Houston Style Magazine Vol 32 No 31

agazine July 29– August 04, 2021

Houston’s Premiere Weekly Publication, Since 1989

Volume 32 | Number 31

Complimentary

Jesse Jackson

The Republican Assault On Our Democracy

Who Set Jay-Z's & Beyoncé House on Fire?! #GETVAX H STAYSAFE

CORONAVIRUS – US NUMBERS: Cases: 35,350,401 Deaths: 627,323 TAG US: #TeamStyleMag

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Young Black Athletes Take On Mental Health

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Should Deandre and Kaden Have To Cut Their Locs?

Issa Rae

Marries Louis Diame: See Stunning Photos

Falyn M. Davis

Tips On Selling or Buying Homes Amidst COVID-19

STYLE HAUTE SHOTS

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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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

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

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Houston Style Magazine & www.StyleMagazine.com Phone: (713) 748-6300 • Fax: (713) 748-6320 Mail: P.O. Box 14035, Houston, TX 77221-4035 ©2021 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 2019 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). National Association of Hispanic Publications, Inc. (NAHP, Inc.), Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (HHCC), League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), Latin Women’s Initiative (LWI), National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), Houston Association of Hispanic Media Professionals (HAHMP), National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ), and Supporters of Greater Houston Partnership(GHP)

Biden said, "It’s “gigantically important” for Americans to step up and get inoculated for the virus." www.BuildBackBetter.com

(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

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COMMENTARY

THE REPUBLICAN ASSAULT ON OUR DEMOCRACY

By Jesse Jackson, National Political Writer

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Rioters supporting then-President Donald Trump storm the Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6

he political divide in this country grows ever more menacing, even as the crises facing us - exemplified by the fires raging in the West and the resurgence of the COVID variant across the country - grow more destructive. With the Congress and the voters divided, the mainstream media keeps urging bipartisan cooperation to move forward. But that assumes that both parties have a good faith stake in making progress. The plain reality is that Donald Trump and his Republican followers are stoking rebellion, not cooperation.

Trump continues to deny that he lost the 2020 election. Across the country, Republicans are reinforcing his big lie with utterly brazen efforts to spread rumors about fraud, even though Republican state election officials, Republican judges, Trump's own Attorney General have all exposed the claims of fraud as bogus.

Now, in states with Republican legislatures, Trump partisans are passing bills to strip the election officials of their authority, and to sponsor partisan "audits"

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of votes - but, as in Texas, only in counties that Trump lost, arguing there is no need to look at counties that he won. They are pushing a package of restrictive voting laws designed to make it harder to vote and often targeted specifically on African Americans, Latinos and the young who voted against Trump by large margins.

The result is to feed extremist anger against American democracy. When masses of people believe the lie that the election was stolen, they will question the result of any election where their candidate loses. If they think the democracy is rigged, the likelihood that they will turn to rebellion and to violence increases as we witnessed on January 6 when Trump partisan sacked the Capitol.

Trump partisans in the Congress refuse even to support an independent investigation of that horror. Republicans blocked creation of an independent commission. Now they are seeking to sabotage the special House investigation. They simply don't want an honest inquiry which will detail Trump's responsibility for the riot that sought to stop Congress from certifying the

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results of the presidential election. They don't want to expose the complicity of Republican operatives in organizing the mob and the complicity of Republican legislators in stoking the insurrectionary anger.

Trump partisans want Biden to fail, even if it costs American lives. They have worked to discredit US public health officials, to support resistance to sensible measures like wearing a mask and now to spread the rumors and lies that have helped fuel resistance to the vaccine. The direct result is that the new variant is spiking among the unvaccinated across the country - with the U.S. death toll rising once more. Even a pandemic that threatens us all could not bring them to join together in support of responsible action.

Their focus on making Biden fail led congressional Republicans to vote in lockstep against the Rescue Plan that was vital to helping the economy recover and providing a life preserver for the millions displaced when the pandemic forced the shutdown of much of the economy.

Similarly, even as extreme weath-

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er savages communities across the country, Trump partisans impede steps to address the real and present danger of climate change.

The price of any Republican support for the infrastructure bill was to strip out virtually all measures to accelerate the transition to renewable energy, while blocking any increase in taxes on the wealthy and corporations to help pay for rebuilding the country. Now Republicans in the Senate seem intent on voting in lockstep against the Child Tax Credit that helps families with children, against universal pre-K, against support for childcare, against paid family leave, against expanding Medicare to cover dental and eye care.

Trump has led his followers closer to sedition than to bipartisan cooperation.

They spread the big lie about the election and seek to limit the right to vote. They fan fears about the vaccine, and smear public health efforts amid a pandemic. They oppose efforts to help families as the economy reopens and begins to recover. They stand perversely in the way of even the first steps to address climate change.

The most costly war in American history was the Civil War which broke out when the South seceded to protect the spread slavery to new states joining the union. Now Trump is fanning the flames of revolt among the minority of Americans that support him. With the economy just beginning to recover, climate change and pandemic threatening us, entrenched racial disparities dividing us, it is time for the majority to act - not to allow an aroused minority and cowed elected officials to stand in the way.

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.

Follow him at: Twitter @RevJJackson Share this story online at:

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Simone Manuel U.S. Olympic Gold Medalist Swimming

At the Olympic Games Rio 2016, U.S. Olympic Gold Medalist Simone Manuel emerged as the first African American woman to win gold in swimming – inspiring the team of tomorrow to take the plunge after her. Xfinity honors Simone and every Black athlete who has and will continue to make a difference on and off the field. To see their stories and more just say, “Black Experience,” into your Xfinity Voice Remote.

Visit xfinity.com/blackexperience to learn more.

Restrictions apply. Not available in all areas. © 2021 Comcast. Photo: TYR Sport, Inc. The use of Olympic Marks, Terminology and Imagery is authorized by the U.S. Olympic Committee pursuant to Title 36 U.S. Code Section 220506. NPA236389-0004

140917_NPA236389-0004 Olympics Lines ad 10.8125x13 Houston.indd 1

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7/16/21 2:22 PM

NATIONWIDE NEWS: JAMAICAN DEMANDS BILLIONS IN SLAVERY REPARATIONS FROM BRITISH GOVERNMENT By www.StyleMagazine.com – Newswire

Jamaica Seeking $10.6 Billion in Slave Trade Reparations from Great Britain. (Pictured L to R) Olivia “Babsy” Grange, Jamaican Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sports and Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II. PHOTO BY GETTY IMAGES

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n a move to seek “justice from injustices”, Jamaica is readying to demand reparations from Great Britain for the centuries-old slave trade in the former British colony.

The island was seized by the British, from the Spanish, in 1655 and profited off the labour of African slaves who worked on plantations of sugar cane, bananas and other crops. An estimated 600,000 Africans were shipped to toil in Jamaica, according to the National Library of Jamaica.

Although Britain prohibited trade in slaves in its empire in 1807, slavery wasn’t abolished in the Caribbean until 1834. And Jamaica remained a British colony until its independence in 1962.

Leading the push for reparations in Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sports, Olivia “Babsy” Grange, who said it is time that Jamaica get justice from injustices.

“We are hoping for reparatory justice in all forms that one would expect if they are to really ensure that we get justice from injustices to repair the damages that our ancestors experienced,” Grange told Reuters in a recent interview.

“Our African ancestors were forcibly removed from their home and suffered unparalleled atrocities in Africa to carry out forced labour to

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the benefit of the British Empire. Redress is well overdue,” she added.

The petition, with approval from Jamaica’s National Council on Reparations, will be filed pending advice from the attorney general and three legal teams, Grange said. The attorney general will then send it to Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, who remains head of state of the Commonwealth country.

Grange declined to say how much the government is seeking, but the petition is based on a 2015 motion filed by long-serving member of the Jamaica Labour Party, Mike Henry, who said it was worth some 7.6 billion pounds.

“I am asking for the same amount of money to be paid to the slaves that was paid to the slave owners,” said Henry.

“I am doing this because I have fought against this all my life, against chattel slavery which has dehumanized human life.”

It is not the first time that the Jamaican government is demanding reparations from the United Kingdom.

The same year Henry had filed the motion for reparations was the same year that then-British Prime Minister David Cameron declined Jamaica’s

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request for reparations, saying that the country should move on from its painful past.

“Slavery was and is abhorrent in all its forms. It has no place whatsoever in any civilised society, and Britain is proud to have eventually led the way in its abolition.

“That the Caribbean has emerged from the long shadow it cast is testament to the resilience and spirit of its people. I acknowledge that these wounds run very deep indeed. But I do hope that, as friends who have gone through so much together since those darkest of times, we can move on from this painful legacy and continue to build for the future,” he stated while speaking in the Jamaican parliament.

Cameron had offered some $37.9 million to help Jamaica build a new prison instead.

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For more on this story visit:

www.caribbeannationalweekly.com

STATE NEWS: DOJ DEFENDS 2 TEXAS TEENS IN FIGHT WITH SCHOOL DISTRICT OVER LONG LOCS By www.StyleMagazine.com – Newswire

The Justice Department has stepped into a legal dispute on behalf of two Texas students, De'Andre Arnold and Kaden Bradford, who say their school district discriminated against them when they were not allowed to attend classes because they refused to cut the length of their hair that they wore in locs.

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he Justice Department has stepped into a legal dispute on behalf of two Texas male students who say their school district discriminated against them when they were not allowed to attend classes because they refused to cut the length of their hair that they wore in locs.

"The United States has a significant interest in ensuring that all students can participate in an educational environment free of unlawful discrimination and in the proper application of the Equal Protection Clause, Title IX, and Title VI," according to the statement of interest that was filed on Friday.

The parents of De'Andre Arnold and Kaden Bradford filed a civil lawsuit in the US District Court for the Southern District of Texas last year against Barbers Hill Independent School District claiming their children were discriminated against because they are boys and the school district's hair length rule targets male students only.

Arnold and Bradford wore

their natural hair in locs "as an outward expression of their Black identity and culture" and grew them longer than allowed under district rules, which required hair not to be "below the eyebrows or below the ear lobes when let down," according to the statement of interest. In January 2020, both of their parents filed dress code exemption requests to the school district, which declined to consider their requests a month later, according to the lawsuit.

The Justice Department noted in its statement of interest that it is using the term "locs" in place of "dreadlocks" because that term is derived from English slave traders referring to Africans' hair as "dreadful."

The Justice Department has an ongoing investigation from 2017 related to another complaint alleging that the Barbers Hill Independent School District refused to allow a Native American student to attend school unless he cut his hair to conform with the hair length policy, according to the lawsuit.

Kaden Bradford says he's been growing his hair in locs since the seventh grade.

"To date, the investigation has focused on alleged religious discrimination. DOJ has not endorsed the legal validity of the District's hair length policy as it relates to allegations of sex- and race-based discrimination," according to the statement of interest.

Because of the district's rule, Arnold and Bradford transferred to Good Creek Consolidated Independent School District, which is located about 12 miles away.

Arnold graduated from Ross S. Sterling High School in the Goose Creek district, and Bradford returned to the Barbers Hill district "only after this Court granted Plaintiffs' Motion for Preliminary Injunction and enjoined the District from enforcing its hair length

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policy against" Bradford, according to the statement of interest.

The district filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit in June, and the attorneys for Arnold and Bradford filed their response on Friday, according to online records.

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CULTURE: FIRST BLACK RODEO QUEEN TEACHING IMPORTANCE OF FARMING TO YOUTH By www.StyleMagazine.com – Newswire

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Dayia Kursh, the first Black rodeo queen of Arkansas, is piquing the interest of youth early!

Photos Courtesy of Ja'Dayia Kursh Website

ayia Kursh first became involved in rodeos when she was 13 years old, participating in pony express riding for the Arkansas Seven before spending two years with the Old Fort Days Dandies.

This organization championed diversity for women in equestrian sports for four decades.

In 2017, on her 17th birthday, Kursh was crowned Miss Rodeo Coal

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Hill of Arkansas, making history as the first Black rodeo queen in the state.

Since then, Kursh has secured several sponsorship deals, including working as a model for Wrangler jeans.

Despite her success, the River Valley native makes sure she keeps her ties to the community, recently stopping in her hometown to teach kids the importance of farming, bringing along some

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farm animals to showcase how agriculture impacts their everyday lives.

“It’s important that kids know agriculture because that’s our future.

Farming is our whole community. Even the food from Walmart comes from someone raising it,” Kursh said.

The rodeo queen credits animals with saving her life and hopes that she can pay it forward in the lives of other young

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people through her work.

Thank you for your service, Ja’Dayia! Because of you, they can!

To stay up to date on Ja'Dayia Kursh

www.jadayiakursh.com

HMAAC OPENS A BEAUTIFUL PORTRAIT OF SOUTHERN AMERICAN LIFE: REMEMBERING WILLIAM TOLLIVER By www.StyleMagazine.com – Newswire

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he Houston Museum of African American Culture (HMAAC) is delighted to present from August 6 through October 9, 2021 A Beautiful Portrait of Southern American Life: Remembering William Tolliver, an exhibition of the late artist’s work culled from his Estate.

The late William Tolliver (19512000) is internationally recognized for his powerful and emotionally moving impressionistic landscapes, figurative studies, sculptures and abstract pieces. The Vicksburg, Mississippi native’s art is drawn from the culturally relevant Mississippi Delta, an historically rich area presented in oral and written histories and manifested through art, music, and literature depicting the resilience and vibrancy of African Americans in the South.

By age eight Tolliver began copying the detailed works of High Renaissance artists such as Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci and Dutch painters Rubens and Rembrandt. His astute power of observation led him to study subjects from books, blackand-white photographs, nature, comics, and family members who posed as models. Early in his career as an artist Tolliver developed a style that is both versatile and refreshingly exuberant. It is a style where inspiration comes from the fabric of Southern life.

Jazz, Blues, history, and beauty each have a revered place in the palette of William Tolliver. What may seem commonplace on the surface found brilliance and light at the hand of this unequivocal master.

In a time when the rules of art were either abandoned in favor of an anti-formalist attitude or were institutionalized in academic study, William Tolliver emerged as a brilliant self-taught artist—a Mississippi-born Renaissance man whose creative intelligence combined the study of formal structure with an innate sense of human observation. Far from the marketplace of the New York City art world, Tolliver arose during the mid-1980s as a brilliant regional talent, an individual impelled by a desire to capture the landscapes and people of his native deep South. Whether dealing with everyday workers or back-alley jazzmen, he conveys a universal message through scenes of the common human experience.

Equally important to Tolliver is his concern for thematic content. He stresses that art is a means for documenting one’s history.

In the late 1980s, the artist’s abstract-style paintings were shown at museum collections and exhibitions, including the Contemporary Art Center of New Orleans, the New Orleans Museum of Art, and the U.S. Senate Building in Washington, D.C. and became part of private collections of celebrities including Shari Belafonte, Kareem

Abdul Jabbar, Richard Pryor, Cecily Tyson, David Winfield, and Ellis Marsalis. Tolliver also completed a promotional poster for the 1996 Olympics held in Atlanta, Georgia.

According to Exhibition Consultant Kathleen Coleman of FAME (Film, Art, Music, Entertainment) “Tolliver never received any formal training; however, his mastery of color harmony and design earned him a place among America's most renowned artists.” Added HMAAC CEO and Exhibition Curator John Guess, Jr., “Remembering William Tolliver recognizes the work of a Master capturing Southern life and introduces Tolliver to a wider Houston audience.” Eric Jones of the William Tolliver Estate indicated “The Estate appreciates the Houston Museum of African American Culture’s decision to show this work and give long overdue recognition to a great artist.”

A Beautiful Portrait of Southern American Life: Remembering William Tolliver is generously sponsored by the Houston Endowment, HEB, Francis Page, John Green. Attorney at Law CPA and the Board of Directors of the Houston Museum of African American Culture.

Horns by William Tolliver, exhibition at the Houston Museum of African American Culture (HMAAC)

ABOUT THE HOUSTON MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURE The mission of HMAAC is to collect, conserve, explore, interpret, and exhibit the material and intellectual culture of Africans and African Americans in Houston, the state of Texas, the southwest and the African Diaspora for current and future generations. In fulfilling its mission, HMAAC seeks to invite and engage visitors of every race and background and to inspire children of all ages through discovery-driven learning. HMAAC is to be a museum for all people. While our focus is the African American experience, our story informs and includes not only people of color, but people of all colors.

As a result, the stories and exhibitions that HMAAC will bring to Texas are about the indisputable fact that while our experience is a unique one, it has been impacted by and has impacted numerous races, genders and ethnicities. The museum continues to be a space where a multicultural conversation on race geared toward a common future takes place.

Learn more at

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There Is More to Life Than Gymnastics:

Simone Biles Puts Her Mental Health First

By Jo-Carolyn Goode, Managing Editor - www.StyleMagazine.com

Tokyo Olympic Games: Day 5 key moments: Simone Biles withdraws from individual all-around competition 'to focus on her mental health' Naomi Osaka says she gets 'huge waves of anxiety' during post-match press conferences.(AP: Lynne Sladky /Ashley Landis)

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our years ago, her name dominated headlines across the globe. Newsfeeds on the television, radio, and all over the Internet boasted about her idiosyncratic skill level to complete stunts that no other gymnast could do while defying gravity in the process. The world stood in amazement at the young 4 foot 10 inch woman who appears tiny in stature with power beyond belief. She can take the most difficult routines and effortlessly execute them with flawless precision.

As she garnered win after win, earning 5 Olympic gold medals and a myriad of world championship titles she became the greatest, most dominant, most decorated American gymnast of all time.

Becoming the GOAT (greatest of all time) was not something that came overnight for Simone Biles. What is now being viewed are the years of training, sacrifice, and focusing her mind on her goals. She invested in herself to condition her body to be in peak performance including shaping her mind, body, and spirit. This groundwork included taking care of her mental health. In a press conference, Biles spoke about how bad it feels to be "fighting with your own head." Biles has been in this fight to maintain her mental health for years from surviving a childhood with challenging expe-

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riences, being bullied in high school over muscular physique, living with ADHD, surviving abuse at the hand of gymnast trainer Larry Nassar, bouts of depression, fighting back thoughts of quitting, and other personal struggles. Biles was handling all of that with the added pressure of being a top Olympic athlete in the spotlight as the world followed her every move. Instrumental to her peace was the support of her family, treatment from a sports psychologist, and by Biles knowing and listening to her body.

Her usual mindset was not enough to help her cope with the stress of these Olympic games that brought on the added stress of her being expected to be better than she was four years ago.

Biles was also expected to carry the entire US women's gymnastics team, inspire the next generation of gymnasts, and do it all with a positive attitude like she never experiences stress. That is a lot for one person. That's why Biles had to do her most shocking move yet this week when she decided not to compete with US women gymnasts team Tuesday and following that by withdrawing from the individual all-around competition citing the need to focus on her mental health.

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"I have to put my pride aside. I have to do what's right for me and focus on my mental health and not jeopardize my health and well-being. That's why I decided to take a step back," said Biles.

Biles follows a string of athletes that have taken a similar bold stance to make their mental health a priority. Naomi Osaka withdrew from the French Open and Wimbledon over mental health issues. US swimmer Erica Sullivan opened up about the help she received in 2018 for psychological issues. Michael Phelps had suicidal thoughts after the 2012 Olympics.

Their actions have shown no matter how the world may put them on these unreachable pedestals that they are human like every person in the world. Taking off their superhuman facade to show their most vulnerable side by sharing their personal struggles and advocating for mental health is something unseen in the sports world. The shake up has caused major changes to occur in the industry to better care for athletes.

As more and more attempt to come to grips with their mental health states, athletic organizations are embracing athletes with mental health resources. The NBA has a mandate that a mental health professional be on staff and launched a

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program called Mind Health. The NFL has a confidential hotline for athletes to have access to professional counselors. There is a program through the NCAA to help athletic staff recognize athletes' mental health issues. And more resources are being made available to these individuals who often are advised not to show any weaknesses.

Personal approach to mental health care Taking care of one's mental health is not something just for athletes to observe but something every single person needs to hold dear. At any point in time, a person's mental health can be attacked. Death of a loved one, traumatic injury, living in a global pandemic, anything can be a trigger to one's mental health. Some people can easily come out of a mental health episode while others may take longer to recover. The point is everyone could benefit from some mental health help. What that help looks like is very individualistic and because of that there are several ways in which to manage it.

Mild cases can be helped with exercise, changing the diet, stopping the trigger if possible.

More severe cases can be handled with medication and therapy from a psychologist or other mental health professional.

Mental health encompasses our emotional, psychological, and social health. Any problems affecting one's mental health determines how a person feels, thinks, and acts as well as how stress is handled and decisions made. With it having such a wide net, knowing the warning signs like usual sleep patterns, mood swings, withdrawal from

friends & family, and feelings of hopelessness is important.

This past year has pushed more people beyond their usual scope and not them off their balance. These new feelings have left individuals at a loss on how to handle them properly. Beyond the helpful resources to address mental health the city already provides, Mayor Sylvester Turner and Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee in conjunction with the Houston Health Department established the Let’s Beat COVID-19: Health Education, and Support Services that includes a mental health helpline and other resources to help people adjust mentally and emotionally.

Hiding behind a brave face does not make mental health issues go away. It is way more common affecting 1 in 5 adults and 1 in 5 teenagers according to the National Institute of Mental Health.

And those were the numbers before the pandemic.

It is important to deal with it and not let problems build up inside. Talk about it with a trusted person.

Seek help from a mental health professional. Just don't let it fester and suffer alone in silence. In order to get better, one has to recognize the problem and seek help.

Helpful resources Becoming mentally stable doesn't always mean talking with a mental health professional.

Before life overwhelms an individual remember to regularly self-care to keep problems at a minimum.

Self-care can be a viable first line of defense. Something as simple as taking a mental health break at work where one steps away from their desk to go

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outside to do some deep breathing. And it seems like incorporating a regular exercise routine and a balanced diet can help many conditions and mental health stability is yet another one. Other sources include having a girls' getaway or a boys' night. The endorphins raised by hanging with these groups of friends are something that is good for all involved.

The important thing is to find out what works for the individual and intertwine it as part of the normal lifestyle. Always keep in mind professional resources if the above don't work.

"You know there's more to life than just gymnastics," Biles told reporters in Tokyo. Remembering the things that make life worth living are things to hold close to the heart. And Biles knowing that there is more to life than gymnastics is a giant step towards mental health stability.

Mental Health Resources in Houston

*Call 211 For help with local mental health care services 24/7. *National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255) Trained crisis workers are available to talk 24/7. *SAMHSA Treatment Referral Helpline 1-877-SAMHSA7 (1-877-726-4727)

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LOCAL NEWS: MAYOR’S BACK TO SCHOOL FEST PRESENTED

BY SHELL WILL PROVIDE BACKPACKS, SCHOOL SUPPLIES By www.StyleMagazine.com – Newswire

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1st photo: Mayor Sylvester Turner, at press conference. 2nd photo: (L to R) Christina Jones, VP HR, Diversity with Shell Oil Company, Mayor Sylvester Turner, and Shell Oil Company volunteer

ayor Sylvester Turner will welcome thousands of students and their families to the 11th Annual Mayor's Back to School Fest presented by Shell on Saturday, August 14, 2021. To accommodate the growing number of students who need assistance, this year the event will again take place in the NRG Park Yellow Lot as a "drive-through" event.

The annual fest presented by Shell Oil Company is designed to help economically disadvantaged Houston-area elementary school students and their families as they prepare to return to school. In addition to distributing 25,000 backpacks with school supplies, the Mayor's Office of Special Events has partnered with the Houston Food Bank to provide food to the students' families.

Additionally, face masks will be distributed to ensure a safe return to school. With one in four Texas children living in poverty, the Mayor's Back to School Fest presented by Shell is focused on changing the future, one child at a time.

"Many Houston families simply cannot afford school

supplies, and the challenges are greater this year because of the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Families have been hit hard by health issues or unemployment, said Mayor Turner. "I thank our sponsors for stepping up to the plate to help. Due to their generosity, thousands of kids will have the tools they need for a successful start to the school year."

Due to COVID-19, this new procedure for obtaining school supplies was implemented in 2020 with the sole purpose of keeping the public safe and socially distanced. That commitment to safety remains a priority for this year's event.

"Shell is honored to serve as founding and presenting sponsor of the annual Mayor’s Back 2 School Fest,” said Christina Jones, VP HR, Diversity, Inclusion and Employee Relations.

“Through our strong 11-year partnership, we have supported a variety of education programs that help prepare our students for academic success. These continuing efforts are critical to support our talent pipeline, but also to sustain and grow the economic vitality

of this community we all call home. “ Partnering with the Houston Food Bank will benefit students and their families by providing much-needed produce, protein, and dry goods.

"Houston Food Bank is proud to be a part of the Mayor's Back 2 School Fest, to help kids and families get ready for this important time of year," says Brian Greene, president/CEO of the Food Bank. "While there remain so many unknowns during the COVID-19 pandemic, what we do know is that some families need help preparing for this time of year, and they are still in need of food assistance. We are happy to partner with Shell and the City of Houston for this important event."

Registration is recommended for participation in the fest:

https://www.houstontx.gov/btsf/registermystudent.html

LOCAL NEWS: MISS FRANCIS TURNED 112 YEARS OLD By www.StyleMagazine.com – Newswire

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ook out world, Miss Francis just hit another milestone!

Ms. Elizabeth Francis turned 112 years old on Sunday, and her family threw her a car parade to celebrate.

Not only did her family show up, but Ms. Francis had a couple elected officials stop by to give her well-wishes.

"She's got that can-do spirit, that's Houston," Mayor Sylvester Turner said. "She's highly resilient, that's Houston."

Francis also gets proclamations from the city and state every year she reaches another milestone.

Crowned with a birthday tiara on her head, Francis waved at all the visitors who drove past her home Sunday afternoon.

Mayor Sylvester Turner and Congresswomen Sheila Jackson Lee help to celebrate Miss Francis Birthday!

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LOCAL NEWS: HCDE BOARD APPROVES $154 MILLION

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By www.StyleMagazine.com – Newswire

arris County Department of Education Board of Trustees unanimously approved a $154 million budget for the 2021-2022 school year Wednesday, which includes a minimum wage increase from $13.50 to $15 for all hourly workers.

With this budget, HCDE maintains its business model, which preserves the integrity of its services to school districts. The budget also provides for ongoing support for Department employees through competitive compensation and benefits.

“We’re looking forward to a great year,” said HCDE Board President Danny Norris. “The approved budget gives the Department room to continue a number of great initiatives and increase the number of services that benefit the school districts we serve. It’s also a budget that is responsible and beneficial to the taxpayer.”

As one of the first local education agencies to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour, HCDE strives to provide all HCDE hourly workers with what is widely considered a living wage. The budget also features a 2% salary increase for full-time staff and raises the starting teacher salary to $62,800—the highest starting teacher salary in Harris County.

The wage and salary increase combined with the continued expansion of programs and services that effectively support students, educators, and school districts in Harris County do not require a tax increase.

The budget was developed with the assumption that the property tax rate in HCDE will remain at .004993 per $100 of taxable property value. The Department has lowered the tax rate every year since 2015.

Property tax revenue, which amounts to less than $9 for the average Harris County homeowner annually, makes up $26.5 million of the overall budget. The rest of the budget is funded by grants, fees, and revenues from HCDE’s business endeavors, including its purchasing cooperative.

The HCDE budget, which is adopted yearly in July, is designed to allow the agency to be responsive to the needs of area school districts and the communities it serves.

HCDE provides four special schools for students with emotional and intellectual disabilities through contracts with area school districts and serves troubled youth and students recovering from addictions. Other educational services include school-based therapy for students in area school districts, afterschool services, adult education, and Head Start programs for infants through age 4. The organization also provides services for educators,

schools and government entities, including professional development, school safety audits, teacher certification, records management and a national purchasing cooperative.

To stay up to date on HCDE:

www.hcde-texas.org/Page/192

COMING SOON TO HOUSTON Starting November 13, 2021, at the Sam Houston Race Park Buy your tickets now at cirquedusoleil.com/alegria

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July 28, 2021 - August 04, 2021

13

ENTERTAINMENT: ISSA RAE ANNOUNCES MARRIAGE TO LOUIS DIAME: SEE THE STUNNING PHOTOS www.StyleMagazine.com - Newswire

I

n an Instagram post on Monday, the "Insecure" creator and star revealed she had married her longtime boyfriend Louis Diame over the weekend in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, a commune in the South of France.

Alongside a series photos of her destination wedding taken by Lauren Fair, Rae joked: "A) Impromptu photo shoot in a custom @ verawanggang dress. B) My girls came to help me, but they all coincidentally had on the same dress! They were sooooo embarrassed. C) Then I took a few flicks with Somebody's Husband."

"Big thanks to @whiteedenweddings for being so gracious and accommodating and making this feel so real and special," the actress added, mentioning her Cannes-based wedding planner.

The actress wore custom Vera Wang Haute for her wedding, while the groom opted for a custom Dolce & Gabbana tux.

For the ceremony Sunday, Rae went with a strapless ballgown that featured a sweetheart neckline, lace and crystal beading.

In an Instagram post, Vera Wang praised the bride, writing, "You look ethereal! Wishing you and Louis continued happiness and joy in your new life together XX Vera" Rae's glam team for the event included celebrity hairstylist Felicia Leatherwood, makeup artist Joanna Simkin and nail artist Yoko Sakakura.

The actress' reception dress was a silk crepe A-line gown that featured a plunging neckline and front slit.

More wedding photos:

https://abcn.ws/3i5Ge5y 14

July 28, 2021 - August 04, 2021

Issa Rae wore custom Vera Wang Haute to her wedding reception in the South of France on July 25th, 2021. | Lauren Fair Photography, Lauren Fair Photography

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ENTERTAINMENT: WHO SET JAY-Z AND BEYONCE` MILLION DOLLAR MANSION ON FIRE?! www.StyleMagazine.com - Newswire

A

Parkwood Entertainment purchased the Garden District Historical Mansion in New Orleans for $2.6 million. | Interior photos courtesy of Zillow,com

ccording to the New Orleans Police Department.

The fire that erupted late Wednesday inside a vacant Garden District mansion owned by pop superstar Beyoncé is being investigated as a possible arson.

The blaze in the 1500 block of Harmony Street appeared to have started in the kitchen, where firefighters found books inside of an oven, according to a source who was briefed on the investigation. A gas can was also found in the house.

Neighbors who asked not to be identified said authorities seemed to suspect that someone broke into the home shortly before the fire. One neighbor said people are known to use an unlocked gate to come

16

onto and leave the property.

Another, Jacques Michell, said: “Inside the house, I’ve never seen any activity in the two years I’ve been here. No activity at all.”

A smoke alarm at the nearly century-old home went off around 6:20 p.m., about the same time that police received a report of a suspicious person in the 3100 block of St. Charles Avenue, just around the corner, according to authorities.

Officers determined the suspicious-person call was connected to the fire, which was later classified as an arson, according to the New Orleans Police Department.

No one had lived in the home recently, but

July 28, 2021 - August 04, 2021

the house did have working utilities, fire officials said.

They declined to comment what may have caused the one-alarm blaze, but on Thursday, investigators with the fire department, police department and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were seen inside the home.

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W

elcome back to The Open House. With the new Delta variant of COVID-19 spreading rapidly, many of you might be wondering is it safe to still try and buy or sell a house?

The short answer is yes.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has proposed new recommendations to keep us all safe and alive. This week I wanted to share some more ways that you can protect yourself while still selling your current home or shopping for your dream home.

1) Everyone, including fully vaccinated people, should wear masks when touring homes.

Although everyone has different opinions on masks, the CDC recommends that when you are entering into an indoor space, you should wear your mask. Wearing your mask while visiting properties will protect you and every person a part of the transaction.

2) Sellers, consider alternative ways to show your property.

Along with photos, you can consider doing a virtual video tour, a live tour via Skype or Zoom, or even an 360 interactive property scan. That way you are limiting the traffic coming in

The Open House: With Realtor Falyn Davis

Tips On Selling or Buying Homes Amidst COVID-19

Falyn M. Davis

BUYING H SELLING H LEASING H APT. LOCATING Licensed Professional Realtor

Cell Phone: 832-396-6276 and out of your home.

3) Wash your hands before and after you visit any property.

Washing your hands can prevent the spread of the disease and will keep you healthy. It is also a good habit to keep sanitizer with you at all times just in case you cannot access soap

and water.

As a realtor, I want to keep my clients and myself safe from contracting COVID-19. I will be abiding by these steps to ensure we remain healthy and safe, while still assisting throughout the real estate transaction.

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Email: FalynMDavis@gmail.com Social Media: @FalynDavis

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2021

BEST PLACE + TO KNOW WHAT'S IN STYLE www.StyleMagazine.com

H Judge Joel C. Clouser, Sr. Retires After 30 Years H Judge Joel Clouser, Sr. was elected and took office as Justice of the Peace of Precinct Two on January 1, 1993. He has served on the board of directors of the Fort Bend YMCA and World Youth Foundation. He served on the Fort Bend Independent School District's Safe and Drug Free Schools Advisory Board. He has also served on the Fort Bend County Bail Bond Board, the Clear Creek Watershed Flood Control District Board, as Voter Precinct Chairman, as President of the Chasewood Civic Club, and as President of the Missouri City N.A.A.C.P. He is Chaplain of the Tideland's Chapter of the A. Philip Randolph Institute. He established and directed the Justice Court 2/YMCA Teen Court since 1993, and is especially proud that it won first place honors in several mock trial competitions throughout the State.

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July 28, 2021 - August 04, 2021

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