suing Ogg individually is redundant with his suing the county, another defendant in his pending legal claim, the Houston Chronicle reported. Brown, now 37, brought the lawsuit in June 2017 to seek compensation for the 12 years he spent in prison before a retired police investigator found an old audio recording in his garage that corroborated the Houston man’s alibi. Brown was sent to death row in 2005 for the fatal shooting of a police officer during a botched robbery of a check-cashing store, the newspaper reported.

Noose Photo Stirring Up Controversy in Harris County HoustonPress.com

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photo of Harris County Constable candidate Ken Jones has resurfaced on the Internet causes a lot of controversy. Some residents are up in arms over the image because of its offensive nature due to the history of noose used in lynching and other acts of hate duVVVring the turbulent times of slavery. According to the Houston Press Jones has said that the photo of him with the noose that part of the display at the Fredericksburg Trade Days for Texas lawman Judge Roy Bean was taken as a prop for his warning to a Facebook hacker. However, residents are not buying it. He claims his opponent and current Constable Sherman Eagleton, a black man, is just making a big deal out of the situation.

Texas Gov Greg Abbott

HoustonPublicMedia.org

large majority of the country’s governors have told the Trump administration that their states will continue accepting refugees, but with less than three weeks left to make up his mind, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott hasn’t made clear if he’ll add his name to that list. Governors, mayors, county judges and other elected officials have until Jan. 21 to notify the U.S. State Department if they will continue participating in the refugee resettlement program. The deadline comes after a September executive order that requires resettlement agencies to have written consent from states and local entities before they resettle refugees within their boundaries. As of Thursday, 39 governors and 86 mayors and other local authorities had provided consent, according to reports. Abbott has said that he would consider the issue when it “reached his desk.”

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F

Jovita Carranza

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Remains Quiet On Whether The State Will Opt Out Of Refugee Program

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S

StyleMagazine.com Newswire

he Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau failed to properly report its income to the IRS, resulting in an investigation and fines from the Internal Revenue Service in October, emails obtained by The Texas Monitor show. Those emails, between bureau officials and the IRS, show that the bureau, also known as VisitDallas, failed to correctly report its employment tax contributions for two tax years and also improperly reported advertising revenue. While the amounts involved are relatively small — the fines for the employment tax misstatements totaled $2,574 — the accounting problems show that the scope of the agency’s financial reporting failures may be more extensive than thus far publicly acknowledged.

Patricia Cardoso

Trump’s Nominee to Lead SBA Commits to Expand Resources to Black Businesses

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T

IRS Joins List of Those With Questions for VisitDallas TexasMonitor.org

BlackEnterprise.com

s a new year begins, obtaining financing remains among the largest obstacles blocking many black-owned businesses from growing and reaching new heights. The lingering problem comes after the Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship voted 17-2 in December to approve Jovita Carranza’s nomination to serve as the new administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). No votes came from Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Ed Markey (D-Mass). Carranza, who has served as deputy administrator of the SBA and is currently U.S. treasurer, was nominated

by President Trump in April 2019 to oversee the SBA. Her selection came after the federal agency’s previous administrator, Linda McMahon, stepped down. Carranza must go before the full Senate for consideration.

January 9 – January 15, 2020

Census Studied Citizenship Question Even After Losing in Supreme Court

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Cronkitenews.azpbs.org

ven as it was losing the fight to put a citizenship question on the 2020 Census, the bureau was running tests last summer that it now claims show the question would not have affected response rates. That finding will not affect the 2020 Census, but advocates say it is a distraction they don’t need as they try to get historically undercounted groups to trust in the process and fill out the census forms. And, they charge, the findings are just wrong. The bureau’s most recent findings fail to account for how residual fear on the citizenship question could have deterred people from participating in the test, they charge. The bureau declined interview requests, pointing instead to earlier statements on its website.

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Patricia Cardoso Is the First Latina Director In the National Film Registry

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NBCNews.com

he award-winning filmmaker Patricia Cardoso is the first Latina director to be included in the National Film Registry at the Library of Congress after her groundbreaking film “Real Women Have Curves” was added to the registry. The 2002 movie stars America Ferrera in coming-of-age tale about a first-generation Mexican American teen’s struggles to fulfill her dreams amid her transition to adulthood. The charmingly funny film takes a subtle look at themes like mother-daughter relationships, the immigrant experience in the United States and the perception of feminine beauty, as well as body standards. Ferrera was 18 when she starred in “Real Women Have Curves,” marking her film debut before she gained stardom for her leading role in the acclaimed TV series “Ugly Betty” a few years later.

BUSINESS C

omcast announced that its next-generation xFi Advanced Gateway, it’s first device capable of delivering true multi-gigabit speeds, will begin rolling out to customers in the coming months. Comcast, the nation’s largest gigabit speed provider, now becomes one of the first U.S. Internet Service Providers to offer a WiFi 6 Certified gateway delivering faster speeds, ultimate capacity, lower latency and best-in-class WiFi coverage throughout the home.

Xfinity Internet power users are connecting on average 50 devices in the home per month and, globally, an additional 100 million smart home devices are expected to be added to home networks by 2023 (Strategy Analytics).

The xFi Advanced Gateway is designed

on the planet to continue to deliver on our promise of bringing our customers a great broadband experience,” said Kunle Ekundare, Director of Product and Hardware Management, Comcast.

“The xFi Advanced Gateway is truly the best Internet product we’ve ever built, and we’re thrilled to be bringing our customers into the future with Wi-Fi 6.” for high-performance users to handle more capacity for even more smart home devices coming online today and in the future. This gateway delivers exceptionally lower latency for an unrivaled cloud and online gaming, 4K video streaming, and VR and AR experiences, as these applications increasingly become mainstream.

The gateway also provides unprecedented WiFi signal range, blanketing the vast majority of most homes with ultra-fast speeds. Combined with xFi pods, customers can create their own personalized mesh WiFi networks throughout their home.

“We designed the next-generation Advanced Gateway to be the fastest, smartest and most powerful WiFi device

Not only is the xFi Advanced Gateway one of the best performing gateways on the market, but it also comes with xFi – a simple, digital dashboard for Xfinity customers to control their home WiFi network. In addition to parental control features like pausing WiFi and screen time scheduling, xFi provides content filters that ensure younger children can only access age-appropriate content. xFi now also comes with xFi Advanced Security, that protects all the devices connected to a customers’ home network from malware and other security threats. xFi can be accessed via the mobile app (iOS and Android), website, or on the TV, on X1 and Flex, with the Xfinity Voice Remote. The feature is available at no extra cost to the more than 18 million Xfinity Internet customers who lease a compatible xFi gateway.

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The new xFi Advanced Gateway will be available in the coming months to customers that subscribe to Xfinity Internet speed tiers of 300 Mbps or faster.

This next generation device is packed with: Four simultaneous dual-band antennas that support both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, allowing gigabits of data to move with ease.

A 2.5Gbps Ethernet port to support wired speeds greater than 1Gbps.

Bluetooth LE and Zigbee radios capable of connecting to virtually any IoT device.

Switchable mid-split support between 42MHz and 85MHz to allow greater upstream throughput.

The Gateway has the ability to deliver multiple streaming services simultaneously over WiFi throughout the home.

The xFi Advanced Gateway has the same sleek design as the original, but comes in white to easily blend in to most homes.

January 9 – January 15, 2020

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FEATURE

One-on-One With Queen of the South Star Hemky Madera

By Lisa Valadez

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ithout a doubt, Hemky Madera is a rising star. Every role he has been casted for, his stand out performances measure up to and often supersede the leading actor/actress.

From theatre to television, Madera is unstoppable.

wearing this? (we both laugh) –The back story is that Pote was being tortured. He was naked and he got away, found this big t-shirt and put it on.

Houston Style recently caught up with the talented actor for some insight on how he got into acting, his current projects, and what’s in store for the future.

Madera was running a few minutes late for our scheduled phone call interview. His dog had suffered an ear infection and he was en route to the veterinarian. (This warmed my heart – my favorite drug dealing, gangster television character is a dog lover!)

Houston Style Magazine: The name Hemky, I have never come across another person with that name. Where does the name derive from?

Hemky Madera: Depends on who you ask in the family. But my understanding is that my mother went to visit her twin sister and relatives in New York in 1977 when she was 6 ½ months pregnant.

There were some complications and she had to have a C-section. My aunt has a son named Henry so when she looked in the book of names – she actually named me – they named me Hemky Lewis (my father’s name is Lewis).

HSM: Tell us about growing up in the Dominican Republic.

HM: My father didn’t meet me until I was 2 months old. He didn’t have a Visa at the time, so he was unable to travel to the states. So once we were cleared from the hospital, my mom took me back to the DR. My father was working for the phone company at the time and my mother worked for my uncle who owned a rice factory. Eventually, my parents left me with my paternal grandmother and my parents went to New York to make a better living for a year. They saved their money, bought merchandise, and my mother opened her clothing store in the DR. Then, when I was 10 years old, I went to live with my aunt and uncle for one year in New York where I went to school.

My parents were running their store but would fly to NY every 3 weeks to buy merchandise and stay for a week. It was hard but I never felt like I was neglected – we have a very big family.

(During our phone interview, Hemky pauses to play with his dog as I anxiously wait for him to use his Queen of the South character voice. He continues to talk about his family as he drops off his dog and picks up his son from school. And again, I’m in awe because I am picturing him in his “Pote” attire while performing these fatherly duties.)

HSM: What prompted you to want

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to be an actor?

HM: When I was 5 years old, I remember having cable in the DR and I saw the movie “On the Waterfront” (in English) and I didn’t speak English but I was intrigued. I would watch movies and go outside and reenact certain scenes. I remember seeing the famous glove scene in this movie. And at that moment, I turned to my parents and said, “ I wanna do what he does”.

HSM: In the television series, Weeds, your character, Ignacio – the wrestling scenes – how did you prepare for the role and did you land the role immediately?

HM: I remember before I booked Weeds, I booked this campaign for a Hummer commercial, H3. I was waiting tables at the time doing calculations in my head about how much money I was going to make but then the ad agency had a dispute with the client and they reshot it with someone else. And I had quit my job at the time. I was thinking about going back to New York but then my agent at the time had got me an audition as a mechanic on Weeds and it was only going to be one episode. So I go in to audition and boom – they contact my agent and said, “We’re not going to give Hemky that role, that would be a waste of talent. I want to him to come back to see what he can do with the role of the Mayor. He is not gonna get it, that role is already cast but I want to see what he can do with it.” And I’m like – wait, I’m going in for something I’m not going to get. I’m like ok, sure. I had a motorcycle at the time and it didn’t start, so guess what? I was late. I was late by like 10 minutes. I had to literally walk there. So,

January 9 – January 15, 2020

I go in, I do my thing and right away one of the producers says, “you know what that was amazing – there is a role named Ignacio and it’s yours”. I’m like – cool, ok. Ignacio was supposed to be a 2-episode arc and that was it. I remember shooting the scenes for my character in one day. I shot the scene where I am asking Elizabeth Perkins to order me some food – I adlibbed the kiss – she was not expecting it but she stayed in character and because of that I wrote myself into the rest of the season! I am a fan of Mary-Louis Parker. She’s a great actress and unfortunately, I hardly had any scenes with her, however, following the scene I did have with her, she said to me, “Hemky, I just spoke to the writers.

I want more of you here – you’re an amazing actor”. And that’s what happened, how it happened – a 2-episode arc became a 3-season character. I felt great, welcomed, and respected.

HSM: Let’s talk about your Queen of the South “Pote” character. You are a fan favorite of the show.

HM: A funny story about Pote – the book and Spanish soap are such a success. I am a true fan. I audition for Teresa’s father but I felt too young for it. I felt that at least I would be seen if I audition. I get a call a few days later to audition for Pote but I’m told to put it on tape (instead of a live audition) because the show runners and producers were going to be in Mexico City for scouting.

So I’m like ok cool – I put myself on tape the day before Thanksgiving. It says in the description “Pote is tied up wearing an XXL Taylor Swift shirt” - and I’m like interesting – this guy is a bad ass but he’s

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So, I go to Hollywood Blvd - I’m 42 now but you’re talking about the fact that here is this 38 year old man (at the time) looking in every gift shop store looking for an XXL Taylor Swift t-shirt – so you can imagine all the looks I got, like – ummm….no sir, please move on. (No lie, I was so excited hearing this story but I had to contain myself). So finally I get to the 8th or maybe 10th store and finally this one guy tells me about a spot that they print t-shirts and kind of laughs while saying “I recommend that you go there”. So I go there and long story short, I finally get the XXL Taylor Swift shirt. So, I put myself on tape and send the tape in. Quick note: my wife helped me. She graduated from NYU as an actor. She’s a singer/songwriter and recently released her EP and is about to release her album. She is the one that puts me on tape and I send it in. On Thanksgiving morning, I get out the shower, look out the window and I see some new neighbors that just moved in.

So after I get dressed, I tell my wife that I am going to say hi to the new neighbor.

So I step out and I’m like “hi, welcome to the neighborhood” – and these 2 guys turn around and one of them says – oh hi Hemky, we’re waiting for your tape. And at that point, in a fraction of a second, I’m like holy shit – these are the show runners of the show “Queen of the South” – so of course, I played it very cool and I tell them that I just mailed the tape off yesterday. We say our goodbyes and I hurry back to the house, I go upstairs and I go “mami, mami (heavily breathing and staggeringly saying my words) – the show runners – queen of the south – they’re our new neighbors!! And eventually I get the call that says congratulations Hemky, you got it, it’s yours. Me? Without testing?

And they’re like – yes, without testing, it’s yours. Then, the next day I get a call back – “Hemky I’m so sorry, somebody made a mistake, it’s not yours yet, they need to test you”. Well, I couldn’t test because I was going to be working on another project, Cocaine Cowboys – but I was told not to worry because they were going to test me from the tape I had submitted. A week later – I get the call – it’s official – the role of Pote is yours. Going back to the voice, the voice of Pote - I read the script and started watching documentaries about sicarios and narcos and the Mexican mafia – everything you could imagine. I fly to Mexico to shoot the pilot. When it came to wardrobe – they wanted to keep me with a beard and I’m like “no, I see him with his hair slicked back and a thick mustache and sideburns like I used to see when I was growing up in the DR. I used to see these Mexican movies and

FEATURE

One-on-One With Queen of the South Star Hemky Madera that is how I pictured Pote”.

So of course, as soon as I put the clothes on, the big belt buckle and the jewelry, and at that moment, that’s when the voice happened. My voice just got deep and I slowed it down. It became slow and very dark. No disrespect to the guy that did the soap opera. He did a great job but I didn’t want to be a carbon copy. I always saw Pote as, well, “you don’t wanna mess with Pote” - which going back to Ignacio’s character – he was a funny, quirky tough guy but he was just a complete buffoon.

HSM: (As I interviewed him – I was doing a live tweet feed so that fans could ask me questions and the 2 most asked questions were if his voice was really that of Pote’s and was his mustache real.)

HM: Yes, the mustache is very real.

HSM: (Madera begins speaking about his co-star Alice Braga who plays Teresa Mendoza on Queen of the South) HM: The relationship that Alicia and I have, it’s like brother and sister. From day one, we became real close and she’s now like an aunt to my kids, she’s family.

We have lots of fun on set. I’m a prankster. I prank. I have fun – the wrath of Hemky is coming on set! I respect

people’s journeys and I don’t disrespect people while they are working but I do like to have fun. I mean, if I’m not having fun, then why am I doing this?

HSM: I know you’ve worked with some Hollywood heavy hitters. Is there an actor or actress or director that you would like to work with in the future?

HM: Oh, wow. James Gunn, I wanna work with him so bad. I was actually offered a role in Suicide Squad but unfortunately I could not do it because it was in direct conflict with Queen of the South. When I did Spiderman Homecoming, it was great, Tom [Holland] is such a great guy, great kid, fun to work with.

HSM: “I’m a leading man who does character work”, this is your quote from a past interview. Can you elaborate on this quote?

HM: Back in that moment in time when the leading man was very handsome, tall, thin, all that stuff – in that moment in time – when I stated that quote, I was a leading man and I know I was capable of what I was doing.

HSM: What is next for you? You mentioned shooting some episodes for the new Perry Mason

HM: I am doing a 4 episode recurring role. It is a period piece, which is always amazing. It’s [Perry Mason] on HBO and it’s with Matthew Rhys and I get to work with Veronica Falcon again [Camila Vargas on queen of the south]. She is doing a recurring role as well.

Madera made this interview one of the best that I have had in quite some time.

When speaking about his career, family, and even his wife’s career, his excitement and passion were quite apparent – even over the telephone. I didn’t want the conversation to end and I even tried to sneak in a dinner invite – which at that point, he stated that he comes to Houston often. So maybe it’s a possibility?

For Pote fans, Queen of the South has been renewed for its fifth season, making the show the longest-running scripted series on USA Network. So now is the time to catch up on the show! Also, for those of you that haven’t watched the show, get on those streaming aps and start now. What are you waiting for?

You can also catch up with Madera’s latest project, Perry Mason, an HBO production, which is slated to debut this year.

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January 9 – January 15, 2020

9

SPORTS

Significant Change – Houston Heads Back To Kansas City City Looking For The Same Results From Week 6

By Brian Barefield, Sports Editor

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ost people can look back at any point in time and remember a significant event that has changed their lives. Whether it be the birth of a child or being the first in the family to graduate college. Events like that are what you look back on as you succeed in life.

For the Houston Texans that significant event was October 13, 2019, when they had their first signature win in the last three seasons by defeating 2020 Super Bowl contender and 2019 AFC Championship game participant, Kansas City Chiefs. Houston won by a score of 31-24 in Arrowhead Stadium as they would use that win to propel them to another seven victories and secure their second AFC South title in as many years.

Houston will head back to Arrow-

How to Re-Watch Hollywood History

By Family Features

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treaming media is transforming TV and movie watching, but the convenience and ability to binge watch favorite shows aren’t the only benefits.

Super-fans of a specific actor or genre can geek out like never before thanks to unprecedented access to libraries filled

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head Stadium to take on the Chiefs in the AFC Divisional Round on Sunday looking to repeat what they did earlier in the season.

“I think since it happened this year, you have to watch the game and see relative to what you did in that game, what they did, and then, relative to what is going on right now with both teams,” said Texans head coach Bill O’ Brien. “I do think that both teams are different.

I do think that over the course of a season, based on a lot of things, whether it’s injuries or scheme or whatever, that things can change, but you definitely have to go back and look at that as a reference point.”

The Texans are coming off a huge playoff victory as they used a second half rally to defeat the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Wildcard game last Saturday

by a score of 22-19 in overtime. After falling behind by a score of 16-0, Houston scored 22 points led by quarterback Deshaun Watson who threw a short pass to seldomly used running back Taiwan Jones in overtime for a 34-yard pickup after almost being sacked by two Bills defensive players. Texans kicker Kaimi Fairbairn booted a 28-yard field goal to cap off the largest comeback from behind victory in the Bill O’Brien era.

“It was finding that one spark,” Deshaun Watson said after the game. They had the momentum. Honestly, they gave their best shot that first half. “All we had to do was just kind of get back in that routine and find that rhythm. This is what the NFL is about, especially the playoffs.”

Now Houston must use that same momentum as they will face a Chiefs

team looking to avenge their Week 6 loss at home to the Texans. For Houston to be successful they must stick to the ball control offense they used to rack up over 192 rushing yards. That mindset brought them back from a 17-3 deficit in that game as they used running back Carlos Hyde as much as they could. He would finish the game with 116 yards on 26 carries and one touchdown.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid plans on having his team better prepared in this, “Win or go home” battle.

“I feel like we’ve played each other so much over the years, it’s crazy,” Reid said. “I think they know us, and we know them. Heck, we didn’t play very well in the first game. We’ve got to play better, so that’s what we’re going to try to do. That’s what we’re working on right now.”

with beloved stars and film categories.

For example, before they were famous, many of Hollywood’s biggest stars appeared in smaller movies, such as low-budget horror films or indie teen comedies. Most people don’t even remember Bradley Cooper as one part of a romantic triangle in the offbeat comedic drama “Bending All the Rules,” or Gerard Butler in the tearjerker romance “One

More Kiss.”

“Before they were famous, many actors starred in projects they may not put on the top of their resumes,” pop culture expert Maude Garrett said. “Even Aquaman himself, Jason Momoa, played a werewolf in a small indie thriller called ‘Wolves.’”

The archives of the movie world are steadily growing as older films make their way into digital libraries and streaming servers. With an option like Tubi, the world’s largest free movie and TV service, you can always watch Hollywood blockbusters and acclaimed films, but you can also relive some of the campiest cult classics featuring today’s hottest stars. With more than 15,000 movies and TV shows accessible on more than 25 devices and platforms, the service is a destination for the hottest current titles, as well as the little-seen “gems” that often go overlooked.

Take a closer look at the early careers of today’s hottest names with these movies featuring famous actors before they became big stars: Jason Momoa in “Wolves” (2014), “DeBug” (2016) or “Sugar Mountain” (2015)

Gerard Butler in “One More Kiss” (2000) Cate Blanchett in “Little Fish” (2005) Bradley Cooper in “Bending All the Rules” (2011) To make the most of your viewing experience, put the right technology to work for you, no matter where or how you plan to enjoy your venture through Hollywood history: Quality audio. External noise distractions can ruin a great plot, but noise-cancelling headphones can put you back in the action in minutes by eliminating unwanted sound and letting you focus on the audio you want without interference.

Ample power. If you’re notorious for forgetting to charge your devices, or if you’re simply planning an extended trip, be sure you have plenty of backup power on-hand Explore more of your favorite actors and movies across the decades at Tubi.

TV. Photo courtesy of Getty Images (family watching TV)

January 9 – January 15, 2020

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HEALTH

Resolve to Make Real Nutrition a New Year Priority

By Family Features

A

new year signals a chance to renew your commitment to healthier eating, but many of the most popular diets, like the keto diet and paleo diet, eliminate entire food groups, which can cause you to fall short on nutrients you need.

For example, a study in the “Journal of Clinical Lipidology” suggests low-carb diets may not have meaningful longterm benefits for weight or heart health compared to other diets and could actually restrict foods that are good for your heart.

This new year, instead of jumping on restrictive diet bandwagons, focus instead on consuming real, wholesome foods you can still enjoy, like dairy milk, that deliver benefits backed by decades of research.

Consider these tips for incorporating nutrient-rich foods into a few trending diets to make them work for you.

Intermittent Fasting: Skipping meals could do more harm than good if you’re not getting the nutrients you need to be your best. A better bet: balanced, flavorful meals that incorporate multiple food groups. If you really want to try intermittent fasting, consider not eating past a certain time in the evening so you can “fast” throughout the night, and make sure to eat a nourishing breakfast in the morning, like oatmeal made with real

milk, topped with fruit and a handful of nuts.

Plant-Packed Plates: If you’re considering a vegetarian or plant-based diet in the new year, it’s important to pack the right nutrients into your meatless meals,

particularly protein, calcium, vitamin D and vitamin B12. Make sure you’re getting enough by enjoying a variety of plant-based foods like beans, nuts, fruits and vegetables along with some other thoughtfully chosen options. Real dairy milk is a good choice in a vegetarian

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diet, providing as much as eight times more protein than many non-dairy milk alternatives. Each 8-ounce glass is also a source of vitamin D, and an e xcellent source of calcium and vitamin B12.

Focus On Fats: If you’re keeping closer tabs on your fat intake, it’s important to choose the right ones and know that a growing body of evidence suggests not all saturated fats are the same. For example, whole milk, which has more dairy fat than skim or low-fat varieties, may actually help raise “good” cholesterol and could be considered part of a diet that’s also good for your heart, according to research in the “European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.”

Calorie Conscious: Monitoring the calories you consume versus the calories you burn through exercise and everyday activity can help manage the fuel your body needs. When you consistently burn more calories than you eat, you are more likely to effectively lose weight. However, that doesn’t mean you have to forgo all your favorite foods. For example, when it comes to dairy, swapping full-fat options for skim or low-fat alternatives is one way to receive the same nutrient package with less fat and calories.

Make better nutritional balance a priority this new year and find more advice and recipes at MilkLife.com.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

January 9 – January 15, 2020

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CULINARY

Go On a Culinary Adventure in Your Own City

By Jo-Carolyn Goode and TotallyRandie

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new decade deserves a break from your old routine. Don’t start 2020 by continuing to go to the same few restaurants because they are your favs, close by, or fit in your budget. Expand your horizon and your entire palette by exploring other culinary delights. Houston has some of the best cuisines in the US. I, along with our resident foodie TotallyRandie, was fortunate to sample a few extraordinary entrees on a Houston staycation where we explored some of our city’s best treasures. Join us on a culinary tour of Houston’s downtown.

Baldwin Lobby Bar When the day is just not going your way and any and everything that can go wrong has. All you want to do is try to forget and hit the reset button. Or maybe your girls are in town with an agenda to party all night long. Before the real party begins, a pre-festive turn up is mandatory to set the tone of the night.

No matter your itinerary the lobby bar at C. Baldwin Hotel will get you right with its amazing drinks, awesome food, and amusing atmosphere.

Pick your poison of vodka, tequila, gin, prosecco, bourbon, rum, or beer and pair it with one, two, three or more of their scrumptious appetizers. We suggest the Margherita or the Meat Lovers pizza with the Full Monty charcuterie.

There is enough protein to go around and it is needed very much to balance out the liquor your party will consume.

Stanton’s City Bites If the massive murals flanking the outside wall merging the past, present, and future doesn’t draw you in, the classic, grilled, plump, juicy burgers sure will.

The former grocery store is known for fresh ingredients with premium grade beef to make the best burgers in town.

On our visit, we tried their signature sliders. Trust us they live up to all the hype. What I found just as good were the fried pickles. It was the house ranch flavor batter that set these off for me.

Their unique flavorings are unlike any that I have tasted. All the media in attendance agreed because we ate all that Stanton’s had in stock that night.

Surprisingly is that this place known for burgers has so many options for nonbeef eaters like turkey burgers, grilled cheese sandwiches, salads, egg rolls, chili, hot dogs, chicken sandwiches and pork chops sandwiches.

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Rosalie The story of how this restaurant came to be will have you in love with it before trying the food. An immigrant with next to nothing but the clothes on her back came over with the desire that all parents have to give their children, a better way of life. Her only skill was cooking. She started a restaurant serving food made with love derived from her soul and the rest has been our pleasure to enjoy. The soul of Rosalie passed through generation after generation now pours from the soul of her great grandson Chef Chris Cosentino.

Dishes out of this kitchen are Italian love on a plate. Portion sizes are huge because they are meant to share amongst everyone at the table. Rich red hearty sauces, exotic cheeses, fresh caught seafood, and more will tease your palette as the different flavors dance on your tongue. Some dishes that had us begging for more was the Arancini (crispy risotto balls that will have cheese lovers in heaven) and Blue Crab Manicotti (local blue crab in lobster sauce that is unbelievably good). We both agreed that we were glad that we didn’t grow up with the descendants of Rosalie because we would weigh a ton due to everything being so rich and oh so good!

The Dunlavy Get swept away as you walk inside this indoor treehouse. Wall-to-wall windows surround you giving the best views of Buffalo Bayou Park. Just as breathtaking is the array of assorted pastries and treats on display as you try to decide on which scrumptious breakfast dish that you want. We couldn’t decide so we did the next best thing. We got different entrees and shared them. Best decision ever. I got to sample some of TotallyRandies’s ricotta pancakes topped with blueberries and strawberries that were so good I didn’t even need syrup and if you know me that’s really saying something. Total-

January 9 – January 15, 2020

lyRandie got to taste my green eggs and turkey sausage that was not the usual taste for this standard American breakfast. However, neither of us shared our muffins/pastry. I got the Morning Glory muffin that was as much as a treat as any piece of cake that I could have had.

Not only was it bigger than my mouth but also it had these perfectly sprinkled sugar crystals across its top that made the muffin almost too pretty to eat. But I did and it made my stomach happy.

I highly recommend the caramel latte to accompany your breakfast muffin to add a smooth finish to your breakfast.

TotallyRandie had the blueberry cream pastry. Looking more like dessert than a breakfast pastry, she felt every bite was like a reward for having impeccable taste in food. Each morsel was moist, flakey and well-iced. Flavorings were strong from the first bite to the last swallow. She had absolutely no complaints.

Chinese Community Center So, I’m not that big on cooking, but TotallyRandie swears she’s Chef-BoyarDee! Either way, the next leg on our staycation was quite interesting since we had to cook our own lunch. Yikes!

A little bit of anxiety filled our heads as we thought about how our magazine might be embarrassed by our skills in the kitchen. We put our fears aside, rolled up our sleeves, and got to cooking.

But where can you find authentic Chinese ingredients? Well, you go to the largest Asian supermarket chain in America, H Mart Starting in 1982 with a single store in Woodside, Queens, H Mart has grown to more than 97 stores across the US with one being right here in Houston’s China ToTwn. Combine Chinese celery, ground beef, green onions, cilantro, flour, and spices and what do you get? Dumplings, my friends, and that’s what we made from scratch. Our instructor made this look so easy. Making the dough was simple but making the dumpling shapes was a challenge. Add on putting the right amount of meat inside coupled with cooking the dumpling just right so the filling doesn’t fall out in the water and you have a stressed cook. Patting ourselves on the back, we didn’t do too badly. The reputation of HSM is in tack. For first timers, our dumplings were pretty good. Luckily, the folks at the Chinese Community Center thought some of us might have trouble cooking our lunch so they ordered us to be on the safe side or else we would have starved. We dined on fried rice, egg rolls, and dumplings!

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Cool Runnings.

On the menu was an array of foods that included jerk chicken, beef patties, jerk red snapper fillet, rice & peas, grilled shrimp and plantains. TotallyRandie has traveled the world and is always down to try something new. Whereas I am a bit more reserved. On trips like these, I let my guard down and open my mind to new flavors. I am so glad I did. Jamaican food is now added to my go to food craves. The jerk chicken was probably my favorite. You didn’t even need a fork.

It fell right off the bone. The shrimp were big and plump with a sauce that had the island but not too much of the fire. All the dishes we sampled had us wanting more. However, we did have to limit ourselves when it came to the mango ice tea. Don’t get us wrong it was refreshing, sweet, and tasty and therein lies the problem. We wanted to drink a lot but if we did that we wouldn’t have had room for the food. Our suggestion is to buy a gallon of it to go to enjoy at your leisure (it is that good).

The Breakfast Klub The Breakfast Klub is the kind of place that will have you waking up early for breakfast. One reason is that the food is so good. And two because the restaurant is so popular you need to get up early to beat the crowd. Chicken and waffles and catfish and grits are two of their highly popular dishes that keep people coming back. The chicken is always fried with that extra crunch that is so loud it’s disturbing. Making each bite even better is the well-seasoned batter that has a touch of spice. Waffles are light and fluffy served with butter that slides along the golden divots of the waffle. The grits are not too runny and not too thick but are just right for these Southern girls.

And the only pairing suitable for grits as these is their signature golden fried, crispy catfish. Served hot and fresh, the batter of the fish seals the deal of this classic Southern breakfast dish. During our staycation, we devoured the chicken and waffles and had servings of eggs, fresh fruit, bacon, sausage, and homemade biscuits that didn’t last long on our plates. You smell the food before it arrives at your table. All the smells make you mad that you didn’t visit sooner.

And, I am sorry to tell you that after eating any plate from The Breakfast Klub you will probably be full for the rest of the day, no matter how much you starve yourself. They serve the kind of food that sticks to you and stays with you.

Hopefully, TotallyRandie and I were able to widen your horizon to some new restaurants in the city limits. We encourage you to experience some new flavors and check out some different vibes. Let us know what you try and how you liked it. We would love to hear from you. Tag us @HoustonStyleNews on IG.

BOOK

“Overground Railroad: The Green Book and the Roots of Black Travel in America” by Candacy Taylor © 2020, Abrams Press

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our tickets have been purchased.

Reservations were made in your name and all that’s left is packing.

Yep, you’re heading out for the weekend, a week, a month, gone on the trip of a lifetime and as you’ll see in “Overground Railroad” by Candacy Taylor, it’s a trip your grandparents might’ve been denied.

Ron was just 7 years old when he was told to sit still and be quiet in the backseat of his parents car, where he listened as a police officer questioned his father by a country road. Even when he was an old man and stepdad to Candacy Taylor, he remembered the tension coming from the front seat of that car.

Her stepfather’s stories helped Taylor understand many things, including why he and Black folks his age preferred to travel at night, on side roads. At about this same time, Taylor’s white friends began expressing outrage over white supremacists and she replied with facts about incarceration of black men. To her, the three histories were one: Black people have always been denied equality.

In the twentieth century, that inequality largely resulted from Jim Crow laws which, among other humiliations, allowed restaurants, hotels, and gas stations to refuse service to Black travelers.

On the road, brave or desperate African Americans risked violence or even death

$35.00 / $44.00 Canada

360 pages

By Terri Schlichenmeyer

by testing the laws; in years following the Depression, those laws gave Victor Green an idea.

Green lived in Harlem, worked as a mailman, and saw a future where Black people owned cars (rare, in the 1930s) they could insure (also rare). With help from other mailmen, information on Black-owned businesses that Black travelers could visit was gathered and published in a book that was initially

Harlem-centric. Subsequent editions of The Green Book led African American travelers to safe restaurants, hotels, and gas stations across the country.

Says Taylor, Green never made much money from his project, but “his reward was much more valuable… for every business he listed, he may have saved a life.”

As a history of African American

The Ensemble Theatre Presents Regional Premiere “The Green Book”

By StyleMagazine.com Newswire The Ensemble Theatre presents the regional premiere of The Green Book, written by award-winning author Calvin Alexander Ramsey and directed by award-winning director Shirley Jo Finney.

“I think its important for this generation and future generations to know how people work together,” says Ramsey.

“The Green Book would not have been successful if it weren’t for a lot of people working together for the common good.”

Ramsey, an award-winning children’s picture book author, photographer, and painter has launched The Green Book as his first work as a playwright.

His research on Victor Green’s The Negro Motorist Green Book included personal narratives from elderly African Americans recalling their emotions and fear of peril while traveling during the Jim Crow era. They relied on The Green Book for survival in a time where making the wrong stop could be a matter of life or death.

“I am excited to be part of the telling of this story about the legacy of our resilience as a people,” says Jo Finney.

“We witness the joys and fears a family during this critical time in history when people opened their homes and places of business to strangers out of necessity and for survival.”

The story takes place during a weekend when the Davis’ are celebrating the arrival of Dr. W. E. B. DuBois for a lecture. The appearance of a white visitor, who turns out to be a Jewish Holocaust survivor, sets off a chain of events that shows that racism and anti-Semitism

travel in the Twentieth Century, “Overground Railroad” is incredible, filled with great continuity and plenty of side-stories to make it come alive. Author Candacy Taylor makes it exquisitely personal with tales from her stepfather and her deep appreciation for all he’d endured, leading to other stories of DWB; how the travel industry foolishly thwarted African American travel and its buying power; how things changed; and the constant reassurance of The Green Book.

That history makes this book incredibly fascinating.

It could’ve been even better, had Taylor stuck with the topic.

Instead, occasionally and from the beginning, mass incarceration and institutional racism are inserted into this narrative on travel. One could perhaps argue that they’re peripherally relevant but, though it’s not overwhelming, that feels like a discussion for a different book.

Still, ignore the distraction. Don’t let it chase you away from this stellar tale, told with detail and an abundance of photos.

If you’re looking for a lively, well-rounded history book, “Overground Railroad” is just the ticket.

Share this story online at stylemagazine.com.

Boms (JACQUELINE SMITH); Jarred Tettey (KEITH CHENAULT); and John Stevens (JACOB LEVINSKY) Previews: January 18, 19, 22 Show Runs: January 23 – February 23, 2020 Performance Days and Times: Thursdays: 7:30 p.m; Fridays: 8:00 p.m; Saturdays: 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m; and Sundays: 3:00 p.m.

Tickets Available Online: www.EnsembleHouston.com For Information Call: 713-520-0055 Ticket Prices: $26- $57 Special Pricing: Group Rates and Weekday Matinees for Schools Available Opening Night and Media Reception, Thursday January 23, 2020, 6:30 p.m.

Brief History of Negro Motorist Green Book

cannot be ignored. This play integrates historical context of The Negro Motorist Green Book as it investigates the impact of Civil Rights on contemporary American issues.

Featured cast members include: Timothy Eric (DAN DAVIS); Rachel Hemphill Dickson (BARBARA DAVIS); Christian Simon (NEENA MOLLY DAVIS); Kendrick ‘Kay B’ Brown (CPT. GEORGE SMITH); Brianna Odo-

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The Negro Motorist Green Book was developed by Victor and Alma Green and published 1936-1967. The Green book was a directory of services for African Americans traveling during the Jim Crow era that included lodging, restaurants, medical care, and gas stations. Travelers were able to use the guide to avoid the dangers of violence in the segregated South. The Green Book was distributed nationally and was supported by ExxonMobil predecessor Standard Oil through their chain of Esso retail stations which welcomed African American travelers.

January 9 – January 15, 2020

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2020

HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE TRUSTEE SWEARING-IN HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE

HCC TRUSTEE SWEARING-IN

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY AMIR PINK

2019

ouston Community College welcomed new board members to the HCC family during the swearing-in ceremony. Monica Flores Richart, District I; Rhonda Skillern-Jones, District II; Dr. Cynthia Lenton-Gary, District VII; and Dr. Reagan Flowers, District IV were sworn in as new HCC Board of Trustees

by Harris County Judge Lina Hildago, Rep. Senfronia Thompson, Commissioner Adrian Garcia, and Pastors Mia and Remus Wright. Some at the ceremony were former HCC Trustee and Councilwoman Dr. Carolyn Evans-Shabazz, Councilman, Wanda Adams, Georgia Provost, Laolu Davies, Aiesha Odutayo, and HCC Trustees Dr. John Hansen, Dr. Adriana Tamez, Robert Glaser, Eva Loredo, and Dr. Pretta Stallworth.

LIKE A BOSS SCREENING REGAL EDWARDS GREENWAY

LIKE A BOSS SCREENING PHOTOGRAPHY BY KAYLA SIMMONS

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t was night with the stars as Kim Roxie treated some boos like women to a screening of the new film Like a Boss, starring Tiffany Haddish, Rose Byrne, and Salma Hayek. The film follows best friends navigating the beauty business being small fish in a big pond. Special guests included Denise Hamilton, Founder of Watch Her Work; Tyla-Simone Crayton, CEO of Sienna Wings; Ashley Cockrell, Founder of My Living Spree; and Leona Red.

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January 9 – January 15, 2020

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2020

MY SISTER’S KEEPER 4TH VISION BOARDING PARTY 51FIFTEEN IN SAKS FIFTH AVENUE

MY SISTER’S KEEPER 4TH VISION BOARDING

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY KAYLA SIMMONS

2019

he power of visualization and goal setting was share at My Sister’s Keeper 4th Annual Vision Board & Networking Party. Goal setting and tools to achieve them was received by all attendees from a distinguished panel that included Miss Texas 2019 Chandler Foreman, Kim Roxie, Founder of Lamik Cosmetics, Khaliah Guillory, Founder of Nap Bar and Gwenn Pierre, National Author and Motivational Speaker. The Vision MSK event brought women together to celebrate, encourage, and share their life’s journey as sisters helping to inspire profound solidarity.

BLACK DEMOCRATS HARRIS COUNTY MEETING HARRIS COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY BLDG.

BLACK DEMOCRATS HARRIS COUNTY MEETING

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PHOTOS BY CARL DAVIS

any Democrats gathering for the first meeting of the year with new State Chairman of the Texas Coalition of Black Democrats Carroll G. Robinson. He was the keynote speaker at the meeting organized to set strategies for the upcoming 2020 election. Special guests included State Reps. Shawn Thierry and Ron Reynolds. Others in attendance were Councilwoman Dr. Carolyn Evans-Shabazz, Carl Davis, Tanya Debose, Sister Moma Sonya, Nata Koerber, Koretta Brown, Shauntay B. Favor, Priscilla Graham, Morris Overstreet, and Jerry Zimmerer.

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January 9 – January 15, 2020

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New

NOW OPEN

MACGREGOR MARKET MEET OUR FEATURED SUPPLIERS

ME & THE BEES

When Mikaila Ulmer was just four years old, she was stung by two bees in the same week. Her parents encouraged her to do some research on the bees rather than being upset with them. Upon discovering the important role that bees play in our ecosystem, Mikaila was determined to help them. Using her Great Granny Helen’s flaxseed honey lemonade recipe, Mikaila launched her business from her home in Austin, Texas in 2009. Today, this award-winning lemonade is available locally in all H-E-B stores as well as several other retailers across the nation.

Today, the award-winning lemonade is distributed by United Natural Foods (UNFI) in Wegmans, Cost Plus, World Market and now available at checkouts in all H-E-B stores. In 2018, Mikaila launched her Healthy Hive Foundation where 10% of the net profits from the sale of her lemonade goes to saving our honey bees. Now at the age of 15, Mikaila has shared her story with Good Morning America, NBC News, ABC 20/20, The Real, Forbes and TIME among others, and has been invited to speak on social entrepreneurship at prestigious gatherings including the White House, and The United State of Women Summit, where she introduced President Barack Obama. Look out for Mikaila’s book titled Bee Fearless: Dream Like a Kid in July 2020. meandthebees.com

FRENCHY’S SAUSAGE

‘Percy “Frenchy” Creuzot, New Orleans native, came to Houston in 1965 to work as a traveling salesman. His ambitions quickly shifted to food, and on July 3rd, 1969, he and his wife Sallie opened up a po-boy shop bearing his nickname on Scott Street, just a block from the University of Houston and not far from TSU. Frenchy’s Sausage Company, Inc. (FSCI) was originally created to produce Chaurice, a Creole Hot Sausage for the restaurant. In 1977, as the demand for Chaurice grew beyond the restaurant’s needs, Frenchy encouraged his son, Percy “King” Creuzot III to join him in the family business. Frenchy passed away in the summer of 2010, and now King heads the family business. In keeping with family tradition, King recruited his son, Percy “P.C.” Creuzot IV, to also join him.

Today, FSCI has grown from a small sausage manufacturer to a proud full-service food service distribution business specializing in Creole cooking products. Frenchy’s has a wide assortment of products which are available in nearly 250 H-E-B stores.”

©2019 HEB, 20-0942

“Percy P. “King” Creuzot III

STORE OPEN DAILY 6 AM - MIDNIGHT I 6055 SOUTH FREEWAY HOUSTON, TX 77004

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January 9 – January 15, 2020

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